Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-08-08
that came into his head, Joseph

WCil, w hOCu a AAuAA
to tend to the cars. 1t is hard to get
one willing to stay all summer in this
quiet out-of-the-way place. Suppose
try you for week? Will that be
all right?"
"My work will be my references"
said Algernon gaily II shall get a
car in order and take you out this
afternoon. Shall II"
Yes said Molly. adding with a
laugh: IF we get stranded anywhere,
We can send for Elizabeth"
The NANCY pup drew near and the
girl bent and patted the top Of his
dirty head with the tips of her slender
fingers. Hes got cute little face"
said she. "Why don't you wash him
with some dog soap? We have some.
Ask one Of the grooms for 1t. A gen.
tleman Is known by the baths he
takes" She laughed, and nodding
gaily, turned and strolled away to in
spect the stables, followed by the de.
ferential Thomas.
CHAPTER v.
Molly accepted the new chauffeur
with mixture of delight and fear. AS
a chauffeur, he filed a long-felt want,
but who was he and where did he
come from? She had engaged him
out of pure audacity and an instructive
belief in his decency, which could
hardly be said to be confirmed by his
participating the night before In the
meal she had had prepared for herself
and Hancock. So spoke reason. But
the desire to have chauffeur as COM
plotting the role Of Mrs. Todd. and
womanly intuition that she could trust
him, for the time silenced reason and
the perplexity as to how she could get
rid of him, if Mrs. Todd, the real,
should suddenly return before she had
a chance to prepare for her coming.
She looked at Algernon closely as he
presented himself that afternoon. &C
cording to agreement. He had washed
and shaved, and in new suit of cloth
es supplied by his mistress generosity
from the stock of various uniforms
Mrs. Todd always kept on hand in
case OF emergency, he looked an an
able. pleasant young fellow, with mild
gray eyes, Molly thought. but he ap-
parently knew something about ma
chimes, for the car he brought to the
door was clean and In good order. and
lLS SHSluS tuIOUbcO oISouAAy oAAN
rhythmically.
Algernon had presented himself with
some misgivings, fearful that Molly
might chance to recognize him at last,
though that night he had whispered
nonsense into her ear beside the sun.
dial it had boen far too dark among
the shadows Of the rose-garden for the
girl to have seen him clearly. His
voice, he realized. still puzzled her, as
it had the night before when he rose
suddenly in the freight. But her
vague wonder quickly passed and she
saw in him only the gallant Of the day
before, who had helped her with her
horse and in the evening had come
after his coat with persistence and
audacity that matched her own had
helped himself to large part Of the
supper and had been found doing in
the comfortable warmth OF the hall
fire. Thus, Algernon Van Rensselaer,
Todd became chauffeur to his mothers
housekeeper. '
They gave him the chauffeur's room
over the garage, and Thomas introduc-
ed him below stairs with much pride
and little ceremony. 1t was just at
dinner-time, which was in the evening
to the still undated wonder of the
entire village. when Thomas lead him
into the simple dining-room used by
the servants and presented him brusk-
ly and self-consciously.
"This is Holmes, Joe Holmes, the
new chauffeur" said he shortly.
A1gernon bowed gracefully in the
doorway. and seeing the cook about to
draw out her chair and pausing mo-
ment to regard the newcomer with
frank curiosity and no word of greet
ing, he stepped forward and himself
drew forth the chair.
The cook was fat and bit mussy.
Her face was red and shining from the
heat of the fire, and she was tired.
Thinking that the strange young man
was acknowledging their acquaintance
ship by come horse-play, she laid her
hand on the back Of the chair.
That's my chair" said she sharply.
"And my pleasure" said Algernon,
with gallant bow and a gesture for
her to be seated.
The cook seated herself gingerly,
still fearful lest Algernon jerk her
chair back suddenly and leave her sit
ting on the floor, joke considered
below stairs as the acme of rare hui
NOR. But Algernon merely pushed
her up to the table, and smile, half
pleased, half sheepish, crossed her
tired face. The waitress shifted her
disapproval of "airs," as she called
those manners which she herself did
not possess, and the parlor maid was
A1oernOn's fOr me asking
Hi, there said Thomas jovially,
mo one is allowed to flirt with the
cook
ITO flirt with a pretty woman" de-
clared Algernon, "is one Of the inalien-
able rights of man."
THAT means an extra hunk Of pie, /"
grumbled Bates, the undergroom,
plaintively, with a wink for the parlor
maid, who was young and pretty and
clearly the favorite below stairs.
The others laughed, and Algernon,
with a polite, May II" sat down be.
tween the cook and the parlor maid,
place long coveted by the gardener,
who had wooed the girl with a sileat
If persistent constancy, for the last six
months. Unaware Of any smoldering
Doeo;opc ho NAV havn aroused k1Rer.