Mountain advocate., 1920-04-02
JERRY
BY AGNES q. BRooAN.

Ing that l come to her for visit,
knew that something was up. Aunt
Truscott is not generous with her in
vitations, and I suspected mother had
asked for this one. ! thought that !
knew the reason: Ever since Aunt
Sarah returned from Clover Lea
that's the pOetlcal name of Aunt
Truscott's estate-with glowing tales
Of the wealthy bachelor who was ex-
pected TO arrive to take possession Of
the big house next door to aunt's, I
had noticed mother and Aunt Sarah,
too, watching me in speculative fash
ion. Once, | heard Aunt Sarah re-
mark as l sat on the veranda:
abigail is too friendly with young
Persons-who you know amounts to
nothing"
And mother had Understandings re-
piled:
81 agree with you that Il would be
well to send her away for time
where she might meet with somebody
worth while"
/ chuckled. Tortures could never
persuade me to accept Bobby Persons
Gloryl What joyous restful time
II would be; and Aunt Truscott, the
grim old dear, was quite agreeable.
For the first time forgave her my
| inherited name of Abigail.
The first cloud on my horizon APP
peared when ran aunt's roadster
/ xxyhn
across my path. The dog was in
jured, found. but not so badly as
had feared. His eyes sought my face
trustfully as | lifted him into the ma
chine and drove into aunts barn,
where we kept the roadster. I was
bending over the dog and trying to
find the extent of his hurt, when a
young man came through a side open
ing in the barn.
"Tell me where he is hurt" l said.
81 ran over him"
The rcd-haired young man stared
at me, then in an instant he was on
his knees examining the dog, who
weakly wagged his tail.
just SutSS, uC Suiu ~
last. "We will have to make bed
for him here. I'm afraid 1t wouldn't
be wise to carry him over next door,
"Next doorw I exclaimed. "Then
the dog belongs TO the rich bachelor"
It was out before l realized that
was probably addressing the rich
bachelors chauffeur The dog had
wagged his tail at this young mans
appearance and the man had called
him "Spotty."
"Who?" he asked stupidity.
81 mean" endeavored to correct my
mistake, "that the dog must belong
to your employer, Mr.. Wainwright
Mr.. Obadiah or Hezekiah, or some
thing-Wainwright. You work for
him. don't you? Are you tie chauf-
feur?"
81 am" the young man promptly
replied. I'm chauffeur and plumber,
and everything else for Mr.. Vain
wright's car. Don't 1 look it?"
"DO you think" l asked fearfully,
"that Mr.. Wainwright will miss his
dog and hunt him up? And would he
be very angry if he found that had
run into SpOtty? Angry enough to
bring a case of damages|
"He can be mighty angry" the
young man honestly admitted. But,
I'll take the risk with SpOtty. Just
bring out little supper for the dog
tonight-then call Jerry through the
garage door. I'll come"
Jerry did come, and he not only
looked after Spotty but gave aunt's
roadster an overhauling that 1t had
needed for months. Then he drove
me down beautiful moonlit road TO
show a certain pretty spot which had
escaped my notice. Jerry was the
incest companion Jolly and enter
tanning in a most respectful way, and
with the frankest blue eyes | think
that | have ever seen. Jerry's face
was nice. too, in gOod-natured way,
when the motor grease had been
washed off between the freckles. ! !
liked the freckles, too. They seemed |
all a part of his whOlesOmeness, and |
one night when Spotty got up and |
trOtted out of the barn and IL came
to me that ! was not to meet Jerry |
any more, | turned to stare at him as
though | had never seen him before. |
And. in truth, I never had seen him
in this new understanding way. Jerry,
the chauffeur was the man | loved. |
There was no getting out of it, or
around it. And as sat there with
the sweet-scented breeze blowing in
through the open door between us, II
seemed to me that ! must always have
known of my love for this man from
the moment he had bent in his dirty
clothes over Spotty's MANNED figure.
Jerry leaned toward me now as
stared and his big hands took mine
and held them.
$50 you have found It out, Gail
dear" he said. "Why, I've known all
along of my love for you, and of
for mo no addad dopipoIv