ed in the doorway, smiling
at them.

"Pardon me, mother," she said, "but I am in a dreadful fix." She
glanced toward Armitage. "This is our new physical instructor, is it
not?"

"He has applied for the position," said Mrs. Wellington, not altogether
blithely.

"How fortunate--" began the girl and then stopped abruptly. "That is,"
she added, "if he can drive a car."

"I helped make automobiles in Chicago," Armitage ventured.

"Good!" exclaimed Anne. "You know, mother, Rimini has gone to New York
to receive that Tancredi, and Benoir, the second chauffeur, is in the
hospital. I must have a driver for a day or so. He may for a while,
may he not, mother?" She nodded to Armitage. "If you will go out to
the garage, please, I shall have Mr. Dawson give you some clothing. I
think he can fit you. I--"

"One moment, Anne," interrupted her mother. "You do run on so. Just
wait one moment. You seem to forget I am, or at least was, about to
engage McCall as a physical instructor, not a _mecanicien_." Mrs.
Wellington was fundamentally opposed to being manoeuvred, and her
daughter's apparent attempt at _finesse_ in this matter irritated her.
She was fully bent now upon declining to employ Armitage in any
capacity and was on the point of saying so, when Anne, who had
diagnosed her trend of mind, broke in.

"Really, mother, I am perfectly sincere. But this situation, you must
admit, was totally unexpected--and I must have a driver, don't you
know. Why, I 've planned to take Prince Koltsoff, oh, everywhere."

This won for her. Mrs. Wellington even when irritated was altogether
capable of viewing all sides of a matter.

"Very well," she said. "I shall consider the other matter. When you
are through with McCall, let me know."

Anne's eyes sparkled with relief.

"Mother, you are a dear." She walked over and touched her
affectionately on her arm. "McCall, if you will go out to the garage,
Mr. Dawson will show you your room and give you some clothes. I may
want you any time, so please don't go far from the garage."

As Armitage passed out, guided by Miss Hatch, Mrs. Wellington turned to
her daughter.

"Well, Anne," she said, "he lied and lied and lied. But I do believe
some of the things he said and some he did n't. I believe him to be
honest and I believe he will be good for the boys. He himself is a
magnificent specimen, certainly. But I don't reconcile one thing."

"What is that, mother?"

"He i