White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1927-08-26
CHAPTER vII-Continued

friends.
"Mrs. Buxton" Miss Brown began,
Thought that as you had bought this
lovely place and were going to. enter
tain lot, you might need social
secretary. / was going to her, but she
has taken Lord Kitemanors hunting
box in Leicestershire for the coming
season. l have just come back to the
United States, where belong, after
spending some years abroad"
"You speak French, then?" said
Mrs. Raxon in the Gallo tongue. 1t
was her one accomplishment.
yes" said Miss Brown with still
greater fluency. / have been mainly
in England. Ny last position was with
the countess Of Horsham at Horsham
abbey. She was one of the Boston
Fessendons, as, of course, you know
'What did you do there?" Mrs.
Raxon asked.
Literally everything" Miss Brown
confided. ut is an immense place,
fully twice the size of this, and for
three years managed it from cellar
to attic. wrote the menus, engaged
the servants, saw they did their work
and dismissed them If they did not"
Mrs. Raxon smiled happily.
"You understand" Miss Brown con-
tinued, "that l was not servant or
even a housekeeper. I'm a great be-
lever in social distinctions They
make entertaining so much easier,
don't they? Most people think 1 am
guest like themselves. I have often
been taken in groups with even roy
atty"
With an unaffected absence of mod
esty, Miss Brown, in the course of
half an hour, managed to impress Mrs
Raxon most favorably. "You would
find very little to do here at first"
said the elder woman. eve have no
house guests at present, but we are
going to entertain great deal"
II should find a very great deal to
do at once" said Miss Brown en-
phatically. ITO begin with, 1 should
dismiss your butler, who is i'm
pertinent ana offensive.
Impulsively Mrs. Raxon leaned for
ward and kissed Miss Brown.
"Dearie," she said, Il need you at
once"
"Good," said Miss Brown, without
excessive gratitude. another thing.
If stay mustn't be hampered in en-
gaging or dismissing servants. 1t
must be understood that l have com
plete charge of the household arrange
ments. l cannot possibly run this
establishment smoothly If I am to
have the help running to you with
complaints. Lady Horsham wanted
me to relieve her of every domestic
responsibility"
"That's exactly what I want" Mrs.
Raxon said enthusiastically. "Where
are you going?" Miss Brown had risen.
ITO get my trunks / shall move
In at once"
Mrs. Raxon sought out her husband
and told him the news.
Zine" he said. Anyone recon-
mended by Mrs. Buxton will be all
right. suppose you looked over her
testimonials
"Of course" said his wife, conscious
that she had forgotten all about it and
not anxious for him to find it out.
You'll like her. She's so distinguished.
/ don't think she approved of the
drawing room furniture"
1--WE shall agree on that. Belling-
ton furnished it like an hotel recep-
ton room. One thing more. It's
about McKimber. forgot to tell you
before. If anyone asks you If 1 have
political aspirations, say so. This
goes particularly with the McKimbers.
You and I know, and that's enough
for the present"
At square house on Lower Fifth
avenue the young lady who had just
passed as Agatha Brown burst in upon
four anxious men.
"My dears," she cried, give got 1t.
1 move In tomorrow and take complete
charge of the household arrangements.
carried her off her feet. She kissed
me and called me 'Dearie.' left be-
fore she could ask to see my testi-
monials. I'm afraid lied fearsomely.
It's quite true, Uncle Peter, they are
going to entertain largely. She
showed me the list. She evidently
doesn't know how to do things on a
large scale l didn't see him."
Neeland Barnes looked at her witt
pride. At bound she had landed IL
the guarded fortress, unsupported
The keys of the arsenal had bee,
handed her. 1t was complete tri
umph.
"Now you are there" said Peter
Milman, what good shall we be tt
you?"
"I've.. thought it ell out. You, per
sonally, will have to stop here, be
cause the lawyer man knows you.
shall need daddy ard my other uncle'
at once"
"What possible use can you hav,
for me?" Bradney demanded eagerly
"Or for me?" said her father.
"All in good time" She laughed
"Uncle Peter, you made great mis-
take In letting Sneed go. / am dis
missing the Raxon butler tomorrow
and shall want another"
"You mean you will put Sneed in
Wonderful. have his address,"
won't Loddon remember him?
Bradney asked.
probably. Sneed will say that h
left because he couldn't stand tn
place any longer. We shall have t
let him in on part of our plan. D
| WON think ha c0n he truStedoo