My Friend the Chauffeur

ate dining-room (what is the good of having distinguished guests if nobody is to know you've got them?); nevertheless, it was a feast. The small round table, close to one of the h

party, and Terry and I would have felt like moulting sparrows h

goddess (who had perhaps been brought to Europe as a subtle combination of etiquette-mistress and ladies'-maid) cut the Gordian knot wi

hich were would have been far too common for an American millionairess, such as I began to be more and more convinced that our hostess was. It was the kind of luncheon which calls

would have alcohol in the house, except for sickness, and we three drink only water, so I don't know anything abo

stournel, or an "Extra Sec" of '92, burst like a rai

ympathy for Tantalus. To be sure, that hint as to "something real nice" grudged no expense; but I must have been blest with more cool, unadulterate

of countenance, I asked

over that luncheon-table, out of a clear sky. Perforce, I felt obliged to follow his lead, for only a guzzling brute could have bibbed alone, surrounded by four teetotallers; but, d

im, even though an amateur, to drink nothing stronger than cold water. You will not

a dagger; but it was now my tur

tess would have had such frequent lapses of memory regarding Terry's name, if she knew that he was the brother of a marquis; but it may be that

dom! I could have found it in my heart to pity him, had not the iced water come jinglin

lours. My aim was to pin her down to something definite ... like an impaled butterfly: hers was to flutter over a vast garden of irrelevances; but she did not long evade the spike. I tipped its point with the subtly poisonous suggestion that all arrangements must be made in the hour, otherwise complications m

ened to assure the executioner that it was only

o, Sir Ralph?" th

ow," I answered bo

rather ta

motor things ye

the word?) in the Nice or Monte Carlo sho

e lady h

elight, to her r?le of enfante terrible. "It's being done, but it wasn't promised till the end of

t Terry spared the Countess a blush and me the brain fa

y the carrying capacity of a luggage van. Perhaps when you find that t

tchel apiece?" asked the Countess. "I

all box between the three of you, and a good-sized dressing-bag each, is all that the car can

ly by a bonnet-box, there was a slight stir in the restaurant, behind our backs. Involuntarily I turned my head, and saw Prince

ly try (as Beechy would have put it) to snatch the American ladies out of our mouths. It was like Terry's luck, I said to myself, that this evil genius should arrive at the moment when Mrs. Kidder had been mercilessly deprive

dder's hand, smiling with engaging wickedness at Beechy, and sending

ng royalties, and let them see that she was as good as they were. "Why, Prince, if you're not always

are-telegraphed to Terry. "He has been a

ce, with an emphasis and a sweeping glance which made a pre

l he'd got with him, and the money-lenders turne

nch with us," said Mrs. Kidder, "unless"-archly

re it;" and once more the Austrian's gaze assured each o

le, and in the twinkling of an eye-even an American eye-a place was

I acknowledged with a bow Mrs. Kidder's elaborate introduction. "You will suffer even more

ment with the absorption of a connoisseur, then unblushingly ordered a bottle of Romanée Conti, which wine, he carelessly announced, he preferred to champagne, as being "less obvious." The price, however, would be pretty obvious on Mrs. Kidder's bill, I reflected; seventy francs a bottle, if it wer

our journey. Oh, I forgot, you don't know anything about it yet. But

e swallow of the Romanée Conti was spoiled for him. "No; I had not heard. I did not kn

Countess; and it was revealed to me that th

nquired the Prince, t

lk. I knew that my answer would disappoint him, as

er?" he continu

twenty," I conser

was looking so extremely handsome and devil-may-care, that my desire to punch his head dissolved as I glared at him. Could any w

our three ladies, their maid, and all their luggage?" demanded D

d I were little snub-nosed boy

rey. "I know how to do Aunt Kathryn's hair; and the

eyes. She excited my curiosity, although her words were a practical revelation of her place in the trio. Why did she break a lance in our defence? and had she been torn from a convent to serve her rich relatives, that she should mention the "Sisters" in that familiar and tender tone? Had her beautiful white

l, but Mrs. Kidder's contribution to

aid. "I suppose some things could be sent by rai

e upon the uncertainties of such an arrangement. "That's wh

der, "and she's always saying she wouldn'

speaking again. "As I said, it doesn't matter about Agnes. Aunt Kat

the world's end, if you had the wish. It is not 'something less than twenty,' as Sir Ralph Moray describes his twelve-horse-power car, but is something more than twenty,

, my mouth somewhat dry-owin

h virtuous indignation flashing from his fierce eyes, and a gesture which defended th

a weapon with which to parry the attack,

the best pleasures of motoring to a little personal comfort when it may happen to rain," said he. "A roo

Paris," sighed the Prince. "Perhaps, Countess, if you

-morrow, aren't we, Kittie?"

aintly if spontaneously Kittied. "We've been here more than a week, and seen all the Nice and Monte Carlo sights

?" with a shrug of the sh

d to mine. "But it suits Sir Ralph to

Dalmar-Kalm. "I might be able

ywhere will suit me. We can just potter around. It's the automobiling we want. You know, this

"Maida and I want to see the Lake of Com

' I do think that's a perfectly swee

nows more about geography than I do. He ought to; he spe

me. "One can go coasting along the Italian Riviera to Genoa, and so direct to Milan; or one can g

t very far from Verona, is it? And if it's not far from Verona, it

my opinion until, with a glint of mischief in his eyes, he added, "If we went to Venice, Countess, it would be very easy to run on if yo

possible that the estate in Dalmatia which carried with it a title, had any resemblance to Claude Melnotte's in that "sweet" play, "The Lady of Lyons?" I could scarcely be

eady. I made it up before we ar

d whether she'd have the crown put on her handkerchiefs and her baggage. But she had to cable to our lawyer in Denver b

nce, flushing, and with a strained playfulnes

d Beechy, all her

off the last of the Romanée Conti. "If he is a wise man who studies his client's interests, he co

ed Mrs. Kidder, clingi

fool,'" added Beechy. "But he'll have to

takes liberties sometimes, as he thinks Simon would not have appr

ely smile, which seemed all the more admirable as she h

resenting her cousin's interference, as a naughty boy resents being torn from the cat to whose

doubt, did Terry wonder. (Had she by chance been

other's embarrassed silence to go on. "And you hardly enjoyed Paris

laces I've cared most to read about in history or poetry

e," remarked Miss Beechy with scorn. "I know a lot more

Ralph, I should love to see my new estate. It's a very old estate really, you know, though new to me; so old that the castle is almost a ruin; but if I saw it and took a great fancy to the pla

Prince. "The roads are extremely bad, too. I do not think they would be feasible for an auto

bazzia; but I have a friend who went with his car, and he had no adventures which ladies would not have enjoyed. Our principal difficult

. Kidder, clapping two dimpled hands covered

, but he was too wise to dispute the question further; and a d

d. And later, strolling on the terrace, I contriv

ymore has in me; and my whole attention on the