The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1916-01-18
MOTOR MAID MARIAN
BY HOPE AINSLEE.


The morning was fresh and fragrant
with the odor Of ripening fruit. Gen.
eral Malyery sighed as he realized that
he could no longer take his daily drive
through the glorious country roads.
His only son lad 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 smile. THE women are com.
ing forward in this crisis with great
spirit" he said. Here is 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 treas
ure. Is the salary too awfully larger"
Mrs. Malvery questioned hopefully.
= "She asks no salary, bless her." re-
piled the general. "She asks only
housing and feeding"
eve 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 I have
Life was intolerable without occupa
tion.''
She was slim, pale girl whose
eyes shone with determination and
hope. Otherwise Marian Wells had
nothing to compel admiration. He1
hands, too, were slim and white. The
marvel was that hey were so useful
pair of hands. She handled the gar
den tools no less skillfully than she
managed the wheel Of General Nal
very's motor.
Marian had been shown the portrait
Of Bobby Malvery and, as all women
did, she had freely expressed her ad
miTation for the clean-cut, debonair
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 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-" BODY had written to his parents.
Marian laughed softly when this was
read to her. There were tears run
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 stalwart men in khaki and band
ages were swept into the embrace OF
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
chances that suggested their having
discussed a probability. Bobby had
done with startling swiftness and en-
ergy that which from the first they
had thought possible. He had fallen
hopelessly in love with Marian as the
motor maid
81 wonder whether I shall give the
bride away or be best man." Dudley
laughed one day while he was stroll
ing with General and Mrs. Malvery
about the fading gardens. Bobby and
Marian had gone off together for a
short spin through the twilight Eng
lish lanes.
"You are to be my second son, Dud-
ley" Mrs. Malvery smiled and laid
her hand affectionately on his un.
bandaged arm.
Eve have managed to pick up a
rather jolly family" the old general
chuckled happily.
Out in the motor car Bobby looked
blissfully into the shining eyes of the
girl whose slim fingers were guiding
the car so firmly. His uninjured arm
had slipped closely about her waist.
We'll all be tremendously happy,
my little motor maiden" he whis-
pered, with his head against her
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