My Friend the Chauffeur

hat was their fault and the fault of a singularly premature sunset, rather than mine, or even Terry's; and we both felt that it came to the same thing. We were in h

ld chap (no parent of mine!) is fond of doing. Therefore, if I could, I would have had terms, destination, day and hour of starting definitely arranged before that mira

ept the point. That, whatever its nature

you really want us to organize this tou

you to bother with us when you must have so many friends who want you to take them

ed. Whereupon Miss Kidder's imp laughed, though her mot

id Beechy. "One would think it was qui

is because there aren't enough dukes. I've always thought the American nation the most favoured

around, Mamma would take him, if she had to snatch him out

leavings there are in the way of marquesses

?" asked Mrs. K

nion of

ness! Wh

alty. We say it

nd what was done about it when yo

"But about that trip of ours. The-er-my car is in

admire red for an automobile. We could all fix ourselves up in red

or 'The Scarlet Runners,' or something else h

which settled one burning question, the first which had been sett

ng-" I essayed again, hope

Isn't it perfectly lovely there, with that big garden, the woods and all? When we were coming to the Riviera, I told the man at Cook's that we wanted to go to the gran

t be good enough fo

ll of royal

of cards,"

men and children can't do, travelling alone-automobiling for one. Then, when I came on that advertisement of yours, I just screamed. It did seem as if the Hand of Pro

ng actor. He did nothing but raise his eyebrows when he thought that no one was looking, or tug at his moustache most imprudently when somebody was. Or else he ha

aid, though it will be perfectly lovely as soon as we're used to it, that we may be a little scary at first. So it would be nice to know for sure that the driver understood

you may trust Terry-Mr. Barrymore. What he doesn't know about a motor-c

d scarcely spoken until now, except to answer a question or two of Terry's, whom she apparently chos

quite ashamed of myself for staying so long. What will you thin

had them still. But

everything" (this was news to me). "But there are one

so,"

ome and dine with us to-night?

fraid I can't, thanks very

Ralph? I may call you

. It's

ng if one ought to say 'Sir Ralph Moray,' till one had been acquainted a l

ers would arrange themselves more eas

lunch with us to-mo

time to object if he meditated do

I ought to mention before you come to see us at the hotel," she said, with a little catch of the breath. Evidently she was embarrassed. "I introduced myself to you as Mrs. Kidder, because I'm used to that name, and it comes

harming Americans marry titled foreigne

husband I ever had was Simon P. Kidder. But-but I've bought an estate, and the title

ariably pronounces her parent "Momma"). "You know you just love being a Countess

-Kalm, of whom I've bought this estate in some part of Austria, or I think, Dalmatia-I'm not quite sure about the exact situation yet, as it's all so recent. B

've never happened to meet him. He's a very familiar figure on the Riviera." (I might have added, "especially in the Casino at Monte Carlo,

s so surprised when I saw him at our hotel the very day after we arrived! It seemed such a coinci

e?" pertly inquired Miss Beechy. "Can y

girl!" exclai

hildish, don't you? And it

neasily; and followed by the tall girl and the litt

m!-our motor-car," I remarked sotto voce, as Terry and I sto

prophesied Terry, looking handsome and thorou

through Tara's halls,' to play your own funeral dirge on," said I

ry, "but I could do that just as well by punching you

s. Don't be a whited sepulchre the minute their backs are turned. Think what

gratitude to retort. "What have I g

ike a sulky barber's block-I mean a barber's sulky block. No, I-but it doesn't signify. Hullo, there's the universal provid

"I visited with haste a friend of mine at the hotel, and I came back with the thi

nd besides, the talk we were going to have was more suitable to that practical

that Terry should begin; but as he went on puffing until I had counted sixty-ni

fered with engaging lightness. "Which is generous of

isunderstand, whi

r that beautiful creature. She must lead a beastly life, between a silly, overdressed woman and a pert minx. Po

into my web, rather than

cast, anyhow. I'm pledged to join the menagerie. But look

g Americans, two of whom are no d

ng is not, otherwise when you were putting that mad advertisement into your pink rag, you would have stopped to reflect that a twelve-ho

grown up. Beechy's

d. She's sixteen

er ought

difference. And besides, my car's not a new one. I paid a thumping price for h

f yours can't carry five people ha

yourself that they expect a handsome car of the latest make, shining with brass and varnish. Amateur

g. "You said you ought to get two hundred pounds for your Panhard, if you sold it," I reminded him. "That's a good deal of m

think she is. But just as there's a limit to your intelligence, so is there a limit to her power, and I don't want it to come to that. Ho

made her over to me before witnesses, and I think I shall

old grey dress. I wouldn't feel at home with her in any other. And she sha'n't be trimm

s difficult enough already by 'Mistering' yourself. At any moment you may be found out-though, on second thoughts, it won't matter a rap if you are. If you're a mere Mister, you ar

the people most concerned, during a few weeks' motoring on the Continent; but i

able for motoring at home-which is quite true, ju

self-defence. I didn't dream then that I should be, first cornered by you, then led on by

ll two guineas more (of course I pay my own way), that leaves you as profit ten guineas daily; seventy guineas a week, or at the rate of three thousand five hundred guineas per annum. Before you'd spent your little patrimony, and been refused an-er-fratrimony, you weren't half

or I know you meant well. But you've swept me o

h Heaven must have given you for some good purpose. As it is, you've made my tuppenny-ha'penny baronetcy the only bait, and that's no catch at all for an American millionairess, fishing for s

ady, as he evidently followed the party he

nd was caught by it. May Sherlock Holmes cut me in the street if Prince Dalmar-Kalm hasn't been away for the day, doubtless a

o far as I can remember," said Terry though

woman's point of view, I should say he might be very attractive. Tall; thin; melancholy; enormous eyes; moustache waxed; scar on forehead; successful effect of dashing soldier, but not much under

man who ought to be allowed

rgin. He won't have time in this game to bother with poo

are going in for this queer business, we'd b

r the wild goose laid the first golden egg the better. Fortunately for my private interests, the season was waning and the coming week would see the setting of my Riviera Sun until next November. I could therefore