The Monticellonian., 1915-12-02
MOTOR MAID MARIAN
By HOPE AINSLEE.


 eral Malvery sighed as he realized that he could no longer take his daily drive through the glorious country roads. His only son had Joined the army and gone to the front and without Bobby to drive the car to the station and re. turn home with it the general found his motor useless. He wished he had been able to run the car himself The Indian mutiny of long ago had robbed him of his right arm.
 A few minutes later he looked up with q smile The women are com ing forward in this crisis with great spirit" he said. Here is a young girl advertising for a position as chauffeur and gardener. Says she would like to take the place Of son who has gone to fight for his country" The general looked up wonderingly at his wife
 That young lady would be a treas. ure. Is the salary loo aBfully larger" Mrs. Malvery questioned hopefully.
 She asks no salary. bless her." re piled the general She asks only housing and feeding.
 We will write today" Mrs. Nal very said promptly her eyes shining
 So it was that General Malvery and his wife became the possessor of a motor maid as Marion Wells chose to designate her calling.
 My brother has gone to the front.' she told her employers while she. too. tried to hide the tragedy in her brave smile He is all the family have Life was intolerable without occupa. ton"
 She was q slim, pale girl whose eyes shone with determination and hope Otherwise Marian Wells had nothing to compel admiration Her hands. too. were slim and white The marvel was that they were so usefu pair of hands She handled the gar. den tools no less skillfully than she managed the wheel Of General Nal Yery's motor
 In fact, Marian immediately became valued part of the household. and Mrs. Malvery wondered how she could ever again manage without her The late flowers in the gardens began te grow trim and the brasses and enamel of the motor shone with a splendor that even the soldier laddie's vigorous rubbing had failed to bring forth
 Marian had been shown the portrait of Bobby Malvery and. as all women did. she had freely expressed her ad. mfratton for the clean-cut. dehonair private in the Irish Guards
 My brother. also. is in the Irish Guards" she said. "It would be strange if Dudley and your son should be fighting side by side
 There was no opportunity to write and ask. for it was not a day later that news reached the Malvery home from the front. The two men had fought side by side, or rather Bobby Malvery had fallen exhausted from wounds and it was Dudley Wells who had gone out under heavy fire to drag his comrade back to the trenches Now both men were coming home wounded but cheerful.
 He saved my life for you who love me- Boby had written to his parents
 Marian laughed softly when this was
 
 ming unrestrainedly down the cheeks of the two women and the general buried himself in the depths of the daily paper
 Soon everyone in the Malvery house was dashing about preparing rooms and putting fresh flowers in vases
 The general stood on the railway platform. blowing his nose vigorously and trying to look unaffected. when two staiwart men in khaki and band ages were swept into the embrace oi Marian and Mrs. Malvery. No one said anything for a long moment The general laid the arm the Indian mu. tiny had left him across the shoulders of his son. Bobby looked up and smiled into his fathers eyes over his mothers head Then the general of fered his hand to that other hero who was Marian's brother. After that they | all burst into speech at once. The tension was over
 Marian. in her neat brown uniform, led the way and stepped into the drivers seat of the car She smiled softly at her brother as his eyes opened wide He had not known that Marian was helping her country after this fashion. She told him the story as they spun along
 There are not many girls like you" was all Dudley said
 And that, naturally, was the exact opinion Bobby Malvery held from the moment of his arrival home General and Mrs. Malvery soon exchanged 1 glances that suggested their having discussed probability. Bobby had i done with startling swiftness and en. ergy that which from the first they 1 had thought possible He had fallen | hopelessly in love with Marian as the motor maid
 "I wonder whether l shall give the l bride away or be best man." Dudley l laughed one day while he was stroll l ing with General and Mrs Malvery i about the fading gardens. Bobby and Marian had gone off together for 8 short spin through the twilight Eng. 1 fish lanes
 You are 10 he my second son, Dud. l ley" Mrs Malvery smiled and laid her hand affectionately on his un bandaged arm.
 We have managed to pick up rather jolly family the old general chuckled happily
 Out in the motor car Bobby looked hffSsftIltv intO thp shining eyes nf Ina