The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-06-27
Next morning, however, when she

Sne swept ana uuSteu tuo TOoMS III ueI
care, she sang softly the songs of the
country child.
1t was half.past eight: she had
cooked and set out Mr.. Gedge-Tom-
kins's breakfast. and was cooking that
OF the Honorable John Rufin. when
there came knock at the outer door.
She went to 1t, and found stout gen.
tleman with rich Assyrian air, wear
ing a very shiny hat, standing with
out.
II want to see Mr.. Rufin." he said
sharply.
There was touch of hostility In his
tone: and Pollyooly's quick ear caught
1t: You can't see him. He's not had
breakfast; it's no use bothering him
before breakfast" she said coldly
Rats! said the stout gentleman
shortly, and he pushed rudely past
her, went along the passage to the sit
ting-room, and. without knocking. en-
tered It.
Pollyooly smiled pleasantly at the
discussion which followed. 1t was
quite short The tone in which the
Honorable Rufin refused to pay an
other penny was gentle but incisive:
and at the end Of three minutes he
suggested that the stout gentleman
might go to the devil and the High
Court. Having already been paid his
original loan to the Honorable John
Rufin with ten per cent interest on it,
the High Court was the last place to
which the stout gentleman wished to
CO. Besides, on recent visit to 1t,
to obtain a little matter Of sixty per
cent from another unfortunate client,
the Judge had remarked on his meth
DDS Of dealing with inexperienced
youth, with crude frankness which
had considerably contracted the sphere
of his lucrative usefulness to the COM
munity: he wished it contracted no
further.
The Honorable John Ruf1n followed
up his unkind suggestion by the assur
ance that II his visitor did not clear
out, he would instantly kick him out;
and the stout gentleman came out
quickly, and shut the door after him.
Ruf1n by name and Ruffin by ma
ture," he said as he came down the
passage: and he pushed back his hat
to wipe his warm. but beaded, brow
with a large silk handkerchief of gar.
ish hue.
81 told you not to go and bother
Mr.. Rufhn before breakfast" said Pol.
lyooly with unsympathetic severity.
The stout gentleman scowlsd at her,
and said ferociously, I'll n axe him
pay for II as sure as my names Mon
tague Fitzgerald"
mo, you won't. know BY the
quiet way he spoke. he won't pay any.
thing" said Pollyooly with an sir OF
finality: and she turned to the bacon
she was grilling.
Mr.. Montague Fitzgerald flung him.
self out of the door and slammed I
violently behind him. 1t cannot have
seemed to him that he had signalized
his departure with sufficient empha-
sis, for on the instant he slammed the
outer door, the oak. as We
Pollyooly smoothed the smile from
her face, carried the bacon into the
sitting-room. and set it on the table.
The Honorable John Rufin was
reading the Morning Post with an en-
tirely unruffled serenity. He rose
briskly and said. All. ha. Break.
fast. l fear the vulgar taste for alter
cation is growing on me, Pollyooly.
1t improves my appetite"
Yes, sir" said Pollyooly.
He began his breakfast; and she
went round the room tidying 1t up
She had done that already that morn
ing; but in the few minutes which
the Honorable John Ruff1n had spent
in 1t, he had unconsciously but thor
oughly, effaced the traces of her ear
lier work On one chair lay the jacket
of his pajamas on another his bath
towel, on another his sponge. He had
apparently had some difficulty in max
ing up his mind what clothes he
would wear that day, for three pairs
of trousers, coat, and two waist
coats had been thrown on the sofa;
and the drawer in which he kept his
ties stood on the floor by the window
In good light.
He watched Pollyooly's pretty face
with an appreciative eye as he ate his
bacon. and presently he said In tone
of gentle apology: I'm afraid you
find me rather trying. Pollyooly. The
fact is, was born to enjoy the serv-
ices OF a valet; and every morning the
effort Of deciding what things to wear
brings home to me afresh the unkind-
ness Of Fortune in robbing me of my
birthright.'
yes, sir" said Pollyooly politely.
She liked the conversation of her en-
ployer, though she rarely put the
strain of trying TO understand it on
her tender mind
How is your aunt this morning."
he said
Pollyooly flushed family, and said
quickly. She's no better, sir; thank
you"
Well, I hope she'll soon be we'll
enough 10 begin work again
Don't do 1t right, sir?" said Polly
dolly anxiously.
Quite-quite. You keep the place
quite as clean: and you have a. way
with bacon your aunt could never
hope TO rival / can only ascribe 1t
10 the possession of genius-genius,
Pollyooly; and when Fortune relents.
! shall attach you to my personal
large saiary-for the sole purpose Of
cooking my bacon for me. have de-
cided that when start on my tour
round the world, l shall take with me
a valet. you, and six well-fed pigs. to
be killed and cured at such intervals
as the occasion demands"
Thank you. sir" said Pollyooly,
gravely. But couldn. leave the
Lump-my brother Roger. sir
We will take brother Roger with
us. must have my bacon and tray-