Evening star., 1911-08-19

vile friends" she explained. "I-theyre
not going to stop with us till the train
goes l thought for several reasons it
would be better not, and they quite un-
derstand Before you meet my aunt I
want little talk with you. I haven't
told her or the others that you-that
there's any connection between you and
the newspaper story about-the marquis
and his adventures
Thank YOU That was considerate,"
said Val, somewhat sarcasticalIy. What
have you told Mrs. Loveland. then?'
That's what | want to talk with you
about. l said I'd met you before. and
was sorry to find now that you'd had mis-
fortunes, losing your money and other
things that had put you into an uncom-
Portable position. Auntie was in her state
room on board ship till the last morning,
and then I didn't point you out to her.
II she saw you at all. she didn't notice
you particularly. and besides she's very
near-sighted. If there'd been any dan
ger of her recognizing you. she would
have done SO at the theater last night,
when you We're playing Lord Bob She
knows only that you're Mr.. Gordon, and
that TO help YOU a little I've asked you to
act as chauffeur for a short time, till you
can get something better"
And till Mr. Crefner can get some one
| better" Lovelard capped her words
You have to be tried first" smiled the
good. better-or best. Meanwhile Aunt
Barbara's just trusting me. She always
does, for shes used to what she calls my
funny ways. and she's found out that
| there's some sense in them. My ex
periments generally turn out successes"
Then I'm to consider myself one of
your experiments?"
Decidedly" laughed Lesley And I
mean you to be a success-a great sue
cess Now I'm going TO auntie. | think
I ,k.x.fd hn<fn Il FOR
she hasn't quite got used yet to the idea
of gentleman chauffeur. I've told her
| that they're the fashion, and she's pre-
pared to take you on faith But the first
time she travels In your company you Lad
better be in the motor.
With that the girl pressed q railway
ticket into his hand. and he was left not
knowing whether he were more inclined
to laughter or to cursng. But the train
came at this moment and he had no time
to analyze his mood.
At Louisville a carriage was waiting
for Mrs. Loveland and Miss Dearner.
1t was brougham. and there was room
in it only for themselves and their hand
bags. The chauffeur was told off to
hired vehicle, for which his employers
would pay.
Once outside the suburbs OF the big
town the country was pretty, and re-
minded Val SO strongly of England that
it brought on an attack of inconsistencies.
The Hill Farm might almost have been
an English farm. with its rambling red
brick house, apparently OF the Georgian
period, its square-paned windows and its
pillared porch, draped with tangle of
grapevine and Virginia creeper. Val had
seen farmhouses at home. converted by
the younger sons of gentlemen into pleas
ant IL modest mansions: and the gracious
elms, the sturdy old oaks and generous
apple trees might all have been trans
planted from an English landscape.
Val arrived only few minutes later
than Lesley and Mrs. LOveland and the
girl was waiting for him in the open
doorway when his hack drove up.
This is a big, old house." said Lesley.
old for America It's stood for about
hundred and fifty years. and there's lots
of room in 1t. You will live in the west
wing. In q few minutes Uncle Wally will
given directions to have your quarters
got ready. but while the servants are
busy there you may as we'll come out
with me and have look at-at-Sidney's
new car l hope you'll like It, Here,
Uncle Wally, take Mr.. GOrdon's bag.
This order was a surprise to Loveland.
He had supposed that the Uncle Wally,'
who was presently to be his guide. would
turn out to be a relative OF Miss Dear
mer's. perhaps the master of the house:
but it was a very ancient and very black
darky, dressed in a somber old-fashioned
livery, who came forward, all white grin
and low bows.
The knuckly black hand relieved Love
land of the shabby bag. but there was no
contempt either for the bag or its owner
on the mild old face Of the gray-headed
negro. who was as perfect and we'll
trained a servant in his way as any but
Ter in an English country house. Evi-
IDENTIFY he too. had been told that this
was a gentleman chauffeur" to be
treated like gentleman; and IIoveland
was grateful to his hostess. feeling a
sudden impulse toward happiness, until
with shock he remembered Sidney
Crelner.
When will Mr.. Cremer arrivef'' he
asked Lesley. as they walked together
across a sloping lawn toward tho stables.
'Oh. Sidney's very much at home here"
at any time. Meanwhile. you won't mind
driving the car for me. will your"
Il think you know whether I'll mind
that or not" said Loveland. almost more
to himself than to the girl. IF only there
were no Sidney Cremer-"
Il have an idea you won't dislike Sid
ney when you meet him." Lesley said
kindly
"A mans chauffeur has no right to an
opinion about him-at least. that's what
I used to think myself said VAL
And nOw-and now are your ideas
changing? Do you begin to feel just a
tiny bit that ranks but the guinea
stamp and "A mans man for a. that?
you any harm to come to America" said
Lesley.
Its riches here. not rank, which
counts. apparently" Loveland retorted
"And that's just as bad"
Riches don't count with me-" said
Lesley.
"Cremer must be very rch." grumbled
Loveland, apparently apropos of nothing.
Sidney makes a good deal of money
out of novels and plays-at least. 1t seems
a good deal to me- but, maybe, 1t wouldn't
to you. Perhaps Sidneys earnings amount
to about twelve or fifteen thousand of
your English pounds a year-and he's
saved quite lot. too. for he's been popu-
lar as playwright and novelist in Amer
lea and England for several years now"
by Jove." exclaimed Loveland. What
a lucky beggar!'
THAT just expresses it-a lucky beg
gar'-for he was almost a beggar at the
time he made his first success. He was
dependent on his relations when a child,
for his father and mother died when he
was a baby. leaving him not a penny
and he was brought up with the idea of
being school teacher, which he would
have hated"
Success like that often spoils people"
said Val, frankly ungracious in his jeal-
ousy.
Go be continued tomorTow.l