Motion Picture Story Magazine (Feb-Jul 1911)

30 THE MOVING PICTURE STORY MAGAZINE Bob known as his valet and Bob was honest enough to blush. Jones called one of the men to help Jenkins with the bags and dismissed him from his thoughts. He was worried about his guest, and more than ever he was decided that it would be well to keep him away from Flora as much as possible. A quiet glance from his wife confirmed this opinion, and as her mother led Flora into the house Jones suggested to Jenkins that they take a look over the ranch buildings. Bob was surprised to find that ranch houses are as well furnished as places "back east/' for the room into which he was led was as comfortable, tho not quite as elegant, as his own apartments in New York. He looked longingly at the soft bed and the lounging chair close to the shaded lamp, but his escort brought him rudely back to earth. "Dump your boss' grip and come along," he suggested. "I got to get back to my own work. You can come back to fix him up." He led the way down the stairs and across the yard to the low bunk house. Here was the real "roughing it," and for a second time Bob's heart failed him, as he glanced at the tiers of bunks three high, and was told that as a newcomer he would have to sleep in one of the topmost row. "I have to be in the house," he remonstrated ; "Mr. Ford will want me early in the morning." "He'll get you," was the unfeeling response. "We get up at four and I guess you can get across the yard before he gets up. We'll see you don't oversleep." There was a meaning in the grin with which the last sally was greeted, and as one of the men threw his suit case into the despised bunk, Bob sank upon the edge of the lower one with a groan of dismay. He was game, but there seemed little choice between the hard work for Bob Ford and the hard bed for Jenkins. He was sorry he had not remained Ford. The feeling was emphasized a little later when Bob went back to the house. The Jones family were just sitting down to an appetizing supper; and Jenkins, cordial with a manner that would have been a laughable imitation of Bob's own air, had he an appreciation of humor at the moment, was making himself pleasant to all. "Everything all right, Jenkins?" he asked, condescendingly, as Bob touched his hat. "Better get your supper, my man. I shall not need you until bedtime." He nodded to indicate that the interview was over, and turned to Jones, who indicated that he was to sit next Flora. Unconsciously Bob reached for a chair, to Jones' shocked surprise; and Jenkins, mindful of the kicks he had received, let his face broaden into a grin that changed into .a look of shocked surprise as Jones turned appealingly to him. "Jenkins," he said severely. "I am surprised at you. Retire immediately, and remember, my man, that Texas is the same as New York." Flora's look of surprise made Bob wince, and as he turned away he remembered the letter. "Beg pardon, sir," he said with the salute he had copied from Jenkins. "I was 'most forgetting, sir. A letter from Mr. Ford, sir." He handed Jones the letter and smiled at the appeal in Jenkins' eyes. He watched, as Jones read the brief letter ; and when the ranchman had placed it in his pocket he enlarged upon the habits of the supposed Ford, and the necessity for making him work very hard, until Jenkins lost his appetite for game pie and the other tasty dishes, and pleaded a headache, which only served to confirm Jones in his decision to "work it out of him" in the most complete fashion. Slipping from the "big house," Bob nought the lair of cookee and, attracted by the savory odors, found to his surprise that bacon and potatoes are decidedly tasty to a hungry man, and that good coffee from a tin cup is good coffee still. There was a steady stream of rough witticisms directed at Bob, but he took it all good-naturedly, answered in kind,