RDSHIP’S CHAUFFEUR.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XII, Issue 2374, 2 June 1906, Page 7

RDSHIP’S CHAUFFEUR.

Ell T. B. Trayford. s v fitting in two deck 7 | away among the palms I on the roof of the house- ■ me. BgpUS the man fidgeted. I turned to him. “ Bob, spare mo the trouble of t I will be a sister to »i! earth do you meant'’ Hj see, I know the sympWhen you are going you invariably take your f out of your left cuff, I back with the utmost ■HU . Madge, you're a bit low.” mow, she continued, ugnHßiutcrruption. “ that if you this would have time you have l’t you marry me?” ho I don’t see why I hjrw. lie said, becoming ms, “ what do you realHB do? I’ve dabbled in |3 That’s it,” she cried. Hr the bar, that is [■you stand for Parliasick of it; the war ■ xwll you electrify every!g in the C.I.V. and •ont —for sis months, a play ; you—you—abble. Bob.” Ejlßly don't see why I nuu. and. as mamma sHyitiy is a much better , ' exclaimed. “ You pßiiean to tell me that | HBao marry that young ' *■ why I shouldn't,” ■>,;. * Aiicealing her amuse- *■ ■ .(> said, coming down front of her, “ at £ liing tedious, I have that you S * Daventry.” ■H; Vl i ni as lie scowled ■ -»» ® I s| iddenly realhim. It had iu?:i of masterful-j KJto bring the long- 1 HHmly before her. BlSaßat tj has invited mam- j '* at Kanelagh on fftnoing to drive us i e* you will not go W” oecause T don’t want you to Madge really I don’t.” ‘"•Just now, when mamma nobly anii'Minced i;-r intention of sacrificing a whole afternoon's bridge to my interests I said I would not go; but now. since you forbid it, Master Bob. * I most decidedly shall.” " I’lea.se, Madge—as the first fa- j vour that T have ever asked—l beg you not to go. Let me drive you and I your mother down.” ” Don't be absurd. Of course I ' shall go with Lord Daventry,” she | answered. Very well; then I shall stop it.” How, pray?” That will be as I may think fit. You si.ail drive down to Kanelagh with me and not with Daventry, and you -ball take tea with mo and not with Daventry.” ' • ■ I On the following day the week-end j house party broke up, and Bob Langley travelled back to town with Hr- Heat h mere and her daughter, mueli to the former’s annojanco. Mrs Heath mere sat iu one corner of the carriage and wondered why sire ha l lost that rubber, and incidentally why |>eople who were not wanted could never tako a hint when they were given one. Of course it, us a well-known fact that Langley bad ten thousand a year, but then Daventry bird as much and an earldom a - w ell. Yes, there w as no doubt about it: slk- must snub Langley. The other two talked commonplaces in a ib Itor.v sort of way, neither reletting to their conversation of the previous evening. A Liin b v banded them into their i at i, i e ;it Paddington be made a "i'll n glv pointless remark. Turning to Mm Heath mere be ml l»y the way, f don’t know if I told you that Keggie Daventry canlint drive i.i own motor. I think lie i fright etied of it Bet re eitlu-r could enquire what lie meant In- had bowed bis adieux and vanished. Laid Dnviiitiv sat up in bis bed and thn igbtfully began bis breakfast, lie a lei ling particularly pleased with life. Tilings were going right. Hi (‘pel party the night before at I he Savoy had been entirely successful. Id, epigrams more brilliant, than usual moreover bis new pink silk unit, >at bad created guile a sensation among t lit, <■ chosen companions who wise more or less accustomed to ha I. in tlio un-liinc of bis genius. |! t it v a tt very sore point with Lord Dnvioilr v t hat tilt bough he pos- ■ ed one of the largest ears in loan and a motor coat which would

have aroused the envy of a prehistoric rhinooeros, he had never yet had the courage to drive himself. He rose leisurely, dressed with the utmost care and lunched at his club.

At 3.30 precisely a flunky announced liis motor. He got into his enormous coat and told the chauffeur to go to No. 267 Brook-street. The car shot around into Bondstreet, and after whizzing around the corner into Brook-street at a pace that made his lordship clutch convulsively at the side of his seat, pulled up at No. 267 with a violent jerk. Mrs and Misk Heathmere did not keep him long, and as the latter came out in her big coat and a dainty motor cap he thought he had never seen such a charming picture. She stepped lightly into the car after her mother had shaken hands with her host. “ Ranelagh,” shouted his lordship above the din of the engines, and with another tremendous jerk the huge machine started again. They tore down Brook-street, shot across Park-lane under the nose of a ’bus horse and flashed around into the park. Drive slower,” shouted his lord-

ship. “ Can’t—the —■ engine’s—got—out —of control,” panted the chauffeur. Just as they were nearing Shepherd’s Bush the brakes, which had hitherto remained obstinate, seemed suddenly to grip. “ I think I can hold her while you get out,” shouted the chauffeur. The brakes ground on, the car came to a standstill, while the engines continued racing. Shaking with fright. Lord Daventry jumped from the car, handed Mrs Hoathmere out, and was just turning to help her daughter when, with a mighty crash, the ear broke away, turned sharply to the left, and vanished in a cloud of dust. “ I think we had better take the Tuko back,” remarked his lordship, dolefully. “ 1 don't see what else we can do. And so saying he seized the unfortunate Mrs Heathmere and bundled her into the stuffy station. In the meantime the car had continued its mad career. Mbs Heathmere, after she had recovered from the first shock, resigned herself to her fate. After a minute or two she fancied the pace iiad become somewhat saner, and the chauffeur seemed able to steer with comparative ease. Just as she was going to ask him if he couldn't turn back and find the others the car gave a sudden swerve and pulled up inside the gates of Kalielagh. The chauffeur calmly got down and handed her out. Taking off his cap and mask, lie coolly remarked: “ I gave you due warning that Daventry should not drive you down here to-day.” “ Bob,” she exclaimed. “ I don’t believe the motor ever did run away." “Of course it didn’t,” he observed. “ And T think we had better have some tea. I shall do no such thing. Besides it would not be proper with you alone,” she added. Oh. yes, you will," he answered, “ and it will be quite proper, as we are engaged.” ‘' What do you mean. Bob? After your disgraceful behaviour do you think I —” For answer he took her in his arms and kissed her. A quarter of an hour afterward when they were sipping their tea on the lawn she askedi. ‘‘ How did you manage to change places with the chauffeur ?” “ Oil, a ten-pound note and a promise to take him on ii he got the sack did the trick," be answered.