Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-21

Cynthia's Chauffeur
Continued from page ~

Hotel, and when she recovered from the |
stupor of recognizing Medenham in the
chauffeur of the Vanrenen equipage she
grati6ed her spite by sending lively and |
wholly distorted version Of the tour to his |
aunt
The letter reached Curzon-st. in the after |
noon, and exercised a remarkably restora- |
tive effect on the now convalescent lover |
of forced strawberries. Lady St. Maur |
ordered her carriage, and was driven in a |
jiffy to the Fairholme mansion in Caven |
dish Square, where she and her brother in |
dulged in the most lugubrious opinions as to |
the future of poor George" They as
sumed that he would fall an easy prey to the |
wies of designing American" Neither |
of them had met many citizens of the United |
States, and each shared to the fullest extent |
the common British dislike of every person |
and everything that is new and strange; so
they had visions of Countess of Fairholme |
who would speak in weird tongue, whose |
name would be Mamie, who would call |
the Earl Papa Number Two" and prefix |
every utterance with Say" or My land!"
Both brother and sister had laughed many |
a time at the stage version of Briton as |
presented in Paris; but they forgot that the |
average Englishman's conception of the |
average American is equally ludicrous in its |
blunders. In devising means to "save
George" they few into panic. Lady St.
Maur telegraphed frantic appeal to Lady |
Porthcawl for information; but dear Mill
cent" took thought, saw that she was al
ready sufficiently committed, and caused
her maid to reply that she had left Bourne |
mouth for the week end.
A telegram to the hotel manager produced
more definite news. Cynthia, provided
against the receipt of any urgent message |
from her father, had given the College Green
Hotel as her address for the night; but this |
intelligence arrived too late to permit of the
Earl's departure till next morning. Lady
Porthcawls hint that the devoted George"
was travelling incognito prevented the use of
wire or post. If the infatuated Viscount was |
to be brought to reason, there was nothing |
for it but that the Earl should hurry to Bris- |
tol by an early train next morning. He did |
hurry, and arrived FIVE minutes too late.
MARIGNY, of course, saw that lightning
IA had darted from summer sky. If the
despised chauffeur had proved such tough |
opponent. what would happen now that he
turned out to be sprig of the aristocracyl
He guessed at once that the Earl of Fair
holme appraised Cynthia Vanrenen by the
Devar standard. He knew that FIVE min |
utes in Cynthia's company would alter this
doughty old mans views SO greatly that his
present fury would give place to idolatry. |
No matter what the cost, they two must not |
meet, and it was evident that if Hereford
was mentioned as the nights rendezvous the |
Earl would proceed there by the next train.
What was to be done? He decided
promptly. Lifting his hat. and offering Lord
Fairholme his card he made up his mind to
lie, and lie speciously.
Il happened to meet the Vanrenens in
Paris" he said. Business brought me here, |
and / was surprised to see Miss Vanrenen
without her father You will pardon my
reference to your son, | am sure. His atti- |
tude is applicable now. He resented my
offer of assistance to the young lady. Perhaps |
he thought she might avail herself of it.
Assistance? What is the matter?"
"She had arranged for car to meet her |
here. As it was not forthcoming, she altered |
her plans for tour of Oxford, Kenilworth, |
and Warwick, and has gone in Viscount-
Viscount-"
"Medenham's."
"Ah, yes,-I did not catch the name pre-
cisely,-in your sons car to London"
BY this time Lord Fairholme had ascer- |
tanned the Frenchman's description, and he |
was sufficiently we'll acquainted with the |
Valley of the Loire to recollect the Chateau |
Marigny as house of some Importance.
Il beg your pardon, Monsieur lie Comte,
if seemed to speak bruskly at first he |
I..t Ill 70 he voI