The evening world. Newspaper, January 25, 1915, Page 15

“I know I can't,” sald bie wife, quite as positively, “She knew when she could tell him « thing and when she couldn't, Mre. Blithers hed lived with Mr, Blithers, more or lees, for j-five Fours and stis knew him like a book. He was a forceful petecn ‘would have his own way, even though he bad to pui hile fingére in fis fo get it. A¢ one period of théir joint connubtal agreement, when he @ecceeded in accumulating « pitiful hoard amounting to but little more bam ten millions of dollars, she concluded to live abroad for tte ‘purpose thetr daughter, allowing him in the meantime to inorease bis to. something like fifty millions without having to worry about affairs. But she bad sojourned with him long enough, at odd) to realize that, so long as be lived, he would never run away from an and Mre Biithers had been dis- royaity. Up to the previous they haf restricted themselves nobility, but as an event of un- had transpired in they now felt: that: it ‘be ‘the rankest stupidity to ny one short of 's Prince . im picking out a suitable hus. more properly speaking, aabasere tor their only daughter, ‘Mead Applegate Blithers, aged it now, just aa they were on the t f to upset all of thelr ia th ymising to their hopes je fact that tho ’s mother had married an jcan, thereby! establishing a it betkind which no constitu- obstacle could thrive, and had otived very happily with the gentle- oy ees) that Robin” Prince of in, % LY Stee eerey romaine tine ow his way arow Pee ned come. to. the ‘Truxton for a long-promised and much- viet, the duration of which to eome extent on his own lo’ eed ie Nttle on ine war talk that affect wo = nations—Russia and Austria. Blithora was in a, position to “tow that the little principality over ~whioh the young man @ to be drewn into the cataclysm, = ‘as a belligerent or an ally, but in F r of a loan that, incon- = watly expired within the-year “q@mich would hardly be renowed with the prospect of vast ox- tures of war threatening her ry. The loan undoubtedly would tee called and.Graustark was not in a tjon to pay out of her own ‘sla Peaources, two years r) fallen upon the people st Sthine when prosperity was most to be weesired. the great orld’ ide rine 5 matter for the, little prin- b ty. to negotiate a | at is “particular time, nor was there even. & ance that Russia would tly. disposed toward her debt- ‘matter how small their obll- They who owed rele ne y , with ‘private option’ of Mr. the young Prins ni nts who accom) ied maited ly for the purpose of ar- on loan through sources that reached he cot ft to his wife, who, he firmly ed, was soulless. or it all this is beside the question. e ung Prince of Graustark was Py Ing Atherican hospitality, and no ir vs pol clakrs to Pete oAme! to him its most punc- Tallfons consideration. If Mr. wbilthers ~ suas to have an: to say about the rt it eould be lor the ear of the alone, and not for the busy- . main point was that the Prince 4Miigni cait'a stonc'e throw of tho Capac it a ston row 3 Seigtis and ‘ residence af vf, Blithers; moreover, he was an ut only attractive chap, with a that was 90 charged with hearti- that {t didn’t seem possible that could have a drop of royal blood in vigorous young body. And the per ridiculous part modest, could have been lost in th 2. a Biitherwood. a, 80 t) hs ly called thelr royal guest “Bob- ‘and allowed him to fetch and carry their women folk as if he were an per up from the end. ? modest red roof of the Fide to the valley below. Mrs. ers had merely stated—but over over again—that money coultin't vying in the world, referring tly 0 social eminence and indi secret ambition to cap- of the rr ud. rexel blood for owerae, itn the 3 ion, however, Ww! PAirtating insinuation that here wae not in his right mind inviting the Prince to Biitherwood, man could cut to the home of Mr. gnd Mrs. who, asseverated, were a lon to entertain royalty ty was in’ the habit of ing of. kidnappin: fore demanded. ‘! ‘ot all you've got he's the man for reat, That's ‘be Was de one. TYos reterber that m as | oe drive when it comes to lool oh, by the way,” loweting hoarse, confidential whi: “T Marriage iust yet ICL were root ol want to look bim over firey” goes Fah} . . CHAPTER I1.. Two Countries Discuss Mar- riage. RINCE ROBIN: of Graustark | ‘was as good-looking a cliap i] &s one would see in a week's Be) journey. Little would’ one suspect him of being the Gescendant of a long and distin- guished line of princes, save for the unmistakable though indefinable womething in his eye that exacted rather than Invited the homage of his fellow man. His mother, the beautiful, gractous and lamented Yetive, set all royal cir- cles by the ears when she married the American, Lorry, back in'thenine- ws. A special act of the ministry had legalized this union, and the son of the American was not deprived of his right to succeed ‘to, the throne which his forbears had occupied for centuries. From his. mother he had Inherited the right of kings, from his father the spirit of freedom; from his mother the power of majesty; from his father the power to ‘seé beyond that majesty. ? , As a very small boy-hé had paid two visits to the homeland of his father, but after the death of his par- ents his valuable little pérson was guarded so jealously by his subjects that not once had he set foot beyond the borders of Graustark, except qn two widely separated occasions of great pomp and ceremony at the courts of Vienna and SL Petersburgh, and @ secret journey to Landon Ww! jhe was seventeen. (it appears that he ined to. see a great football tel P ‘The regency expired when he was twenty years of age, and he became raler.in fact, of himself as well as of the half-million ,subjecta who had waited patiently. for the great day that was to see.him ctowned ‘and glorified, Nor was Mr, Blthers far from right in his shrewd surmise that Prince Robin and his agents were not without hope in coming to Amer- Graustark had lald by barely half the amount required to lift the debt to Russia, It was not beyond j bounds of reason to expect her Prince to secure the remaining fifteen Millions through private sources in ‘Naw York fity. ‘Six weeks prior to his arrival in lew. York the young Prince in San Francisco. He had come by ‘way. of the Orient, accompanie the Chief of Staff of the Graustar! Army, Count Quinnox — hereditary watohdog to the royal family!—and ® young lieutenant of the guard, Boake Dank. Two men were they who would have given a thousand lives in the service of their Prince, No less loyal was the body servant who looked after the personal wants of the eager young traveller, an Eng- lishman of the name of Hobbs. Prince Robin came unheralded and traversed the breadth of the contin without attracting more than the tention that is bestowed upon good: looking young men. Like his mother, nearly « quarter of # century before, jed incognito. But where she haa the somewhat emphatic name of Guggenslocker, he wee known the hotel registers a9 ir, peniat and servant.’ en the far-sighted ministry and House of Nobles in Graustark had set about to select a wife for their young ruler, they made overtures to the Prince of Da’ rgen, waar domain The Prince of Dawsbergen despatched - in embassy of noblemen to assure his thbor that the match ould be that, in might be announced, it both courts overlooked the fact that there was in- dependent American blood in the two young people. Neither the Prince of Graustark nor the Crown Princesa of Dawsbergen—whose mother was a Miss B@verly Calhoun of Virginia— was disposed to listen to the voice of expediency; in fact, at @ safe distance of three or four hundred miles the youngsters figuratively turped up Dai ‘ The Promised L; You would not have the with yam. The young Prin- 8 is fifteen you say,” he interrupted Joftily. “Come around in ten years and we'll talk it over again. But I'm not going. to pigdze mygelf to marry a child in shoft frocks, name or no name.” ; And the fifgen-year-old Crown Princess, #0 miles away, coolly in- formed her doting parents that she was tired of being a Princess any- ‘way and very much preferred, marry~ ing some one who lived in a cottage. In fine, she stamped her little foot and said she'd jump into the river before she'd marry. the Prince of Graustark. And so the matter rested. Five years have passed since: the {nitial ‘over- ‘tures were, made,by the two courts, 4nd although several, sly attempt were made to bring the young people to a proper understanding of ‘their case, they aroused nothing more than scornful laughter on the part of the belligerents, as the venerabip Baron Dangloss was wont to call thet, not without pride’ in hip sharp old voice. “It all comes: from mixing the blood,” said the Prime ter gloomily. , ‘Or. improving It,” id the Baro and was frowned bon me And no one saw the portentous shadow cast by the slim daughter of William W, Biithers, for the simple reason that neither Graustark nor Dawsbergen knew that it existed. On_ the twenty-segond anniversary of his birth Prince Robin fared forth in quest of love and romance, not withouy hope of adventure, for he was a valorous chap with the heritage of warriors in his veins, Said he’ to Himself: in’ dreamy con- templation of the long journey ahead of him: “I will traverse the great highways that my mother trod and I will lool by the wayside. She must be there, and though it 1s. a wide. world, I am ra 3 and my eyesare gharp. I will md her sitting at the roadside eager for me to come, not housed in gloomy castle surrounded by the it SPooks of a hundred ancestors." But, alas, for his fine young dream, he found no Golden Girl at the road- D,; aide nor anything that suggested ro- mance. And at last he found himself at Truxton King’s. . Mr. Biithers, after his discussion on the theme of his daughter's possible R, Wedding, betook himself through the afternoon sunlight to the King home. Truxton King, stalway and lazy, wad lounging on the turf; umpiring a tennis gamé, attended by two pretty young girls, a lieutenant in flannels and the ceremotious Count Quinnox, iron gray and gaunt-faced battleman with the sabre scars on his cheek and the bullet wound in hi ide, ‘Good work, Rain shouted the umpiré as his wife safely placed the ball far out of her opponent's reach. “Hi!" shouted Robin, turning of him with @ scowl, “You're not sw) posed to cheer anybody, d’ you under- stand? You're only an Sepire “Outburet of excitem Ki apologised the umpire cdémplacently, Meinl 't help it, Forty thirty. Get ‘aay. A Sotean came up and whispered m. ‘What?” demanded King, squinting, “Just coming in the gate, sir,” said their noses at each ather and frankly 2°™ confessed that they hated each othe and wouldn't be bulliéd into ‘getting married, “fo mi hi ybody on or somethin; “S'pose I'm going to say I'll & girl I've never seen?” di weventeen-year-old Robin, y wrath, marry ded of Set uen se oS eases ‘antage in,” cried-his pretty wife, Mr. fuing’e astontehinent was’ gen uine. it might better bave been /pro- nounced bewilderment, Mr, Blithere was his viait to the p Root.” Up to Bet {9 doubtful if ne over corded {t eo much as a ferset in’ » Sto hiwed tor King Ssonsionaliy wptine sgliom bot thet queust for the Golden Girl sitting . fay from the road for a spell. Out for @ atroll, resist running in for a minute. You play a beauti- ful game, Mra, King. How do you do? Pretty hot work though, isn’t {tT He was shaking hapds with King and smiling genially upon the trim, ‘inde'a adver- panting figure. of, sary. “Good afternoon, Mr. Blithers,” said King, still staring. “You—you know ored what might my wife?” Mr, Blithers ign have been regarded ae an introduc- tion, and blandly 'announced that tennis wasn't a shine tor fat people, patting his some’ t aggressive ex- tension in mock dolefulness as he spoke. 4 “You should ade my daughter play,” he went on, sci iy heeding Mra. King’s tactiess remark that she af- fected the game because she hada horror of getting fat, “Corking, she is, and as quick as a cat. Got a medal at Lakewood last spfing. I'll fix upa match soon, Mrs,” , between you Ought to be worth going h, et ‘ p afraid, Mr. bat chen doting 1 am not in your daughter's J said Loraine King, much too inno- cently. a “We've got court up at Blitherwood, Biithers calmly, “I ha profes- sional instructor up ev week to play with Maud, She can trim most of the amateurs eo”——— . “May I offer you @ drink of some kind, Mr. Blithers?’’ asked King, re- covering his poise to some extent. “We are having lemonades, but per- haps you'd prefer something”’—— Lemonade will do for me, thanks,” said the visitor affably, “We ought to run in on each other @ Iittte more often than—thanks! By Jove. it looks refreshing. Your health, Mra. King. Too bad to drink a lady's health in lemonade but—the sentiment’s the a tty fair tennis Hs said Mr, He was looking over her shoulder at tbe bounding Prince in the far court as he spoke, id it seemed that he held hi rifle too high in pro- posing “I Beg your pardon, Mr, Blithers,” mumbled King. ‘Permit me to intro- duce Count Quinnox and Lieutenant nk.” Both of the foreigners had arisen and were standing v and aoldierly a few yards away. “Delighted to meet you, Count,” wald Mr, Blith dvancing with out- stretched hand. shook the hand of the Heutenant with a shade Jess energy. “Enjoying th 0? “Immensely,” said the Count. “It fe rarely played so well. Mr. Blithers affected a most 4 manner, squinting carelessly at the Prince. : “That young chap playa a uice 1 game. Who is he?” The two*Graustarkians stiffened perceptibly, and waited for King to make the revelation to his visitor, “That's Prince Robin of’—he began, but Mr, Blithers cut him short with a “Of course,” hear that you’ were. ent>:\:ining: & Slipped.my mind, however. il, we're coming in the eh?—having a real nabob among us.” He hesitated for a mo- ment. “But don’t let me interrupt the game,” he went on, as if expect- ing King to end the contest in order to present the Prince to him. ‘on't you sit down, Mr. Blithers?” aid Mrs, King. “Or would you pre- fer a more comfortable chair on the toward dinner-time up our way,” he veatured. In body seemed rather intent on the ene which was extremely one- s “Shall we try another set?” called Ong jhe Prinoe, . lakd it doubles,” put in Liguten- an And blew it was, much to the of Mr, Dilithers, He sat the nino samen, manifesting it he wae far from feeling, ie Rorona the iy with the ao, <= 2 Sees eG y Robeit ; Then, as he showed no sign of Jeay there was nothing for King to do but invite him to dinner; and Bitthers promptly acqepted the in- vitation. * Just before they went indoors he met the Prince. Very & prophetic- second ‘welcome you to the Prince.” you,” said Prince Robin. he even gave it squeeze—and said “I am happy to Catskills, “Thank CHAPTER Ill. . Protecting ‘the Blood. se MOST “extraordinary per- eon," said Count Quinnox : to King, after Mr. Blith- i ore had taken bis depart- ‘ure. The venerable Graus- tarkian's heroic face was a study, He had just concluded a confidential hour in @ remote corner of the library with the millionaire while the young people were engaged in a nolsy though tem-, erate encounter with the roulette wheel at the opposite end of the room. ‘I’ve never met any one like him, Mr. King.” He mopped his brow, and still lobked @ trifle dazed. be did not grasp what I Moreover, 1 tried to was @ matter I was not discuss. didn’t hear “He is ni any but King. am afral Jeopardy,” “The Bogieman Some evenings later Prince Robin, at Red' Roof, received @ long distance telephone communication from New zoe oe Oey = om the wi je imparted the rather stast- tng news that W! W. Biithers volunteered to loan ous of his own Quinnox was cabling i ister for adyice and would remain in Aa" soft Soames ae the was sumed, would want Sime to satiety himeelf as to the etability of Grau- stark’s resources, Robin was t. 'Ehi tag a entered: his mind ti cou! any’ atnister, is; t amazing. Srecttte ry) tie “erat Qnancier, He inquired whether he was ‘te come to New York 4t ones in lation to the matter, and’ was in- , formed that st would not be necessary at present. In fact, Mr. Hlithers pre- ferred to let the situation femain in King leughed. ‘There iam’t any ©, ane like him, Count, and, only. Buithers.” “He is very rich?” “Millions and millions,” said Mra, ‘King. “Didn't he tell you how many?" “I am not quite sure, This daugh- ter of his—is whe attractive?” “Rather, Why?" “He informed me that her dowry would be twenty millions if s! ried the right man. Moreover, she ts his, only heir,. "Pon my soul, Mra. King, he quite'took my breath away when he announced that he knew all about our predicament in relation to the Russian loan. It really sounded quite—you might say significant. Does—does he imagine that heaven, it's almost stupefying “Bounds ominous to me,” said King, dryly. bby tor sale?" He is :the one The Count favored him with » look “D2: of horror. “My dear Mr, King!" Then as comprehension came, he smiled. “I see. No, he isn't for sale, He is a Prince, not a pawn. Mr. Biithers may be willing to buy but"— he proudly shook his head, “He was feeling you out, however,” said King. “Planting the seed, so to speak." “There isa rumor that she is to merry Count Lannet,” sald hia wife. horrid creature. There was talk in the newspapers last winter of an Ital- jan duke. Poor girl! From what I hear of her, she is rather a good gort, senaible and more genuinely American in ber tastes than might be expected after her bringing up. And ashe is pretty. Young Scoville bout this young Bcoville, “He's @ nice boy, but—he'll never get her. She is marked up too high for bim. He doesn't possess so much aa the title to an acre of land.” “Extraordinary, the way you Amer!- cans go after our tities,” said the Count good naturedly. “No! more extraordinary than the way you Europeans go after our money,” was her retort. “Your amazing Mr, Blithere further confided to me that he might be will- ing to take care of the Russian obli- gation for us if no one else turns up in time, Asa matter of fact, without waiting for my reply, he said that he would have his lawyers look into the matter of seourity at once. I was somewhat dased, but I think he sald that it would be no trouble at all for him to provide the money himeelf and he would Be gine to te us if we had no 0! plan in mind. Amas- Ing, amasing!" “OF cour ~~ vy to’ oN a King ahs 4 od to do so, Dut I fear ‘atatu quo (a he expressed it to the fount). The next left cards Red becrashy | ther, at rather, the footman left them—and on the day fottowing-the Kings and their guests received invitations to @ ball at Blitherwood on the ensulog Friday, but four days off. A special train was to bring the guests from town. ‘There was to be a wondrous collestion of novelties, among them @ sparri: match between two celebrat: Y pugiliate, mar; Mr. Blthere sent word to the Kings W20 tor that he would beve his a drive him over to Red Roof for a business chat thet afternoon. But Maud did not drive him over that afternoon. The pride, joy and hope of the Biithers family flatly re- fused to be @ party of any euch ar- rangement, and set out for a horse- ride in @ direction that took her as far away from Red Roof as pos- ‘What's come over the girl? de manded Mr. Blithers, completely non- lused, “She's never acted like this fore, Lou.” “Some ailly notion Shove being made a laughing-stock, gather,” said his wife. “Heaven knows I've talked to her till I'm utterly worn out. She says she won't be bullied into even meeting the Prince, much leas marrying him. I've never known her to be so pig-headed. Usually I can make her see things in a sensible way.” ever mind. I'll talk to her,” sald Mr. Buthors, somewhat Dleakly, de- spite his confident front. “She loves her of@ dad, I can do anything with her." by on @ frightfully high horse lately,” sighed tts. Piithers fret. fully. “It—it can't be that young Scoville, can it?" “If I thought it was, ra—ra"- There is no telling what Mr. Blithers would have done to youn, ville at the moment, for he couldn't think of anything @ire enough to inflict upon the au: mi Ir, “In any event, it's dreadfully up- ng to me, Wil. She—she won' listen to anything. And here's some- thing She declares she won't r. re for the tall on Friday yy Mr, Blithere had ‘her it it, and then almost missed the chair in ait- ting down, he gas eo precipitous about it, “Won't stay fof her own ball™ he Dellowed. “Bhe seye it isn’t her ball,” la- mented ‘singe it 1 singe you. went away, was doing the very nicest fey st the ball?” ork.” gad, VU-w' about that,” erated, “I'll ee that he doesn’ leave the groui 1 bul guards at L. to be So Grasstork nda if to put aixteen mene, into the te Aa Bhe's got to stay here for the Why, it would be @ crime for her to—but what's the use of talking about it? She'll be here and ghe'll lead the grand march with the Prince, I've got it tect “Well, you'll have to talk to her, e aone all aoe t ean do. Bhe gwears she won't marry & man she's wever seen.” ‘ And }, spite of Mr. Bliithers’s blus- tor irs. Biithera’s tearful pleas’ ‘Mine Maud Blitbers actually lip: away from ‘home on the Phy 4 of the ball and fled to New York, ‘There she stopped st ae Ses of, roth oy 0 verness, who often ac! as he! oh h this elderly lady jo spent the eve- den. hlens with morale f tof apin to cool his oF @ motor spin to coo! and to give him a chance to Dew moves. fay to Red Roof he espied a beet along the road ye by. ~~ to all have the but I shall the jhe’ hat does she think hesitancy perfectly accus ‘Tak: ‘Blow the hern for. the fool,” sald ent later the pedestelan leapeg niin: a nim- Gyiog: wall of. tbe siren dvindlt wall o windling away in the whirr of the wheels. “Look where you're gving!” shouted Mr. Blitbers from the as the walker had aning the other, ip ‘er, Jac! \4 ‘ealled to the driver. way ing at vi! iy. ager ; the ee cone eat RCE aaa @ same speod bad 1@ a] ward, and the Prince exereioed pru- dence’ ‘when be stepped quickly’ up the sloping bank at the ere manden curtiy, “Yes, your highness, Get going ‘your way,” eald Mr. molng!: “T mean a moment ago, when yoq ahouted ‘Look where you are going,’ " dn, Bui in big Bitthers looked positively inded. “Gpod Heavens, no! epeaki to the (Jackson's ‘back. B20! to atiffen a little.) every “I've told him a thousand: times to be careful about millio! yunning up on people like that. Now this is the last time I'll warn you, Jackeos. ‘The next time you’ go, Understand? Just because you bap- pen to be driving for me doesn’t sig- nity that you can run over people “It's all right, Mr, Bithers,” inter- Seranes or walle, ae a lone. 0 don't mind. Ps PR tse) you know, nk you “Where you beund for?” asked Mr. Biithers. “I don't know, I ramble where my fancy leads me." “L guess I’) get out and stroll along with you. I need more exercise than I,get. Is it agreeable?” He was on the ground by this time, Without Waiting, for an anew he directed Jackson to run on. to Red Roof and wait for him, “I shall be charmed,” said Robin, a twinkle in the tall of his eye, “An eight or ten mile jaunt will do you a world of good, I'm gure. Shall we @x- js little road up the mountain yp down to Red Roof? I it can be more than five y' six miles.” They etruck off into the narrow woodland road, not precisely side by side, but somewhat after the fashion of groom, or, more strictly speaking, as a Knight and his vassal: At the top of a mse Robin consid- eratoly elackened’ his pace and the chubby ntieman drew alongside, somewhat out of breath but as cheer- ful as w cricke! “Going too fast for, you, Mr. Blith- inquired Robin. ‘Not at all,” eaid Mr. Biithers. ‘By the way, Prince,” he went on, cun- ningly eelsing the young man’s arm and thereby putting @ check on his speed for the time being at least, “I want to eapiain my daughter's unfor- tunate eapoe last night. You must have thought it very a! Nat- urally it wae unavoidable, g2 te really quite heart-broken, I 1 pardon!” je stepped into a rut and came perilously near ping over on his nose, “Beastly road! Thanks, Good thing I.took hold of you. Yes, as 1 was saying, it wae really a most unfortunate thing; missed the train, don't you see, ent down for the a ae jas for you meet under gondi- Carer Noms ive more—er—tip-, 6 poor IfI do it mm: pome as they grow.” ‘80 I have been told.’ ‘ou th that it ie vor ann KS at people to completely’ understand joan of mine bef ‘ou be eae itt” “eald Saw” Steere, es § bape si hip lips, ii 7 K “Forgive ma, tenn Le not altogether fear iss @ yas: uF stark may secure the money -eise-