anything at all about me."

"That's just it, sir. The nicest people are those we don't know
anything at all about."

He laughed loudly at this, and helped himself to the brandy-and-soda,
but didn't drink over-much of it. I could see that he was much
relieved, and he spoke afterwards with more freedom.

"You're one that knows how to hold his tongue?" he suggested. I
rejoined that, so far as tongues went, I had mine in a four-inch vice.

"Especially where the ladies are concerned?"

"I'd sooner talk to them than about them, sir."

"That's right, that's right. Don't take the maid when you can get the
mistress, eh?"

"Take 'em both for choice, that's my motto."

"You're not married, Britten?"

"No such misfortune has overtaken me, sir."

"Ha!"--here he leered just like an actor at the Vic--"and you don't
mind driving at night?"

"I much prefer it, sir."

He leered again, and seemed mightily pleased. A few more questions put
and answered found me with that job right enough ... and a right good
job, too, as things are nowadays. I was to have four pounds a week and
liveries. Such a mug as "Benny" Colmacher would not be the man to ask
about tyres and petrol, and if he did, I knew how to fill up his tanks
for him. Be sure I went away on my top speed and ate a better lunch
than had come my way for six months or more. Who the man was, or what
he was, I didn't care a dump. I had got the job, and to-morrow I would
get up in the driver's seat of a car again. You can't wonder I was
pleased.

I slept well that night, and was round at Benny's early on the
following morning. If I had been surprised at my good luck yesterday,
surprise was no word for what I felt when the valet opened the door to
me and told me that Mr. Colmacher was in the country and wouldn't be
back for a month. Not a word had been said about this, mind you--not a
hint at it; and yet the stiff and starched gentleman could tell me the
news just as coolly as though he had said, "My master has gone across
the street to see a friend." When I asked him if there was no message
for me, he answered simply, "None."

"He didn't give no instructions about the car?"

"The car is at the yard being repaired."

"But I was engaged to drive her----"

"You will drive Mr. Colmacher when he returns."

"And my wages----?"

"Oh, those will be paid. This is a place where they know what is due
to us."

"And I am to do nothing meanwhile?"

"If you ha