Putnam patriot., 1914-10-02

James Cluney poked his head inside and chirped playfully:
 Start the band playing. Here comes the bridegroom"
 'SirY' stammered Nell
 "Oh. l beg pardonl l thought for a moment that you were one of the family"
 He smiled good naturedly. noticed that Nell was very pretty girl and remarked as be took Of his light over coat: Strange weather. this. It's hot to sufOcation one day and downright cool the next But 1 suppose it's what one must expect in September. Ehf Miss-er"-
 I'm the new maid. sir" interrupt. ed Nell. with a little bow.
 .'oh. the new maid? l see. Mrs. Cart telephoned and told me that all the servants mad gone on strike Does she kuow you are here!
 "l believe she does. sir,
 Well. by love. lIl make surel And do you know now m maEe suref' he continued. with grtn "l1l tell her myself"
 He threw his overcuat on the sofa and went to the douF by which MT Carr had just gone out He met that gentleman in the doorway conlng III MT. Carr looked bustefed
 Il forgot my coatr' ne blurted out before James Cnney could speak. and hastily took his overcoat from the chair where he had left it
 Hello. father-in-iaw" said Cluney breeziy How are youY Hello. James. But I'm not your fatherin-iaw yet" was the old gentle mans sober rejoinder as he shook hands
 But you will be an hour from now. giving William Cars hand a grip that made him vince And there's no doubt but that Fun the happiest Eng lisaman in America"
 T hope yoa are. my boy" said NIT, Carr. getting his hand away. "l hope YOU always will be Hello! There's the doorbell. Will you go and see who it is?"
 James Cluney looked rather aston ished He was not accustomed to an- swering doorbells,
 "NfH | see who it isY' he stammer- ed Then. as he remembered. he laugh ed. oh yes. of course. All of the servants have gone. haven't theyf
 Well. might as well make myself use ful before marriage. I'll have to do 1t afterward As James Cluney disappeared the old man said in his hesitating way: Now I'll go and tell my wife the new cook-I mean the new waitress l has arrived.
 Not waitress. sir" corrected Nell, the maid
 "oh. yes-the maid" repeated MT. Carr after her. with shrug Of annoy ance at his own mistake Why VIII be so forgetfulp' He bundered out, his overcoat on his arm. and once more Nell found her self alone.
 This is getting hot.r she told her self There are so many people about Pm rather mixed up. Just to make things safe I'll put this ring where l can find it easily when want It, and if there should be any fuss about 1t they won't find 1t on me. That's trick Jack has taught me Never to be caught with the goods" She slipped over to the sofa, took the ruby ring from her shoe and deposited 1t in one of the pockets of Cluney's 8 overcoat
 "There! They'll never suspect him. | of course. and he won't know he has it. Somebody else coming! l wonder who 1 it is this time. wish the old lady would come and tell me what to do' All this is getting on my nerves.
 The telephone bell rang at this june ture. and Nell was already on her way to the instrument on the table. when Mir. Carr came in hastily. asking; Wasn't that the telephoneT Yes, sir" replied Nell, in her quiet innocent way. "Who do they want?" "l don't know. sir." No. of course not" assented the old gentleman. as he went over to the tele- phone How could you know without asking over the wireY Pm so absent minded that He broke off. having taken the re ceiyer from the hook. to listen to what was being said at the other end Su.OrEp N