The Man on the Box

by Harold MacGrath

  IX

  THE HEROINE HIRES A GROOM

  Remarkable as it may read, his first impression was of her gown--a gownsuch as women wear on those afternoons when they are free of socialobligations, a gown to walk in or to lounge in. The skirt, which barelyreached to the top of her low shoes, was of some blue stuff (stuff,because to a man's mind the word covers feminine dress-goods generally,liberally, and handily), overshot with gray. Above this she had put ona white golfing-sweater, a garment which at that time was justbeginning to find vogue among women who loved the fields and the road.Only men who own to stylish sisters appreciate these things, andWarburton possessed rather observant eyes. She held a bunch of freshlyplucked poppies in her hand. It was the second time that their glanceshad met and held. In the previous episode (on the day she had leanedout of the cab) hers had been first to fall. Now it was his turn. Hestudied the tips of his shoes. There were three causes why he loweredhis eyes: First, she was mistress here and he was an applicant foremployment; second, he loved her; third, he was committing the firstbold dishonesty in his life. Once, it was on the very tip of his tongueto confess everything, apologize, and take himself off. But hiscuriosity was of greater weight than his desire. He remained silent andwaited for her to speak.

  "Celeste, you may leave us," said Miss Annesley.

  Celeste courtesied, shot a killing glance at the tentative groom, anddeparted the scene.

  "You have driven horses for some length of time?" the girl began.

  If only he might look as calmly and fearlessly at her! What a voice,now that he heard it in its normal tone! "Yes, Madam; I have ridden anddriven something like ten years."

  "Where?"

  "In the West, mostly."

  "You are English?"

  "No, Madam." He wondered how much she had heard at the police-courtthat morning. "I am American born."

  "Are you addicted to the use of intoxicants?"--mentally noting theclearness of the whites of his eyes.

  The barest flicker of a smile stirred his lips.

  "No, Madam. I had not been drinking last night--that is, not in thesense the officers declared I had. It is true that I take a drink oncein a while, when I have been riding or driving all day, or when I amcold. I have absolutely no appetite."

  She brushed her cheeks with the poppies, and for a brief second theflowers threw a most beautiful color over her face and neck.

  "What was your object in climbing on the box of my carriage and runningaway with it?"

  Quick as a flash of light he conceived his answer. "Madam, it was ajest between me and some maids." He had almost said serving-maids, butthe thought of Nancy checked this libel.

  "Between you and some maids?"--faintly contemptuous. "Explain, for Ibelieve an explanation is due me."

  His gaze was forced to rove again. "Well, Madam, it is trulyembarrassing. Two maids were to enter a carriage and I was to drivethem away from the embassy, and once I had them in the carriage Ithought it would be an admirable chance to play them a trick."

  "Pray, since when have serving-maids beein allowed exit from the mainhall of the British embassy?"

  Mr. Robert was positive that the shadow of a sarcastic smile rested fora moment on her lips. But it was instantly hidden under the poppies.

  "That is something of which I have no intimate knowledge. A groom isnot supposed to turn his head when on the box unless spoken to. Youwill readily understand that, Madam. I made a mistake in the number.Mine was seventy-one, and I answered number seventeen. I was confused."

  "I dare say. Seventy-one," she mused, "It will be easy to verify this,to find out whose carriage that was."

  Mr. Robert recognized his mistake, but he saw no way to rectify it. Shestood silently gazing over his shoulder, into the fields beyond.

  "Perhaps you can explain to me that remarkable episode at the carriagedoor? I should be pleased to hear your explanation."

  It hard come,--the very thing he had dreaded had come. He had hopedthat she would ignore it. "Madam, I can see that you have sent for meout of curiosity only. If I offered any disrespect to you last night, Ipray you to forgive me. For, on my word of honor, it was innocentlydone." He bowed, and even placed his hand on the knob of the door.

  "Have a little patience. I prefer myself to forget that disagreeableincident." The truth is, "on my word of honor," coming from a groom,sounded strange in her ears; and she wanted to learn more about thisfellow. "Mr. Osborne, what were you before you became a groom?"

  "I have not always been a groom, it is true, Madam. My past I prefer toleave in obscurity. There is nothing in that past, however, of which Ineed be ashamed;"--and unconsciously his figure became more erect.

  "Is your name Osborne?"

  "No, Madam, it is not. For my family's sake, I have tried to forget myown name." (I'll wager the rascal never felt a qualm in the region ofhis conscience.)

  It was this truth which was not truth that won his battle.

  "You were doubtless discharged last night?"

  "I did not return to ascertain, Madam. I merely sent for my belongings."

  "You have recommendations?"--presently.

  "I have no recommendations whatever, Madam. If you employ me, it mustbe done on your own responsibility and trust in human nature. I canonly say, Madam, that I am honest, that I am willing, that I possess athorough knowledge of horse-flesh."

  "It is very unusual," she said, searching him to the very heart withher deep blue eyes. "For all I know you may be the greatest rascal, oryou may be the honestest man, in the world." His smile was so frank andengaging that she was forced to smile herself. But she thought ofsomething, and frowned. "If you have told me the truth, so much thebetter; for I can easily verify all you have told me. I will give you aweek's trial. After all,"--indifferently--"what I desire is a capableservant. You will have to put up with a good deal. There are days whenI am not at all amiable, and on those days I do not like to find aspeck of rust on the metals or a blanket that has not been thoroughlybrushed. As for the animals, they must always shine like satin. Thislast is unconditional. Besides all this, our force of servants issmall. Do you know anything about serving?"

  "Very little." What was coming now?

  "The chef will coach you. I entertain some, and there will be timeswhen you will be called upon to wait on the table. Come with me and Iwill show you the horses. We have only five, but my father takes greatpride in them. They are all thoroughbreds."

  "Like their mistress," was Warburton's mental supplementary.

  "Father hasn't ridden for years, however. The groom I discharged thismorning was capable enough on the box, but he was worse than useless tome in my morning rides. I ride from nine till eleven, even Sundayssometimes. Remain here till I return."

  As she disappeared Warburton drew in an exceedingly long breath andreleased it slowly. Heavens, what an ordeal! He drew the back of hishand across his forehead and found it moist. Not a word about the fine:he must broach it and thank her. Ah, to ride with her every morning, toadjust her stirrup, to obey every command to which she might givevoice, to feel her small boot repulse his palm as she mounted! Heavencould hold nothing greater than this. And how easily a woman may beimposed upon! Decidedly, Mr. Robert was violently in love.

  When she returned there was a sunbonnet on her head, and she had pinnedthe poppies on her breast. (Why? I couldn't tell you, unless when allis said and done, be he king or valet, a man is always a man; and ifperchance he is blessed with good looks, a little more than a man. Youwill understand that in this instance I am trying to view thingsthrough a woman's eyes.) With a nod she bade him precede her, and theywent out toward the stables. She noted the flat back, the squareshoulders, the easy, graceful swing of the legs.

  "Have you been a soldier?" she asked suddenly.

  He wheeled. His astonishment could not be disguised quickly enough toescape her vigilant eyes. Once more he had recourse to the truth.

  "Yes, Madam. It was as a trooper that I learned horsemanship."

  "
What regiment?"

  "I prefer not to say,"--quietly.

  "I do not like mysteries,"--briefly.

  "Madam, you have only to dismiss me, to permit me to thank you forpaying my fine and to reimburse you at the earliest opportunity."

  She closed her lips tightly. No one but herself knew what had been onthe verge of passing across them.

  "Let us proceed to the stables," was all she said. "If you proveyourself a capable horseman, that is all I desire."

  The stable-boy slid back the door, and the two entered. Warburtonglanced quickly about; all was neatness. There was light andventilation, too, and the box-stalls were roomy. The girl stoppedbefore a handsome bay mare, which whinnied when it saw her. She laidher cheek against the animal's nose and talked that soft jargon soembarrassing to man and so intelligible to babies and pet animals.Lucky horse! he thought; but his face expressed nothing.

  "This is Jane, my own horse, and there are few living things I love sowell. Remember this. She is a thoroughbred, a first-class hunter; and Ihave done more than five feet on her at home."

  She moved on, Warburton following soberly and thoughtfully. There was agood deal to think of just now. The more he saw of this girl, the lesshe understood her purpose in hiring him. She couldn't possibly knowanything about him, who or what he was. With his beard gone he defiedher to recognize in him the man who had traveled across the Atlanticwith her. A highbred woman, such as she was, would scarcely harbor anykind feelings toward a man who had acted as he was acting. If any manhad kissed Nancy the way he had kissed her, he would have broken everybone in his body or hired some one to do it. And she had paid his fineat the police-station and had hired him on probation! Truly he was inthe woods, and there wasn't a sign of a blazed trail. (It will be seenthat my hero hadn't had much experience with women. She knew nothing ofhim whatever. She was simply curious, and brave enough to attempt tohave this curiosity gratified. Of course, I do not venture to say that,had he been coarse in appearance, she would have had anything to dowith him.)

  "This is Dick, my father's horse,"--nodding toward a sorrel, large andwell set-up. "He will be your mount. The animal in the next stall isPirate."

  Pirate was the handsomest black gelding Warburton had ever laid eyes on.

  "What a beauty!" he exclaimed enthusiastically, forgetting that groomsshould be utterly without enthusiasm. He reached out his hand to patthe black nose, when a warning cry restrained him. Pirate's ears layflat.

  "Take care! He is a bad-tempered animal. No one rides him, and we keephim only to exhibit at the shows. Only half a dozen men have ridden himwith any success. He won't take a curb in his mouth, and he always runsaway. It takes a very strong man to hold him in. I really don't believethat he's vicious, only terribly mischievous, like a bullying boy."

  "I should like to ride him."

  The girl looked at her new groom in a manner which expressed frankastonishment. Was he in earnest, or was it mere bravado? An idea cameto her, a mischievous idea.

  "If you can sit on Pirate's back for ten minutes, there will not be anyquestion of probation. I promise to engage you on the spot,recommendation or no recommendation." Would he, back down?

  "Where are the saddles, Madam?" he asked calmly, though his blood movedfaster.

  "On the pegs behind you,"--becoming interested. "Do you really intendto ride him?"

  "With your permission."

  "I warn you that the risk you are running is great."

  "I am not afraid of Pirate, Madam," in a tone which implied that he wasnot afraid of any horse living. The spirit of antagonism rose up inhim, that spirit of antagonism of the human against the animal, thateternal ambition of the one to master the other. And besides, I'm notsure that James didn't want to show off before the girl--another veryhuman trait in mankind. For my part, I wouldn't give yesterday's rosefor a man who wouldn't show off once in a while, when his best girl isaround and looking on.

  "On your head be it, then,"--a sudden nervousness seizing her. Yet shewas as eager to witness the encounter as he was to court it. "William!"she called. The stable-boy entered, setting aside his broom. "This isJames, the new groom. Help him to saddle Pirate."

  "Saddle Pirate, Miss Annesley!" cried the boy, his mouth open and hiseyes wide.

  "You see?" said the girl to Warburton.

  "Take down that saddle with the hooded stirrups," said Warburton,briefly. He would ride Pirate now, even if Pirate had been sired inBeelzebub's stables. He carefully inspected the saddle, thestirrup-straps and the girth. "Very good, indeed. Buckles on saddlesare always a hidden menace and a constant danger. Now, bring outPirate, William."

  William brought out the horse, who snorted when he saw the saddle onthe floor and the curb on Warburton's arm.

  "There hasn't been anybody on his back for a year, sir; not since lastwinter. He's likely to give you trouble," said the boy. "You can't putthat curb on him, sir; he won't stand for it a moment. Miss Annesley,hadn't you better step outside? He may start to kicking. That heavyEnglish snaffle is the best thing I know of. Try that, sir. And don'tlet him get his head down, or he'll do you. Whoa!" as Pirate suddenlytook it into his head to leave the barn without any one's permission.

  The girl sprang lightly into one of the empty stalls and waited. Shewas greatly excited, and the color in her cheeks was not borrowed fromthe poppies. She saw the new groom take Pirate by the forelock, and,quicker than words can tell, Mr. Pirate was angrily champing the coldbit. He reared. Warburton caught him by the nose and the neck. Piratecame down, trembling with rage.

  "Here, boy; catch him here," cried Warburton. William knew hisbusiness, and he grasped the bridle close under Pirate's jaws. "That'sit. Now hold him."

  Warburton picked up the saddle and threw it over Pirate's glossy back.Pirate waltzed from side to side, and shook his head wickedly. But theman that was to mount him knew all these signs. Swiftly he gathered upthe end of the belly-band strap and ran it through the iron ring. Inand out he threaded it, drawing it tighter and tighter. He leaped intothe saddle and adjusted the stirrups, then dismounted.

  "I'll take him now, William," said James, smiling.

  "All right, sir," said William, glad enough to be relieved of allfurther responsibility.

  James led Pirate into the small court and waited for Miss Annesley, whoappeared in the doorway presently.

  "James, I regret that I urged you to ride him. You will be hurt," shesaid. Her worry was plainly visible on her face.

  James smiled his pleasantest and touched his hat.

  "Very well, then; I have warned you. If he bolts, head him for a tree.That's the only way to stop him."

  James shortened the bridle-rein to the required length, took a firmgrip on Pirate's mane, and vaulted into the saddle. Pirate stoodperfectly still. He shook his head. James talked to him and patted hissleek neck, and touched him gently with his heel. Then things livenedup a bit. Pirate waltzed, reared, plunged, and started to do the _passeul_ on the flower-beds. Then he immediately changed his mind. Hedecided to re-enter the stables.

  "Don't let him get his head down!" yelled William, nimbly jumping overa bed of poppies and taking his position beside his mistress.

  "The gates, William! The gates!" cried the girl, excitedly. "Only oneis open. He will not be able to get through."

  William scampered down the driveway and swung back the iron barrier.None too soon! Like a black shadow, Pirate flashed by, his rider's newderby rolling in the dust.

  The girl stood in the doorway, her hands pressed against her heart. Shewas as white as the clouds that sailed overhead.