"Very well; that's all right, Farrell."
"But be back surely by four o'clock, Farrell," warned Pauline. "You are the only driver I have."
"Oh, I'll get back all right, Miss."
But immediately after uttering these words in a tone of perfect respect, Farrell committed an astonishing offense against the laws that separate servitor and employer. He caught the shimmer of a wink upon Harry's eye, and he had the audacity to return it.
Three minutes afterwards Farrell did a stranger thing. Going direct from the house to the telephone in the garage, he took up the receiver and called up the house. Owen, passing by, stopped spellbound, at the door, to hear these mandatory words spoken by the chauffeur to Harry Marvin, whose answering voice could actually be heard by Owen through the open window of the library.
"Mr. Marvin, you are needed at your office. Come at once," phoned
Farrell.
He was grinning again as he came out of the garage, got into a machine and drove away. Owen gazed after him with puzzled, lowering brows.
CHAPTER XVII
PALMER COMES BACK
Harry had just hung up the receiver of the telephone and had turned to
Pauline with feigned disappointment.