Love stories; New York (N.Y.) -- Fiction; Scotland -- Fiction
not yet agree in the justice of the verdict; but that would doubtless
come later. He now wished to show to all that there was quite another
side of his character. In this view he pressed that the Sheriff should
be his guest. The other was about to object when he realised that by
accepting he would be one of the household, and so much closer to
Judy, and more and oftener in her society than would otherwise be
possible. So he accepted gladly, and he and the Colonel soon became
inseparable--except when Judy was speaking! In such case Colonel
Ogilvie often felt himself rather left out in the cold. At the
beginning of breakfast Athlyne had learned from Joy of the abandonment
of the motor, and he had accordingly sent his father-in-law’s
chauffeur, with his pilot, to bring it back. They had to travel in a
horse carriage; he could not drive two motors at once, and the pilot
could not drive one. In due course the motor was retrieved, and having
been made clean and taut by the “first-class _mechanicien_ and driver”
was ready for the road. Colonel Ogilvie’s motor was also ready, and as
the pilot could now be left to travel home by train so that the owner
could sit by his chauffeur, there would be room for the new guest to
sit between the two ladies in the tonneau. When he mentioned this
arrangement, however, the Sheriff did not jump at it, but found
difficulties in the way of incommoding the ladies. At last he said:
“I hope you will excuse me, Ogilvie, but I had already formed a little
plan which I hoped with your sanction and that of your wife, to carry
out. Before breakfast I--Miss Hayes and I had been talking of the old
manner of posting. Her idea had, I think, been formed by seeing prints
of break-downs of carriages in run-away matches to Gretna Green, and I
suggested … In fact I ventured to offer to drive her in
old-fashioned postal style to Ambleside, and let her see what it was
like. I have in my house at Galloway a fine old shay that my father
and mother made their wedding trip in. It has always been kept in good
trim, and it is all right for the journey. As Sheriff I have post-boys
in my employ for great occasions and I have good horses of my own. So
when J … Miss Hayes accepted my offer … of the journey, I wired
off to have the trap sent down here. Indeed it should arrive within a
very short time. I have also wired for relays of horses to be ready at
Dumfries, Annan, Carlisle and Patterdale, so that when we start we
should go without a hitch. My boys know the road, and four horses will
spin us along in good style--even if we cannot keep up with your
motor.” So it was arranged that the pilot could occupy his old place
with the chauffeur; and the Colonel and Mrs. Ogilvie would travel in
the tonneau, Darby and Joan fashion. This settlement of affairs had
only been arrived at after considerable discussion. When her father
had told Joy that she was to ride with her mother, she had spoken out
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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