THE PRINCE OF GRAUSTARK

BY

GEORGE BARR McCUTCHEON

Author of "Graustark", "Beverly of Graustark, " etc. 

With Illustrations byA. I. KELLER

1914

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

 I MR. AND MRS. BLITHERS DISCUSS MATRIMONY

 II TWO COUNTRIES DISCUSS MARRIAGE

 III MR. BLITHERS GOES VISITING

 IV PROTECTING THE BLOOD

 V PRINCE ROBIN is ASKED TO STAND UP

 VI THE PRINCE AND MR. BLITHERS

 VII A LETTER FROM MAUD

 VIII ON BOARD THE JUPITER

 IX THE PRINCE MEETS MISS GUILE

 X AN HOUR ON DECK

 XI THE LIEUTENANT RECEIVES ORDERS

 XII THE LIEUTENANT REPORTS

 XIII THE RED LETTER B

 XIV THE CAT IS AWAY

 XV THE MICE IN A TRAP

 XVI THREE MESSAGES

 XVII THE PRODIGAL DAUGHTER

XVIII A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT

 XIX "WHAT WILL MY PEOPLE DO"

 XX LOVE IN ABEYANCE

 XXI MR. BLITHERS ARRIVES IN GRAUSTARK

 XXII A VISIT TO THE CASTLE

XXIII PINGARI'S

 XIV JUST WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN EXPECTED

ILLUSTRATIONS

Her eyes were starry bright, her red lips were parted. _Frontispiece_

"You will be her choice, " said the other, without the quiver of aneye-lash. 

"I shall pray for continuous rough weather. "

The dignified Ministry of Graustark sat agape. 

CHAPTER I

MR. AND MRS. BLITHERS DISCUSS MATRIMONY

"My dear, " said Mr. Blithers, with decision, " you can't tell me. "

"I know I can't, " said his wife, quite as positively. She knew whenshe could tell him a thing and when she couldn't. 

It was quite impossible to impart information to Mr. Blithers when hehad the tips of two resolute fingers embedded in his ears. Thathappened to be his customary and rather unfair method of conqueringher when an argument was going against him, not for want of logic onhis part, but because it was easier to express himself with his earsclosed than with them open. By this means he effectually shut out thevoice of opposition and had the discussion all to himself. Of course, it would have been more convincing if he had been permitted to hearthe sound of his own eloquence; still, it was effective. 

She was sure to go on talking for two or three minutes and thensubside in despair. A woman will not talk to a stone wall. Nor willshe wantonly allow an argument to die while there remains theslightest chance of its survival. Given the same situation, a manwould get up and leave his wife sitting there with her fingers in herears; and, as he bolted from the room in high dudgeon, he would bemean enough to call attention to her pig-headedness. In most cases, awoman is content to listen to a silly argument rather than to leavethe room just because her husband elects to be childish about aperfectly simple elucidation of the truth. 

Mrs. Blithers had lived with Mr. Blithers, more or less, for twenty-five years and she knew him like a book. He was a forceful person whowould have his own way, even though he had to put his fingers in hisears to get it. At one period of their joint connubial agreement, when he had succeeded in accumulating a pitiful hoard amounting tobut little more than ten millions of dollars, she concluded to liveabroad for the purpose of educating their daughter, allowing him inthe meantime to increase his fortune to something like fifty millionswithout having to worry about household affairs. But she hadsojourned with him long enough, at odd times, to realise that, solong as he lived, he would never run away from an argument--unless, by some dreadful hook or crook, he should be so unfortunate as to bedeprived of the use of both hands. She found room to gloat, ofcourse, in the fact that he was obliged to stop up his ears in orderto shut out the incontrovertible. 

Moreover, when he called her "my dear" instead of the customary Lou, it was a sign of supreme obstinacy on his part and could not, by anystretch of the imagination, be regarded as an indication of placidaffection. He always said "my dear" at the top of his voice and witha great deal of irascibility. 

Mr. William W. Blithers was a self-made man who had begun his careerby shouting lustily at a team of mules in a railway constructioncamp. Other drivers had tried to improve on his vocabulary but eventhe mules were able to appreciate the futility of such an ambition, and later on, when he came to own two or three railroads, to saynothing of a few mines and a steam yacht, his ability to drive menwas even more noteworthy than his power over the jackasses had been. But driving mules and men was one thing, driving a wife another. Whatincentive has a man, said he, when after he gets through bullying acreature that very creature turns in and caresses him? No self-respecting mule ever did such a thing as that, and no man would thinkof it except with horror. There is absolutely no defence against acreature who will rub your head with loving, gentle fingers after shehas worked you up to the point where you could kill her withpleasure--or at least so said Mr. Blithers with rueful frequency. 

Mr. And Mrs. Blithers had been discussing royalty. Up to the previousweek they had restricted themselves to the nobility, but as an eventof unexampled importance had transpired in the interim, they now feltthat it would be the rankest stupidity to consider any one short of aPrince Royal in picking out a suitable husband--or, more properlyspeaking, consort--for their only daughter, Maud Applegate Blithers, aged twenty. 

Mrs. Blithers long ago had convinced her husband that no ordinaryhuman being of the male persuasion was worthy of their daughter'shand, and had set her heart on having nothing meaner than a Duke onthe family roll, --(Blithers alluded to it for a while as the pay-roll)--, with the choice lying between England and Italy. At first, Blithers, being an honest soul, insisted that a good Americangentleman was all that anybody could ask for in the way of a son-in-law, and that when it came to a grandchild it would be perfectlyproper to christen him Duke--lots of people did!--and that was aboutall that a title amounted to anyway. She met this with the retortthat Maud might marry a man named Jones, and how would Duke Jonessound? He weakly suggested that they could christen him Marmadukeand--but she reminded him of his oft-repeated boast that there wasnothing in the world too good for Maud and instituted a pictorialcampaign against his prejudices by painting in the most alluringcolours the picture of a ducal palace in which the name of Joneswould never be uttered except when employed in directing the fifthfootman or the third stable-boy--or perhaps a scullery maid--to dothis, that or the other thing at the behest of her Grace, thedaughter of William W. Blithers. This eventually worked on hisimagination to such an extent that he forgot his natural pride andadmitted that perhaps she was right. 

But now, just as they were on the point of accepting, in lieu of aDuke, an exceptionally promising Count, the aforesaid event conspiredto completely upset all of their plans--or notions, so to speak. Itwas nothing less than the arrival in America of an eligible Prince ofthe royal blood, a ruling Prince at that. As a matter of fact he hadnot only arrived in America but upon the vast estate adjoining theirown in the Catskills. 

Fortunately nothing definite had been arranged with the Count. Mrs. Blithers now advised waiting a while before giving a definite answerto his somewhat eager proposal, especially as he was reputed to havesufficient means of his own to defend the chateau against anyimmediate peril of profligacy. She counselled Mr. Blithers to notifyhim that he deemed it wise to take the matter under advisement for acouple of weeks at least, but not to commit himself to anythingpositively negative. 

Mr. Blithers said that he had never heard anything so beautifullyadroit as "positively negative, " and directed his secretary to submitto him without delay the draft of a tactful letter to the anxiousnobleman. They were agreed that a Prince was more to be desired thana Count and, as long as they were actually about it, they might aswell aim high. Somewhat hazily Mr. Blithers had Inquired if itwouldn't be worth while to consider a King, but his wife set himstraight in short order. 

Peculiarly promising their hopes was the indisputable fact that thePrince's mother had married an American, thereby establishing aprecedent behind which no constitutional obstacle could thrive, andhad lived very happily with the gentleman in spite of the critics. Moreover, she had met him while sojourning on American soil, and thatwas certainly an excellent augury for the success of the presententerprise. What could be more fitting than that the son shouldfollow in the footsteps of an illustrious mother? If an Americangentleman was worthy of a princess, why not the other way about?Certainly Maud Blithers was as full of attributes as any man inAmerica. 

It appears that the Prince, after leisurely crossing the continent onhis way around the world, had come to the Truxton Kings for a long-promised and much-desired visit, the duration of which depended tosome extent on his own inclinations, and not a little on the outcomeof the war-talk that affected two great European nations--Russia andAustria. Ever since the historic war between the Balkan allies andthe Turks, in 1912 and 1913, there had been mutterings, and now thesituation had come to be admittedly precarious. Mr. Blithers was in aposition to know that the little principality over which the youngman reigned was bound to be drawn into the cataclysm, not as abelligerent or an ally, but in the matter of a loan thatinconveniently expired within the year and which would hardly berenewed by Russia with the prospect of vast expenditures of warthreatening her treasury. The loan undoubtedly would be called andGraustark was not in a position to pay out of her own slenderresources, two years of famine having fallen upon the people at atime when prosperity was most to be desired. 

He was in touch with the great financial movements in all the world'scapitals, and he knew that retrenchment was the watchword. It wouldbe no easy matter for the little principality to negotiate a loan atthis particular time, nor was there even a slender chance that Russiawould be benevolently disposed toward her debtors, no matter howsmall their obligations. They who owed would be called upon to pay, they who petitioned would be turned away with scant courtesy. It wasthe private opinion of Mr. Blithers that the young Prince and thetrusted agents who accompanied him on his journey, were in the UnitedStates solely for the purpose of arranging a loan through sourcesthat could only be reached by personal appeal. But, naturally, Mr. Blithers couldn't breathe this to a soul. Under the circumstances hecouldn't even breathe it to his wife who, he firmly believed, wassoulless. 

But all this is beside the question. The young Prince of Graustarkwas enjoying American hospitality, and no matter what he owed toRussia, America owed to him its most punctillious consideration. IfMr. Blithers was to have anything to say about the matter, it wouldbe for the ear of the Prince alone and not for the busybodies. 

The main point is that the Prince was now rusticating within what youmight call a stone's throw of the capacious and lordly countryresidence of Mr. Blithers; moreover, he was an uncommonly attractivechap, with a laugh that was so charged with heartiness that it didn'tseem possible that he could have a drop of royal blood in hisvigorous young body. And the perfectly ridiculous part of the wholesituation was that Mr. And Mrs. King lived in a modest, vine-coveredlittle house that could have been lost in the servants' quarters atBlitherwood. Especially aggravating, too, was the attitude of theKings. They were really nobodies, so to speak, and yet they blithelycalled their royal guest "Bobby" and allowed him to fetch and carryfor their women-folk quite as if he were an ordinary whipper-snapperup from the city to spend the week-end. 

The remark with which Mr. Blithers introduces this chapter was inresponse to an oft-repeated declaration made by his wife in the shadeof the red, white and blue awning of the terrace overlooking, fromits despotic heights, the modest red roof of the King villa in thevalley below. Mrs. Blithers merely had stated--but over and overagain--that money couldn't buy everything in the world, referringdirectly to social eminence and indirectly to their secret ambitionto capture a Prince of the royal blood for their daughter Maud. Shehad prefaced this opinion, however, with the exceedingly irritatinginsinuation that Mr. Blithers was not in his right mind when heproposed inviting the Prince to spend a few weeks at Blitherwood, provided the young man could cut short his visit in the home of Mr. And Mrs. King, who, he had asseverated, were not in a position toentertain royalty as royalty was in the habit of being entertained. 

Long experience had taught Mr. Blithers to read the lip and eyelanguage with some degree of certainty, so by watching his wife'sindignant face closely he was able to tell when she was succumbing toreason. He was a burly, domineering person who reasoned for every onewithin range of his voice, and it was only when his wife becamecoldly sarcastic that he closed his ears and boomed his opinions intoher very teeth, so to say, joyfully overwhelming her with facts whichit were futile for her to attempt to deny. He was aware, quite asmuch so as if he had heard the words, that she was now saying:

"Well, there is absolutely no use arguing with you, Will. Have ityour way if it pleases you. "

Eying her with some uneasiness, he cautiously inserted his thumbs inthe armholes of his brocaded waistcoat, and proclaimed:

"As I said before, Lou, there isn't a foreign nobleman, from theEmperor down, who is above grabbing a few million dollars. They'reall hard up, and what do they gain by marrying ladies of noble birthif said ladies are the daughters of noblemen who are as hard up asall the rest of 'em? Besides, hasn't Maud been presented at Court?Didn't you see to that? How about that pearl necklace I gave her whenshe was presented? Wasn't it the talk of the season? There wasn't aDuke in England who didn't figure the cost of that necklace to withina guinea or two. No girl ever had better advertising than--"

"We were speaking of Prince Robin, " remarked his wife, with a slightshudder. Mrs. Blithers came of better stock than her husband. Hisgaucheries frequently set her teeth on edge. She was born inProvidence and sometimes mentioned the occurrence when particularlydesirous of squelching him, not unkindly perhaps but by way of makinghim realise that their daughter had good blood in her veins. Mr. Blithers had heard, in a round-about way, that he first saw the lightof day in Jersey City, although after he became famous Newark claimedhim. He did not bother about the matter. 

"Well, he's like all the rest of them, " said he, after a moment ofindecision. Something told him that he really ought to refrain fromtalking about the cost of things, even in the bosom of his family. Hehad heard that only vulgarians speak of their possessions. "Now, there's no reason in the world why we shouldn't consider his offer. He--"

"Offer?" she cried, aghast. "He has made no offer, Will. He doesn'teven know that Maud is in existence. How can you say such a thing?"

"I was merely looking ahead, that's all. My motto is 'Look Ahead. 'You know it as well as I do. Where would I be to-day if I hadn'tlooked ahead and seen what was going to happen before the otherfellow had his eyes open? Will you tell me that? Where, I say? What'smore, where would I be now if I hadn't looked ahead and seen what amarriage with the daughter of Judge Morton would mean to me in thelong run?" He felt that he had uttered a very pretty and convincingcompliment. " I never made a bad bargain in my life, Lou, and itwasn't guess-work when I married you. You, my dear old girl, you werethe solid foundation on which I--"

"I know, " she said wearily; "you've said it a thousand times: 'Thefoundation on which I built my temple of posterity'--yes, I know, Will. But I am still unalterably opposed to making ourselvesridiculous in the eyes of Mr. And Mrs. King. "

"Ridiculous? I don't understand you. "

"Well, you will after you think it over, " she said quietly, and hescowled in positive perplexity. 

"Don't you think he'd be a good match for Maud?" he asked, after manyminutes. He felt that he had thought it over. 

"Are you thinking of kidnapping him, Will?" she demanded. 

"Certainly not! But all you've got to do is to say that he's the manfor Maud and I'll--I'll do the rest. That's the kind of a man I am, Lou. You say you don't want Count What's-His-Name, --that is, youdon't want him as much as you did, --and you do say that it would bethe grandest thing in the world if Maud could be the Princess ofGrosstick--"

"Graustark, Will. "

"That's what I said. Well, if you want her to be the Princess of_THAT_, I'll see that she is, providing this fellow is a gentleman andworthy of _her_. The only Prince I ever knew was a damned rascal, andI'm going to be careful about this one. You remember that measly--"

"There is no question about Prince Robin, " said she sharply. 

"I suppose the only question is, how much will he want?"

"You mean--settlement?"

"Sure. "

"Have you no romance in your soul, William Blithers?"

"I never believed in fairy stories, " said he grimly. "And what'smore, I don't take any stock in cheap novels in which American heroesgo about marrying into royal families and all that sort of rot. Itisn't done, Lou. If you want to marry into a royal family you've gotto put up the coin. "

"Prince Robin's mother, the poor Princess Yetive, married an Americanfor love, let me remind you. "

"Umph! Where is this Groostock anyway?"

"'Somewhere east of the setting sun, '" she quoted. "You _must_ learnhow to pronounce it. "

"I never was good at foreign languages. By the way, where is Maudthis afternoon?"

"Motoring. "

He waited for additional information. It was not vouchsafed, so hedemanded somewhat fearfully:

"Who with?"

"Young Scoville. "

He scowled. "He's a loafer, Lou. No good in the world. I don't likethe way you let--"

"He is of a very good family, my dear. I--"

"Is he--er--in love with her?"

"Certainly. "

"Good Lord!"

"And why not? Isn't every one she meets in love with her?"

"I--I suppose so, " he admitted sheepishly. His face brightened. "Andthere's no reason why this Prince shouldn't fall heels over head, isthere? Well, there you are! That will make a difference in thesettlement, believe me--a difference of a couple of millions atleast, if--"

She arose abruptly. "You are positively disgusting, Will. Can't youthink of anything but--"

"Say, ain't that Maudie coming up the drive now? Sure it is! Bygracious, did you ever see anything to beat her? She's got 'em allbeat a mile when it comes to looks and style and--Oh, by the way, "lowering his voice to a hoarse, confidential whisper, "--I wouldn'tsay anything to her about the marriage just yet if I were you. I wantto look him over first. "

CHAPTER II

TWO COUNTRIES DISCUSS MARRIAGE

Prince Robin of Graustark was as good-looking a chap as one would seein a week's journey. Little would one suspect him of being thedescendant of a long and distinguished line of princes, save for theunmistakeable though indefinable something in his eye that exactedrather than invited the homage of his fellow man. His laugh was afree and merry one, his spirits as effervescent as wine, his mannerblithe and boyish; yet beneath all this fair and guileless expositionof carelessness lay the sober integrity of caste. It looked outthrough the steady, unswerving eyes, even when they twinkled withmirth; it met the gaze of the world with a serene imperiousness thatgave way before no mortal influence; it told without boastfulness astory of centuries. For he was the son of a princess royal, and theblood of ten score rulers of men had come down to him as a heritageof strength. 

His mother, the beautiful, gracious and lamented Yetive, set allroyal circles by the ears when she married the American, Lorry, backin the nineties. A special act of the ministry had legalised thisunion and the son of the American was not deprived of his right tosucceed to the throne which his forebears had occupied for centuries. From his mother he had inherited the right of kings, from his fatherthe spirit of freedom; from his mother the power of majesty, from hisfather the power to see beyond that majesty. When little more than ababe in arms he was orphaned and the affairs of state fell upon theshoulders of three loyal and devoted men who served as regents untilhe became of age. 

Wisely they served both him and the people through the years thatintervened between the death of the Princess and her consort and theday when he reached his majority. That day was a glorious one inGraustark. The people worshipped the little Prince when he was inknickerbockers and played with toys; they saw him grow to manhoodwith hearts that were full of hope and contentment; they made himtheir real ruler with the same joyous spirit that had attended him inthe days when he sat in the great throne and "made believe" that hewas one of the mighty, despite the fact that his little legs barelyreached to the edge of the gold and silver seat, --and slept soundlythrough all the befuddling sessions of the cabinet. He was seven whenthe great revolt headed by Count Marlanx came so near to overthrowingthe government, and he behaved like the Prince that he was. It wasduring those perilous times that he came to know the gallant TruxtonKing in whose home he was now a happy guest. But before Truxton Kinghe knew the lovely girl who became the wife of that devotedadventurer, and who, to him, was always to be "Aunt Loraine. "

As a very small boy he had paid two visits to the homeland of hisfather, but after the death of his parents his valuable little personwas guarded so jealously by his subjects that not once had he setfoot beyond the borders of Graustark, except on two widely separatedoccasions of great pomp and ceremony at the courts of Vienna and St. Petersburgh, and a secret journey to London when he was seventeen. (It appears that he was determined to see a great football match. ) Oneach of these occasions he was attended by watchful members of thecabinet and certain military units in the now far from insignificantstanding army. As a matter of fact, he witnessed the football matchfrom the ordinary stands, surrounded by thousands of unsuspectingBritons, but carefully wedged in between two generals of his own armyand flanked by a minister of police, a minister of the treasury and aminister of war, all of whom were excessively bored by the contestand more or less appalled by his unregal enthusiasm. He had insistedon going to the match incog, to enjoy it for all it was worth to thereal spectators--those who sit or stand where the compression is notunlike that applied to a box of sardines. 

The regency expired when he was twenty years of age, and he becameruler in fact, of himself as well as of the half-million subjects whohad waited patiently for the great day that was to see him crownedand glorified. Not one was there in that goodly half million whostood out against him on that triumphant day; not one who possessed asullen or resentful heart. He was their Prince, and they loved himwell. After that wonderful coronation day he would never forget thathe was a Prince or that the hearts of a half million were to throbwith love for him so long as he was man as well as Prince. 

Mr. Blithers was very close to the truth when he said (to himself, ifyou remember) that the financial situation in the far-offprincipality was not all that could be desired. It is true thatGraustark was in Russia's debt to the extent of some twenty milliongavvos, --about thirty millions of dollars, in other words, --and thatthe day of reckoning was very near at hand. The loan was for a periodof twelve years, and had been arranged contrary to the advice of JohnTullis, an American financier who long had been interested in thewelfare of the principality through friendship for the lamentedPrince Consort, Lorry. He had been farsighted enough to realise thatRussia would prove a hard creditor, even though she may have beensincere in her protestations of friendship for the modest borrower. 

A stubborn element in the cabinet overcame his opposition, however, and the debt was contracted, taxation increased by popular vote and aperiod of governmental thriftiness inaugurated. Railroads, highways, bridges and aqueducts were built, owned and controlled by the state, and the city of Edelweiss rebuilt after the devastation createdduring the revolt of Count Marlanx and his minions. There seemed tobe some prospect of vindication for the ministry and Tullis, wholived in Edelweiss, was fair-minded enough to admit that their actionappeared to have been for the best. The people had prospered andtaxes were paid in full and without complaint. The reserve fund grewsteadily and surely and there was every prospect that when the hugedebt came due it would be paid in cash. But on the very crest oftheir prosperity came adversity. For two years the crops failed and apestilence swept through the herds. The flood of gavvos that had beenpouring into the treasury dwindled into a pitiful rivulet; the littlethat came in was applied, of necessity, to administration purposesand the maintenance of the army, and there was not so much as a pennyleft over for the so-called sinking fund. 

A year of grace remained. The minister of finance had long sincerecovered from the delusion that it would be easy to borrow fromEngland or France to pay the Russians, there being small prospect ofa renewal by the Czar even for a short period at a higher rate ofinterest. The great nations of Europe made it plain to the littleprincipality that they would not put a finger in Russia's pie at thisstage of the game. Russia was ready to go to war with her greatneighbour, Austria. Diplomacy--caution, if you will, --made itimperative that other nations should sit tight and look to their ownknitting, so to say. Not one could afford to be charged withbefriending, even in a round-about way, either of the angrygrumblers. 

It was only too well known in diplomatic circles that Russia covetedthe railroads of Graustark, as a means of throwing troops into aremote and almost impregnable portion of Austria. If the debt werepaid promptly, it would be impossible, according to internationallaw, for the great White Bear to take over these roads and at least aportion of the western border of the principality. Obviously, Austriawould be benefitted by the prompt lifting of the debt, but her ownrelations with Russia were so strained that an offer to come to therescue of Graustark would be taken at once as an open affront andvigorously resented. Her hands were tied. 

The northern and western parts of Graustark were rich with productivemines. The government had built railroads throughout these sectionsso that the yield of coal and copper might be given an outlet to theworld at large. In making the loan, Russia had demanded theseprosperous sections as security for the vast sum advanced, andGraustark in an evil hour had submitted, little suspecting the trickthat Dame Nature was to play in the end. 

Private banking institutions in Europe refused to make loans underthe rather exasperating circumstances, preferring to take no chances. Money was not cheap in these bitter days, neither in Europe norAmerica. Caution was the watchword. A vast European war was notimprobable, despite the sincere efforts on the part of the variousnations to keep out of the controversy. 

Nor was Mr. Blithers far from right in his shrewd surmise that PrinceRobin and his agents were not without hope in coming to America atthis particular time. Graustark had laid by barely half the amountrequired to lift the debt to Russia. It was not beyond the bounds ofreason to expect her Prince to secure the remaining fifteen millionsthrough private sources in New York City. 

Six weeks prior to his arrival in New York, the young Prince landedin San Francisco. He had come by way of the Orient, accompanied bythe Chief of Staff of the Graustark Army, Count Quinnox, --hereditarywatch-dog to the royal family!--and a young lieutenant of the guard, Boske Dank. Two men were they who would have given a thousand livesin the service of their Prince. No less loyal was the body-servantwho looked after the personal wants of the eager young traveller, anEnglishman of the name of Hobbs. A very poor valet was he, but anexceptionally capable person when it came to the checking of luggageand the divining of railway time-tables. He had been an agent forCook's. It was quite impossible to miss a train that Hobbs suspectedof being the right one. 

Prince Robin came unheralded and traversed the breadth of thecontinent without attracting more than the attention that is bestowedupon good-looking young men. Like his mother, nearly a quarter of acentury before, he travelled incognito. But where she had used thesomewhat emphatic name of Guggenslocker, he was known to the hotelregisters as "Mr. R. Schmidt and servant. "

There was romance in the eager young soul of Prince Robin. Herevelled in the love story of his parents. The beautiful PrincessYetive first saw Grenfell Lorry in an express train going eastwardfrom Denver. Their wonderful romance was born, so to speak, in aPullman compartment car, and it thrived so splendidly that it almostupset a dynasty, for never--in all of nine centuries--had a ruler ofGraustark stooped to marriage with a commoner. 

And so when the far-sighted ministry and House of Nobles in Graustarkset about to select a wife for their young ruler, they made overturesto the Prince of Dawsbergen whose domain adjoined Graustark on thesouth. The Crown Princess of Dawsbergen, then but fifteen, was theunanimous choice of the amiable match-makers in secret conclave. Thiswas when Robin was seventeen and just over being fatuously in lovewith his middle-aged instructress in French. 

The Prince of Dawsbergen despatched an embassy of noblemen to assurehis neighbour that the match would be highly acceptable to him andthat in proper season the betrothal might be announced. But alack!both courts overlooked the fact that there was independent Americanblood in the two young people. Neither the Prince of Graustark northe Crown Princess of Dawsbergen, --whose mother was a Miss BeverlyCalhoun of Virginia, --was disposed to listen to the voice ofexpediency; in fact, at a safe distance of three or four hundredmiles, the youngsters figuratively turned up their noses at eachother and frankly confessed that they hated each other and wouldn'tbe bullied into getting married, no matter what _anybody_ said, orsomething of the sort. 

"S'pose I'm going to say I'll marry a girl I've never seen?" demandedseventeen-year-old Robin, full of wrath. "Not I, my lords. I'm goingto look about a bit, if you don't mind. The world is full of girls. I'll marry the one I happen to want or I'll not marry at all. "

"But, highness, " they protested, "you must listen to reason. Theremust be a successor to the throne of Graustark. You would not havethe name die with you. The young Princess is--"

"Is fifteen you say, " he interrupted loftily. "Come around in tenyears and we'll talk it over again. But I'm not going to pledgemyself to marry a child in short frocks, name or no name. Is shepretty?"

The lords did not know. They had not seen the young lady. 

"If she is pretty you'd be sure to know it, my lords, so we'll assumeshe isn't. I saw her when she was three years old, and she certainlywas a fright when she cried, and, my lords, she cried all the time. No, I'll not marry her. Be good enough to say to the Prince ofDawsbergen that I'm very much obliged to him, but it's quite out ofthe question. "

And the fifteen-year-old Crown Princess, four hundred miles away, coolly informed her doting parents that she was tired of being aPrincess anyway and very much preferred marrying some one who livedin a cottage. In fine, she stamped her little foot and said she'djump into the river before she'd marry the Prince of Graustark. 

"But he's a very handsome, adorable boy, " began her mother. 

"And half-American just as you are, my child, " put in her fatherencouragingly. "Nothing could be more suitable than--"

"I don't intend to marry anybody until I'm thirty at least, so thatends it, daddy, --I mean, your poor old highness. "

"Naturally we do not expect you to be married before you are out ofshort frocks, my dear, " said Prince Dantan stiffly. "But a betrothalis quite another thing. It is customary to arrange these marriagesyears before--"

"Is Prince Robin in love with me?"

"I--ahem!--that's a very silly question. He hasn't seen you since youwere a baby. But he _will_ be in love with you, never fear. "

"He may be in love with some one else, for all we know, so where do Icome in?"

"Come in?" gasped her father. 

"She's part American, dear, " explained the mother, with her prettiestsmile. 

"Besides, " said the Crown Princess, with finality, "I'm not evengoing to be engaged to a man I've never seen. And if you insist, I'llrun away as sure as anything. "

And so the matter rested. Five years have passed since the initialovertures were made by the two courts, and although several slyattempts were made to bring the young people to a properunderstanding of their case, they aroused nothing more than scornfullaughter on the part of the belligerents, as the venerable BaronDangloss was wont to call them, not without pride in his sharp oldvoice. 

"It all comes from mixing the blood, " said the Prime Ministergloomily. 

"Or improving it, " said the Baron, and was frowned upon. 

And no one saw the portentous shadow cast by the slim daughter ofWilliam W. Blithers, for the simple reason that neither Graustark norDawsbergen knew that it existed. They lived in serene ignorance ofthe fact that God, while he was about it, put Maud Applegate Blithersinto the world on precisely the same day that the Crown Princess ofDawsbergen first saw the light of day. 

On the twenty-second anniversary of his birth, Prince Robin faredforth in quest of love and romance, not without hope of adventure, for he was a valorous chap with the heritage of warriors in hisveins. Said he to himself in dreamy contemplation of the long journeyahead of him: "I will traverse the great highways that my mother trodand I will look for the Golden Girl sitting by the wayside. She mustbe there, and though it is a wide world, I am young and my eyes aresharp. I will find her sitting at the roadside eager for me to come, not housed in a gloomy; castle surrounded by the spooks of a hundredancestors. They who live in castles wed to hate and they who wed atthe roadside live to love. Fortune attend me! If love lies at theroadside waiting, do not let me pass it by. All the princesses arenot inside the castles. Some sit outside the gates and laugh withglee, for love is their companion. So away I go, la, la! looking forthe princess with the happy heart and the smiling lips! It is a wideworld but my eyes are sharp. I shall find my princess. "

But, alas, for his fine young dream, he found no Golden Girl at theroadside nor anything that suggested romance. There were happy heartsand smiling lips--and all for him, it would appear--but he passedthem by, for his eyes were _sharp_ and his wits awake. And so, at last, he came to Gotham, his heart as free as the air he breathed, confessing that his quest had been in vain. History failed to repeatitself. His mother's romance would stand alone and shine without aflicker to the end of time. There could be no counterpart. 

"Well, I had the fun of looking, " he philosophised (to himself, forno man knew of his secret project) and grinned with a sort of amusedtolerance for the sentimental side of his nature. "I'm a silly ass tohave even dreamed of finding her as I passed along, and if I hadfound her what the deuce could I have done about it anyway? Thisisn't the day for mediaeval lady-snatching. I dare say I'm just aswell off for not having found her. I still have the zest for huntingfarther, and there's a lot in that. " Then aloud: "Hobbs, are we ontime?"

"We are, sir, " said Hobbs, without even glancing at his watch. Thetrain was passing 125th Street. "To the minute, sir. We will be in inten minutes, if nothing happens. Mr. King will be at the station tomeet you, sir. Any orders, sir?"

"Yes, pinch me, Hobbs. "

"Pinch your Highness?" in amazement. "My word, sir, wot--"

"I just want to be sure that the dream is over, Hobbs. Never mind. You needn't pinch me. I'm awake, " and to prove it he stretched hisfine young body in the ecstasy of realisation. 

That night he slept soundly in the Catskills. 

CHAPTER III

MR. BLITHERS GOES VISITING

I repeat: Prince Robin was as handsome a chap as you'll see in aweek's journey. He was just under six feet, slender, erect and strongin the way that a fine blade is strong. His hair was dark andstraight, his eyes blue-black, his cheek brown and ruddy with thehealth of a life well-ordered. Nose, mouth and chin were clean-cutand indicative of power, while his brow was broad and smooth, with asurface so serene that it might have belonged to a woman. At firstglance you would have taken him for a healthy, eager Americanathlete, just out of college, but that aforementioned seriousness inhis deep-set, thoughtful eyes would have caused you to think twicebefore pronouncing him a fledgling. He had enjoyed life, he had madethe most of his play-days, but always there had hung over his younghead the shadow of the cross that would have to be supported to theend of his reign, through thick and thin, through joy and sorrow, through peace and strife. 

He saw the shadow when he was little more than a baby; it was like afigure striding beside him always; it never left him. He could not belike other boys, for he was a prince, and it was a serious businessbeing a prince! A thousand times, as a lad, he had wished that hecould have a few "weeks off" from being what he was and be just acommon, ordinary, harum scarum boy, like the "kids" of Petrove, thehead stableman. He would even have put up with the thrashings theygot from their father, just for the sake of enjoying the mischiefthat purchased the punishment. But alas! no one would ever dream ofgiving him the lovely "tannings" that other boys got when they werenaughty. Such joys were not for him; he was mildly reproved and thatwas all. But his valiant spirit found release in many a gloriousthough secret encounter with boys both large and small, and notinfrequently he sustained severe pummelings at the hands of plebeianswho never were quite sure that they wouldn't be beheaded for obliginghim in the matter of a "scrap, " but who fought like little wild-catswhile they were about it. They were always fair fights, for he foughtas a boy and not as a prince. He took his lickings like a prince, however, and his victories like a boy. The one thing he wanted to doabove all others was to play foot-ball. But they taught him fencing, riding, shooting and tennis instead, for, said they, foot-ball isonly to be looked-at, not played, --fine argument, said Robin!

Be that as it may, he was physically intact and bodily perfect. Hehad no broken nose, smashed ribs, stiff shoulder joints or weakankles, nor was he toothless. In all his ambitious young life he hadnever achieved anything more enduring than a bloody nose, a crackedlip or a purple eye, and he had been compelled to struggle prettyhard for even those blessings. And to him the pity of it all was thathe was as hard as nails and as strong as a bullock--a sad waste, ifone were to believe him in his bitter lamentations. 

Toward the end of his first week at Red Roof, the summer home of theTruxton Kings, he might have been found on the broad lawn late oneafternoon, playing tennis with his hostess, the lovely and vivacious"Aunt Loraine. " To him, Mrs. King would always be "Aunt Loraine, "even as he would never be anything but Bobby to her. 

She was several years under forty and as light and active as a younggirl. Her smooth cheek glowed with the happiness and thrill of thesport, and he was hard put to hold his own against her, even thoughshe insisted that he play his level best. 

Truxton King, stalwart and lazy, lounged on the turf, umpiring thegame, attended by two pretty young girls, a lieutenant in flannelsand the ceremonious Count Quinnox, iron grey and gaunt-facedbattleman with the sabre scars on his cheek and the bullet wound inhis side. 

"Good work, Rainie, " shouted the umpire as his wife safely placed theball far out of her opponent's reach. 

"Hi!" shouted Robin, turning on him with a scowl. "You're notsupposed to cheer anybody, d' you understand? You're only an umpire. "

"Outburst of excitement, Kid, " apologised the umpire complacently. "Couldn't help it. Forty thirty. Get busy. "

"He called him 'kid, '" whispered one of the young girls to the other. 

"Well I heard the Prince call Mr. King 'Truck' a little while ago, "whispered the other. 

"Isn't he good-looking?" sighed the first one. 

They were sisters, very young, and lived in the cottage across theroad with their widowed mother. Their existence was quite unknown toMr. And Mrs. Blithers, although the amiable Maud was rather nice tothem. She had once picked them up in her automobile when sheencountered them walking to the station. After that she called themby their Christian names and generously asked them to call her Maud. It might appear from this that Maud suffered somewhat from lonelinessin the great house on the hill. The Felton girls had known Robin ascant three-quarters of an hour and were deeply in love with him. Fannie was eighteen and Nellie but little more than sixteen. He wastheir first Prince. 

"Whee-ee!" shrilled Mrs. King, going madly after a return that heropponent had lobbed over the net. She missed. 

"Deuce, " said her husband laconically. A servant was crossing thelawn with a tray of iced drinks. As he neared the recumbent group hepaused irresolutely and allowed his gaze to shift toward the roadbelow. Then he came on and as he drew alongside the interested umpirehe leaned over and spoke in a low tone of voice. 

"What?" demanded King, squinting. 

"Just coming in the gate, sir, " said the footman. 

King shot a glance over his shoulder and then sat up in astonishment. 

"Good Lord! Blithers! What the deuce can he be doing here? I say, Loraine! Hi!"

"Vantage in, " cried his pretty wife, dashing a stray lock from hereyes. 

Mr. King's astonishment was genuine. It might better have beenpronounced bewilderment. Mr. Blithers was paying his first visit toRed Roof. Up to this minute it is doubtful if he ever had accorded itso much as a glance of interest in passing. He bowed to Kingoccasionally at the station, but that was all. 

But now his manner was exceedingly friendly as he advanced upon thegroup. One might have been pardoned for believing him to be a mostintimate friend of the family and given to constantly dropping in atany and all hours of the day. 

The game was promptly interrupted. It would not be far from wrong tosay that Mrs. King's pretty mouth was open not entirely as an aid tobreathing. She couldn't believe her eyes as she slowly abandoned hercourt and came forward to meet their advancing visitor. 

"Take my racket, dear, " she said to one of the Peltons, It happenedto be Fannie and the poor child almost fainted with joy. 

The Prince remained in the far court, idly twirling his racket. 

"Afternoon, King, " said Mr. Blithers, doffing his panama--to fan aheated brow. "Been watching the game from the road for a spell. Outfor a stroll. Couldn't resist running in for a minute. You play abeautiful game, Mrs. King. How do you do! Pretty hot work though, isn't it?"

He was shaking hands with King and smiling genially upon the trim, panting figure of the Prince's adversary. 

"Good afternoon, Mr. Blithers, " said King, still staring. " You--youknow my wife?"

Mr. Blithers ignored what might have been regarded as anintroduction, and blandly announced that tennis wasn't a game for fatpeople, patting his somewhat aggressive extension in mock dolefulnessas he spoke. 

"You should see my daughter play, " he went on, scarcely heeding Mrs. King's tactless remark that she affected the game because she had ahorror of getting fat. "Corking, she is, and as quick as a cat. Got amedal at Lakewood last spring. I'll fix up a match soon, Mrs. King, between you and Maud. Ought to be worth going miles to see, eh, King?"

"Oh, I am afraid, Mr. Blithers, that I am not in your daughter'sclass, " said Loraine King, much too innocently. 

"We've got a pretty fair tennis court up at Blitherwood, " said Mr. Blithers calmly. "I have a professional instructor up every week toplay with Maud. She can trim most of the amateurs so--"

"May I offer you a drink of some kind, Mr. Blithers?" asked King, recovering his poise to some extent. "We are having lemonades, butperhaps you'd prefer something--"

"Lemonade will do for me, thanks, " said the visitor affably. "Weought to run in on each other a little more often than--thanks! Byjove, it looks refreshing. Your health, Mrs. King. Too bad to drink alady's health in lemonade but--the sentiment's the same. "

He was looking over her shoulder at the bounding Prince in the farcourt as he spoke, and it seemed that he held his glass a trifle toohigh in proposing the toast. 

"I beg your pardon, Mr. Blithers, " mumbled King. "Permit me tointroduce Count Quinnox and Lieutenant Dank. " Both of the foreignershad arisen and were standing very erect and soldierly a few yardsaway. "You know Miss Felton, of course. "

"Delighted to meet you, Count, " said Mr. Blithers, advancing withoutstretched hand. He shook the hand of the lieutenant with a shadeless energy. "Enjoying the game?"

"Immensely, " said the Count. " It is rarely played so well. "

Mr. Blithers affected a most degage manner, squinting carelessly atthe Prince. 

"That young chap plays a nice game. Who is he?"

The two Graustarkians stiffened perceptibly, and waited for King tomake the revelation to his visitor. 

"That's Prince Robin of--" he began but Mr. Blithers cut him shortwith a genial wave of the hand. 

"Of course, " he exclaimed, as if annoyed by his own stupidity. "I didhear that you were entertaining a Prince. Slipped my mind, however. Well, well, we're coming up in the world, eh?--having a real nabobamong us. " He hesitated for a moment. "But don't let me interrupt thegame, " he went on, as if expecting King to end the contest in orderto present the Prince to him. 

"Won't you sit down, Mr. Blithers?" said Mrs. King. "Or would youprefer a more comfortable chair on the porch? We--"

"No, thanks, I'll stay here if you don't mind, " said he hastily, anddragged up the camp chair that Lieutenant Dank had been occupying. 

"Fetch another chair, Lucas, " said King to the servant. "And anotherglass of lemonade for Miss Felton. "

"Felton?" queried Mr. Blithers, sitting down very carefully on therather fragile chair, and hitching up his white flannel trousers atthe knees to reveal a pair of purple socks, somewhat elementary intone. 

"We know your daughter, Mr. Blithers, " said little Miss Nellieeagerly. 

"I was just trying to remember--"

"We live across the road--over there in the little white house withthe ivy--"

"--where I'd heard the name, " proceeded Mr. Blithers, still lookingat the Prince. "By jove, I should think my daughter and the Princewould make a rattling good match. I mean, " he added, with aboisterous laugh, "a good match at tennis. We'll have to get 'emtogether some day, eh, up at Blitherwood. How long is the Prince tobe with you, Mrs. King?"

"It's rather uncertain, Mr. Blithers, " said she, and no more. 

Mr. Blithers fanned himself in patience for a moment or two. Then helooked at his watch. 

"Getting along toward dinner-time up our way, " he ventured. Everybodyseemed rather intent on the game, which was extremely one-sided. 

"Good work!" shouted King as Fannie Felton managed to return an easyservice. 

Lieutenant Dank applauded vigorously. "Splendid!" he cried out. "Capitally placed!"

"They speak remarkably good English, don't they?" said Mr. Blithersin an audible aside to Mrs. King. "Beats the deuce how quickly theypick it up. "

She smiled. "Officers in the Graustark army are required to speakEnglish, French and German, Mr. , Blithers. "

"It's a good idea, " said he. "Maud speaks French and Italian like anative. She was educated in Paris and Rome, you know. Fact is, she'slived abroad a great deal. "

"Is she at home now, Mr. Blithers?"

"Depends on what you'd call home, Mrs. King. We've got so many Idon't know just which is the real one. If you mean Blitherwood, yes, she's there. Course, there's our town house in Madison Avenue, theplace at Newport, one at Nice and one at Pasadena--California, youknow--and a little shack in London. By the way, my wife says you livequite near our place in New York. "

"We live in Madison Avenue, but it's a rather long street, Mr. Blithers. Just where is your house?" she inquired, rather spitefully. 

He looked astonished. "You surely must know where the Blithers houseis at--"

"Game!" shrieked Fannie Felton, tossing her racket in the air, avictor. 

"They're through, " said Mr. Blithers in a tone of relief. He shiftedhis legs and put his hands on his knees, suggesting a readiness toarise on an instant's notice. 

"Shall we try another set?" called out the Prince. 

"Make it doubles, " put in Lieutenant Dank, and turned to Nellie. "Shall we take them on?"

And doubles it was, much to the disgust of Mr. Blithers. He satthrough the nine games, manifesting an interest he was far fromfeeling, and then--as dusk fell across the valley--arose expectantlywith the cry of "game and set. " He had discoursed freely on therelative merits of various motor cars, stoutly maintaining that theone he drove was without question the best in the market (in fact, there wasn't another "make" that he would have as a gift); the clubshe belonged to in New York were the only ones that were worthbelonging to (he wouldn't be caught dead in any of the others); histailor was the only tailor in the country who knew how to make adecent looking suit of clothes (the rest of them were "the limit");the Pomeranian that he had given his daughter was the best dog of itsbreed in the world (he was looking at Mrs. King's Pomeranian as hemade the remark); the tennis court at Blitherwood was pronounced byexperts to be the finest they'd, ever seen--and so on and so on, until the long-drawn-out set was ended. 

To his utter amazement, at the conclusion of the game, the fourplayers made a dash for the house without even so much as a glance inhis direction. It was the Prince who shouted something that soundedlike "now for a shower!" as he raced up the terrace, followed by theother participants. 

Mr. Blithers said something violent under his breath, but resolutelyretained his seat. It was King who glanced slyly at his watch thistime, and subsequently shot a questioning look at his wife. She wasfrowning in considerable perplexity, and biting her firm red lips. Count Quinnox coolly arose and excused himself with the remark thathe was off to dress for dinner. He also looked at his watch, whichcertainly was an act that one would hardly have expected of adiplomat. 

"Well, well, " said Mr. Blithers profoundly. Then he looked at his ownwatch--and settled back in his chair, a somewhat dogged compressionabout his jaws. He was not the man to be thwarted. "You certainlyhave a cosy little place here. King, " he remarked after a moment ortwo. 

"We like it, " said King, twiddling his fingers behind his back. "Humble but homelike. "

"Mrs. Blithers has been planning to come over for some time, Mrs. King. I told her she oughtn't to put it off--be neighbourly, don'tyou know. That's me. I'm for being neighbourly with my neighbours. But women, they--well, you know how it is, Mrs. King. Alwayssomething turning up to keep 'em from doing the things they want todo most. And Mrs. Blithers has so many sociable obli--I beg pardon?"

"I was just wondering if you would stay and have dinner with us, Mr. Blithers, " said she, utterly helpless. She wouldn't look her husbandin the eye--and it was quite fortunate that she was unable to do so, for it would have resulted in a laughing duet that could never havebeen explained. 

"Why, " said Mr. Blithers, arising and looking at his watch again, "bless my soul, it is _past_ dinner time, isn't it? I had noidea it was so late. 'Pon my soul, it's good of you, Mrs. King. Yousee, we have dinner at seven up at Blitherwood and--I declare it'shalf-past now. I don't see where the time has gone. Thanks, I_will_ stay if you really mean to be kind to a poor old beggar. Don't do anything extra on my account, though, just your regulardinner, you know. No frills, if you please. "He looked himself overin some uncertainty. "Will this rag of mine do?"

"We shan't notice it, Mr. Blithers, " said she, and he turned theremark over in his mind several times as he walked beside her towardthe house. Somehow it didn't sound just right to him, but for thelife of him he couldn't tell why. "We are quite simple folk, yousee, " she went on desperately, making note of the fact that herhusband lagged behind like the coward he was. "Red Roof is as nothingcompared to Blitherwood, with its army of servants and--"

Mr. Blithers magnanimously said "Pooh!" and, continuing, remarkedthat he wouldn't say exactly how many they employed but he was surethere were not more than forty, including the gardeners. "Besides, "he added gallantly, "what is an army of servants compared to the armyof Grasstock? You've got the real article, Mrs. King, so don't youworry. But, I say, if necessary, I can telephone up to the house andhave a dress suit sent down. It won't take fifteen minutes, Lou--er--Mrs. Blithers always has 'em laid out for me, in case of anemergency, and--"

"Pray do not think of it, " she cried. "The men change, of course, after they've been playing tennis, but we--we--well, you see, youhaven't been playing, " she concluded, quite breathlessly. 

At that instant the sprightly Feltons dashed pell mell down the stepsand across the lawn homeward, shrieking something unintelligible toMrs. King as they passed. 

"Rather skittish, " observed Mr. Blithers, glaring after themdisapprovingly. 

"They are dears, " said Mrs. King. 

"The--er--Prince attracted by either one of 'em?" he queried. 

"He barely knows them, Mr. Blithers. "

"I see. Shouldn't think they'd appeal to him. Rather light, I shouldsay--I mean up here, " and he tapped his forehead so that she wouldn'tthink that he referred to pounds and ounces. "I don't believe Maudknows 'em, as the little one said. Maud is rather--"

"It is possible they have mistaken some one else for your daughter, "said she very gently. 

"Impossible, " said he with force. 

"They are coming back here to dinner, " she said, and her eyessparkled with mischief. "I shall put you between them, Mr. Blithers. You will find that they are very bright, attractive girls. "

"We'll see, " said he succinctly. 

King caught them up at the top of the steps. He seemed to be slightlyout of breath. 

"Make yourself at home, Mr. Blithers. I must get into somethingbesides these duds I'm wearing, " he said. "Would you like to--er--wash up while we're--"

"No, thanks, " interposed Mr. Blithers. "I'm as clean as a whistle. Don't mind me, please. Run along and dress, both of you. I'll sit outhere and--count the minutes, " the last with a very elaborate bow toMrs. King. 

"Dinner's at half-past eight, " said she, and disappeared. Mr. Blithers recalled his last glance at his watch, and calculated thathe would have at least fifty minutes to count, provided dinner wasserved promptly on the dot. 

"You will excuse me if I leave you--"

"Don't mention it, old man, " said the new guest, rather more curtlythan he intended. "I'll take it easy. "

"Shall I have the butler telephone to Blitherwood to say that youwon't be home to dinner?"

"It would be better if he were to say that I wasn't home to dinner, "said Mr. Blithers. "It's over by this time. "

"Something to drink while you're--"

"No, thanks. I can wait, " and he sat down. 

"You don't mind my--"

"Not at all. "

Mr. Blithers settled himself in the big porch chair and glowered atthe shadowy hills on the opposite side of the valley. The littlecottage of the Feltons came directly in his line of vision. Hescowled more deeply than before. At the end of fifteen minutes hestarted up suddenly and, after a quick uneasy glance about him, started off across the lawn, walking more rapidly than was his wont. 

He had remembered that his chauffeur was waiting for him with the carjust around a bend in the road--and had been waiting for two hoursor more. 

"Go home, " he said to the man. "Come back at twelve. And don't usethe cut-out going up that hill, either. "

Later on, he met the Prince. Very warmly he shook the tall youngman's hand, --he even gave it a prophetic second squeeze, --and said:

"I am happy to welcome you to the Catskills, Prince. "

"Thank you, " said Prince Robin. 

CHAPTER IV

PROTECTING THE BLOOD

"A most extraordinary person, " said Count Quinnox to King, after Mr. Blithers had taken his departure, close upon the heels of the Feltonswho were being escorted home by the Prince and Dank. The venerableGraustarkian's heroic face was a study. He had just concluded aconfidential hour in a remote corner of the library with themillionaire while the younger people were engaged in a noisy thoughtemperate encounter with the roulette wheel at the opposite end ofthe room. "I've never met any one like him, Mr. King. " He mopped hisbrow, and still looked a trifle dazed. 

King laughed. "There isn't any one like him, Count. He is the one andonly Blithers. "

"He is very rich?"

"Millions and millions, " said Mrs. King. "Didn't he tell you howmany?"

"I am not quite sure. This daughter of his--is she attractive?"

"Rather. Why?"

"He informed me that her dot would be twenty millions if she marriedthe right man. Moreover, she is his only heir. 'Pon my soul, Mrs. King, he quite took my breath away when he announced that he knew allabout our predicament in relation to the Russian loan. It reallysounded quite--you might say significant. Does--does he imagine that--good heaven, it's almost stupefying!"

King smoked in silence for many seconds. There was a pucker ofannoyance on his wife's fair brow as she stared reflectively throughthe window at the distant lights of Blitherwood, far up the mountainside. 

"Sounds ominous to me, " said King drily. "Is Bobby for sale?"

The Count favoured him with a look 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. Blithers may be willing to buy but--"he proudly shook his head. 

"He was feeling you out, however, " said King, ruminating. "Plantingthe seed, so to speak. "

"There is a rumour that she is to marry Count Lannet, " said his wife. "A horrid creature. There was talk in the newspapers last winter ofan Italian duke. Poor girl! From what I hear of her, she is rather agood sort, sensible and more genuinely American in her tastes thanmight be, expected after her bringing-up. And she _is_ pretty. "

"How about this young Scoville, Rainie?"

"He's a nice boy but--he'll never get her. She is marked up too highfor him. He doesn't possess so much as the title to an acre of land. "

"Extraordinary, the way you Americans go after our titles, " said theCount good-naturedly. 

"No more extraordinary than the way you Europeans go after ourmoney, " was her retort. 

"I don't know which is the cheaper, titles or money in these days, "said King. "I understand one can get a most acceptable duke for threeor four millions, a nice marquis or count for half as much, and a Siron tick. " He eyed the Count speculatively. "Of course a prince of theroyal blood comes pretty high. "

"Pretty high, " said the Count grimly. He seemed to be turningsomething over in his mind. "Your amazing Mr. Blithers furtherconfided to me that he might be willing to take care of the Russianobligation for us if no one else turns up in time. As a matter offact, without waiting for my reply, he said that he would have hislawyers look into the matter of security at once. I was somewhatdazed, but I think he said that it would be no trouble at all for himto provide the money himself and he would be glad to accommodate usif we had no other plan in mind. Amazing, amazing!"

"Of course, you told him it was not to be considered, " said Kingsharply. 

"I endeavoured to do so, but I fear he did not grasp what I wassaying. Moreover, I tried to tell him that it was a matter I was notat liberty to discuss. He didn't hear that, either. "

"He is not in the habit of hearing any one but himself, I fear, " saidKing. 

"I am afraid poor Robin is in jeopardy, " said his wife, ruefully. "The Bogieman is after him. "

"Does the incomprehensible creature imagine--" began the Countloudly, and then found it necessary to pull his collar away from histhroat as if to save himself from immediate strangulation. 

"Mr. Blithers is not blessed with an imagination, Count, " said she. "He doesn't imagine anything. "

"If he should presume to insult our Prince by--" grated the oldsoldier, very red in the face and erect--"if he should presume to--"Words failed him and an instant later he was laughing, but somewhatuncertainly, with his amused host and hostess. 

Mr. Blithers reached home in high spirits. His wife was asleep, buthe awoke her without ceremony. 

"I say, Lou, wake up. Got some news for you. We'll have a prince inthe family before you can say Jack Robinson. "

She sat up in bed, blinking with dismay. "In heaven's name, Will, what have you been doing? What--_have_ you been--"

"Cutting bait, " said he jovially. "In a day or two I'll throw thehook in, and you'll see what I land. He's as good as caught rightnow, but we'll let him nibble a while before we jerk. And say, he's acorker, Lou. Finest young fellow I've seen in many a day. He--"

"You don't mean to say that you--you actually said anything to himabout--about--Oh, my God, Will, don't tell me that you were crazyenough to--" cried the poor woman, almost in tears. 

"Now cool down, cool down, " he broke in soothingly. "I'm no fool, Lou. Trust me to do the fine work in a case like this. Sow the rightkind of seeds and you'll get results every time. I merely dropped afew hints, that's all, --and in the right direction, believe me. CountEquinox will do the rest. I'll bet my head we'll have this princerunning after Maud so--"

"What _did_ you say?" she demanded. There was a fine moisture onher upper lip. He sat down on the edge of the bed and talked for halfan hour without interruption. When he came to the end of his oration, she turned over with her face to the wall and fairly sobbed: "Whatwill the Kings think of us? What will they think?"

"Who the dickens cares what the Kings think?" he roared, perfectlyaghast at the way she took it. "Who are the Kings? Tell me that! whoare they?"

"I--I can't bear to talk about it. Go to bed. "

He wiped his brow helplessly. "You beat anything I've ever seen. What's the matter with you? Don't you want this prince for Maud?Well, then, what the deuce are you crying about? You said you wantedhim, didn't you? Well, I'm going to get him. If I say I'll do athing, you can bet your last dollar I'll do it. That's the kind of aman William W. Blithers is. You leave it to me. There's only one wayto land these foreign noblemen, and I'm--"

She faced him once more, and angrily. "Listen to me, " she said. "I'vehad a talk with Maud. She has gone to bed with a splitting headacheand I'm not surprised. Don't you suppose the poor child has aparticle of pride? She guessed at once just what you had gone overthere for and she cried her eyes out. Now she declares she will neverbe able to look the Prince in the face, and as for the Kings--Oh, it's sickening. Why can't you leave these things to me? You go aboutlike a bull in a china shop. You might at least have waited until thepoor child had an opportunity to see the man before rushing in withyour talk about money. She--"

"Confound it, Lou, don't blame me for everything. We all three agreedat lunch that he was a better bargain than this measly count we'vebeen considering. Maud says she won't marry the count, anyhow, andshe _did_ say that if this prince was all that he's cracked up to be, she wouldn't mind being the Princess of Groostock. You can't denythat, Lou. You heard her say it. You--"

"She didn't say Groostock, " said his wife shortly. "And you forgetthat she said she wouldn't promise anything until she'd met him anddecided whether she liked him. "

"She'll like him all right, " said he confidently. 

"She will refuse to even meet him, if she hears of your silly blunderto-night. "

"Refuse to meet him?" gasped Mr. Blithers. 

"I may be able to reason with her, Will, but--but she's stubborn, aswell you know. I'm afraid you've spoiled everything. "

His face brightened. Lowering his voice to a half-whisper, he said:"We needn't tell her what I said to that old chap, Lou. Just let herthink I sat around like a gump and never said a word to anybody. Wecan--"

"But she'll pin you down, Will, and you know you can't lie with astraight face. "

"Maybe--maybe I'd better run down to New York for a few days, " hemuttered unhappily. "You can square it better than I can. "

"In other words, I can lie with a straight face, " she saidironically. 

"I never thought she'd balk like this, " said he, ignoring the remark. 

"I fancy you'd better go to New York, " she said mercilessly. 

"I've got business there anyhow, " muttered he. "I--I think I'll gobefore she's up in the morning. "

"You can save yourself a bad hour or two if you leave beforebreakfast, " said she levelly. 

"Get around her some way, Lou, " he pleaded. "Tell her I'm sorry I hadto leave so early, and--and that I love her better than anything onearth, and that I'll be back the end of the week. If--if she wantsanything in New York, just have her wire me. You say she cried?"

"She did, and I don't blame her. "

Mr. Blithers scowled. "Well--well, you see if you can do any betterthan I did. Arrange it somehow for them to meet. She'll--she'll likehim and then--by George, she'll thank us both for the interest wetake in her future. It wouldn't surprise me if she fell in love withhim right off the reel. And you may be sure he'll fall in love withher. He can't help it. The knowledge that she'll have fifty millionssome day won't have anything to do with his feeling for her, once he--"

"Don't mention the word millions again. Will Blithers. "

"All right, " said he, more humbly than he knew, "But listen to this, old girl; I'm going to get this prince for her if it's the last actof my life. I never failed in anything and I won't fail in this. "

"Well, go to bed, dear, and don't worry. I may be able to undo themischief. It--it isn't hopeless, of course. "

"I'll trust you, Lou, to do your part. Count on me to do mine whenthe time comes. And I still insist that I have sowed the right sortof seed to-night. You'll see. Just wait. "

Sure enough, Mr. Blithers was off for New York soon after daybreakthe next morning, and with him went a mighty determination to justifyhimself before the week was over. His wily brain was working as ithad never worked before. 

Two days later, Count Quinnox received a message from New Yorkbearing the distressing information that the two private bankinginstitutions on which he had been depending for aid in the hour oftrouble had decided that it would be impossible for them to make theloan under consideration. The financial agents who had been operatingin behalf of the Graustark government confessed that they were unableto explain the sudden change of heart on the part of the bankers, inasmuch as the negotiations practically had been closed with them. The decision of the directors was utterly incomprehensible under thecircumstances. 

Vastly disturbed, Count Quinnox took the first train to New York, accompanied by Truxton King, who was confident that outsideinfluences had been brought to bear upon the situation, influencesinimical to Graustark. Both were of the opinion that Russia hadsomething to do with it, although the negotiations had been conductedwith all the secrecy permissible in such cases. 

"We may be able to get to the banks through Blithers, " said King. 

"How could he possibly be of assistance to us?" the Count inquired. 

"He happens to be a director in both concerns, besides being such apower in the financial world that his word is almost law when itcomes to the big deals. "

All the way down to the city Count Quinnox was thoughtful, even pre-occupied. They were nearing the Terminal when he leaned over and, laying his hand on King's knee, said, after a long interval ofsilence between them:

"I suppose you know that Graustark has not given up hope that PrinceRobin may soon espouse the daughter of our neighbour, Dawsbergen. "

King gave him a queer look. "By jove, that's odd. I was thinking ofthat very thing when you spoke. "

"The union would be of no profit to us in a pecuniary way, myfriend, " explained the Count. "Still it is most desirable for otherreasons. Dawsbergen is not a rich country, nor are its peopleprogressive. The reigning house, however, is an old one and rich intraditions. Money, my dear King, is not everything in this world. There are some things it cannot buy. It is singularly ineffectivewhen opposed to an honest sentiment. Even though the young Princesswere to come to Graustark without a farthing, she would still behailed with the wildest acclaim. We are a race of blood worshippers, if I may put it in that way. She represents a force that hasdominated our instincts for a great many centuries, and we are boundhand and foot, heart and soul, by the so-called fetters ofimperialism. We are fierce men, but we bend the knee and we wear theyoke because the sword of destiny is in the hand that drives us. To-day we are ruled by a prince whose sire was not of the royal blood. Ido not say that we deplore this infusion, but it behooves us toprotect the original strain. We must conserve our royal blood. Ourprince assumes an attitude of independence that we find difficult toovercome. He is prepared to defy an old precedent in support of a newone. In other words, he points out the unmistakably happy union ofhis own mother, the late Princess Yetive, and the American Lorry, andit is something we cannot go behind. He declares that his mother setan example that he may emulate without prejudice to his country if heis allowed a free hand in choosing his mate. 

"But we people of Graustark cannot look with complaisance on thepossible result of his search for a sharer of the throne. Traditionsmust be upheld--or we die. True, the Crown Princess of Dawsbergenhas American blood in her veins but her sire is a prince royal. Hermother, as you know, was an American girl. She who sits on the thronewith Robin must be a princess by birth or the grip on the sword ofdestiny is weakened and the dynasty falters. I know what is in yourmind. You are wondering why our Prince should not wed one of yourfabulously rich American girls--"

"My dear Count, " said King warmly, "I am not thinking anything of thesort. Naturally I am opposed to your pre-arranged marriages and allthat sort of thing, but still I appreciate what it means as a safe-guard to the crown you support. I sincerely hope that Robin may findhis love-mate in the small circle you draw for him, but I fear itisn't likely. He is young, romantic, impressionable, and he abhorsthe thought of marriage without love. He refuses to even consider theprincess you have picked out for him. Time may prove to him that hisideals are false and he may resign himself to the--I was about to saythe inevitable. "

"Inevitable is the word, Mr. King, " said Count Quinnox grimly. "'Ponmy word, sir, I don't know what our princes and princesses are comingto in these days. There seems to be a perfect epidemic ofindependence among them. They marry whom they please in spite ofroyal command, and the courts of Europe are being shorn of half theirglory. It wouldn't surprise me to see an American woman on the throneof England one of these days. 'Gad, sir, you know what happened inAxphain two years ago. Her crown prince renounced the throne andmarried a French singer. "

"And they say he is a very happy young beggar, " said King drily. 

"It is the prerogative of fools to be happy, " said Count Quinnox. 

"Not so with princes, eh?"

"It is a duty with princes, Mr. King. "

They had not been in New York City an hour before they discoveredthat William W. Blithers was the man to whom they would have toappeal if they expected to gain a fresh hearing with the banks. Theagents were in a dismal state of mind. The deal had been blocked nolater than the afternoon of the day before and at a time wheneverything appeared to be going along most swimmingly. Blithers wasthe man to see; he and he alone could bring pressure to bear on thedirectorates that might result in a reconsideration of the surprisingverdict. Something had happened during the day to alter the friendlyattitude of the banks; they were now politely reluctant, as one ofthe agents expressed it, which really meant that opposition to theloan had appeared from some unexpected source, as a sort of eleventhhour obstacle. The heads of the two banks had as much as said thatnegotiations were at an end, that was the long and short of it; itreally didn't matter what was back of their sudden change of front, the fact still remained that the transaction was as "dead as a doornail" unless it could be revived by the magnetic touch of a man likeBlithers. 

"What can have happened to cause them to change their minds soabruptly?" cried the perplexed Count. "Surely our prime minister andthe cabinet have left nothing undone to convince them of Graustark'sintegrity and--"

"Pardon me. Count, " interrupted one of the brokers, "shall I try tomake an appointment for you with Mr. Blithers? I hear he is in townfor a few days. "

Count Quinnox looked to Truxton King for inspiration and thatgentleman favoured him with a singularly dis-spiriting nod of thehead. The old Graustarkian cleared his throat and rather stifflyannounced that he would receive Mr. Blithers if he would call on himat the Ritz that afternoon. 

"What!" exclaimed both agents, half-starting from their chairs inamazement. 

The Count stared hard at them. "You may say to him that I will be inat four. "

"He'll tell you to go to--ahem!" The speaker coughed just in time. "Blithers isn't in the habit of going out of his way to--to obligeanybody. He wouldn't do it for the Emperor of Germany. "

"But, " said the Count with a frosty smile, "I am not the Emperor ofGermany. "

"Better let me make an appointment for you to see him at his office. It's just around the corner. " There was a pleading note in thespeaker's voice. 

"You might save your face, Calvert, by saying that the Count will bepleased to have him take tea with him at the Ritz, " suggested King. 

"Tea!" exclaimed Calvert scornfully. "Blithers, doesn't drink thestuff. "

"It's a figure of speech, " said King patiently. 

"All right, I'll telephone, " said the other dubiously. 

He came back a few minutes later with a triumphant look in his eye. 

"Blithers says to tell Count Quinnox he'll see him to-morrow morningat half-past eight at his office. Sorry he's engaged this afternoon. "

"But did you say I wanted him to have tea with us!" demanded theCount, an angry flush leaping to his cheek. 

"I did. I'm merely repeating what he said in reply. Half-past eight, at his office, Count. Those were his words. "

"It is the most brazen exhibition of insolence I've ever--" began theCount furiously, but checked himself with an effort. "I--I hope youdid not say that I would come, sir!"

"Yes. It's the only way--"

"Well, be good enough to call him up again and say to him that I'll--I'll see him damned before I'll come to his office to-morrow ateight-thirty or at any other hour. " And with that the Count got upand stalked out of the office, putting on his hat as he did so. 

"Count, " said King, as they descended in the elevator, "I've got anidea in my head that Blithers will be at the Ritz at four. "

"Do you imagine, sir, that I will receive him?"

"Certainly. Are you not a diplomat?"

"I am a Minister of War, " said the Count, and his scowl was anindication of absolute proficiency in the science. 

"And what's more, " went on King, reflectively, "it wouldn't in theleast surprise me if Blithers is the man behind the directors in thissudden move of the banks. "

"My dear King, he displayed the keenest interest and sympathy theother night at your house. He--"

"Of course I may be wrong, " admitted King, but his brow was clouded. 

Shortly after luncheon that day, Mrs. Blithers received a telegramfrom her husband. It merely stated that he was going up to have teawith the Count at four o'clock, and not to worry as "things wereshaping themselves nicely. "

CHAPTER V

PRINCE ROBIN IS ASKED TO STAND UP

Late the same evening. Prince Robin, at Red Roof, received a longdistance telephone communication from New York City. The Count was onthe wire. He imparted the rather startling news that William W. Blithers had volunteered to take care of the loan out of his ownprivate means! Quinnox was cabling the Prime Minister for advice andwould remain in New York for further conference with the capitalist, who, it was to be assumed, would want time to satisfy himself as tothe stability of Graustark's resources. 

Robin was jubilant. The thought had not entered his mind that therecould be anything sinister in this amazing proposition of the greatfinancier. 

If Count Quinnox himself suspected Mr. Blithers of an ulteriormotive, the suspicion was rendered doubtful by the evidence ofsincerity on the part of the capitalist who professed no sentiment inthe matter but insisted on the most complete indemnification by theGraustark government. Even King was impressed by the absolutefairness of the proposition. Mr. Blithers demanded no more than thebanks were asking for in the shape of indemnity; a first lienmortgage for 12 years on all properties owned and controlled by thegovernment and the deposit of all bonds held by the people with theunderstanding that the interest would be paid to them regularly, lessa small per cent as commission. His protection would be complete, --for the people of Graustark owned fully four-fifths of the bondsissued by the government for the construction of public serviceinstitutions; these by consent of Mr. Blithers were to be limited tothree utilities: railroads, telegraph and canals. These properties, as Mr. Blithers was by way of knowing, were absolutely sound andself-supporting. According to his investigators in London and Berlin, they were as solid as Gibraltar and not in need of one-tenth theprotection required by the famous rock. 

Robin inquired whether he was to come to New York at once in relationto the matter, and was informed that it would not be necessary atpresent. In fact, Mr. Blithers preferred to let the situation remainin statu quo (as he expressed it to the Count), until it wasdetermined whether the people were willing to deposit their bonds, acondition which was hardly worth while worrying about in view of thefact that they had already signified their readiness to present themfor security in the original proposition to the banks. Mr. Blithers, however, would give himself the pleasure of calling upon the Princeat Red Roof later in the week, when the situation could be discussedover a dish of tea or a cup of lemonade. That is precisely the wayMr. Blithers put it. 

The next afternoon Mrs. Blithers left cards at Red Roof--or rather, the foot-man left them--and on the day following the Kings and theirguests received invitations to a ball at Blitherwood on the ensuingFriday, but four days off. While Mrs. King and the two young men werediscussing the invitation the former was called to the telephone. Mrs. Blithers herself was speaking. 

"I hope you will pardon me for calling you up, Mrs. King, but Iwanted to be sure that you can come on the seventeenth. We want somuch to have the Prince and his friends with us. Mr. Blithers hastaken a great fancy to Prince Robin and Count Quinnox, and hedeclares the whole affair will be a fiasco if they are not to behere. "

"It is good of you to ask us, Mrs. Blithers. The Prince is planningto leave for Washington within the next few days and I fear--"

"Oh, you must prevail upon him to remain over, my Dear Mrs. King. Weare to have a lot of people up from Newport and Tuxedo--you know thecrowd--it's the _real_ crowd--and I'm sure he will enjoy meeting them. Mr. Blithers has arranged for a special train to bring them up--atrain de luxe, you may be sure, both as to equipment and occupant. Zabo's orchestra, too. A notion seized us last night to give the ball, which accounts for the short notice. It's the way we do everything--ona minute's notice. I think they're jollier if one doesn't go throughthe agony of a month's preparation, don't you? Nearly every one haswired acceptance, so we're sure to have a lot of nice people. Loads ofgirls, --you know the ones I mean, --and Mr. Blithers is trying toarrange a sparring match between those two great prizefighters, --youknow the ones, Mrs. King, --just to give us poor women a chance to seewhat a real man looks like in--I mean to say, what marvellousspecimens they are, don't you know. Now please tell the Prince that hepositively cannot afford to miss a real sparring match. Every one isterribly excited over it, and naturally we are keeping it very quiet. Won't it be a lark? My daughter thinks it's terrible, but she isfinicky. One of them is a negro, isn't he?"

"I'm sure I don't know. "

"You can imagine how splendid they must be when I tell you that Mr. Blithers is afraid they won't come up for less than fifteen thousanddollars. Isn't it ridiculous?"

"Perfectly, " said Mrs. King. 

"Of course, we shall insist on the Prince receiving with us. He isour _piece de resistance_. You--"

"I'm sure it will be awfully jolly, Mrs. Blithers. What did you say?"

"I beg pardon?"

"I'm sorry. I was speaking to the Prince. He just called up stairs tome. "

"What does he say?"

"It was really nothing. He was asking about Hobbs. "

"Hobbs? Tell him, please, that if he has any friends he would like tohave invited we shall be only too proud to--"

"Oh, thank you! I'll tell him. "

"You must not let him go away before--"

"I shall try my best, Mrs. Blithers. It is awfully kind of you to askus to--"

"You must all come up to dinner either to-morrow night or the nightafter. I shall be so glad if you will suggest anything that can helpus to make the ball a success. You see, I know how terribly cleveryou are, Mrs. King. "

"I am dreadfully stupid. "

"Nonsense!"

"I'm sorry to say we're dining out to-morrow night and on Thursday weare having some people here for--"

"Can't you bring them all up to Blitherwood? We'd be delighted tohave them, I'm sure. "

"I'm afraid I couldn't manage it. They--well, you see, they are inmourning. "

"Oh, I see. Well, perhaps Maud and I could run in and see you for afew minutes to-morrow or next day, just to talk things over a little--what's that, Maud? I beg your pardon, Mrs. King. Ahem! Well, I'llcall you up to-morrow, if you don't mind being bothered about a sillyold ball. Good-bye. Thank you so much. "

Mrs. King confronted Robin in the lower hall a few seconds later androundly berated him for shouting up the steps that Hobbs ought to beinvited to the ball. Prince Robin rolled on a couch and roared withdelight. Lieutenant Dank, as became an officer of the Royal Guard, stood at attention--in the bow window with his back to the room, veryred about the ears and rigid to the bursting point. 

"I suppose, however, we'll have to keep on the good side of theBlithers syndicate, " said Robin soberly, after his mirth and subsidedbefore her wrath. "Good Lord, Aunt Loraine, I simply cannot go upthere and stand in line like a freak in a side show for all theladies and girls to gape at I'll get sick the day of the party, that's what I'll do, and you can tell 'em how desolated I am over mymisfortune. "

"They've got their eyes on you, Bobby, " she said flatly. "You can'tescape so easily as all that. If you're not very, very carefulthey'll have you married to the charming Miss Maud before you can sayJack Rabbit. "

"Think that's their idea?"

"Unquestionably. "

He stretched himself lazily. "Well, it may be that she's the very oneI'm looking for, Auntie. Who knows?"

"You silly boy!"

"She may be the Golden Girl in every sense of the term, " said helightly. "You say she's pretty?"

"My notion of beauty and yours may not agree at all. "

"That's not an answer. "

"Well, I consider her to be a very good-looking girl. "

"Blonde?"

"Mixed. Light brown hair and very dark eyes and lashes. A littletaller than I, more graceful and a splendid horse-woman. I've seenher riding. "

"Astride?"

"No. I've seen her in a ball gown, too. Most men think she'sstunning. "

"Well, let's have a game of billiards, " said he, dismissing Maud in away that would have caused the proud Mr. Blithers to reel withindignation. 

A little later on, at the billiard table, Mrs. King remarked, aproposof nothing and quite out of a clear sky, so to speak:

"And she'll do anything her parents command her to do, that's theworst of it. "

"What are you talking about? It's your shot. "

"If they order her to marry a title, she'll do it. That's the wayshe's been brought up, I'm afraid. "

"Meaning Maud?"

"Certainly. Who else? Poor thing, she hasn't a chance in the world, with that mother of hers. "

"Shoot, please. Mark up six for me, Dank. "

"Wait till you see her, Bobby. "

"All right. I'll wait, " said he cheerfully. 

The next day Count Quinnox and King returned from the city, coming upin a private car with Mr. Blithers himself. 

"I'll have Maud drive me over this afternoon, " said Mr. Blithers, asthey parted at the station. 

But Maud did not drive him over that afternoon. The pride, joy andhope of the Blithers family flatly refused to be a party of any sucharrangement, and set out for a horse-back ride in a direction thattook her as far away from Red Roof as possible. 

"What's come over the girl?" demanded Mr. Blithers, completely non-plused. "She's never acted like this before, Lou. "

"Some silly notion about being made a laughingstock, I gather, " saidhis 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 lessmarrying him. I've never known her to be so pig-headed. Usually I canmake her see things in a sensible way. She would have married theduke, I'm sure, if--if you hadn't put a stop to it on account of hisso-called habits. She--"

"Well, it's turned out for the best, hasn't it? Isn't a prince betterthan a duke?"

"You've said all that before, Will. I wanted her to run down with methis morning to talk the ball over with Mrs. King, and what do youthink happened?"

"She wouldn't go?"

"Worse than that. She wouldn't let _me_ go. Now, things are coming toa pretty pass when--"

"Never mind. I'll talk to her, " said Mr. Blithers, somewhat bleaklydespite his confident front. "She loves her old dad. I can do_anything_ with her. "

"She's on a frightfully high horse lately, " sighed Mrs. Blithersfretfully. "It--it can't be that young Scoville, can it?"

"If I thought it was, I'd--I'd--" There is no telling what Mr. Blithers would have done to young Scoville, at the moment, for hecouldn't think of anything dire enough to inflict upon the suspectedmeddler. 

"In any event, it's dreadfully upsetting to me, Will. She--she won'tlisten to anything. And here's something else: She declares she won'tstay here for the ball on Friday night. "

Mr. Blithers had her repeat it, and then almost missed the chair insitting down, he was so precipitous about it. 

"Won't stay for her own ball?" he bellowed. 

"She says it isn't her ball, " lamented his wife. 

"If it isn't hers, in the name of God whose is it?"

"Ask her, not me, " flared Mrs. Blithers. "And don't glare at me likethat. I've had nothing but glares since you went away. I thought Iwas doing the very nicest thing in the world when I suggested theball. It would bring them together--"

"The only two it will actually bring together, it seems, are thosedamned prize-fighters. They'll get together all right, but what goodis it going to do us, if Maud's going to act like this? See here, Lou, I've got things fixed so that the Prince of Groostuck can't verywell do anything but ask Maud to--"

"That's just it!" she exclaimed. "Maud sees through the wholearrangement, Will. She said last night that she wouldn't be at allsurprised if you offered to assume Graustark's debt to Russia inorder to--"

"That's just what I've done, old girl, " said he in triumph. "I'llhave 'em sewed up so tight by next week that they can't move withoutasking me to loosen the strings. And you can tell Maud once more forme that I'll get this Prince for her if--"

"But she doesn't want him!"

"She doesn't know what she wants!" he roared. "Where is she going?"

"You saw her start off on Katydid, so why--"

"I mean on the day of the ball. "

"To New York. "

"By gad, I'll--I'll see about _that_, " he grated. "I'll see thatshe doesn't leave the grounds if I have to put guards at every gate. She's got to be reasonable. What does she think I'm putting sixteenmillions into the Grasstork treasury for? She's got to stay here forthe ball. Why, it would be a crime for her to--but what's the usetalking about it? She'll be here and she'll lead the grand march withthe Prince. I've got it all--"

"Well, you'll have to talk to her. I've done all that I can do. Sheswears she won't marry a man she's never seen. "

"Ain't we trying to show him to her?" he snorted. "She won't have tomarry him till she's seen him, and when she does see him she'llapologise to me for all the nasty things she's been saying about me. "For a moment it looked as though Mr. Blithers would dissolve intotears, so suddenly was he afflicted by self-pity. "By the way, didn'tshe like the necklace I sent up to her from Tiffany's?"

"I suppose so. She said you were a dear old foozler. "

"Foozler? What's that mean?" He wasn't quite sure, but somehow itsounded like a term of opprobrium. 

"I haven't the faintest idea, " she said shortly. 

"Well, why didn't you ask her? You've had charge of her bringing up. If she uses a word that you don't know the meaning of, you ought to--"

"Are you actually going to lend all that money to Graustark?" she cutin. 

He glared at her uncertainly for a moment and then nodded his head. The words wouldn't come. 

"Are you not a trifle premature about it?" she demanded with deepsignificance in her manner. 

This time he did not nod his head, nor did he shake it. He simply gotup and walked out of the room. Half way across the terrace he stoppedshort and said it with a great fervour and instantly felt very muchrelieved. In fact, the sensation of relief was so pleasant that herepeated it two or three times and then had to explain to a near bygardener that he didn't mean him at all. Then he went down to thestables. All the grooms and stableboys came tumbling into the stableyard in response to his thunderous shout. 

"Saddle Red Rover, and be quick about it, " he commanded. 

"Going out, sir?" asked the head groom, touching his fore-lock. 

"I am, " said Mr. Blithers succinctly and with a withering glare. RedRover must have been surprised by the unusual celerity with which hewas saddled and bridled. If there could be such a thing as a horselooking shocked, that beast certainly betrayed himself as he wasyanked away from his full manger and hustled out to the mountingblock. 

"Which way did Miss Blithers go?" demanded Mr. Blithers, in thesaddle. Two grooms were clumsily trying to insert his toes into thestirrups, at the same time pulling down his trousers legs, which hada tendency to hitch up in what seemed to them a most exasperatingdisregard for form. To their certain knowledge, Mr. Blithers hadnever started out before without boot and spur; therefore, thesuddenness of his present sortie sank into their intellects withoverwhelming impressiveness. 

"Down the Cutler road, sir, three quarters of an hour ago. Sherefused to have a groom go along, sir. "

"Get ap!" said Mr. Blithers, and almost ran down a groom in his rushfor the gate. For the information of the curious, it may be addedthat he did not overtake his daughter until she had been at home forhalf an hour, but he was gracious enough to admit to himself that hehad been a fool to pursue a stern chase rather than to intercept heron the back road home, which _any_ fool might have known she wouldtake. 

His wife came upon him a few minutes later while he was feverishlyengaged in getting into his white flannels. 

"Tell Maud I'm going over to have tea with the Prince, " he grunted, without looking up from the shoe lace he was tying in a hard knot. "Iwant her to go with me in fifteen minutes. Told 'em I would bring herover to play tennis. Tell her to put on tennis clothes. Hurry up, Lou. Where's my watch? What time is it? For God's sake, look at thewatch, not at me! I'm not a clock! What?"

"Mrs. King called up half an hour ago to say that they were allmotoring over to the Grandby Tavern for tea and wouldn't be back tillhalf-past seven--"

He managed to look up at that. For a moment he was speechless. No onehad ever treated him like this before. 

"Well, I'll be--hanged! Positive engagement. But's it's all right, "he concluded resolutely. "I can motor to Grandby Tavern, too, can'tI? Tell Maud not to mind tennis clothes, but to hurry. Want to goalong?"

"No, I don't, " she said emphatically. "And Maud isn't going, either. "

"She isn't, eh?"

"No, she isn't. Can't you leave this affair to me?"

"I'm pretty hot under the collar, " he warned her, and it was easy tobelieve that he was. 

"Don't rush in where angels fear to tread, Will dear, " she pleaded. It was so unusual for her to adopt a pleading tone that he overlookedthe implication. Besides he had just got through calling himself afool, so perhaps she was more or less justified. Moreover, at thatparticular moment she undertook to assist him with his necktie. Hersoft, cool fingers touched his double chin and seemed to caress itlovingly. He lifted his head very much as a dog does when he is beingtickled on that velvety spot under the lower jaw. 

"Stuff and nonsense, " he murmured throatily. 

"I thought you would see it that way, " she said so calmly that heblinked a couple of times in sheer perplexity and then diminished hisdouble chin perceptibly by a very helpful screwing up of his lowerlip. He said nothing, preferring to let her think that the mostimportant thing in the world just then was the proper adjustment ofthe wings of his necktie. "There!" she said, and patted him on thecheek, to show that the task had been successfully accomplished. 

"Better come along for a little spin, " he said, readjusting the tiewith man-like ingenuousness. "Do you good, Lou. "

"Very well, " she said. "Can you wait a few minutes?"

"Long as you like, " said he graciously. "Ask Maud if she wants tocome, too. "

"I am sure she will enjoy it, " said his wife, and then Mr. Blithersdescended to the verandah to think. Somehow he felt if he did alittle more thinking perhaps matters wouldn't be so bad. Among otherthings, he thought it would be a good idea not to motor in thedirection of Grandby Tavern. And he also thought it was not worthwhile resenting the fact that his wife and daughter took somethingover an hour to prepare for the little spin. 

In the meantime, Prince Robin was racing over the mountain roads in ahigh-power car, attended by a merry company of conspirators whosesole object was to keep him out of the clutches of that far-reachingoctopus, William W. Blithers. 

CHAPTER VI

THE PRINCE AND MR. BLITHERS

In order to get on with the narrative, I shall be as brief aspossible in the matter of the Blitherwood ball. In the first place, mere words would prove to be not only feeble but actually out ofplace. Any attempt to define the sensation of awe by recourse to adictionary would put one in the ridiculous position of seeking theunattainable. The word has its meaning, of course, but the sensationitself is quite another thing. As every one who attended the ball wasfilled with awe, which he tried to put forward as admiration, theattitude of the guest was no more limp than that of the chronicler. In the second place, I am not qualified by experience or imaginationto describe a ball that stood its promoter not a penny short of onehundred thousand dollars. I believe I could go as high as a fifteenor even twenty thousand dollar affair with some sort of intelligence, but anything beyond those figures renders me void and useless. 

Mr. Blithers not only ran a special train de luxe from New York City, but another from Washington and still another from Newport, for itappears that the Newporters at the last minute couldn't bear the ideaof going to the Metropolis out of season. He actually had to takethem around the city in such a way that they were not even obliged tosubmit to a glimpse of the remotest outskirts of the Bronx. 

From Washington came an amazing company of foreign ladies andgentlemen, ranging from the most exalted Europeans to the lowliest ofthe yellow races. They came with gold all over them; they tinkledwith the clash of a million cymbals. The President of the UnitedStates almost came. Having no spangles of his own, he delegated aMajor-General and a Rear-Admiral to represent Old Glory, and no doubtsulked in the White House because a parsimonious nation refuses tobuy braid and buttons for its chief executive. 

Any one who has seen a gentleman in braid, buttons and spangles willunderstand how impossible it is to describe him. One might enumeratethe buttons and the spangles and even locate them precisely upon hisperson, but no mortal intellect can expand sufficiently to cope withan undertaking that would try even the powers of Him who created thecontents of those wellstuffed uniforms. 

A car load of orchids and gardenias came up, fairly depleting theflorists' shops on Manhattan Island, and with them came a small armyof skilled decorators. In order to deliver his guests at the doors ofBlitherwood, so to speak, the incomprehensible Mr. Blithers had atemporary spur of track laid from the station two miles away, employing no fewer than a thousand men to do the work in forty-eighthours. (Work on a terminal extension in New York was delayed for aweek or more in order that he might borrow the rails, ties andworktrains!)

Two hundred and fifty precious and skillfully selected guests ate twohundred and fifty gargantuan dinners and twice as many suppers; drankbarrels of the rarest of wines; smoked countless two dollar Perfectosand stuffed their pockets with enough to last them for days to come;burnt up five thousand cigarettes and ate at least two dozen eggs forbreakfast, and then flitted away with a thousand complaints in twohundred and fifty Pullman drawing-rooms, Nothing could have been moreaccurately pulled-off than the wonderful Blitherwood ball. (Thesparring match on the lawn, under the glare of a stupendous clusterof lights, resulted in favour of Mr. Bullhead Brown, whosuccessfully--if accidentally--landed with considerably energy on theleft lower corner of Mr. Sledge-hammer Smith's diaphragm, completelydividing the purse with him in four scientifically satisfactoryrounds, although they came to blows over it afterwards when Mr. Smithtold Mr. Brown what he thought of him for hitting with such fervourjust after they had eaten a hearty meal. )

A great many mothers inspected Prince Robin with interest andconfessed to a really genuine enthusiasm: something they had notexperienced since one of the German princes got close enough toNewport to see it quite clearly through his marine glasses from thebridge of a battleship. The ruler of Graustark--(four-fifths of theguests asked where in the world it was!)--was the lion of the day. Mr. Blithers was annoyed because he did not wear his crown, but wassomewhat mollified by the information that he had neglected to bringit along with him in his travels. He was also considerably put out bythe discovery that the Prince had left his white and gold uniform athome and had to appear in an ordinary dress-suit, which, to be sure, fitted him perfectly but did not achieve distinction. He did wear ablack and silver ribbon across his shirt front, however, and a tinygold button in the lapel of his coat; otherwise he might have beenmistaken for a "regular guest, " to borrow an expression from Mr. Blithers. The Prince's host manoeuvred until nearly one o'clock inthe morning before he succeeded in getting a close look at the littlegold button, and then found that the inscription thereon was in somesort of hieroglyphics that afforded no enlightenment whatsoever. 

Exercising a potentate's prerogative, Prince Robin left the scene offestivity somewhat earlier than was expected. As a matter of fact, hedeparted shortly after one. Moreover, being a prince, it did notoccur to him to offer any excuse for leaving so early, but gracefullythanked his host and hostess and took himself off without thecustomary assertion that he had had a splendid time. Strange to say, he did not offer a single comment on the sumptuousness of the affairthat had been given in his honor. Mr. Blithers couldn't get overthat. He couldn't help thinking that the fellow had not been properlybrought-up, or was it possible that he was not in the habit of goingout in good society?

Except for one heart-rending incident, the Blitherwood ball was themost satisfying event in the lives of Mr. And Mrs. William W. Blithers. That incident, however, happened to be the hasty and well-managed flight of Maud Applegate Blithers at an hour indefinitelyplaced somewhere between four and seven o'clock on the morning of thegreat day. 

Miss Blithers was not at the ball. She was in New York City serenelyenjoying one of the big summer shows, accompanied by young Scovilleand her onetime governess, a middle-aged gentlewoman who had seeneven better days than those spent in the employ of William W. Blithers. The resolute young lady had done precisely what she saidshe would do, and for the first time in his life Mr. Blithersrealised that his daughter was a creation and not a mere condition. He wilted like a famished water-lily and went about the place in astate of bewilderment so bleak that even his wife felt sorry for himand refrained from the "I told you so" that might have been expectedunder the circumstances. 

Maud's telegram, which came at three o'clock in the afternoon, wasmeant to be reassuring but it failed of its purpose. It said: "Have agood time and don't lose any sleep over me. I shall sleep verysoundly myself at the Ritz to-night and hope you will be doing thesame when I return home to-morrow afternoon, for I know you will bedreadfully tired after all the excitement. Convey my congratulationsto the guest of honor and believe me to be your devoted and obedientdaughter. "

The co-incidental absence of young Mr. Scoville from the ball was acause of considerable uneasiness on the part of the agitated Mr. Blithers, who commented upon it quite expansively in the seclusion ofhis own bed-chamber after the last guest had sought repose. Some ofthe things that Mr. Blithers said about Mr. Scoville will never beforgotten by the four walls of that room, if, as commonly reported, they possess auricular attachments. 

Any one who imagines that Mr. Blithers accepted Maud's defection as afinal disposition of the cause he had set his heart upon is very muchmistaken in his man. Far from receding so much as an inch from hisposition, he at once set about to strengthen it in such a way thatMaud would have to come to the conclusion that it was useless tocombat the inevitable, and ultimately would heap praises upon hisdevoted head for the great blessing he was determined to bestow uponher in spite of herself. 

The last of the special coaches was barely moving on its jiggly wayto the main line, carrying the tag end of the revellers, when he setforth in his car for a mid-day visit to Red Roof. Already the hugecamp of Slavs and Italians was beginning to jerk up the borrowedrails and ties; the work trains were rumbling and snorting in themeadows above Blitherwood, tottering about on the uncertain road-bed. He gave a few concise and imperative orders to obsequioussuperintendents and foremen, who subsequently repeated them with evengreater freedom to the perspiring foreigners, and left the scene ofconfusion without so much as a glance behind. Wagons, carts, motortrucks and all manner of wheeled things were scuttling aboutBlitherwood as he shot down the long, winding avenue toward the lodgegates, but he paid no attention to them. They were removing theremnants of a glory that had passed at five in the morning. He wasnot interested in the well-plucked skeleton. It was a nuisancegetting rid of it, that was all, and he wanted it to be completelyout of sight when he returned from Red Roof. If a vestige of theruins remained, some one would hear from him! That was understood. And when Maud came home on the five-fourteen she would not find himasleep--not by a long shot!

Half-way to Red Roof, he espied a man walking briskly along the roadahead of him. To be perfectly accurate, he was walking in the middleof the road and his back was toward the swift-moving, almostnoiseless Packard. 

"Blow the horn for the dam' fool, " said Mr. Blithers to thechauffeur. A moment later the pedestrian leaped nimbly aside and thecar shot past, the dying wail of the siren dwindling away in thewhirr of the wheels. "Look where you're going!" shouted Mr. Blithersfrom the tonneau, as if the walker had come near to running him downinstead of the other way around. "Whoa! Stop 'er, Jackson!" he calledto the driver. He had recognised the pedestrian. 

The car came to a stop with grinding brakes, and at the same time thepedestrian halted a hundred yards away. 

"Back up, " commanded Mr. Blithers in some haste, for the Princeseemed to be on the point of deserting the highway for the wood thatlined it. "Morning, Prince!" he shouted, waving his hat vigorously. "Want a lift?"

The car shot backward with almost the same speed that it had goneforward, and the Prince exercised prudence when he stepped quickly upthe sloping bank at the roadside. 

"Were you addressing me, " he demanded curtly, as the car came to astop. 

"Yes, your highness. Get in. I'm going your way, " said Mr. Blithersbeamingly. 

"I mean a moment ago, when you shouted 'Look where you are going, '"said Robin, an angry gleam in his eye. 

Mr. Blithers looked positively dumbfounded. "Good Heavens, no!" hecried. "I was speaking to the chauffeur. " (Jackson's back seemed tostiffen a little. ) "I've told him a thousand times to be carefulabout running up on people like that. Now this is the last time I'llwarn you, Jackson. The next time you go. Understand? Just because youhappen to be driving for me doesn't signify that you can run overpeople who--"

"It's all right, Mr. Blithers, " interrupted Robin, with his finesmile. "No harm done. I'll walk if you don't mind. Out for a bit ofexercise, you know. Thank you just the same. "

"Where are you bound for?" asked Mr. Blithers. 

"I don't know. I ramble where my fancy leads me. "

"I guess I'll get out and stroll along with you. God knows I needmore exercise than I get. Is it agreeable?" He was on the ground bythis time. Without waiting for an answer, he directed Jackson to runon to Red Roof and wait for him. 

"I shall be charmed, " said Robin, a twinkle in the tail of his eye. "An eight or ten mile jaunt will do you a world of good, I'm sure. Shall we explore this little road up the mountain and then drop downto Red Roof? I don't believe it can be more than five or six miles. "

"Capital, " said Mr. Blithers with enthusiasm. He happened to knowthat it was a "short cut" to Red Roof and less than a mile as thecrow flies. True, there was something of an ascent ahead of them, butthere was also a corresponding descent at the other end. Besides, hewas confident he could keep up with the long-legged youngster by theparadoxical process of holding back. The Prince, having suggested theroute, couldn't very well be arbitrary in traversing it. Mr. Blithersregarded the suggestion as an invitation. 

They struck off into the narrow woodland road, not precisely side byside, but somewhat after the fashion of a horseback rider and hisgroom, or, more strictly speaking, as a Knight and his vassal. Robinstarted off so briskly that Mr. Blithers fell behind a few paces andhad to exert himself considerably to keep from losing more ground asthey took the first steep rise. The road was full of ruts and crossruts and littered with boulders that had ambled down the mountain-side in the spring moving. To save his life, Mr. Blithers couldn'tkeep to a straight course. He went from rut to rut and from rock torock with the fidelity of a magnetised atom, seldom putting his footwhere he meant to put it, and never by any chance achieving a steadystride. He would take one long, purposeful step and then a couple ofshort "feelers, " progressing very much as a man tramps over a newlyploughed field. 

At the top of the rise, Robin considerately slackened his pace andthe chubby gentleman drew alongside, somewhat out of breath but ascheerful as a cricket. 

"Going too fast for you, Mr. Blithers?" inquired Robin. 

"Not at all, " said Mr. Blithers. "By the way, Prince, " he went on, cunningly seizing the young man's arm and thereby putting a check onhis speed for the time being at least, "I want to explain mydaughter's unfortunate absence last night. You must have thought itvery strange. Naturally it was unavoidable. The poor girl is reallyquite heart-broken. I beg pardon!" He stepped into a rut and cameperilously near to going over on his nose. "Beastly road! Thanks. Good thing I took hold of you. Yes, as I was saying, it was really amost unfortunate thing; missed the train, don't you see. Went downfor the day--just like a girl, you know--and missed the train. "

"Ah, I see. She missed it twice. "

"Eh? Oh! Ha ha! Very good! She might just as well have missed it adozen times as once, eh? Well, she could have arranged for a specialto bring her up, but she's got a confounded streak of thriftiness inher. Couldn't think of spending the money. Silly idea of--I beg yourpardon, did I hurt you? I'm pretty heavy, you know, no light weightwhen I come down on a fellow's toe like that. What say to sittingdown on this log for a while? Give your foot a chance to rest a bit. Deucedly awkward of me. Ought to look out where I'm stepping, eh?"

"It really doesn't matter, Mr. Blithers, " said Robin hastily. "We'llkeep right on if it's all the same to you. I'm due at home in--inhalf an hour. We lunch very punctually. "

"I was particularly anxious for you and Maud to meet under theconditions that obtained last night, " went on Mr. Blithers, with aregretful look at the log they were passing. "Nothing could have beenmore--er--ripping. "

"I hear from every one that your daughter is most attractive, " saidRobin. "Sorry not to have met her, Mr. Blithers. "

"Oh, you'll meet her all right. Prince. She's coming home to-day. Ibelieve Mrs. Blithers is expecting you to dinner to-night. She--"

"I'm sure there must be some mistake, " began Robin, but was cutshort. 

"I was on my way to Red Roof to ask you and Count Quiddux to give usthis evening in connection with that little affair we are arranging. It is most imperative that it should be to-night, as my attorney iscoming up for the conference. "

"I fear that Mrs. King has planned something--"

Mr. Blithers waved his hand deprecatingly. "I am sure Mrs. King willlet you off when she knows how important it is. As a matter of fact, it has to be tonight or not at all. "

There was a note in his voice that Robin did not like. It savoured ofarrogance. 

"I daresay Count Quinnox can attend to all the details, Mr. Blithers. I have the power of veto, of course, but I shall be guided by thecounsel of my ministers. You need have no hesitancy in dealing with--"

"That's not the point, Prince. I am a business man, --as perhaps youknow. I make it a point never to deal with any one except the head ofa concern, if you'll pardon my way of putting it. It isn't right tospeak of Growstock as a concern, but you'll understand, of course. Figure of speech. "

"I can only assure you, sir, that Graustark is in a position toindemnify you against any possible chance of loss. You will be amplysecured. I take it that you are not coming to our assistance throughany desire to be philanthropic, but as a business proposition, pureand simple. At least, that is how we regard the matter. Am I notright?"

"Perfectly, " said Mr. Blithers. "I haven't got sixteen millions tothrow away. Still I don't see that that has anything to do with myrequest that you be present at the conference to-night. To beperfectly frank with you, I don't like working in the dark. You havethe power of veto, as you say. Well, if I am to lend Groostork a goodmany millions of hard-earned dollars, I certainly don't relish theidea that you may take it into your head to upset the wholetransaction merely because you have not had the matter presented toyou by me instead of by your cabinet, competent as its members maybe. First hand information on any subject is my notion ofsimplicity. "

"The integrity of the cabinet is not to be questioned, Mr. Blithers. Its members have never failed Graustark in any--"

"I beg your pardon, Prince, " said Mr. Blithers firmly, "but Icertainly suspect that they failed her when they contracted this debtto Russia. You will forgive me for saying it, but it was the mostasinine bit of short-sightedness I've ever heard of. My office boyscould have seen farther than your honourable ministers. "

To his utter amazement, Robin turned a pair of beaming, excited eyesupon him. 

"Do you really mean that, Mr. Blithers?" he cried eagerly. 

"I certainly do!"

"By jove, I--I can't tell you how happy I am to hear you say it. Yousee it is exactly what John Tullis said from the first. He wasbitterly opposed to the loan. He tried his best to convince the primeminister that it was inadvisable. I granted him the special privilegeof addressing the full House of Nobles on the question, an honourthat no alien had known up to that time. Of course I was a boy whenall this happened, Mr. Blithers, or I might have put a stop to the--but I'll not go into that. The House of Nobles went against hisjudgment and voted in favour of accepting Russia's loan. Now theyrealise that dear old John Tullis was right. Somehow it gratifies meto hear you say that they were--ahem!--shortsighted. "

"What you need in Groostock is a little more good American blood, "announced Mr. Blithers, pointedly. "If you are going to cope with theworld, you've got to tackle the job with brains and not with thatidiotic thing called faith. There's no such thing in these days ascharity among men, good will, and all that nonsense. Now, you've gota splendid start in the right direction, Prince. You've got Americanblood in your veins and that means a good deal. Take my advice andincrease the proportion. In a couple of generations you'll havesomething to brag about. Take Tullis as your example. Beget sons thatwill think and act as he is capable of doing. Weed out the thin bloodand give the crown of Grasstick something that is thick and red. Itwill be the making of your--"

"I suppose you are advising me to marry an American woman, Mr. Blithers, " said Robin drily. 

Mr. Blithers directed a calculating squint into the tree-tops. "I amsimply looking ahead for my own protection, Prince, " said he. 

"In what respect?"

"Well I am putting a lot of money into the hands of your people. Isn't it natural that I should look ahead to some extent?"

"But my people are honest. They will pay. "

"I understand all that, but at the same time I do not relish the ideaof some day being obliged to squeeze blood from a turnip. Now is thetime for you to think for the future. Your people are honest, I'llgrant. But they also are poor. And why? Because no one has been ableto act for them as your friend Tullis is capable of acting. The daywill come when they will have to settle with me, and will it be anyeasier to pay William W. Blithers than it is to pay Russia? Not a bitof it. As you have said, I am not a philanthropist. I shall exactfull and prompt payment. I prefer to collect from the prosperous, however, and not from the poor. It goes against the grain. That's whyI want to see you rich and powerful--as well as honest. "

"I grant you it is splendid philosophy, " said Robin. "But are you notforgetting that even the best of Americans are sometimes failureswhen it comes to laying up treasure?"

"As individuals, yes; but not as a class. You will not deny that weare the richest people in the world. On the other hand I do notpretend to say that we are a people of one strain of blood. Werepresent a mixture of many strains, but underneath them all runs thefull stream that makes us what we are: Americans. You can't get awayfrom that. Yes, I _do_ advise you to marry an American girl. "

"In other words, I am to make a business of it, " said Robin, tolerantly. 

"It isn't beyond the range of possibility that you should fall inlove with an American girl, is it? You wouldn't call that making abusiness of it, would you?"

"You may rest assured, Mr. Blithers, that I shall marry to pleasemyself and no one else, " said Robin, regarding him with a coldnessthat for an instant affected the millionaire uncomfortably. 

"Well, " said Mr. Blithers, after a moment of hard thinking, "it mayinterest you to know that I married for love. "

"It _does_ interest me, " said Robin. "I am glad that you did. "

"I was a comparatively poor man when I married. The girl I marriedwas well-off in her own right. She had brains as well. We workedtogether to lay the foundation for a--well, for the fortune we nowpossess. A fortune, I may add, that is to go, every dollar of it, tomy daughter. It represents nearly five hundred million dollars. Thegreatest king in the world to-day is poor in comparison to that vastestate. My daughter will one day be the richest woman in the world. "

"Why are you taking the pains to enlighten me as to your daughter'sfuture, Mr. Blithers?"

"Because I regard you as a sensible young man, Prince. "

"Thank you. And I suppose you regard your daughter as a sensibleyoung woman?"

"Certainly!" exploded Mr. Blithers. 

"Well, it seems to me, she will be capable of taking care of herfortune a great deal more successfully than you imagine, Mr. Blithers. She will doubtless marry an excellent chap who has thecapacity to increase her fortune, rather than to let it stand at afigure that some day may be surpassed by the possessions of anambitious king. "

There was fine irony in the Prince's tone but no trace ofoffensiveness. Nevertheless, Mr. Blithers turned a shade more purplethan before, and not from the violence of exercise. He was havingsome difficulty in controlling his temper. What manner of fool wasthis fellow who could sneer at five hundred million dollars? Hemanaged to choke back something that rose to his lips and verypolitely remarked:

"I am sure you will like her, Prince. If I do say it myself, she isas handsome as they grow. "

"So I have been told. "

"You will see her to-night. "

"Really, Mr. Blithers, I cannot--"

"I'll fix it with Mrs. King. Don't you worry. "

"May I be pardoned for observing that Mrs. King, greatly as I loveher, is not invested with the power to govern my actions?" said Robinhaughtily. 

"And may I be pardoned for suggesting that it is your duty to yourpeople to completely understand this loan of mine before you agree toaccept it?" said Mr. Blithers, compressing his lips. 

"Forgive me, Mr. Blithers, but it is not altogether improbable thatGraustark may secure the money elsewhere. "

"It is not only improbable but impossible, " said Mr. Blithers flatly. 

"Impossible?"

"Absolutely, " said the millionaire so significantly that Robin wouldhave been a dolt not to grasp the situation. Nothing could have beenclearer than the fact that Mr. Blithers believed it to be in hispower to block any effort Graustark might make in other directions tosecure the much-needed money. 

"Will you come to the point, Mr. Blithers?" said the young Prince, stopping abruptly in the middle of the road and facing his companion. "What are you trying to get at?"

Mr. Blithers was not long in getting to the point. In the firstplace, he was hot and tired and his shoes were hurting; in the secondplace, he felt that he knew precisely how to handle these money-seeking scions of nobility. He planted himself squarely in front ofthe Prince and jammed his hands deep into his coat pockets. 

"The day my daughter is married to the man of my choice, I will handover to that man exactly twenty million dollars, " he said slowly, impressively. 

"Yes, go on. "

"The sole object I have in life is to see my girl happy and at thesame time at the top of the heap. She is worthy of any man's love. She is as good as gold. She--"

"The point is this, then: You would like to have me for a son-in-law. "

"Yes, " said Mr. Blithers. 

Robin grinned. He was amused in spite of himself. "You take it forgranted that I can be bought?"

"I have not made any such statement. "

"And how much will you hand over to the man of _her_ choice whenshe marries him?" enquired the young man. 

"You will be her choice, " said the other, without the quiver of aneye-lash. 

"How can you be sure of that? Has she no mind of her own?"

"It isn't incomprehensible that she should fall in love with you, isit?"

"It might be possible, of course, provided she is not already in lovewith some one else. "

Mr. Blithers started. "Have you heard any one say that--but, that'snonsense! She's not in love with any one, take it from me. And justto show you how fair I am to her--and to you--I'll stake my head youfall in love with each other before you've been together a week. "

"But we're not going to be together for a week. "

"I should have said before you've known each other a week. You willfind--"

"Just a moment, please. We can cut all this very short, and go aboutour business. I've never seen your daughter, nor, to my knowledge, has she ever laid eyes on me. From what I've heard of her, she _has_ amind of her own. You will not be able to force her into a marriagethat doesn't appeal to her, and you may be quite sure, Mr. Blithers, that you can't force me into one. I do not want you to feel that Ihave a single disparaging thought concerning Miss Blithers. It ispossible that I could fall in love with her inside of a week, oreven sooner. But I don't intend to, Mr. Blithers, any more than sheintends to fall in love with me. You say that twenty millions will goto the man she marries, if he is your choice. Well, I don't give ahang, sir, if you make it fifty millions. The chap who gets it willnot be me, so what's the odds? You--"

"Wait a minute, young man, " said Mr. Blithers coolly. (He was neveranything but cool when under fire. ) "Why not wait until you have metmy daughter before making a statement like that? After all, am I notthe one who is taking chances? Well, I'm willing to risk my girl'shappiness with you and that's saying everything when you come rightdown to it. She will make you happy in--"

[Illustration: "You will be her choice, " said the other, without thequiver of an eye-lash ]

"I am not for sale. Mr. Blithers, " said Robin abruptly. "Goodmorning. " He turned into the wood and was sauntering away with hischin high in the air when Mr. Blithers called out to him from behind. 

"I shall expect you to-night, just the same. "

Robin halted, amazed by the man's assurance. He retraced his steps tothe roadside. 

"Will you pardon a slight feeling of curiosity on my part, Mr. Blithers, if I ask whether your daughter consents to the arrangementyou propose. Does she approve of the scheme?"

Mr. Blithers was honest. "No, she doesn't, " he said succinctly. "Atleast, not at present. I'll be honest with you. She stayed away fromthe ball last night simply because she did not want to meet you. That's the kind of a girl _she_ is. "

"By jove, I take off my hat to her, " cried Robin. "She is a brick, after all. Take it from me, Mr. Blithers, you will not be able tohand over twenty millions without her consent. I believe that Ishould enjoy meeting her, now that I come to think of it. It would bea pleasure to exchange confidences with a girl of that sort. "

Mr. Blithers betrayed agitation. "See here, Prince, I don't want herto know that I've said anything to you about this matter, " he said, unconsciously lowering his voice as if fearing that Maud might besomewhere within hearing distance. "This is between you and me. Don'tbreathe a word of it to her. 'Gad, she'd--she'd skin me alive!" Atthe very thought of it, he wiped his forehead with unusual vigour. 

Robin laughed heartily. "Rest easy, Mr. Blithers. I shall not eventhink of your proposition again, much less speak of it. "

"Come now, Prince; wait until you've seen her. I know you'll get onfamously--"

"I should like her to know that I consider her a brick, Mr. Blithers. Is it too much to ask of you? Just tell her that I think she's abrick. "

"Tell her yourself, " growled Mr. Blithers, looking very black. "Youwill see her this evening, " he added levelly. 

"Shall I instruct your chauffeur to come for you up here or will youwalk back to--"

"I'll walk to Red Roof, " said Mr. Blithers doggedly. "I'm going toask Mrs. King to let you off for to-night. "

CHAPTER VII

A LETTER FROM MAUD

Mr. Blithers, triumphant, left Red Roof shortly after luncheon; Mr. Blithers, dismayed, arrived at Blitherwood a quarter of an hourlater. He had had his way with Robin, who, after all, was coming todinner that evening with Count Quinnox. The Prince, after a few wordsin private with the Count, changed his mind and accepted Mr. Blithers' invitation with a liveliness that was mistaken foreagerness by that gentleman, who had made very short work of subduingMrs. King when she tried to tell him that her own dinner-party wouldbe ruined if the principal guest defaulted. He was gloating over hisvictory up to the instant he reached his own lodge gates. Theredismay sat patiently waiting for him in the shape of a messenger fromthe local telegraph office in the village below. He had seen Mr. Blithers approaching in the distance, and, with an astuteness thatargued well for his future success in life, calmly sat down to waitinstead of pedaling his decrepit bicycle up the long slope to thevilla. 

He delivered a telegram and kindly vouchsafed the information that itwas from New York. 

Mr. Blithers experienced a queer sinking of the heart as he gazed atthe envelope. Something warned him that if he opened it in thepresence of the messenger he would say something that a young boyought not to hear. 

"It's from Maud, " said the obliging boy, beaming good-nature. It costhim a quarter, that bit of gentility, for Mr. Blithers at once saidsomething that a messenger boy ought to hear, and ordered Jackson togo ahead. 

It was from Maud and it said: "I shall stay in town a few dayslonger. It is delightfully cool here. Dear old Miranda is at the Ritzwith me and we are having a fine spree. Don't worry about money. Ifind I have a staggering balance in the bank. The cashier showed mewhere I had made a mistake in subtraction of an even ten thousand. Iwas amazed to find what a big difference a little figure makes. Havemade no definite plans but will write Mother to-night. Please give mylove to the Prince. Have you seen to-day's _Town Truth_? Or worse, hashe seen it? Your loving daughter, Maud. "

The butler was sure it was apoplexy, but the chauffeur, out of a wideexperience, announced, behind his hand, that he would be all rightthe instant the words ceased to stick in his throat. And he wasright. Mr. Blithers _was_ all right. Not even the chauffeur hadseen him when he was more so. 

A little later on, after he had cooled off to a quite considerableextent, Mr. Blithers lighted a cigar and sat down in the hall outsidehis wife's bed-chamber door. She was having her beauty nap. Not evenhe possessed the temerity to break in upon that. He sat and listenedfor the first sound that would indicate the appeasement of beauty, occasionally hitching his chair a trifle nearer to the door in theagony of impatience. By the time Jackson returned from the villagewith word that a copy of _Town Truth_ was not to be had untilthe next day, he was so close to the door that if any one hadhappened to stick a hat pin through the keyhole at precisely theright instant it would have punctured his left ear with appallingresults. 

"What are we going to do about it?" he demanded three minutes afterentering the chamber. His wife was prostrate on the luxurious couchfrom which she had failed to arise when he burst in upon her with thetelegram in his hand. 

"Oh, the foolish child, " she moaned. "If she only knew how adorablehe is she wouldn't be acting in this perfectly absurd manner. Everygirl who was here last night is madly in love with him. Why must Maudbe so obstinate?"

Mr. Blithers was very careful not to mention his roadside experiencewith the Prince, and you may be sure that he said nothing about hisproposition to the young man. He merely declared, with a vastbitterness in his soul, that the Prince was coming to dinner, butwhat the deuce was the use?

"She ought to be soundly--spoken to, " said he, breaking the sentencewith a hasty gulp. "Now, Lou, there's just one thing to do. I must goto New York on the midnight train and get her. That woman was allright as a tutor, but hanged if I like to see a daughter of minetraipsing around New York with a school teacher. She--"

"You forget that she has retired on a competence. She is not inactive employment. Will. You forget that she is one of the VanValkens. "

"There you go, talking about good old families again. Why is it thatso blamed many of your fine old blue stockings are hunting jobs--"

"Now don't be vulgar, Will, " she cut in. "Maud is quite safe withMiranda, and you know it perfectly well, so don't talk like that. Ithink it would be a fearful mistake for you to go to New York. Shewould never forgive you and, what is more to the point, she wouldn'tbudge a step if you tried to bully her into coming home with you. Youknow it quite as well as I do. "

He groaned. "Give me a chance to think, Lou. Just half a chance, that's all I ask. I'll work out some--"

"Wait until her letter comes. We'll see what she has to say. Perhapsshe intends coming home tomorrow, who can tell? This may be a pose onher part. Give her free rein and she will not pull against the bit. It may surprise her into doing the sensible thing if we calmly ignoreher altogether. I've been thinking it over, and I've come to theconclusion that we'll be doing the wisest thing in the world if wepay absolutely no attention to her. "

"By George, I believe you've hit it, Lou! She'll be looking for aletter or telegram from me and she'll not receive a word, eh? She'llbe expecting us to beg her to come back and all the while we just sittight and say not a word. We'll fool her, by thunder. By to-morrowafternoon she'll be so curious to know what's got into us that she'llcome home on a run. You're right. It takes a thief to catch a thief, --which is another way of saying that it takes a woman to understand awoman. We'll sit tight and let Maud worry for a day or two. It willdo her good. "

Maud's continued absence was explained to Prince Robin that evening, not by the volcanic Mr. Blithers but by his practised and adroitbetter-half who had no compunction in ascribing it to the alarmingcondition of a very dear friend in New York, --one of the Van Valkens, you know. 

"Maud is so tender-hearted, so loyal, so really sweet about herfriends, that nothing in the world could have induced her to leavethis dear friend, don't you know. "

"I am extremely sorry not to have met your daughter, " said Robin verypolitely. 

"Oh, but she will be here in a day or two, Prince. "

"Unfortunately, we are leaving to-morrow, Mrs. Blithers. "

"To-morrow?" murmured Mrs. Blithers, aghast. 

"I received a cablegram to-day advising me to return to Edelweiss atonce. We are obliged to cut short a very charming visit with Mr. AndMrs. King and to give up the trip to Washington. Lieutenant Dank leftfor New York this afternoon to exchange our reservations for thefirst ship that we can--"

"What's this?" demanded Mr. Blithers, abruptly withdrawing hisattention from Count Quinnox who was in the middle of a sentence whenthe interruption came. They were on the point of going out to dinner. "What's this?"

"The Prince says that he is leaving to-morrow--"

"Nonsense!" exploded Mr. Blithers, with no effort toward geniality. "He doesn't mean it. Why, --why, we haven't signed a singleagreement--"

"Fortunately it isn't necessary for me to sign anything, Mr. Blithers, " broke in Robin hastily. "The papers are to be signed bythe Minister of Finance, and afterwards my signature is attached inapproval. Isn't that true, Count Quinnox?"

"I daresay Mr. Blithers understands the situation perfectly, " saidthe Count. 

Mr. Blithers looked blank. He _did_ understand the situation, that was the worst of it. He knew that although the cabinet hadsanctioned the loan by cable, completing the transaction so far as itcould be completed at this time, it was still necessary for theMinister of Finance to sign the agreement under the royal seal ofGraustark. 

"Of course I understand it, " he said bluntly. "Still I had it in mindto ask the Prince to put his signature to a sort of preliminarydocument which would at least assure me that he would sign the finalagreement when the time comes. That's only fair, isn't it?"

"Quite fair, Mr. Blithers. The Prince will sign such an article to-morrow or the next day at your office in the city. Pray have nouneasiness, sir. It shall be as you wish. By the way, I understoodthat your solicitor--your lawyer, I should say, --was to be here thisevening. It had occurred to me that he might draw up the statement, --if Mrs. Blithers will forgive us in our haste--"

"He couldn't get here, " said Mr. Blithers, and no more. He wasthinking too intently of something more important. "What's turnedup?"

"Turned up, Mr. Blithers?"

"Yes--in Groostock. What's taking you off in such a hurry?"

"The Prince has been away for nearly six months, " said the Count, asif that explained everything. 

"Was it necessary to cable for him to come home?" persisted thefinancier. 

"Graustark and Dawsbergen are endeavouring to form an alliance, Mr. Blithers, and Prince Robin's presence at the capitol is very much tobe desired in connection with the project. "

"What kind of an alliance?"

The Count looked bored. "An alliance prescribed for the generalimprovement of the two races, I should say, Mr. Blithers. " He smiled. "It would in no way impair the credit of Graustark, however. It iswhat you might really describe as a family secret, if you will pardonmy flippancy. "

The butler announced dinner. 

"Wait for a couple of days. Prince, and I'll send you down to NewYork by special train, " said Mr. Blithers. 

"Thank you. It is splendid of you. I daresay everything will dependon Dank's success in--"

"Crawford, " said Mr. Blithers to the butler, "ask Mr. Davis to lookup the sailings for next week and let me know at once, will you?"Turning to the Prince, he went on: "We can wire down to-night andengage passage for next week. Davis is my secretary. I'll have himattend to everything. And now let's forget our troubles. "

A great deal was said by her parents about Maud's unfortunatedetention in the city. Both of them were decidedly upset by thesudden change in the Prince's plans. Once under pretext of whisperingto Crawford about the wine, Mr. Blithers succeeded in transmitting aquestion to his wife. She shook her head in reply, and he sighedaudibly. He had asked if she thought he'd better take the midnighttrain. 

Mr. Davis found that there were a dozen ships sailing the next week, but nothing came of it, for the Prince resolutely declared he wouldbe obliged to take the first available steamer. 

"We shall go down to-morrow, " he said, and even Mr. Blitherssubsided. He looked to his wife in desperation. She failed him forthe first time in her life. Her eyes were absolutely messageless. 

"I'll go down with you, " he said, and then gave his wife a look ofdefiance. 

The next morning brought Maud's letter to her mother. It said:"Dearest Mother: I enclose the cutting from _Town Truth_. Youmay see for yourself what a sickening thing it is. The whole worldknows by this time that the ball was a joke--a horrible joke. Everybody knows that you are trying to hand me over to Prince Robinneatly wrapped up in bank notes. And everybody knows that he islaughing at us, and he isn't alone in his mirth either. What must theTruxton Kings think of us? I can't bear the thought of meeting thatpretty, clever woman face to face. I know I should die ofmortification, for, of course, she must believe that I am dying tomarry anything on earth that has a title and a pair of legs. SomehowI don't blame you and dad. You really love me, I know, and you wantto give me the best that the world affords. But why, oh why, can'tyou let me choose for myself? I don't object to having a title, but Ido object to having a husband that I don't want and who certainlycould not, by any chance, want me. You think that I am in love withChannie Scoville. Well, I'm not. I am very fond of him, that's all, and if it came to a pinch I would marry him in preference to anyprince on the globe. To-day I met a couple of girls who were at theball. They told me that the Prince is adorable. They are really quitemad about him, and one of them had the nerve to ask what it was goingto cost dad to land him. _Town Truth_ says he is to cost tenmillions! Well, you may just tell dad that I'll help him to practiceeconomy. He needn't pay a nickle for my husband--when I get him. Theworld is small. It may be that I shall come upon this same PrinceCharming some place before it is too late, and fall in love with himall of a heap. Loads of silly girls do fall in love with fairyprinces, and I'm just as silly as the rest of them. Ever since I wasa little kiddie I've dreamed of marrying a real, lace-and-goldPrince, the kind Miranda used to read about in the story books. But Ialso dreamed that he loved me. There's the rub, you see. How couldany prince love a girl who set out to buy him with a lot of sillymillions? It's not to be expected. I know it is done in the bestsociety, but I should want my prince to be happy instead of merelycomfortable. I should want both of us to live happy ever afterwards. 

"So, dearest mother, I am going abroad to forget. Miranda is goingwith me and we sail next Saturday on the _Jupiter_ I think. Wehaven't got our suite, but Mr. Bliss says he is sure he can arrangeit for me. If we can't get one on the _Jupiter_, we'll take someother boat that is just as inconspicuous. You see, I want to go on aship that isn't likely to be packed with people I know, for it is myintention to travel incog, as they say in the books. No one shallstare at me and say: 'There is that Maud Blithers we were readingabout in _Town Truth_--and all the other papers this week. Herfather is going to buy a prince for her. '

"I know dad will be perfectly furious, but I'm going or die, one orthe other. Now it won't do a bit of good to try to stop me, dearest. The best thing for you and dad to do is to come down at once and saygoodbye to me--but you are not to go to the steamer! Never! Please, please come, for I love you both and I do so want you to love me. Come to-morrow and kiss your horrid, horrid, disappointing, loathsomedaughter--and forgive her, too. "

Mr. Blithers was equal to the occasion. His varying emotionsmanifested themselves with peculiar vividness during the reading ofthe letter by his tearful wife. At the outset he was frankly humbleand contrite; he felt bitterly aggrieved over the unhappy position inwhich they innocently had placed their cherished idol. Then came thedeep breath of relief over the apparent casting away of youngScoville, followed by an angry snort when Maud repeated the remark ofher girl friend. His dismay was pathetic while Mrs. Blithers wasfairly gasping out Maud's determination to go abroad, but before shereached the concluding sentences of the extraordinary missive, he washimself again. As a matter of fact, he was almost jubilant. Heslapped his knee with resounding force and uttered an ejaculationthat caused his wife to stare at him as if the very worst hadhappened: he was a chuckling lunatic!

"Immense!" he exclaimed. "Immense!"

"Oh, Will!" she sobbed. 

"Nothing could be better! Luck is with me, Lou. It always is. "

"In heaven's name, what are you saying, Will?"

"Great Scott, can't you see? He goes abroad, she goes abroad. See?Same ship. See what I mean? Nothing could be finer. They--"

"But I do not want my child to go abroad, " wailed the unhappy mother. "I cannot bear--"

"Stuff and nonsense! Brace up! Grasp the romance. Both of 'em sailingunder assumed names. They see each other on deck. Mutual attraction. Love at first sight. Both of 'em. Money no object. There you are. Leave it to me. "

"Maud is not the kind of girl to take up with a stranger on board--"

"Don't glare at me like that! Love finds the way, it doesn't matterwhat kind of a girl she is. But listen to me, Lou; we've got to bemighty careful that Maud doesn't suspect that we're putting up a jobon her. She'd balk at the gang-plank and that would be the end of it. She must not know that he is on board. Now, here's the idea, " and hetalked on in a strangely subdued voice for fifteen minutes, hisenthusiasm mounting to such heights that she was fairly lifted to theseventh heaven he produced, and, for once in her life, she actuallysubmitted to his bumptious argument without so much as a singleprotesting word. 

The down train at two-seventeen had on board a most distinguishedgroup of passengers, according to the Pullman conductor whose skilfulconniving resulted in the banishment of a few unimportant creatureswho had paid for chairs in the observation coach but who had to getout, whether or no, when Mr. Blithers loudly said it was a nuisancehaving everything on the shady side of the car taken "on a hot daylike this. " He surreptitiously informed the conductor that there wasa prince in his party, and that highly impressed official at onceinformed ten other passengers that they had no business in a privatecar and would have to move up to the car ahead--and rather quickly atthat. 

The Prince announced that Lieutenant Dank had secured comfortablecabins on a steamer sailing Saturday, but he did not feel at libertyto mention the name of the boat owing to his determination to avoidnewspaper men, who no doubt would move heaven and earth for aninterview, now that he had become a person of so much importance inthe social world. Indeed, his indentity was to be more completelyobscured than at any time since he landed on American soil. Hethanked Mr. Blithers for his offer to command the "royal suite" onthe _Jupiter_, but declined, volunteering the somewhat curt remarkthat it was his earnest desire to keep as far away from royalty aspossible on the voyage over. (A remark that Mr. Blithers couldn'tquite fathom, then or afterward. )

Mrs. Blithers' retort to her husband's shocked comment on the un-princely appearance of the young man and the wofully ordinary suit ofclothes worn by the Count, was sufficiently caustic, and he wassilenced--and convinced. Neither of the distinguished foreignerslooked the part of a nobleman. 

"I wouldn't talk about clothes if I were you, " Mrs. Blithers had saidon the station platform. "Who would suspect you of being one of therichest men in America?" She sent a disdainful glance at his baggyknees and bulging coat pockets, and for the moment he shrank into thestate of being one of the poorest men in America. 

They were surprised and not a little perplexed by the fact that thePrince and his companion arrived at the station quite alone. Neitherof the Kings accompanied them. There was, Mrs. Blithers admitted, food for thought in this peculiar omission on the part of thePrince's late host and hostess, and she would have given a great dealto know what was back of it. The "luggage" was attended to by theadmirable Hobbs, there being no sign of a Red Roof servant about theplace. Moreover, there seemed to be considerable uneasinessnoticeable in the manner of the two foreigners. They appeared to beunnecessarily impatient for the train to arrive, looking at theirwatches now and again, and frequently sending sharp glances down thevillage street in the direction of Red Roof. Blithers afterwardsremarked that they made him think of a couple of absconding cashiers. The mystery, however, was never explained. 

Arriving at the Grand Central Terminal, Prince Robin and the Countmade off in a taxi-cab, smilingly declining to reveal their hoteldestination. 

"But where am I to send my attorney with the agreement you are tosign, Prince?" asked Mr. Blithers, plainly irritated by the youngman's obstinacy in declining to be "dropped" at his hotel by theBlithers motor. 

"I shall come to your office at eleven to-morrow morning, Mr. Blithers, " said Robin, his hat in his hand. He had bowed very deeplyto Mrs. Blithers. 

"But that's not right, " blustered the financier. "A prince of royalblood hadn't ought to visit a money-grubber's office. It's not--"

"_Noblesse oblige_, " said Robin, with his hand on his heart. "Ithas been a pleasure to know you, Mrs. Blithers. I trust we may meetagain. If you should ever come to Graustark, please consider that thecastle is yours--as you hospitable Americans would say. "

"We surely will, " said Mrs. Blithers. Both the Prince and CountQuinnox bowed very profoundly, and did not smile. 

"And it will be ours, " added Mr. Blithers, more to himself than tohis wife as the two tall figures moved off with the throng. Then tohis wife: "Now to find out what ship they're sailing on. I'll fix itso they'll _have_ to take the _Jupiter_, whether they want to or not. "

"Wouldn't it be wisdom to find out what ship Maud is sailing on, Will? It seems to me that she is the real problem. "

"Right you are!" said he instantly. "I must be getting dotty in myold age, Lou. "

They were nearing the Ritz when she broke a prolonged period ofabstraction by suddenly inquiring: "What did you mean when you saidto him on the train: 'Better think it over, Prince, ' and what did hemean by the insolent grin he gave you in reply?"

Mr. Blithers looked straight ahead. 

"Business, " said he, answering the first question but not the last. 

CHAPTER VIII

ON BOARD THE "JUPITER"

A grey day at sea. The _Jupiter_ seemed to be slinking through themist and drizzle, so still was the world of waters. The ocean wasas smooth as a mill pond; the reflected sky came down bleak and draband no wind was stirring. The rush of the ship through the glassy, sullen sea produced a fictitious gale across the decks; aside fromthat there was dead calm ahead and behind. 

A threat seemed to lurk in the smooth, oily face of the Atlantic. Farahead stretched the grey barricade that seemed to mark the spot wherethe voyage was to end. There was no going beyond that clear-cut line. When the ship came up to it, there would be no more water beyond;naught but a vast space into which the vessel must topple and go onfalling to the end of time. The great sirens were silent, for the fogof the night before had lifted, laying bare a desolate plain. Theship was sliding into oblivion, magnificently indifferent to thecatastrophe that awaited its arrival at the edge of the universe. Andshe was sailing the sea alone. All other ships had passed over thatsinister line and were plunging toward a bottom that would never bereached, so long is eternity. 

The decks of the _Jupiter_ were wet with the almost invisible drizzlethat filled the air, yet they were swarming with the busy pedestrianswho never lose an opportunity to let every one know that they are onboard. No ship's company is complete without its leg-stretchers. Theywho never walk a block on dry land without complaining, right manfullylop off miles when walking on the water, and get to be known--at leastvisually--to the entire first cabin before they have paraded half wayacross the Atlantic. (There was once a man who had the struttingdisease so badly that he literally walked from Sandy Hook to Gaunt'sRock, but, who, on getting to London, refused to walk from the Savoyto the Cecil because of a weak heart. ) The worst feature about theseinveterate water-walkers is that they tread quite as proudly uponother people's feet as they do upon their own, and as often as notthey appear to do it from choice. Still, that is another story. It hasnothing to do with the one we are trying to tell. 

To resume, the decks of the _Jupiter_ were wet and the sky was drab. New York was twenty-four hours astern and the brief Sunday service hadcome to a peaceful end. It died just in time to escape the horrors ofa popular programme by the band amidships. The echo of the last amenwas a resounding thump on the big bass drum. 

Three tall, interesting looking men stood leaning against thestarboard rail of the promenade deck, unmindful of the mist, watchingthe scurrying throng of exercise fiends. Two were young, the thirdwas old, and of the three there was one who merited the second glancethat invariably was bestowed upon him by the circling passers-by. Each succeeding revolution increased the interest and admiration andpeople soon began to favour him with frankly unabashed stares andsmiles that could not have been mistaken for anything but tribute tohis extreme good looks. 

He stood between the gaunt, soldierly old man with the fiercemoustache, and the trim, military young man with one that was closecropped and smart. Each wore a blue serge suit and affected a shortvisored cap of the same material, and each lazily puffed at a verycommonplace briar pipe. They in turn were watching the sprightlyparade with an interest that was calmly impersonal. They saw no oneperson who deserved more than a casual glance, and yet the motleycrowd passed before them, apparently without end, as if expecting aresponsive smile of recognition from the tall young fellow to whom itpaid the honest tribute of curiosity. 

The customary he-gossip and perennial snooper who is always makingthe voyage no matter what ship one takes or the direction one goes, nosed out the purser and discovered that the young man was R. Schmidtof Vienna. He was busy thereafter mixing with the throng, volunteering information that had not been solicited but whichappeared to be welcome. Especially were the young women on boardgrateful to the he-gossip, when he accosted them as a perfectstranger to tell them the name of another and even more perfectstranger. 

"Evidently an Austrian army officer, " he always proclaimed, and thatseemed to settle it. 

Luckily he did not overhear R. Schmidt's impassive estimate of thefirst cabin parade, or he might have had something to repeat thatwould not have pleased those who took part in it. 

"Queer looking lot of people, " said R. Schmidt, and his twocompanions moodily nodded their heads. 

"I am sorry we lost those rooms on the _Salammbo_, " said the youngerof his two companions. "I had them positively engaged, money paiddown. "

"Some one else came along with more money, Dank, " observed R. Schmidt. "We ought to be thankful that we received anything at all. Has it occurred to you that this boat isn't crowded?"

"Not more than half full, " said the older man. "All of the othersappeared to be packed from hold to funnel. This must be an unpopularboat. "

"I don't know where we'd be, however, if Mr. Blithers hadn't thoughtof the _Jupiter_ almost at the last minute, " said R. Schmidt. 

"Nine day boat, though, " growled the old man. 

"I don't mind that in the least. She's a steady old tub and that'ssomething. "

"Hobbs tells me that it is most extraordinary to find the east boundsteamers crowded at this season of the year, " said Dank. "He can'tunderstand it at all. The crowds go over in June and July and by thistime they should be starting for home. I thought we'd have nodifficulty in getting on any one of the big boats, but, by jove, everywhere I went they said they were full up. "

"It was uncommonly decent of Blithers not coming down to see us off, "said the elderly man, who was down on the passenger list as Totten. "I was apprehensive, 'pon my soul. He stuck like a leech up to thelast minute. "

R. Schmidt was reflecting. "It struck me as queer that he had notheard of the transfer of our securities in London. "

I cannot understand Bernstein & Sons selling out at a time when theprice of our bonds is considerably below their actual value, " saidTotten, frowning. " A million pounds sterling is what their holdingsreally represented; according to the despatches they must have soldat a loss of nearly fifty thousand pounds. It is unbelievable thatthe house can be hard-pressed for money. There isn't a sounderconcern in Europe than Bernstein's. "

"We should have a Marconi-gram to-night or tomorrow in regard to thebid made in Paris for the bonds held by the French syndicate, " saidDank, pulling at his short moustache. " Mr. Blithers is investigating. "

"There is something sinister in all this, " said R. Schmidt. "Who isbuying up all of the out-standing bonds and what is behind themovement? London has sold all that were held there and Paris isapproached on the same day. If Paris and Berlin should sell, nearlyfour million pounds in Graustark bonds will be in the hands of peoplewhose identity and motives appear to be shrouded in the deepestmystery. "

"And four million pounds represents the entire amount of our bondsheld by outside parties, " said Totten, with a significant shake ofhis grizzled head. "The remainder are in the possession of our owninstitutions and the people themselves. We should hear fromEdelweiss, too, in response to my cablegram. Perhaps Romano may beable to throw light on the situation. I confess that I am troubled. "

"Russia would have no object in buying up our general bonds, wouldshe?" inquired R. Schmidt. 

"None whatever. She would have nothing to gain. Mr. Blithers assuredme that he was not in the least apprehensive. In fact, he declaredthat Russia would not be buying bonds that do not mature for twelveyears to come. There must be some private--eh?"

A steward was politely accosting the trio. 

"I beg pardon, is this Mr. Totten?"

"Yes. "

"Message for you, sir, at the purser's. "

"Bring it to my stateroom, Totten, " said R. Schmidt briefly, and theold man hurried away on the heels of the messenger. 

The two young men sauntered carelessly in an opposite direction andsoon disappeared from the deck. A few minutes later, Totten enteredthe luxurious parlour of R. Schmidt and laid an unopened wirelessmessage on the table at the young man's elbow. 

"Open it, Totten. "

The old man slit the envelope and glanced at the contents. He noddedhis head in answer to an unspoken question. 

"Sold?" asked R. Schmidt. 

"Paris and Berlin, both of them, Prince. Every bond has been gobbledup. "

"Does he mention the name of the buyer?"

"Only by the use of the personal pronoun. He says--'I have taken overthe Paris and Berlin holdings. All is well. ' It is signed 'B. ' So!Now we know. "

"By jove!" fell from the lips of both men, and then the threeGraustarkians stared in speechless amazement at each other for thespace of a minute before another word was spoken. 

"Blithers!" exclaimed Dank, sinking back into his chair. 

"Blithers, " repeated Totten, but with an entirely differentinflection. The word was conviction itself as he pronounced it. 

R. Schmidt indulged in a wry little smile. "It amounts to nearlytwenty million dollars, Count. That's a great deal of money to spendin the pursuit of an idle whim. "

"Humph!" grunted the old Count, and then favoured the sunny-facedPrince with a singularly sharp glance. "Of course, you understand hisgame?"

"Perfectly. It's as clear as day. He intends to be the crown father-in-law. I suppose he will expect Graustark to establish an Order ofRoyal Grandfathers. "

"It may prove to be no jest, Robin, " said the Count seriously. 

"My dear Quinnox, don't look so sad, " cried the Prince. "He may havemoney enough to buy Graustark but he hasn't enough to buygrandchildren that won't grow, you know. He is counting chickensbefore they're hatched, which isn't a good business principle, I'dhave you to know. "

"What was it he said to you at Red Roof?"

"That was nothing. Pure bluster. "

"He said he had never set his heart on anything that he didn't get inthe end, wasn't that it?"

"I think so. Something of the sort. I took it as a joke. "

"Well, I took it as a threat. "

"A threat?"

"A pleasant, agreeable threat, of course. He has set his heart onhaving the crown of Graustark worn by a Blithers. That is the longand short of it. "

"I believe he did say to me in the woods that day that he could puthis daughter on any throne in Europe if he set his mind to the job, "said the Prince carelessly. "But you see, the old gentleman is notcounting on two very serious sources of opposition when it comes tothis particular case. There is Maud, you see, --and me. "

"I am not so sure of the young lady, " said the Count sententiously. "The opposition may falter a bit there, and half of his battle iswon. "

"You seem to forget, Quinnox, that such a marriage is utterlyimpossible, " said the Prince coldly, "Do you imagine that I wouldmarry--"

"Pardon me, highness, I said _half_ the battle would be won. Ido contemplate a surrender on your part. You are a very pig-headedyoung man. The most pig-headed I've ever known, if you will forgiveme for expressing myself so--"

"You've said it a hundred times, " laughed the Prince, good-naturedly. "Don't apologise. Not only you but the entire House of Nobles havecharacterised me as pig-headed and I have never even thought ofresenting it, so it must be that I believe it to be true. "

"We have never voiced the opinion, highness, except in reference toour own great desire to bring about the union between our belovedruler and the Crown Princess of--"

"So, " interrupted R. Schmidt, "it ought to be very clear to you thatif I will not marry to please my loyal, devoted cabinet I certainlyshall not marry to please William W. Blithers. No doubt the excellentMaud is a most desirable person. In any event, she has a mind of herown. I confess that I am sorry to have missed seeing her. We mighthave got on famously together, seeing that our point of view isapparently unique in this day and age of the world, No, my goodfriends, Mr. Blithers is making a poor investment. He will not getthe return for his money that he is expecting. If it pleases him tobuy our securities, all well and good. He shall lose nothing in theend. But he will find that Graustark is not a toy, nor the peoplepuppets. More than all that, I am not a bargain sale prince withChristmas tree aspirations, but a very unamiable devil who cultivatesan ambition to throw stones at the conventions. Not only do I intendto choose my wife but also the court grandfather. And now let usforget the folly of Mr. Blithers and discuss his methods of business. What does he expect to gain by this extraordinary investment?"

Count Quinnox looked at him rather pityingly. "It appears to be hisway of pulling the strings, my boy. He has loaned us something likesixteen millions of dollars. We have agreed to deposit our publicservice bonds as security against the loan, so that practicallyequalises the situation. It becomes a purely business transaction. But he sees far ahead. This loan of his matures at practically thesame time that our first series of government bonds are due forpayment. It will be extremely difficult for a small country, such asGraustark, to raise nearly forty millions of dollars in, say tenyears. The European syndicates undoubtedly would be willing to renewthe loan under a new issue--I think it is called refunding, orsomething of the sort. But Mr. Blithers will be in a position to sayno to any such arrangement. He holds the whip hand and--"

"But, my dear Count, " interrupted the Prince, "what if he does holdit? Does he expect to wait ten years before exercising his power? Youforget that marriage is his ambition. Isn't he taking a desperaterisk in assuming that I will not marry before the ten years are up?And, for that matter, his daughter may decide to wed some other chapwho--"

"That's just the point, " said Quinnox. "He is arranging it so thatyou _can't_ marry without his consent. "

"The deuce you say!"

"I am not saying that he can carry out his design, my dear boy, butit is his secret hope, just the same. So far as Graustark isconcerned, she will stand by you no matter what betides. As you know, there is nothing so dear to our hearts as the proposed union ofDawsbergen's Crown Princess and--"

"That's utterly out of the question, Count, " said the Prince, settinghis jaws. 

The count sighed patiently. "So you say, my boy, so you say. But youare not reasonable. How can you know that the Crown Princess ofDawsbergen is not the very mate your soul has been craving--"

"That's not the point. I am opposed to this miserable custom ofgiving in marriage without the consent of the people most vitallyconcerned, and I shall never recede from my position. "

"You are very young, my dear Prince. "

"And I intend to remain young, my dear Count. Loveless marriages makeold men and women of youths and maidens. I remember thinking thatremark out for myself after a great deal of effort, and you mayremember that I sprung it with considerable effect on the cabinetwhen the matter was formally discussed a year or two ago. You heardabout it, didn't you, Dank?"

"I did, highness. "

"And every newspaper in the world printed it as coming from me, didn't they? Well, there you are. I can't go behind my publiclyavowed principles. "

The young fellow stretched his long body in a sort of luxuriousdefiance, and eyed his companions somewhat combatively. 

"Sounds very well, " growled the Count, with scant reverence forroyalty, being a privileged person. 

"Now, Dank here can marry any one he likes--if she'll have him--andhe is only a lieutenant of the guard. Why should I, --prince royal andmaster of all he surveys, so to speak, --why should I be denied aprivilege enjoyed by every good-looking soldier who carries a swordin my army--_my_ army, do you understand? I leave it to you, Dank, isit fair? Who are you that you should presume to think of a happymarriage while I, your Prince, am obliged to twiddle my thumbs and say'all right, bring any old thing along and I'll marry her'? Who areyou, Dank, that's what I'd like to know. "

His humour was so high-handed that the two soldiers laughed and Dankruefully admitted that he was a lucky dog. 

"You shall not marry into the Blithers family, my lad, if we can helpit, " said the Count, pulling at his moustaches. 

"I should say not!" said Dank, feeling for his. 

"I should as soon marry a daughter of Hobbs, " said R. Schmidt, getting up from his chair with restored sprightliness. "If he hadone, I mean. "

"The bonds of matrimony and the bonds of government are by no meanssynonymous, " said Dank, and felt rather proud of himself when hiscompanions favoured him with a stare of amazement. The excellentlieutenant was not given to persiflage. He felt that for a moment hehad scintillated. 

"Shall we send a wireless to Blithers congratulating him on hiscoup?" enquired the Prince gaily. 

"No, " said the Count. "Congratulating ourselves on his coup isbetter. "

"Good! And you might add that we also are trusting to luck. It maygive him something to think about. And now where is Hobbs?" saidroyalty. 

"Here, sir, " said Hobbs, appearing in the bed-room door, but notunexpectedly. "I heard wot you said about my daughter, sir. It mayset your mind at rest, sir, to hear that I am childless. "

"Thank you, Hobbs. You are always thinking of my comfort. You mayorder luncheon for us in the Ritz restaurant. The head steward hasbeen instructed to reserve the corner table for the whole voyage. "

"The 'ead waiter, sir, " corrected Hobbs politely, and was gone. 

In three minutes he was back with the information that two ladies hadtaken the table and refused to be dislodged, although the head waiterhad vainly tried to convince them that it was reserved for thepassage by R. Schmidt and party. 

"I am quite sure, sir, he put it to them very hagreeably andpolitely, but the young lady gave 'im the 'aughtiest look I've everseen on mortal fice, sir, and he came back to me so 'umble that Icould 'ardly believe he was an 'ead waiter. "

"I hope he was not unnecessarily persistent, " said the Prince, annoyed. "It really is of no consequence where we sit. "

"Ladies first, world without end, " said Dank. "Especially at sea. "

"He was not persistent, sir. In fact he was hextraordinary subduedall the time he was hexplaining the situation to them. I could tellby the way his back looked, sir. "

"Never mind, Hobbs. You ordered luncheon?"

"Yes, your 'ighness. Chops and sweet potatoes and--"

"But that's what we had yesterday, Hobbs. "

A vivid red overspread the suddenly dismayed face of Hobbs. "'Pon mysoul, sir, I--I clean forgot that it was yesterday I was thinking of. The young lady gave me such a sharp look, sir, when the 'ead waiterpointed at me that I clean forgot wot I was there for. I will 'urryback and--"

"Do, Hobbs, that's a good fellow. I'm as hungry as a bear. But nochops!"

"Thank you, sir. No chops. Absolutely, sir. " He stopped in thedoorway. "I daresay it was 'er beauty, sir, that did it. No chops. Quite so, sir. "

"If Blithers were only here, " sighed Dank. "He would make short workof the female invasion. He would have them chucked overboard. "

"I beg pardon, sir, " further adventured Hobbs, "but I fancy not evenMr. Blithers could move that young woman, sir, if she didn't 'appento want to be moved. Never in my life, sir, have I seen--"

"Run along, Hobbs, " said the Prince. "Boiled guinea hen. "

"And cantaloupe, sir. Yes, sir, I quite remember everything now, sir. "

Twenty minutes later, R. Schmidt, seated in the Ritz restaurant, happened to look fairly into the eyes of the loveliest girl he hadever seen, and on the instant forgave the extraordinary delinquencyof the hitherto infallible Hobbs. 

CHAPTER IX

THE PRINCE MEETS MISS GUILE

Later on R. Schmidt sat alone in a sheltered corner of the promenadedeck, where chairs had been secured by the forehanded Hobbs. The thindrizzle now aspired to something more definite in the shape of asteady downpour, and the decks were almost deserted, save for the fewwho huddled in the unexposed nooks where the sweep and swish of therain failed to penetrate. There was a faraway look in the young man'seyes, as of one who dreams pleasantly, with little effort butexcellent effect. His pipe had gone out, so his dream must have beenlong and uninterrupted. Eight bells sounded, but what is time to adreamer? Then came one bell and two, and now his eyes were closed. 

Two women came and stood over him, but little did they suspect thathis dream was of one of them: the one with the lovely eyes and thesoft brown hair. They surveyed him, whispering, the one with a littleperplexed frown on her brow, the other with distinct signs ofannoyance in her face. The girl was not more than twenty, hercompanion quite old enough to be her mother: a considerate if notcomplimentary estimate, for a girl's mother may be either forty, fifty or even fifty-five, when you come to think of it. 

They were looking for something. That was quite clear. And it wasdeplorably clear that whatever it was, R. Schmidt was sitting uponit. They saw that he was asleep, which made the search if not theactual recovery quite out of the question. The older woman was on thepoint of poking the sleeper with the toe of her shoe, being a matter-of-fact sort of person, when the girl imperatively shook her head andfrowned upon the lady in a way to prove that even though she was oldenough to be the mother of a girl of twenty she was by no means themother of this one. 

At that very instant, R. Schmidt opened his eyes. It must have been akindly poke by the god of sleep that aroused him so opportunely, buteven so, the toe of a shoe could not have created a gravercatastrophe than that which immediately befell him. He completelylost his head. If one had suddenly asked what had become of it, hecouldn't have told, not for the life of him. For that matter, hecouldn't have put his finger, so to speak, on any part of his personand proclaimed with confidence that it belonged to R. Schmidt ofVienna. He was looking directly up into a pair of dark, startledeyes, in which there was a very pretty confusion and a far fromimpervious blink. 

"I beg your pardon, " said the older woman, without the faintest traceof embarrassment, --indeed, with some asperity, --"I think you areoccupying one of our chairs. "

He scrambled out of the steamer rug and came to his feet, blushing tothe roots of his hair. 

"I beg your pardon, " he stammered, and found his awkwardness rewardedby an extremely sweet smile--in the eyes of the one he addressed. 

"We were looking for a letter that I am quite sure was left in mychair, " said she. 

"A letter?" he murmured vaguely, and at once began to search with hiseyes. 

"From her father, " volunteered the elderly one, as if it were anecessary bit of information. Then she jerked the rug away and threepairs of eyes examined the place where R. Schmidt had been reclining. "That's odd. Did you happen to see it when you sat down, sir?"

"I am confident that there was no letter--" began he, and thenallowed his gaze to rest on the name-card at the top of the chair. "This happens to be _my_ chair, madam, " he went on, pointing tothe card. "'R. Schmidt. ' I am very sorry. "

"The steward must have put that card there while you were atluncheon, dear. What right has he to sell our chairs over again? Ishall report this to the Captain--"

"I am quite positive that this is my chair, sir, " said the girl, aspot of red in each cheek. "It was engaged two days ago. I have beenoccupying it since--but it really doesn't matter. It has your nameon it now, so I suppose I shall have to--"

"Not at all, " he made haste to say. "It's yours. There has been somemiserable mistake. These deck stewards are always messing things up. Still, it is rather a mystery about the letter. I assure you I sawno--"

"No doubt the steward who changed the cards had sufficientintelligence to remove all incriminating evidence, " said she coolly. "We shall find it among the lost, strayed and stolen articles, nodoubt. Pray retain the chair, Mr. --" She peered at the name-card--"Mr. Schmidt. "

Her cool insolence succeeded in nettling a nature that was usuallymost gentle. He spoke with characteristic directness. 

"Thank you, I shall do so. We thereby manage to strike a fairaverage. I seize your deck chair, you seize my table. We are quits. "

She smiled faintly. "R. Schmidt did not sound young and gentle, butold and hateful. That is why I seized the table. I expected to findR. Schmidt a fat, old German with very bad manners. Instead, you areneither fat, old, nor disagreeable. You took it very nicely, Mr. Schmidt, and I am undone. Won't you permit me to restore your tableto you?"

The elderly lady was tapping the deck with a most impatient foot. "Really my dear, we were quite within our rights in approaching thehead waiter. He--"

"He said it was engaged, " interrupted the young lady. "R. Schmidt wasthe name he gave and I informed him it meant nothing to me. I am verysorry, Mr. Schmidt. I suppose it was all because I am so accustomedto having my own way. "

"In that case, it is all very easy to understand, " said he, "for Ihave always longed to be in a position where I could have my own way. I am sure that if I could have it, I would be a most overbearing, selfish person. "

"We must enquire at the office for the letter, my dear, before--"

"It may have dropped behind the chair, " said the girl. 

"Right!" cried R. Schmidt, dragging the chair away and pointing intriumph at the missing letter. He stooped to recover the missive, butshe was quick to forestall him. With a little gasp she pounced uponit and, like a child proceeded to hold it behind her back. Hestiffened. "I remember that you said it was from your father. "

She hesitated an instant and then held it forth for his inspection, rather adroitly concealing the postmark with her thumb. It wasaddressed to "Miss B. Guile, S. S. _Jupiter_, New York City, N. Y. , "and type-written. 

"It is only fair that we should be quits in every particular, " shesaid, with a frank smile. 

He bowed. "A letter of introduction, " he said, "in the strictestsense of the word. You have already had my card thrust upon you, soeverything is quite regular. And now it is only right and proper thatI should see what has become of your chairs. Permit me--"

"Really, Miss Guile, " interposed her companion, "this is quiteirregular. I may say it is unusual. Pray allow me to suggest--"

"I think it is only right that Mr. Schmidt should return good forevil, " interrupted the girl gaily. "Please enquire, Mr. Schmidt. Nodoubt the deck steward will know. "

Again the Prince bowed, but this time there was amusement instead ofuncertainty in his eyes. It was the first time that any one had everurged him, even by inference, to "fetch and carry. " Moreover, she wasextremely cool about it, as one who exacts much of young men in sergesuits and outing-caps. He found himself wondering what she would sayif he were to suddenly announce that he was the Prince of Graustark. The thought tickled his fancy, accounting, no doubt, for the evendeeper bow that he gave her. 

"They can't be very far away, " he observed quite meekly. "Oh, I say, steward! One moment, here. " A deck steward approached with alacrity. "What has become of Miss Guile's chair?"

The man touched his cap and beamed joyously upon the fair young lady. 

"Ach! See how I have forgot! It is here! The best place on the deck--on any deck. See! Two--side by side, --above the door, away from thedraft--see, in the corner, ha, ha! Yes! Two by side. The very best. Miss Guile complains of the draft from the door. I exchanged thechairs. See! But I forgot to speak. Yes! See!"

And, sure enough, there were the chairs of Miss Guile and hercompanion snugly stowed away in the corner, standing at right anglesto the long row that lined the deck, the foot rests pointed directlyat the chair R. Schmidt had just vacated, not more than a yard and ahalf away. 

"How stupid!" exclaimed Miss Guile. "Thank you, steward. This is muchbetter. So sorry, Mr. Schmidt, to have disturbed you. I abhor drafts, don't you?"

"Not to the extent that I shall move out of this one, " he repliedgallantly, "now that I've got an undisputed claim to it. I intend tostand up for my rights, Miss Guile, even though you find me at yourfeet. "

"How perfectly love--" began Miss Guile, a gleam of real enthusiasmin her eyes. A sharp, horrified look from her companion served as acheck, and she became at once the coolly indifferent creature whoexacts everything. "Thank you, Mr. Schmidt, for being so nice when wewere trying so hard to be horrid. "

"But you don't know how nice you are when you are trying to behorrid, " he remarked. "Are you not going to sit down, now that we'vecaptured the disappearing chair?"

"No, " she said, and he fancied he saw regret in her eyes. "I am goingto my room, --if I can find it. No doubt it also is lost. This seemsto be a day for misplacing things. "

"At any rate, permit me to thank you for discovering me, Miss Guile. "

"Oh, I daresay I shall misplace you, too, Mr. Schmidt. " She said itso insolently that he flushed as he drew himself up and stepped asideto allow her to pass. For an instant their eyes met, and the sign ofthe humble was not to be found in the expression of either. 

"Even _that_ will be something for me to look forward to, Miss Guile, "said he. Far from being vexed, she favoured him with a faint smileof--was it wonder or admiration?

Then she moved away, followed by the uneasy lady--who was old enoughto be her mother and wasn't. 

Robin remained standing for a moment, looking after her, and somehowhe felt that his dream was not yet ended. She turned the corner ofthe deck building and was lost to sight. He sat down, only to arisealmost instantly, moved by a livelier curiosity than he ever had feltbefore. Conscious of a certain feeling of stealth, he scrutinised thecards in the backs of the two chairs. The steward was collecting thediscarded steamer-rugs farther down the deck, and the few passengerswho occupied chairs, appeared to be snoozing, --all of which he tookin with his first appraising glance. "Miss Guile" and "Mrs. Gaston"were the names he read. 

"Americans, " he mused. "Young lady and chaperone, that's it. A realAmerican beauty! And Blithers loudly boasts that his daughter is theprettiest girl in America! Shades of Venus! Can there be such a thingon earth as a prettier girl than this one? Can nature have performedthe impossible? Is America so full of lovely girls that this one musttake second place to a daughter of Blithers? I wonder if she knowsthe imperial Maud. I'll make it a point to inquire. "

Moved by a sudden restlessness, he decided that he was in need ofexercise. A walk would do him good. The same spirit of restlessness, no doubt, urged him to walk rather rapidly in the direction oppositeto that taken by the lovely Miss Guile. After completely circling thedeck once he decided that he did not need the exercise after all. Hiswalk had not benefitted him in the least. She _had_ gone to her room. He returned to his chair, conscious of having been defeated butwithout really knowing why or how. As he turned into the dry, snugcorner, he came to an abrupt stop and stared. Miss Guile was sittingin her chair, neatly encased in a mummy-like sheath of grey thatcovered her slim body to the waist. 

She was quite alone in her nook, and reading. Evidently the bookinterested her, for she failed to look up when he clumsily slid intohis chair and threw the rug over his legs--dreadfully long, uninteresting legs, he thought, as he stretched them out and foundthat his feet protruded like a pair of white obelisks. 

Naturally he looked seaward, but in his mind's eye he saw her as hehad seen her not more than ten minutes before: a slim, tall girl in asmart buff coat, with a limp white hat drawn down over her hair bymeans of a bright green veil; he had had a glimpse of staunch tanwalking-shoes. He found himself wondering how he had missed her inthe turn about the deck, and how she could have ensconced herself sosnugly during his brief evacuation of the spot. Suddenly it occurredto him that she had returned to the chair only after discovering thathis was vacant. It wasn't a very gratifying conclusion. 

An astonishing intrepidity induced him to speak to her after a lapseof five or six minutes, and so surprising was the impulse that heblurted out his question without preamble. 

"How did you manage to get back so quickly?" he inquired. 

She looked up, and for an instant there was something like alarm inher lovely eyes, as of one caught in the perpetration of a guiltyact. 

"I beg your pardon, " she said, rather indistinctly. 

"I was away less than eight minutes, " he declared, and she wasconfronted by the wonderfully frank smile that never failed to workits charm. To his surprise, a shy smile grew in her eyes, and herwarm red lips twitched uncertainly. He had expected a cold rebuff. "You must have dropped through the awning. "

"Your imagination is superior to that employed by the author of thisbook, " she said, "and that is saying a good deal, Mr. --Mr. --"

"Schmidt, " he supplied cheerfully. "May I inquire what book you arereading?"

"You would not be interested. It is by an American. "

"I have read a great many American novels, " said he stiffly. "Myfather was an American. Awfully jolly books, most of them. "

"I looked you up in the passenger list a moment ago, " she saidcoolly. "Your home is in Vienna. I like Vienna. "

He was looking rather intently at the book, now partly lowered. "Isn't that the passenger list you have concealed in that book?" hedemanded. 

"It is, " she replied promptly. "You will pardon a natural curiosity?I wanted to see whether you were from New York. "

"May I look at it, please?"

She closed the book. "It isn't necessary. I _am_ from New York. "

"By the way, do you happen to know a Miss Blithers, --Maud Blithers?"

Miss Guile frowned reflectively. "Blithers? The name is a familiarone. Maud Blithers? What is she like?"

"She's supposed to be very good-looking. I've never seen her. "

"How queer to be asking me if I know her, then. Why _do_ you ask?"

"I've heard so much about her lately. She is the daughter of WilliamBlithers, the great capitalist. "

"Oh, I know who he is, " she exclaimed. "Perfect roodles of money, hasn't he?"

"Roodles?"

"Loads, if it means more to you. I forgot that you are a foreigner. He gave that wonderful ball last week for the Prince of--of--Oh, someinsignificant little place over in Europe. There are such a lot ofqueer little duchies and principalities, don't you know; it is quiteimpossible to tell one from the other. They don't even appear on themaps. "

He took it with a perfectly straight face, though secretly annoyed. "It was the talk of the town, that ball. It must have cost roodles ofmoney. Is that right?"

"Yes, but it doesn't sound right when you say it. Naturally onedoesn't say roodles in Vienna. "

"We say noodles, " said he. "I am very fond of them. But to resume; Isupposed every one in New York knew Miss Blithers. She's quite therage, I'm told. "

"Indeed? I should think she might be, Mr. Schmidt, with all thoselovely millions behind her. "

He smiled introspectively. "Yes; and I am told that, in spite ofthem, she is the prettiest girl in New York. "

She appeared to lose interest in the topic. "Oh, indeed?"

"But, " he supplemented gracefully, "it isn't true. "

"What isn't true?"

"The statement that she is the prettiest girl in New York. "

"How can you say that, when you admit you've never seen her?"

"I can say it with a perfectly clear conscience, Miss Guile, " saidhe, and was filled with delight when she bit her lip as a sign ofacknowledgment. 

"Oh, here comes the tea, " she cried, with a strange eagerness in hervoice. "I am so glad. " She scrambled gracefully out of her rug andarose to her feet. 

"Aren't you going to have some?" he cried. 

"Yes, " she said, quite pointedly. "In my room, Mr. Schmidt, " andbefore he could get to his feet she was moving away without so muchas a nod or smile for him. Indeed, she appeared to have dismissed himfrom her thoughts quite as completely as from her vision. Heexperienced a queer sensation of shrivelling. 

At dinner that night, she failed to look in his direction, acircumstance that may not appear extraordinary when it is stated thatshe purposely or inadvertently exchanged seats with Mrs. Gaston andsat with her back to the table occupied by R. Schmidt and hisfriends. He had to be content with a view of the most exquisite backand shoulders that good fortune had ever allowed him to gaze upon. And then there was the way that her soft brown hair grew above theslender neck, to say nothing of--but Mrs. Gaston was watching himwith most unfriendly eyes, so the feast was spoiled. 

The following day was as unlike its predecessor as black is likewhite. During the night the smooth grey pond had been transformedinto a turbulent, storm-threshed ocean; the once gentle wind was nowa howling gale that swept the decks with a merciless lash in its gripand whipped into submission all who vaingloriously sought to defy itschill dominion. Not rain, but spray from huge, swashing billows, clouded the decks, biting and cutting like countless needles, eachdrop with the sting of a hornet behind it. Now the end of the worldseemed far away, and the jumping off place was a rickety wall ofwhite and black, leaning against a cold, drear sky. 

Only the hardiest of the passengers ventured on deck; theexhilaration they professed was but another name for bravado. Theyshivered and gasped for breath as they forged their bitter way intothe gale, and few were they who took more than a single turn of thedeck. Like beaten cowards they soon slunk into the sheltered spots, or sought even less heroic means of surrender by tumbling into bedwith the considerate help of unsmiling stewards. The great ship wentup and the great ship came down: when up so high that the sky seemedto be startlingly near and down so horribly low that the bottom ofthe ocean was even nearer. And it creaked and groaned and sighed evenabove the wild monody of the wind, like a thing in misery, yet allthe while holding its sides to keep from bursting with laughter overthe plight of the little creature whom God made after His own imagebut not until after all of the big things of the universe had beendesigned. 

R. Schmidt, being a good sailor and a hardy young chap, albeit aprince of royal blood, was abroad early, after a breakfast thatstaggered the few who remained unstaggered up to that particularcrisis. A genial sailor-man and an equally ungenial deck swabberadvised him, in totally different styles of address, to stay below ifhe knew what was good for him, only to be thanked with all theblitheness of a man who jolly well knows what is good for him, or whodoesn't care whether it is good for him or not so long as he is doingthe thing that he wants to do. 

He took two turns about the deck, and each time as he passed the spothe sent a covert glance into the corner where Miss Guile's chair wasstanding. Of course he did not expect to find her there in weatherlike this, but--well, he looked and that is the end to the argument. The going was extremely treacherous and unpleasant he was free toconfess to the genial sailor-man after the second breathless turn, and gave that worthy a bright silver dollar upon receiving a furtherbit of advice: to sit down somewhere out of the wind, sir. 

Quinnox and Dank were hopelessly bed-ridden, so to speak. They werevery disagreeable, cross and unpleasant, and somehow he felt thatthey hated their cheerful, happy-faced Prince. Never before had CountQuinnox scowled at him, no matter how mad his pranks as a child orhow silly his actions as a youth. Never before had any one told himto go to the devil. He rather liked it. And he rather admired poorDank for ordering him out of his cabin, with a perfectly astoundingoath as a climax to the command. Moreover, he thought considerablybetter of the faithful Hobbs for an amazing exposition of humanequality in the matter of a pair of boots that he desired to wearthat morning but which happened to be stowed away in a cabin trunk. He told Hobbs to go to the devil and Hobbs repeated the injunction, with especial heat, to the boots, when he bumped his head in haulingthem out of the trunk. Whereupon R. Schmidt said to Hobbs: "Good foryou. Hobbs. Go on, please. Don't mind me. It was quite a thump, wasn't it?" And Hobbs managed, between other words, to say that itwas a whacking thump, and one he would not forget to his dying day--(if he lived through this one!). 

"And you'd do well to sit in the smoke-room, sir, " further advisedthe sailor-man, clinging to the rail with one hand and pocketing thecoin with the other. 

"No, " said R. Schmidt resolutely. "I don't like the air in the smoke-room. "

"There's quite a bit of air out 'ere, sir. "

"I need quite a bit. "

"I should think you might, sir, being a 'ealthy, strappin' sort of achap, sir. 'Elp yourself. All the chairs is yours if you'll unpile'em. "

The young man battled his way down the deck and soon found himself inthe well-protected corner. A half-dozen unoccupied chairs werecluttered about, having been abandoned by persons who over-estimatedtheir hardiness. One of the stewards was engaged in stacking them upand making them fast. 

Miss Guile's chair and that of Mrs. Gaston were staunchly fasteneddown and their rugs were in place. R. Schmidt experienced anexquisite sensation of pleasure. Here was a perfect exemplificationof that much-abused thing known as circumstantial evidence. Shecontemplated coming on deck. So he had his chair put in place, calledfor his rug, shrugged his chin down into the collar of his thickulster, and sat down to wait. 

CHAPTER X

AN HOUR ON DECK

She literally was blown into his presence. He sprang to his feet tocheck her swift approach before she could be dashed against the wallor upon the heap of chairs in the corner. The deep roll of the vesselhad ended so suddenly that she was thrown off her balance, at bestprecariously maintained in the hurricane that swept her along thedeck. She was projected with considerable violence against thewaiting figure of R. Schmidt, who had hastily braced himself for theimpact of the slender body in the thick sea-ulster. She uttered anexcited little shriek as she came bang up against him and found hisready arms closing about her shoulders. 

"Oh, goodness!" she gasped, with what little breath she had left, andthen began to laugh as she freed herself in confusion--a very prettyconfusion he recalled later on, after he had recovered to some extentfrom the effects of an exceedingly severe bump on the back of hishead. "How awkward!"

"Not at all, " he proclaimed, retaining a grip on one of her armsuntil the ship showed some signs of resuming its way eastward insteadof downward. 

"I am sure it must have hurt dreadfully, " she cried. "Nothing hurtsworse than a bump. It seemed as though you must have splintered thewall. "

"I have a singularly hard head, " said he, and forthwith felt of theback of it. 

"Will you please stand ready to receive boarders? My maid isfollowing me, poor thing, and I can't afford to have her smashed topieces. Here she is!"

Quite a pretty maid, with wide, horrified eyes and a pale greencomplexion came hustling around the corner. R. Schmidt, albeit aprince, received her with open arms. 

"Merci, M'sieur!" she squealed and added something in muffled Frenchthat strangely reminded him of what Hobbs had said in English. Thenshe deposited an armful of rugs and magazines at Robin's feet, andclutched wildly at a post actually some ten feet away but whichappeared to be coming toward her with obliging swiftness, so nicelywas the deck rotating for her. "Mon dieu! Mon dieu!"

"You may go back to bed, Marie, " cried her mistress in some haste. 

"But ze rug, I feex it--" groaned the unhappy maid, and then oncemore: "Merci, M'sieur!" She clung to the arm he extended, and triedbravely to smile her thanks. 

"Here! Go in through this door, " he said, bracing the door open withhis elbow. "You'll be all right in a little while. Keep your nerve. "He closed the door after her and turned to the amused Miss Guile. "Well, it's an ill wind that blows no good, " he said enigmatically, and she flushed under the steady smile in his eyes. "Allow me toarrange your rug for you. Miss Guile. "

"Thank you, no. I think I would better go inside. It is really toowindy--"

"The wind can't get at you back here in this cubbyhole, " heprotested. "Do sit down. I'll have you as snug as a bug in a rugbefore you can say Jack Robinson. See! Now stick 'em out and I'llwrap it around them. There! You're as neatly done up as a mummy and agood deal better off, because you are a long way short of being twothousand years old. "

"How is your head, Mr. Schmidt?" she inquired with grave concern. "You seem to be quite crazy. I hope--"

"Every one is a little bit mad, don't you think? Especially inmoments of great excitement. I daresay my head _has_ been turnedquite appreciably, and I'm glad that you've been kind enough tonotice it. Where is Mrs. Gaston?" He was vastly exhilarated. 

She regarded him with eyes that sparkled and belied the unamiablenature of her reply. 

"The poor lady is where she is not at all likely to be annoyed, Mr. Schmidt. "

Then she took up a magazine and coolly began to run through thepages. He waited for a moment, considerably dashed, and then said"Oh, " in a very unfriendly manner. She found her place in themagazine, assumed a more comfortable position, and, with noteworthyresolution, set about reading as if her life depended upon it. 

He sat down, pulled the rug up to his chin, and stared out at thegreat, heaving billows. Suddenly remembering another injury, he feltonce more of the back of his head. 

"By jove!" he exclaimed. "There _is_ a lump there. "

"I can't hear you, " she said, allowing the magazine to drop into herlap, but keeping her place carefully marked with one of her fingers. 

"I can hear you perfectly, " he said. 

"It's the way the wind blows, " she explained. 

"Easily remedied, " said he. "I'll move into Mrs. Gaston's chair ifyou think it will help any. "

"Do!" she said promptly. "You will not disturb me in the least, --unless you talk. " She resumed her reading, half a page above thefinger tip. 

He moved over and arranged himself comfortably, snugly in Mrs. Gaston's chair. Their elbows almost met. He was prepared to be verypatient. For a long time she continued to read, her warm, rosy cheekhalf-averted, her eyes applied to their task with irritatingconstancy. He did not despair. Some wise person once had told himthat it was only necessary to give a woman sufficient time and shewould be the one to despair. 

A few passengers possessed of proud sea-legs, staggered past the snugcouple on their ridiculous rounds of the ship. If they thought ofMiss Guile and R. Schmidt at all it was with the scorn that isusually devoted to youth at its very best. There could be no doubt inthe passing mind that these two were sweethearts who managed tothrive on the smallest of comforts. 

At last his patience was rewarded. She lowered the magazine andstifled a yawn--but not a real one. 

"Have you read it?" she inquired composedly. 

"A part of it, " he said. "Over your shoulder. "

"Is that considered polite in Vienna?"

"If you only knew what a bump I've got on the back of my head youwouldn't be so ungracious. " he said. 

"I couldn't possibly know, could I?"

He leaned forward and indicated the spot on the back of his head, first removing his cap. She laughed nervously, and then gently rubbedher fingers over the thick hair. 

"There is a dreadful lump!" she exclaimed. "Oh, how sorry I am. Do--do you feel faint or--or--I mean, is it very painful?"

"Not now, " he replied, replacing his cap and favouring her with hismost engaging smile. 

She smiled in response, betraying not the slightest sign ofembarrassment. As a matter of fact, she was, if anything, somewhattoo self-possessed. 

"I remember falling down stairs once, " she said, "and getting astupendous bump on my forehead. But that was a great many years agoand I cried. How was I to know that it hurt you, Mr. Schmidt, whenyou neglected to cry?"

"Heroes never cry, " said he. "It isn't considered first-classfiction, you know. "

"Am I to regard you as a hero?"

"If you will be so kind, please. "

She laughed outright at this. "I think I rather like you, Mr. Schmidt, " she said, with unexpected candour. 

"Oh, I fancy I'm not at all bad, " said he, after a momentary stare ofastonishment. "I am especially good in rough weather, " he went on, trying to forget that he was a prince of the royal blood, a ratherdifficult matter when one stops to consider he was not in the habitof hearing people say that they rather liked him. 

"Do your friends come from Vienna?" she inquired abruptly. 

"Yes, " he said, and then saved his face as usual by adding under hisbreath: "but they don't live there. " It was not in him to lieoutright, hence the handy way of appeasing his conscience. 

"They are very interesting looking men, especially the younger. Icannot remember when I have seen a more attractive man. "

"He is a splendid chap, " exclaimed Robin, with genuine enthusiasm. "Iam very fond of Dank. "

She was silent for a moment. Something had failed, and she was ratherglad of it. 

"Do you like New York?" she asked. 

"Immensely. I met a great many delightful people there. Miss Guile. You say you do not know the Blithers family? Mr. Blithers is a rareold bird. "

"Isn't there some talk of his daughter being engaged to the Prince ofGraustark?"

He felt that his ears were red. "The newspapers hinted at somethingof the sort, I believe. " He was suddenly possessed by the curiousnotion that he was being "pumped" by his fair companion. Indeed, acertain insistent note had crept into her voice and her eyes weresearching his with an intentness that had not appeared in them untilnow. 

"Have you seen him?"

"The Prince?"

"Yes. What is he like?"

"I've seen pictures of him, " he equivocated. "Rather nice looking, Ishould say. "

"Of course he is like all foreign noblemen and will leap at theBlithers millions if he gets the chance. I sometimes feel sorry forthe poor wretches. " There was more scorn than pity in the way shesaid it, however, and her velvety eyes were suddenly hard anduncompromising. 

He longed to defend himself, in the third person, but could not do sofor very strong and obvious reasons. He allowed himself theprivilege, however, of declaring that foreign noblemen are not alwaysas black as they are painted. And then, for a very excellent reason, he contrived to change the subject by asking where she was going onthe continent. 

"I may go to Vienna, " she said, with a smile that served to puzzlerather than to delight him. He was more than ever convinced that shewas playing with him. "But pray do not look so gloomy, Mr. Schmidt, Ishall not make any demands upon your time while I am there. You may--"

"I am quite sure of that, " he interrupted, with his ready smile. "Yousee, I am a person of no consequence in Vienna, while you--Ah, well, as an American girl you will be hobnobbing with the nobility whilethe humble Schmidt sits afar off and marvels at the kindness of afate that befell him in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, and yetcurses the fate that makes him unworthy of the slightest notice fromthe aforesaid American girl. For, I daresay, Miss Guile, you, likeall American girls, are ready to leap at titles. "

"That really isn't fair, Mr. Schmidt, " she protested, flushing. "Whyshould you and I quarrel over a condition that cannot apply to eitherof us? You are not a nobleman, and I am not a title-seeking Americangirl. So, why all this beautiful irony?"

"It only remains for me to humbly beg your pardon and to add that ifyou come to Vienna my every waking hour shall be devoted to thepleasure of--"

"I am sorry I mentioned it, Mr. Schmidt, " she interrupted coldly. "You may rest easy, for I shall not keep you awake for a single hour. Besides, I may not go to Vienna at all. "

"I am sure you would like Vienna, " he said, somewhat chilled by hermanner. 

"I have been there, with my parents, but it was a long time ago. Ionce saw the Emperor and often have I seen the wonderful PrinceLiechtenstein. "

"Have you travelled extensively in Europe?"

She was smiling once more. "I don't know what you would considerextensively, " she said. "I was educated in Paris, I have spentinnumerable winters in Rome and quite as many summers in Scotland, England, Switzerland, Germ--"

"I know who you are!" he cried out enthusiastically. To hisamazement, a startled expression leaped into her eyes. "You aretravelling under an assumed name. " She remained perfectly still, watching him with an anxious smile on her lips. "You are no otherthan Miss Baedeker, the well-known authoress. "

It seemed to him that she breathed deeply. At any rate, her browcleared and her smile was positively enchanting. Never, in all hislife, had he gazed upon a lovelier face. His heart began to beat witha rapidity that startled him, and a queer little sensation, as ofsmothering, made it difficult for him to speak naturally in his nextattempt. 

"In that case, my pseudonym should be Guide, not Guile, " she criedmerrily. The dimples played in her cheeks and her eyes were dancing. 

"B. Stands for Baedeker, I'm sure. Baedeker Guide. If the B. Isn'tfor Baedeker, what is it for?"

"Are you asking what the B. Really stands for, Mr. Schmidt?"

"In a round-about way, Miss Guile, " he admitted. 

"My name is Bedelia, " she said, with absolute sincerity. "Me mitheris Irish, d'ye see?"

"By jove, it's worth a lot of trouble to get you to smile like that, "he cried admiringly. "It is the first really honest smile you'vedisplayed. If you knew how it improves you, you'd be doing it all ofthe time. "

"Smiles are sometimes expensive. "

"It depends on the market. "

"I never take them to a cheap market. They are not classed asnecessities. "

"You couldn't offer them to any one who loves luxuries more than Ido. "

"You pay for them only with compliments, I see, and there is nothingso cheap. "

"Am I to take that as a rebuke?"

"If possible, " she said sweetly. 

At this juncture, the miserable Hobbs hove into sight, notfiguratively but literally. He came surging across the deck in a maddash from one haven to another, or, more accurately, from post topost. 

"I beg pardon, sir, " he gasped, finally steadying himself on wide-spread legs within easy reach of Robin's sustaining person. "There isa wireless for Mr. Totten, sir, but when I took it to 'im he said tofetch it to you, being unable to hold up 'is head, wot with thewretched meal he had yesterday and the--"

"I see, Hobbs. Well, where is it?"

Hobbs looked embarrassed. "Well, you see, sir, I 'esitated aboutgiving it to you when you appear to be so--"

"Never mind. You may give it to me. Miss Guile will surely pardon meif I devote a second or two to an occupation she followed soearnestly up to a very short time ago. "

"Pray forget that I am present, Mr. Schmidt, " she said, and smiledupon the bewildered Hobbs, who after an instant delivered the messageto his master. 

Robin read it through and at the end whistled softly. 

"Take it to Mr. Totten, Hobbs. And see if it will not serve to makehim hold up his head a little. "

"Very good, sir. I hope it will. Wouldn't it be wise for me tohannounce who it is from, sir, to sort of prepare him for--"

"He knows who it is from, Hobbs, so you needn't worry. It is fromhome, if it will interest you, Hobbs. "

"Thank you, sir, it does interest me. I thought it might be from Mr. Blithers. "

Robin's scowl sent him scuttling away a great deal more rigidly thanwhen he came. 

"Idiot!" muttered the young man, still scowling. 

There was silence between the two for a few seconds. Then she spokedisinterestedly:

"Is it from the Mr. Blithers who has the millions and the daughterwho wants to marry a prince?"

"Merely a business transaction, Miss Guile, " he said absently. He wasthinking of Romano's message. 

"So it would appear. "

"I beg pardon? I was--er--thinking--"

"It was of no consequence, Mr. Schmidt, " she said airily. 

He picked up the thread once more. "As a matter of fact, I've heardit said that Miss Blithers refused to marry the Prince. "

"Is it possible?" with fine irony. "Is he such a dreadful person asall that?"

"I'm sure I don't know, " murmured Robin uncomfortably. "He may be nomore dreadful than she. "

"I cannot hear you, Mr. Schmidt, " she persisted, with unmistakeablemalice in her lovely eyes. 

"I'm rather glad that you didn't, " he confessed. "Silly remark, youknow. "

"Well, I hope she doesn't marry him, " said Miss Guile. 

"So do I, " said R. Schmidt, and their eyes met. After a moment, shelooked away, her first surrender to the mysterious something that laydeep in his. 

"It would prove that all American girls are not so black as they'repainted, wouldn't it?" she said, striving to regain the ground shehad lost by that momentary lapse. 

"Pray do not overlook the fact that I am half American, " he said. "You must not expect me to say that they paint at all. "

"Schmidt is a fine old American name, " she mused, the mischief backin her eyes. 

"And so is Bedelia, " said he. 

"Will you pardon me, Mr. Schmidt, if I express surprise that youspeak English without the tiniest suggestion of an accent?"

"I will pardon you for everything and anything, Miss Guile, " said he, quite too distinctly. She drew back in her chair and the light ofraillery died in her eyes. 

"What an imperial sound it has!"

"And why not? The R stands for Rex. "

"Ah, that accounts for the King's English!"

"Certainly, " he grinned. "The king can do no wrong, don't you see?"

"Your servant who was here speaks nothing but the King's English, Iperceive. Perhaps that accounts for a great deal. "

"Hobbs? I mean to say, 'Obbs? I confess that he has taught me manytricks of the tongue. He is one of the crown jewels. "

Suddenly, and without reason, she appeared to be bored. As a matterof fact, she hid an incipient yawn behind her small gloved hand. 

"I think I shall go to my room. Will you kindly unwrap me, Mr. Schmidt?"

He promptly obeyed, and then assisted her to her feet, steadying heragainst the roll of the vessel. 

"I shall pray for continuous rough weather, " he announced, with asgallant a bow as could be made under the circumstances. 

"Thank you, " she said, and he was pleased to take it that she was notthanking him for a physical service. 

A few minutes later he was in his own room, and she was in hers, andthe promenade deck was as barren as the desert of Sahara. 

He found Count Quinnox stretched out upon his bed, attended not onlyby Hobbs but also the reanimated Dank. The crumpled message lay onthe floor. 

"I'm glad you waited awhile, " said the young lieutenant, getting upfrom the trunk on which he had been sitting. "If you had come anysooner you would have heard words fit only for a soldier to hear. Itreally was quite appalling. "

"He's better now, " said Hobbs, more respectfully than was his wont. It was evident that he had sustained quite a shock. 

"Well, what do you think of it?" demanded the Prince, pointing to themessage. 

"Of all the confounded impudence--" began the Count healthily, andthen uttered a mighty groan of impotence. It was clear that he couldnot do justice to the occasion a second time. 

Robin picked up the Marconigram, and calmly smoothed out thecrinkles. Then he read it aloud, very slowly and with extreme disgustin his fine young face. It was a lengthy communication from BaronRomano, the Prime Minister in Edelweiss. 

"'Preliminary agreement signed before hearing Blithers had boughtLondon, Paris, Berlin. He cables his immediate visit to G. Object nowappears clear. All newspapers in Europe print despatches from Americathat marriage is practically arranged between R. And M. Interviewswith Blithers corroborate reported engagement. Europe is amused. Editorials sarcastic. Price on our securities advance two points onconfirmation of report. We are bewildered. Also vague rumour theyhave eloped, but denied by B. Dawsbergen silent. What does it allmean? Wire truth to me. People are uneasy. Gourou will meet you inParis. '"

[Illustration: "I shall pray for continuous rough weather"]

In the adjoining suite, Miss Guile was shaking Mrs. Gaston out of along-courted and much needed sleep. The poor lady sat up and blinkedfeebly at the excited, starry-eyed girl. 

"Wake up!" cried Bedelia impatiently. "What do you think? I have aperfectly wonderful suspicion--perfectly wonderful. "

"How can you be so unfeeling?" moaned the limp lady. 

"This R. Schmidt is Prince Robin of Graustark!" cried the girlexcitedly. "I am sure of it--just as sure as can be. "

Mrs. Gaston's eyes were popping, not with amazement but alarm. 

"Do lie down, child, " she whimpered. "Marie! The sleeping powders atonce! Do--"

"Oh, I'm not mad, " cried the girl. "Now listen to me and I'll tellyou why I believe--yes, actually believe him to be the--"

"Marie, do you hear me?"

Miss Guile shook her vigorously. "Wake up! It isn't a nightmare. Nowlisten!"

CHAPTER XI

THE LIEUTENANT RECEIVES ORDERS

The next day brought not only an agreeable change in the weather buta most surprising alteration in the manner of Mrs. Gaston, whoseattitude toward R. Schmidt and his friends had been anything butamicable up to the hour of Miss Guile's discovery. The excellentlady, recovering very quickly from her indisposition becamepositively polite to the hitherto repugnant Mr. Schmidt. She meltedso abruptly and so completely that the young man was vaguelytroubled. He began to wonder if his incognito had been pierced, so tospeak. 

It was not reasonable to suppose that Miss Guile was personallyresponsible for this startling transition from the inimical to thegracious on the part of her companion; the indifference of Miss Guileherself was sufficient proof to the contrary. Therefore, when Mrs. Gaston nosed him out shortly after breakfast and began to talk aboutthe beautiful day in a manner so thoroughly respectful that itsavoured of servility, he was taken-aback, flabbergasted. She seemedto be on the point of dropping her knee every time she spoke to him, and there was an unmistakable tremor of excitement in her voice evenwhen she confided to him that she adored the ocean when it was calm. He forbore asking when Miss Guile might be expected to appear on deckfor her constitutional but she volunteered the information, which wasneither vague nor yet definite. In fact, she said that Miss Guilewould be up soon, and soon is a word that has a double meaning whenapplied to the movements of capricious womanhood. It may mean tenminutes and it may mean an hour and a half. 

Mrs. Gaston's severely critical eyes were no longer severe, albeitthey were critical. She took him in from head to foot with the eye ofan appraiser, and the more she took him in the more she melted, untilat last in order to keep from completely dissolving, she said good-bye to him and hurried off to find Miss Guile. 

Now it is necessary to relate that Miss Guile had been particularlyfirm in her commands to Mrs. Gaston. She literally had stood theexcellent lady up in a corner and lectured her for an hour on thewisdom of silence. In the first place, Mrs. Gaston was given tounderstand that she was not to breathe it to a soul that R. Schmidtwas not R. Schmidt, and she was not to betray to him by word or signthat he was suspected of being the Prince of Graustark. Moreover, theexacting Miss Guile laid great stress upon another command: R. Schmidt was never to know that she was _not_ Miss Guile, but some oneelse altogether. 

"You're right, my dear, " exclaimed Mrs. Gaston in an excited whisperas she burst in upon her fair companion, who was having coffee andtoast in her parlour. The more or less resuscitated Marie was waitingto do up her mistress's hair, and the young lady herself wasalluringly charming in spite of the fact that it was not already"done up. " "He is the--er--he is just what you think. "

"Good heavens, you haven't gone and done it, have you, " cried thegirl, a slim hand halting with a piece of toast half way to her lips. 

"Gone and done it?"

"You haven't been blabbing, have you?"

"How can you say that to me? Am I not to be trusted? Am I so weakand--"

"Don't cry, you old dear! Forgive me. But now tell me--absolutely--just what you've been up to. Don't mind Marie. She is French. She canalways hold her tongue. "

"Well, I've been talking with him, that's all. I'm sure he is thePrince. No ordinary male could be as sweet and agreeable and sunnyas--"

"Stop!" cried Miss Guile, with a pretty moue, putting the tips of herfingers to her ears after putting the piece of toast into her mouth. "One would think you were a sentimental old maid instead of a cold-blooded, experienced, man-hating married woman. "

"You forget that I am a widow, my dear. Besides, it is disgusting forone to speak with one's mouth full of buttered toast. It--"

"Oh, how I used to loathe you when you kept forever ding-donging atme about the way I ate when I was almost starving. Were you never ahungry little kid? Did you never lick jam and honey off your fingersand--"

"Many and many a time, " confessed Mrs. Gaston, beaming once more andlaying a gentle, loving hand on the girl's shoulder. Miss Guiledropped her head over until her cheek rested on the caressing hand, and munched toast with blissful abandon. 

"Now tell me what you've been up to, " she said, and Mrs. Gastonrepeated every word of the conversation she had had with R. Schmidt, proving absolutely nothing but stoutly maintaining that her intuitionwas completely to be depended upon. 

"And, oh, " she whispered in conclusion, "wouldn't it be perfectlywonderful if you two should fall in love with each other--"

"Don't be silly!"

"But you have said that if he should fall in love with you foryourself and not because--"

"I have also said that I will not marry any man, prince, duke, king, count or anything else unless I am in love with him. Don't overlookthat, please. "

"But he is really very nice. I should think you _could_ fall in lovewith him. Just think how it would please your father and mother. Just think--"

"I won't be bullied!"

"Am I bullying you?" in amazement. 

"No; but father tries to bully me, and you know it. "

"You must admit that the--this Mr. Schmidt is handsome, charming, bright--"

"I admit nothing, " said Miss Guile resolutely, and ordered Marie todress her hair as carefully as possible. "Take as long as you like, Marie. I shall not go on deck for hours. "

"I--I told him you would be up soon, " stammered the poor, man-hatingex-governess. 

"You did?" said Miss Guile, with what was supposed to be a deadlylook in her eyes. 

"Well, he enquired, " said the other. 

"Anything else?" domineered the beauty. 

"I forgot to mention one thing. He _did_ ask me if your name wasreally Bedelia. "

"And what did you tell him?" cried the girl, in sudden agitation. 

"I managed to tell him that it was, " said Mrs. Gaston stiffly. 

"Good!" cried Miss Guile, vastly relieved, and not at all troubledover the blight that had been put upon a very worthy lady'sconscience. 

When she appeared on deck long afterward, she found every chairoccupied. A warm sun, a far from turbulent sea, and a refreshingbreeze had brought about a marvellous transformation. Every one washappy, every one had come back from the grave to gloat over the grimreaper's failure to do his worst, although in certain cases he hadbeen importuned to do it without hesitation. 

She made several brisk rounds of the deck; then, feeling that peoplewere following her with their eyes, --admiringly, to be sure, but whatof that?--she abandoned the pleasant exercise and sought theseclusion of the sunless corner where her chair was stationed. Theship's daily newspaper was just off the press and many of theloungers were reading the brief telegraphic news from the capitals ofthe world. 

During her stroll she passed several groups of men and women who werelightly, even scornfully employed in discussing an article of newswhich had to do with Mr. Blithers and the Prince of Graustark. Filledwith an acute curiosity, she procured a copy of the paper from asteward, and was glancing at the head lines as she made her way intoher corner. Double-leaded type appeared over the rumoured engagmentof Miss Maud Applegate Blithers, the beautiful and accomplisheddaughter of the great capitalist, and Robin, Prince of Graustark. Aqueer little smile played about her lips as she folded the paper forfuture perusal. Turning the earner of the deck-building she almostcollided with R. Schmidt, who stood leaning against the wall, scanning the little newspaper with eyes that were blind to everythingelse. 

"Oh!" she gasped. 

"I'm sorry, " he exclaimed, crumpling the paper in his hand as hebacked away, flushing. "Stupid of me. Good morning. "

"Good morning, Mr. Schmidt. It wasn't your fault. I should havelooked where I was going. 'Stop, look and listen, ' as they say at therailway crossing. "

"'Danger' is one of the commonest signs, Miss Guile. It lurkseverywhere, especially around corners. I see you have a paper. Itappears that Miss Blithers and the Prince are to be married afterall. "

"Yes; it is quite apparent that the Blithers family intends to have atitle at any cost, " she said, and her eyes flashed. 

"Would you like to take a few turns, Miss Guile?" he inquired, atrace of nervousness in his manner. "I think I can take you safelyover the hurdles and around the bunkers. " He indicated theoutstretched legs along the promenade deck and the immovable groupsof chatterers along the rail. 

Before deciding, she shot an investigating glance into the corner. Mrs. Gaston was not only there but was engaged in conversation withthe grey-moustached gentleman in a near-by chair. It required buthalf a glance to show that Mr. Totten was unmistakably interested insomething the voluble lady had just said to him. 

"No, thank you, Mr. Schmidt, " said Miss Guile hastily, and thenhurried over to her chair, a distinct cloud on her smooth brow. Robin, considering himself dismissed, whirled and went his way, adark flush spreading over his face. Never, in all his life, had hebeen quite so out of patience with the world as on this bright, sunnymorning. 

Miss Guile's frown deepened when her abrupt appearance at Mrs. Gaston's side caused that lady to look up with a guilty start and tobreak off in the middle of a sentence that had begun with:"International marriages, as a rule, are--Oh!"

Mr. Totten arose and bowed with courtly grace to the new arrival onthe scene. He appeared to be immensely relieved. 

"A lovely morning, Miss Guile, " he said as he stooped to arrange herrug. "I hear that you were not at all disturbed by yesterday's blow. "

"I was just telling Mr. Totten that you are a wonderful sailor, " saidMrs. Gaston, a note of appeal in her voice. "He says his friend, Mr. Schmidt, is also a good sailor. Isn't it perfectly wonderful?"

"I can't see anything wonderful about it, " said Miss Guile, fixingthe ex-governess with a look that seared. 

"We were speaking of this rumoured engagement of the Prince ofGraustark and--er--what's the name?" He glanced at his newspaper. "Miss Blithers, of course. I enquired of Mrs. --er--Gaston if shehappens to know the young lady. She remembers seeing her frequentlyas a very small child. "

"In Paris, " said Mrs. Gaston. "One couldn't very well help seeingher, you know. She was the only child of the great Mr. Blithers, whose name was on every one's lips at the--"

Miss Guile interrupted. "It would be like the great Mr. Blithers tobuy this toy prince for his daughter--as a family plaything or humanlap-dog, or something of the sort, wouldn't it?"

Mr. Totten betrayed no emotion save amusement. Miss Guile waswatching through half-closed eyes. There was a noticeable stiffeningof the prim figure of Mrs. Gaston. 

"I've no doubt Mr. Blithers can afford to buy the most expensive oftoys for his only child. You Americans go in for the luxuries oflife. What could be more extravagant than the purchase of a royallap-dog? The only drawback I can suggest is that the Prince mightturn out to be a cur, and then where would Mr. Blithers be?"

"It is more to the point to ask where Miss Blithers would be, Mr. Totten, " said Miss Guile, with a smile that caused the fierce oldwarrior to afterwards declare to Dank that he never had seen alovelier girl in all his life. 

"Ah, but we spoke of the Prince as a lap-dog or a cur, Miss Guile, not as a watch-dog, " said he. 

"I see, " said Miss Guile, after a moment. "He wouldn't sleep with oneeye open. I see. "

"The lap of luxury is an enviable resting-place. I know of no princewho would despise it. "

"But a wife is sometimes a thing to be despised, " said she. 

"Quite true, " said Mr. Totten. "I've no doubt that the Prince ofGraustark will despise his wife, and for that reason will be quitecontent to close both eyes and let her go on searching for herheart's desire. "

"She would be his Princess. Could he afford to allow his love ofluxury to go as far as that?"

"Quite as justifiably, I should say, as Mr. Blithers when he delivershis only child into--into bondage. "

"You were about to use another term. "

"I was, but I thought in time, Miss Guile. "

R. Schmidt sauntered briskly past at this juncture, looking neitherto the right nor left. They watched him until he disappeared down thedeck. 

"I think Mr. Schmidt is a perfectly delightful young man, " said Mrs. Gaston, simply because she couldn't help it. 

"You really think he will marry Miss Blithers, Mr. Totten?" venturedMiss Guile. 

"He? Oh, I see--the Prince?" Mr. Totten came near to being nodiplomat. "How should I know, Miss Guile?"

"Of course! How _should_ you know?" she cried. 

Mr. Totten found something to interest him in the printed sheet andproceeded to read it with considerable avidity. Miss Guile smiled toherself and purposely avoided the shocked look in Mrs. Gaston's eyes. 

"Bouillon at last, " cried the agitated duenna, and peremptorilysummoned one of the tray-bearing stewards. "I am famished. "

Evidently Mr. Totten did not care for his mid-morning refreshment, for, with the most courtly of smiles, he arose and left them to theirbouillon. 

"Here comes Mr. Schmidt, " whispered Mrs. Gaston excitedly, a fewmoments later, and at once made a movement indicative of hastydeparture. 

"Sit still, " said Miss Guile peremptorily. 

R. Schmidt again passed them by without so much as a glance in theirdirection. There was a very sweet smile on Miss Guile's lips as sheclosed her eyes and lay back in her chair. Once, twice, thrice, evenas many as six times R. Schmidt strode rapidly by their corner, hishead high and his face aglow. 

At last a queer little pucker appeared on the serene brow of the farfrom drowsy young lady whose eyes peeped through half closed lids. Suddenly she threw off her rug and with a brief remark to hercompanion arose and went to her cabin. Mrs. Gaston followed, not fromchoice but because the brief remark was in the form of a command. 

Soon afterward, R. Schmidt who had been joined by Dank, threw himselfinto his chair with a great sigh of fatigue and said:

"'Gad, I've walked a hundred miles since breakfast. Have you amatch?"

"Hobbs has made a very curious discovery, " said the young lieutenant, producing his match-box. There was a perturbed look in his eyes. 

"If Hobbs isn't careful he'll discover a new continent one of thesedays. He is always discovering something, " said Robin, puffing awayat his pipe. 

"But this is really interesting. It seems that he was in the holdwhen Miss Guile's maid came down to get into one of her mistress'strunks. Now, the first letter in Guile is G, isn't it? Well, Hobbssays there are at least half-a-dozen trunks there belonging to theyoung lady and that all of them are marked with a large red B. Whatdo you make of it?"

The Prince had stopped puffing at his pipe. 

"Hobbs may be mistaken in the maid. Dank. It is likely that they arenot Miss Guile's trunks, at all. "

"He appears to be absolutely sure of his ground. He heard the maidmention Miss Guile's name when she directed the men to get one of thetrunks out of the pile. That's what attracted his attention. Heconfided to me that you are interested in the young lady, andtherefore it was quite natural for him to be similarly affected. 'Like master, like man, ' d'ye see?"

"Really, you know, Dank, I ought to dismiss Hobbs, " said Robinirritably. "He is getting to be a dreadful nuisance. Always nosingaround, trying to--"

"But after all, sir, you'll have to admit that he has made a puzzlingdiscovery. Why should her luggage be marked with a B?"

"I should say because her name begins with a B, " said Robin shortly. 

"In that case, it isn't Guile. "

"Obviously. " The young man was thinking very hard. 

"And if it isn't Guile, there must be an excellent reason for hersailing under a false name. She doesn't look like an adventuress. "

R. Schmidt rewarded this remark with a cold stare. "Would you mindtelling me what she does look like, Dank?" he enquired severely. 

The lieutenant flushed. "I have not had the same opportunity forobservation that you've enjoyed, sir, but I should say, off-hand, that she looks like a very dangerous young person. "

"Do you mean to imply that she is--er--not altogether what one wouldcall right?"

Dank grinned. "Don't you regard her as rather perilously beautiful?"

"Oh, I see. That's what you mean. I suppose you got _that_ from Hobbs, too. "

"Not at all. I have an excellent pair of eyes. "

"What are you trying to get at, Dank?" demanded Robin abruptly. 

"I'm trying to get to the bottom of Miss Guile's guile, if it pleaseyour royal highness, " said the lieutenant coolly. "It is hard toconnect the B and the G, you know. "

"But why should we deny her a privilege that we are enjoying, allthree of us? Are we not in the same boat?"

"Literally and figuratively. That explains nothing, however. "

"Have you a theory?"

"There are many that we could advance, but, of course, only one ofthem could be the right one, even if we were acute enough to includeit in our list of guesses. She may have an imperative reason for notdisclosing her identity. For instance, she may be running away to getmarried. "

"That's possible, " agreed Robin. 

"But not probable. She may be a popular music-hall favourite, or oneof those peculiarly clever creatures known as the American newspaperwoman, against whom we have been warned. Don't you regard it asrather significant that of all the people on this ship she should beone to attach herself to the unrecognised Prince of Graustark? Puttwo and two together, sir, and--"

"I find it singularly difficult to put one and one together, Dank, "said the Prince ruefully. "No; you are wrong in both of your guesses. I've encountered music-hall favourites and I can assure you she isn'tone of them. And as for your statement that she attached herself tome, you were never so mistaken in your life. I give you my word, shedoesn't care a hang whether I'm on the ship or clinging to a lifepreserver out there in the middle of the Atlantic. I have reason toknow, Dank. "

"So be it, " said Dank, but with doubt in his eyes. "You ought toknow. I've never spoken to her, so--"

"She thinks you are a dreadfully attractive chap, Dank, " said Robinmischievously. "She said so only yesterday. "

Dank gave his prince a disgusted look, and smoked on in silence. Hisdignity was ruffled. 

"Her Christian name is Bedelia, " ventured Robin, after a pause. 

"That doesn't get us anywhere, " said Dank sourly. 

"And her mother is Irish. "

"Which accounts for those wonderful Irish blue eyes that--"

"So you've noticed them, eh?"

"Naturally. "

"I consider them a very dark grey. "

"I think we'd better get back to the luggage, " said Dank hastily. "Hobbs thinks that she--"

"Oh, Lord, Dank, don't tell me what Hobbs thinks, " growled Robin. "Let her make use of all the letters in the alphabet if it pleasesher. What is it to us? Moreover, she may be utilising a lot ofborrowed trunks, who knows? Or B may have been her initial before shewas divorced and--"

"Divorced?"

"--her maiden name restored, " concluded Robin airily. "Simplededuction, Dank. Don't bother your head about her any longer. What weknow isn't going to hurt us, and what we don't know isn't--"

"Has it occurred to you that Russia may have set spies upon you--"

"Nonsense!"

"It isn't as preposterous as you--"

"Come, old fellow, let's forget Miss Guile, " cried Robin, slappingthe lieutenant on the shoulder. "Let's think of the real peril, --MaudApplegate Blithers. " He held up the ship's paper for Dank to see andthen sat back to enjoy his companion's rage. 

An hour later Dank and Count Quinnox might have been seen seated sideby side on the edge of a skylight at the tip-top of the ship'sstructure, engaged in the closest conversation. There was a troubledlook in the old man's eyes and the light of adventure in those of hisjunior. The sum and substance of their discussion may be given in abrief sentence: Something would have to be done to prevent Robin fromfalling in love with the fascinating Miss Guile. 

"He is young enough and stubborn enough to make a fool of himselfover her, " the Count had said. "I wouldn't blame him, 'pon my soul Iwouldn't. She is very attractive--ahem! You must be his safeguard, Dank. Go in and do as I suggest. You are a good looking chap andyou've nothing to lose. So far as she is concerned, you are quite aswell worth while as the fellow known as R. Schmidt. There's no reasonwhy you shouldn't make the remainder of the passage pleasant for her, and at the same time enjoy yourself at nobody's expense. "

"They know by instinct, confound 'em, " lamented Dank; "they know thereal article, and you can't fool 'em. She knows that he is the highmuck-a-muck in this party and she won't even look at me, you take myword for it. "

"At any rate, you can try, can't you?" said the Count impatiently. 

"Is it a command, sir?"

"It is. "

"Very well, sir. I shall do my best. "

"We can't afford to have him losing his head over a pretty--er--anobody, perhaps an adventuress, --at this stage of the game. I muchprefer the impossible Miss Blithers, Dank, to this captivatingunknown. At least we know who and what she is, and what sherepresents. But we owe it to our country and to Dawsbergen to seethat he doesn't do anything--er--foolish. We have five days left ofthis voyage, Dank. They may be fatal days for him, if you do not cometo the rescue. "

"They may be fatal days for me, " said Dank, looking out over theocean. 

CHAPTER XII

THE LIEUTENANT REPORTS

Five days later as the _Jupiter_ was discharging passengers atPlymouth, Count Quinnox and Lieutenant Dank stood well forward on thepromenade deck watching the operations. The younger man was moody anddistrait, an unusual condition for him but one that had beennoticeably recurrent during the past two or three days. He pulled athis smart little moustache and looked out upon the world throughsingularly lack-lustre eyes. Something had gone wrong with him, andit was something that he felt in duty bound to lay before hissuperior, the grim old Minister of War and hereditary chief of theCastle Guard. Occasionally his sombre gaze shifted to a spot fartherdown the deck, where a young man and woman leaned upon the rail andsurveyed the scene of activity below. 

"What is on your mind, Dank?" asked the Count abruptly. "Out withit. "

Dank started. "It's true, then? I _do_ look as much of a fool as Ifeel, eh?" There was bitterness in his usually cheery voice. 

"Feel like a fool, eh?" growled the old soldier. 

"Pretty mess I've made of the business, " lamented Dank surlily. "Putting myself up as a contender against a fellow like Robin, anddreaming that I could win out, even for a minute! Good Lord, what anass I am! Why we've only made it worse, Count. We've touched him withthe spur of rivalry, and what could be more calamitous than that?From being a rather matter-of-fact, indifferent observer, he becomesa bewildering cavalier bent on conquest at any cost. I am swept asideas if I were a parcel of rags. For two days I stood between him andthe incomparable Miss Guile. Then he suddenly arouses himself. Mycake is dough. I am nobody. My feet get cold, as they say inAmerica, --although I don't know why they say it. What has thetemperature of one's feet to do with it? See! There they are. Theyare constantly together, walking, sitting, standing, eating, drinking, reading--_Eh bien!_ You have seen with your own eyes. The beautiful Miss Guile has bewitched our Prince, and my labour isnot only lost but I myself am lost. _Mon dieu!_"

The Count stared at him in perplexity for a moment. Then a look ofsurprise came into his eyes, --surprise not unmingled with scorn. 

"You don't mean to say, Dank, that you've fallen in love with her?Oh, you absurd fledgelings. Will you--"

"Forgive my insolence, Count, but it is forty years since you were afledgeling. You don't see things as you saw them forty years ago. Permit me to remind you that you are a grandfather. "

"Your point is well taken, my lad, " said the Count, with a twinkle inhis eye. "You can't help being young any more than I can help beingold. Youth is perennial, old age a winding-sheet. I am to take it, then, that you've lost your heart to the fair--"

"Why not?" broke in Dank fiercely. "Why should it appear incredibleto you? Is she not the most entrancing creature in all the world? Isshe not the most appealing, the most adorable, the most feminine ofall her sex? Is it possible that one can be so old that it isimpossible for him to feel the charm, the loveliness, the--"

"For heaven's sake, Dank, " said the old man in alarm, "don'tgesticulate so wildly. People will think we are quarrelling. Calmyourself, my boy. "

"You set a task for me and I obey. You urge me to do my duty byGraustark. You tell me I am a handsome dog and irresistible. She willbe overwhelmed by my manly beauty, my valour, my soldierly bearing, --so say you! And what is the outcome? I--I, the vain-glorious, --I amwrapped around her little finger so tightly that all the king'shorses and all the king's men--"

"Halt!" commanded his general softly. "You are turning tail like theveriest coward. Right about, face! Would you surrender to a slip of agirl whose only weapons are a pair of innocent blue eyes and aroguish smile? Be a man! Stand by your guns. Outwardly you are theequal of R. Schmidt, whose sole--"

"That sounds very well, sir, but how can I take up arms against myPrince? He stands by _his_ guns--as you may see, sir, --and, dammitall, I'm no traitor. I've just got to stand by 'em with him. That rotabout all being fair in love and war is the silliest--Oh, well, there's no use whining about it. I'm mad about her, and so is he. Youcan't--"

The Count stopped him with a sharp gesture. A look of real concernappeared in his eyes. 

"Do you believe that he is actually in love with this girl?"

"Heels over head, " barked the unhappy lieutenant. "I've never seen aworse case. "

"This is serious--more serious than I thought. "

"It's horrible, " declared Dank, but not thinking of the situationfrom the Count's point of view. 

"We do not know who or what she is. She may be--"

"I beg your pardon, sir, but we do know what she is, " said the otherfirmly. "You will not pretend to say that she is not a gentlewoman. She is cultured, refined--"

"I grant all of that, " said the Count. "I am not blind, Dank, But itseems fairly certain that her name is not Guile. We--"

"Nor is his name Schmidt. That's no argument, sir. "

"Still we cannot take the chance, my lad. We must put an end to thisfond adventure. Robin is our most precious possession. We must not--Why do you shake your head?"

"We are powerless, sir. If he makes up his mind to marry Miss Guile, he'll do it in spite of anything we can do. That is, provided she isof the same mind. "

"God defend us, I fear you are right, " groaned the old Count. "He hasdeclared himself a hundred times, and he is a wilful lad. I recallthe uselessness of the opposition that was set up against hislamented mother when she decided to marry Grenfell Lorry. 'Gad, sir, it was like butting into a stone wall. She said she _would_ and shedid. I fear me that Robin has much of his mother in him. "

"Behold in me the first sacrifice, " declaimed Dank, lifting his eyesheavenward. 

"Oh, you will recover, " was the unsympathetic rejoinder. "It is forhim that I fear, not for you. "

"Recover, sir?" in despair. "I fear you misjudge my humble heart--"

"Bosh! Your heart has been through a dozen accidents of thischaracter, Dank, and it is good for a hundred more. I'll rejoice whenthis voyage is ended and we have him safe on his way to Edelweiss. "

"That will not make the slightest difference, sir. If he sets hishead to marry her he'll do it if we take him to the North Pole. AllGraustark can't stop him, --nor old man Blithers either. Besides, hesays he isn't going to Edelweiss immediately. "

"That is news to me. "

"I thought it would be. He came to the decision not more than twohours ago. He is determined to spend a couple of weeks atInterlaken. "

"Interlaken?"

"Yes. Miss Guile expects to stop there for a fortnight after leavingParis. "

"I must remonstrate with Robin--at once, " declared the old man. "Heis needed in Graustark. He must be made to realise the importance of--"

"And what are you going to do if he declines to realise anything butthe importance of a fortnight in the shadow of the Jungfrau?"

"God help me, I don't know, Dank. " The Count's brow was moist, and helooked anything but an unconquerable soldier. 

"I told him we were expected to reach home by the end of next week, and he said that a quiet fortnight in the Alps would make new men ofall of us. "

"Do you mean to say he expects me to dawdle--"

"More than that, sir. He also expects me to dawdle too. I shallprobably shoot myself before the two weeks are over. "

"I have it! I shall take Mrs. Gaston into my confidence. It is theonly hope, I fear. I shall tell her that he is--"

"No hope there, " said Dank mournfully. 

"Haven't you noticed how keen she is to have them together all thetime? She's as wily as a fox. Never misses a chance. Hasn't itoccurred to you to wonder why she drags you off on the slightestpretext when you happen to be in the way? She's done it a hundredtimes. Always leaving them alone together. My God, how I despise thatwoman! Not once but twenty times a day she finds an excuse tointerfere when I am trying to get in a few words with Miss Guile. She's forever wanting me to show her the engine-room or the Captain'sbridge or the wireless office or--why, by Jove, sir, it was onlyyesterday that she asked me to come and look at the waves. Said she'dfound a splendid place to see them from, just as if the whole damnedAtlantic wasn't full of 'em. And isn't she always looking forporpoises on the opposite side of the ship? And how many whales andice-bergs do you think she's been trying to find in the last fivedays? No, sir! There's no hope there!"

"'Pon my soul!" was all that the poor Minister of War, an adept instrategy, was able to exclaim. 

The _Jupiter_ disgorged most of her passengers at Cherbourg andthe descent upon Paris had scarcely begun when the good ship steamedaway for Antwerp, Bremen and Hamburg. She was one of the oldervessels in the vast fleet of ships controlled by the American All-Seas and All-Ports Company, and she called wherever there was a portopen to trans-Atlantic navigation. She was a single factor in thegreat monopoly described as the "Billion Dollar Boast. " The UnitedStates had been slow to recognise the profits of seas that were free, but when she did wake up she proceeded to act as if she owned themand all that therein lay. Her people spoke of the Gulf Stream as"ours"; of the Banks of Newfoundland as "ours"--or in some instancesas "ourn"; of Liverpool, Hamburg, London, Bremen and other suchplaces as "our European terminals"; and of the various oceans, seasand navigable waters as "a part of the system. " Where once the Starsand Stripes were as rare as hummingbirds in Baffin's Bay, the flagswere now so thick that they resembled Fourth of July decorations onFifth avenue, and it was almost impossible to cross the Atlanticwithout dodging a hundred vessels on which Dixie was being played, coming and going. A man from New Hampshire declared, after one of histrips over and back, that he cheered the good old tune so incessantlythat his voice failed on the third day out, both ways, and he had tovoice his patriotism with a tin horn. 

Ships of the All-Seas and All-Ports Company fairly stuffed theharbours of the world. America was awake at last--wide awake!--andthe necessity for prodding her was now limited to the task of puttingher to sleep long enough to allow other nations a chance to scrapetogether enough able bodied seamen to man the ships. 

William W. Blithers was one of the directors of the All-Seas and All-Ports Company. He was the first American to awake. 

For some unaccountable reason Miss Guile and her companion preferredto travel alone to Paris. They had a private compartment, over whicha respectful but adamantine conductor exercised an authority thatirritated R. Schmidt beyond expression. The rest of the train wascrowded to its capacity, and here was desirable space going to wastein the section occupied by the selfish Miss Guile. He couldn'tunderstand it in her. Was it, after all, to be put down as a simplesteamer encounter? Was she deliberately snubbing him, now that theywere on land? Was he, a prince of the royal blood, to be tossed asideby this purse-proud American as if he were the simplest ofsimpletons? And what did she mean by stationing an officious hirelingbefore her door to order him away when he undertook to pay her afriendly visit?--to offer his own and Hobbs' services in case theywere needed in Paris. Why should she lock her confounded dooranyway, --and draw the curtains? There were other whys too numerous tomention, and there wasn't an answer to a single one of them. Thewhole proceeding was incomprehensible. 

To begin with, she certainly made no effort to conceal the fact thatshe was trying to avoid him from the instant the tender drewalongside to take off the passengers. As a matter of fact, she seemedto be making a point of it. And yet, the evening before, she hadappeared rather enchanted with the prospect of seeing him atInterlaken. 

It was not until the boat-train was nearing the environs of Paristhat Hobbs threw some light over the situation, with the result thatit instantly became darker than ever before. It appears that MissGuile was met at the landing by a very good-looking young man who notonly escorted her to the train but actually entered it with her, andwas even now enjoying the luxury of a private compartment as well asthe contents of a large luncheon hamper, to say nothing of anuninterrupted view of something far more inspiring than the scenery. 

"Frenchman?" inquired Dank listlessly. 

"American, I should say, sir, " said Hobbs, balancing himself in thecorridor outside the door and sticking his head inside with moreconfidence than a traveller usually feels when travelling fromCherbourg to Paris. "But I wouldn't swear to it, sir. I didn't 'ear aword he said, being quite some distance away at the time. Happearances are deceptive, as I've said a great many times. A manmay look like an American and still be almost anything else, see wotI mean? On the other hand, a man may look like almost nothing andstill be American to his toes. I remember once saying to--"

"That's all right, Hobbs, " broke in R. Schmidt sternly. "We alsoremember what you said, so don't repeat it. How soon do we get in?"

Hobbs cheerfully looked at his watch. "I couldn't say positive, sir, but I should think in about fourteen and a 'alf minutes, or maybe ashade under--between fourteen and fourteen and a 'alf, sir. As I wassaying, he was a most intelligent looking chap, sir, and very'andsome of face and figger. Between twenty-four and twenty-five, Idare say. Light haired, smooth-faced, quite tall and dressed in darkblue with a cravat, sir, that looked like cerise but may have been--"

"For heaven's sake, Hobbs, let up!" cried Robin, throwing up hishands. 

"Yes, sir; certainly, sir. Did I mention that he wears a straw 'atwith a crimson band on it? Well, if I didn't, he does. Hincidentally, they seemed greatly pleased to see each other. He kissed her hand, and looked as though he might have gone even farther than that if it'adn't been for the crowd--"

"That will do!" said Robin sharply, a sudden flush mounting to hischeek. 

"Very good, sir. Shall I get the bags down for the porters, sir? Ibeg pardon, sir, --" to one of the three surly gentlemen who satfacing the travellers from Graustark, --"my fault entirely. I don'tbelieve it is damaged, sir. Allow me to--"

"Thank you, " growled the stranger. "I can put it on myself, " and hejerked his hat out of Hobbs' hand and set it at a rather forbiddingangle above a lowering brow. "Look what you're doing after this, willyou?"

"Certainly, sir, " said Hobbs agreeably. "It's almost impossible tosee without eyes in the back of one's head, don't you know. I 'ope--"

"All right, _all_ right!" snapped the man, glaring balefully. "And letme tell you something else, my man. Don't go about knocking Americanswithout first taking a look. Just bear that in mind, will you?"

"The surest way is to listen, " began Hobbs loftily, but, catching alook from his royal master, desisted. He proceeded to get down thehand luggage. 

At the Gare St. Lazare, Robin had a brief glimpse of Miss Guile asshe hurried with the crowd down to the cab enclosure, where herescort, the alert young stranger, put her into a waiting limousine, bundled Mrs. Gaston and Marie in after her, and then dashed away, obviously to see their luggage through the _douane_. 

She espied the tall figure of her fellow voyager near the steps andleaned forward to wave a perfunctory farewell to him. The car wascreeping out toward the packed thoroughfare. It is possible that sheexpected him to dash among the chortling machines, at risk of life orlimb, for a word or two at parting. If so, she was disappointed. Heremained perfectly still, with uplifted hat, a faint smile on hislips and not the slightest sign of annoyance in his face. She smiledsecurely to herself as she leaned back in the seat, and wassatisfied! Curiosity set its demand upon her an instant later, however, and she peered slyly through the little window in the back. He lifted his hat once more and she flushed to her throat as shequickly drew back into the corner. How in the world could he haveseen her through that abominable slit in the limousine? And why washe now grinning so broadly?

Count Quinnox found him standing there a few minutes later, twirlinghis stick and smiling with his eyes. Accompanying the old soldier wasa slight, sharp-featured man with keen black eyes and a thin, pointedmoustache of grey. 

This man was Gourou, Chief of Police and Commander of the Tower inEdelweiss, successor to the celebrated Baron Dangloss. After he hadgreeted his prince, the quiet little man announced that he hadreserved for him an apartment at the Bristol. 

"I am instructed by the Prime Minister, your highness, to urge yourimmediate return to Edelweiss, " he went on, lowering his voice. "Thepeople are disturbed by the reports that have reached us during thepast week or two, and Baron Romano is convinced that nothing willserve to subdue the feeling of uneasiness that prevails except yourown declaration--in person--that these reports arc untrue. "

"I shall telegraph at once to Baron Romano that it is all poppy-cock, " said Robin easily. "I refer, of course, to the reportedengagement. I am not going to marry Miss Blithers and that's allthere is to be said. You may see to it, baron, that a statement isissued to all of the Paris newspapers to-day, and to thecorrespondents for all the great papers in Europe and America. I haveprepared this statement, under my own signature, and it is to be thelast word in the matter. It is in my pocket at this instant. Youshall have it when we reach the hotel--And that reminds me of anotherthing. I'm sorry that I shall have to ask you to countermand thereservation for rooms at the hotel you mention. I have alreadyreserved rooms at the Ritz, --by wireless. We shall stop there. Whereis Dank?"

"The Ritz is hardly the place for--"

But Robin clapped him on the back and favoured him with the good-natured, boyish smile that mastered even the fiercest of hiscounsellors, and the Minister of Police, being an astute man, heaveda deep sigh of resignation. 

"Dank is looking after the trunks, highness, and Hobbs is comingalong with the hand luggage, " he said. "The Ritz, you say? Then Ishall have to instruct Lieutenant Dank to send the luggage thereinstead of to the Bristol. Pardon, your highness. " He was off like aflash. 

Count Quinnox was gnawing his moustache. "See here, Robin, " he said, laying his hand on the young man's shoulder, "you are in Paris nowand not on board a ship at sea. Miss Guile is a beautiful, charming, highly estimable young woman, and, I might as well say it straightout to your face, you ought not to subject her to the notoriety thatis bound to follow if the newspapers learn that she is playing aroundParis, no matter how innocently, with a prince whom--"

"Just a moment, Count, " interrupted Robin, a cold light in his nowunsmiling eyes. "You are getting a little ahead of the game. MissGuile is not going to the Ritz, nor do I expect her to play aroundParis with me. As a matter of fact, she refused to tell me where sheis to stop while here, and I am uncomfortably certain that I shallnot see her unless by chance. On the other hand, I may as well beperfectly frank with you and say it straight out to _your_ facethat I am going to try to find her if possible, but I am not meanenough to employ the methods common to such enterprises. I could havefollowed her car in another when she left here a few minutes ago; Icould manage in a dozen ways to run her to earth, as the detectivesdo in the books, but I'd be ashamed to look her in the face if I didany of these things. I shall take a gentleman's chance, my dearCount, and trust to luck and the generosity of fate. You may be surethat I shall not annoy Miss Guile, and you may be equally sure thatshe--"

"I beg your pardon, Robin, but I did not employ the word annoy, "protested the Count. 

"--that she takes me for a gentleman if not for a prince, " went onRobin, deliberately completing the sentence before he smiled hisforgiveness upon the old man. "I selected the Ritz because all richAmericans go there, I'm told. I'm taking a chance. "

Quinnox had an obstinate strain in his make-up. He continued: "Thereis another side to the case, my boy. As a gentleman, you cannot allowthis lovely girl to--er--well, to fall in love with you. That wouldbe cruel, wantonly cruel. And it is just the thing that is bound tohappen if you go on with--"

"My dear Count, you forget that I am only R. Schmidt to her and butone of perhaps a hundred young men who have placed her in the sameperilous position. Moreover, it's the other way 'round, sir. It is Iwho take the risk, not Miss Guile. I regret to say, sir, that ifthere is to be any falling in love, I am the one who is most likelyto fall, and to fall hard. You assume that Miss Guile is heart-wholeand fancy free. 'Gad, I wish that I could be sure of it!" He spokewith such fervour that the Count was indeed dismayed. 

"Robin, my lad, I beg of you to consider the consequences that--"

"There's no use discussing it, old friend. Trust to luck. There is abully good chance that she will send me about my business when thetime comes and then the salvation of Graustark will be assured. " Hesaid it lightly but there was a dark look in his eyes that belied thejaunty words. 

"Am I to understand that you intend to--to ask her to marry you?"demanded the Count, profoundly troubled. "Remember, boy, that you arethe Prince of Graustark, that you--"

"But I'm not going to ask her to marry the Prince of Graustark. I'mgoing to ask her to marry R. Schmidt, " said Robin composedly. 

"God defend us, Robin, I--I--"

"God has all he can do to defend us from William W. Blithers, Count. Don't ask too much of him. What kind of a nation are we if we can'tget along without asking God to defend us every time we see troubleahead? And do you suppose he is going to defend us against a slip ofa girl--"

"Enough! Enough!" cried the Count, compressing his lips and glaringstraight ahead. 

"That's the way to talk, " cried Robin enthusiastically. "By the way, I hope Dank is clever enough to find out who that young fellow iswhile they are clearing the luggage in there. I had a good look athim just now. He is all that Hobbs describes and a little more. He isa hustler. "

CHAPTER XIII

THE RED LETTER B

In the Baron's room at the Ritz late that night there was held asecret conference. Two shadowy figures stole down the corridor atmidnight and were admitted to the room, while Prince Robin sleptsoundly in his remote four-poster and dreamed of something thatbrought a gentle smile to his lips. 

The three conspirators were of the same mind: it was clear thatsomething must be done. But what? That was the question. Gouroudeclared that the people were very much disturbed over the trick thegreat capitalist had played upon the cabinet; there were sullenthreats of a revolt if the government insisted on the deposit ofbonds as required by the agreement. More than that, there were opendeclarations that the daughter of Mr. Blithers would never bepermitted to occupy the throne of Graustark. Deeply as his subjectsloved the young Prince, they would force him to abdicate rather thansubmit to the desecration of a throne that had never beendishonoured. They would accept William W. Blithers' money, but theywould have none of William W. Blithers' daughter. That was more thancould be expected of any self-respecting people! According to theMinister of Police, the name of Blithers was already a common synonymfor affliction--and frequently employed in supposing a malediction. It signified all that was mean, treacherous, scurrilous. He wasspoken of through clenched teeth as "the blood sucker. " Children wereominously reproved by the threatening use of the word Blithers. "Blithers will get you if you don't wash your face, " and all thatsort of thing. 

There was talk in some circles of demanding the resignation of thecabinet, but even the pessimistic Gourou admitted that it was idletalk and would come to nothing if the menacing shadow of MaudApplegate Blithers could be banished from the vicinity of the throne. Graustarkians would abide by the compact made by their leading menand would be content to regard Mr. Blithers as a bona fide creditor. They would pay him in full when the loan matured, even though theywere compelled to sacrifice their houses in order to accomplish thatend. But, like all the rest of the world, they saw through the richAmerican's scheme. 

The world knew, and Graustark knew, just what Mr. Blithers was after, and the worst of it all was that Mr. Blithers also knew, which wasmore to the point. But, said Baron Gourou, Graustark knew somethingthat neither the world nor Mr. Blithers knew, and that was its ownmind. Never, said he, would Maud Applegate be recognised as thePrincess of Graustark, not if she lived for a thousand years andmarried Robin as many times as she had hairs on her head. At least, he amended, that was the way every one felt about it at present. 

The afternoon papers had published the brief statement prepared byRobin in the seclusion of his stateroom on board the _Jupiter_immediately after a most enjoyable hour with Miss Guile. It was acurt and extremely positive denial of the rumoured engagement, withthe additional information that he never had seen Miss Blithers andwas more or less certain that she never had set eyes on him. 

A rather staggering co-incidence appeared with the published reportthat Miss Blithers herself was supposed to be somewhere in Europe, word having been received that day from sources in London that shehad sailed from New York under an assumed name. The imaginativeFrench journals put two and two together and dwelt upon thepossibility that the two young people who had never seen each othermight have crossed the Atlantic on the same steamer, seeing eachother frequently and yet remaining entirely in the dark, so to speak. Inspired writers began to weave a romance out of the probabilities. 

On one point Robin was adamantine. He refused positively to have hisidentity disclosed at this time, and Gourou had to say to thenewspapers that the Prince was even then on his way to Vienna, hurrying homeward as fast as steel cars could carry him. He admittedthat the young man had arrived on the _Jupiter_ that morning, having remained in the closest seclusion all the way across theAtlantic. 

This equivocation necessitated the most cautious rearrangement ofplans on the part of the Baron. He was required to act as though hehad no acquaintance with either of the three travellers stopping atthe Ritz, although for obvious reasons he took up a temporary abodethere himself. Moreover, he had to telegraph the Prime Minister inEdelweiss that the Prince was not to be budged, and would in alllikelihood postpone his return to the capitol. All of which stampedthe honest Baron as a most prodigious liar, if one stops to think ofwhat he said to the reporters. 

The newspapers also printed a definite bit of news in the shape of adespatch from New York to the effect that Mr. And Mrs. William W. Blithers were sailing for Europe on the ensuing day, bound forGraustark!

However, the chief and present concern of the three loyal gentlemenin midnight conclave was not centred in the trouble that Mr. Blithershad started, but in the more desperate situation created by MissGuile. She was the peril that now confronted them, and she was indeeda peril. Quinnox and Dank explained the situation to the Minister ofPolice, and the Minister of Police admitted that the deuce was topay. 

"There is but one way out of it, " said he, speaking officially, "andthat is the simplest one I know of. "

"Assassination, I suppose, " said Dank scornfully. 

"It rests with me, gentlemen, " said the Baron, ignoring thelieutenant's remark, "to find Miss Guile and take her into myconfidence in respect--"

"No use, " said Dank, and, to his surprise, the Count repeated thewords after him. 

"Miss Guile is a lady. Baron, " said the latter gloomily. "You cannotgo to her with a command to clear out, keep her hands off, or anysuch thing. She would be justified in having you kicked out of thehouse. We must not annoy Miss Guile. That is quite out of thequestion. "

"By jove!" exclaimed Dank, so loudly that his companions actuallyjumped in their seats. They looked at him in amazement, --the Countwith something akin to apprehension in his eyes. Had the fellow losthis mind over the girl? Before they could ask what he meant byshouting at the top of his voice, he repeated the ejaculation, butless explosively. His eyes were bulging and his mouth remained agape. 

"What ails you, Dank?" demanded the Baron, removing his eyes from theyoung man's face long enough to glance fearfully at the transom. 

"I've--I've got it!" cried the soldier, and then sank back in hischair, quite out of breath. The Baron got up and took a peep into thehallway, and then carefully locked the door. "What are you lockingthe door for?" demanded Dank, sitting up suddenly. "It's only atheory that I've got--but it is wonderful. Absolutely staggering. "

"Oh!" said Gourou, but he did not unlock the door. "A theory, eh?" Hecame back and stood facing the young man. 

"Count, " began Dank excitedly, "you remember the big red letter B onall of her trunks, don't you? Hobbs is positive he--"

Count Quinnox sprang to his feet and banged the table with his fist. 

"By jove!" he shouted, suddenly comprehending. 

"The letter B?" queried Gourou, perplexed. 

"The newspapers say that she sailed from New York under an assumedname, " went on Dank, thrilled by his own amazing cleverness. "Thereyou are! Plain as day. The letter B explains everything. Now we knowwho Miss Guile really is. She's--"

"Maud" exclaimed Quinnox, sinking back into his chair. 

"Miss Blithers!" cried Gourou, divining at last. "By jove!" And thuswas the jovian circle completed. 

It was two o'clock before the three gentlemen separated and retiredto rest, each fully convinced that the situation was even morecomplicated than before, for in view of this new and most convincingrevelation there now could be no adequate defence against thealluring Miss Guile. 

Robin was informed bright and early the next morning. In fact, he wasstill in his pajamas when the news was carried to him by theexhausted Dank, who had spent five hours in bed but none in slumber. Never in all his ardent career had the smart lieutenant been sobitterly afflicted with love-sickness as now. 

"I don't believe a word of it, " said the Prince. Promptly. "You'vebeen dreaming, old chap. "

"That letter B isn't a dream, is it?"

"No, it isn't, " said Robin, and instantly sat up in bed, his facevery serious. "If she should turn out to be Miss Blithers, I'vecooked my goose to a crisp. Good Lord, when I think of some of thethings I said to her about the Blithers family! But wait! If she isMiss Blithers do you suppose she'd sit calmly by and hear the familyridiculed? No, sir! She would have taken my head off like a flash. She--"

"I've no doubt she regarded the situation as extremely humorous, "said Dank, "and laughed herself almost sick over the way she wasfooling you. "

"That might sound reasonable enough, Dank, if she had known who Iwas. But where was the fun in fooling an utter outsider like R. Schmidt? It doesn't hold together. "

"Americans have an amazing notion of humour, I am reliably informed. They appear to be able to see a joke under the most distressingcircumstances. I'll stake my head that she is Miss Blithers. "

"I can't imagine anything more terrible, " groaned Robin, lying downflat again and staring at the ceiling. 

"I shouldn't call her terrible, " protested Dank, rather stiffly. 

"I refer to the situation, Dank, --the mess, in other words. It_is_ a mess, isn't it?"

"I suppose you'll see nothing more of her, your highness, " remarkedDank, a sly hope struggling in his breast. 

"You'd better put it the other way. She'll see nothing more of me, "lugubriously. 

"I mean to say, sir, you can't go on with it, can you?"

"Go on with what?"

"The--er--you know, " floundered Dank. 

"If there is really anything to go on with, Dank, I'll go on with it, believe me. "

The lieutenant stared. "But if she _should_ be Miss Blithers, whatthen?"

"It might simplify matters tremendously, " said Robin, but not at allconfidently. "I think I'll get up, Dank, if you don't mind. CallHobbs, will you? And, I say, won't you have breakfast up here withme?"

"I had quite overlooked breakfast, 'pon my soul, I had, " said Dank, alook of pain in his face. "No wonder I have a headache, going withoutmy coffee so long. "

Later on, while they were breakfasting in Robin's sitting room, Hobbsbrought in the morning newspapers. He laid one of them before thePrince, and jabbed his forefinger upon a glaring headline. 

"I beg pardon, sir; I didn't mean to get it into the butter. Veryawkward, I'm sure. Hi, _garcon!_ Fresh butter 'ere, and lively aboutit, too. _Buerre!_ That's the word--buttah. "

Robin and Dank were staring at the headline as if fascinated. Havingsuccessfully managed the butter, Hobbs at once restored his attentionto the headline, reading it aloud, albeit both of the young men werecapable of reading French at sight. He translated with greatprofundity. 

"'Miss Blithers Denies Report. Signed Statement MysteriouslyReceived. American Heiress not to wed Prince of Graustark. ' Shall Iread the harticle, sir?"

Robin snatched up the paper and read aloud for himself. Hobbs merelywiped a bit of butter from his finger and listened attentively. 

The following card appeared at the head of the column, and wassupplemented by a complete resume of the Blithers-Graustark muddle:

"Miss Blithers desires to correct an erroneous report that hasappeared in the newspapers. She is not engaged to be married to thePrince of Graustark, nor is there even the remotest probability thatsuch will ever be the case. Miss Blithers regrets that she has notthe honour of Prince Robin's acquaintance, and the Prince hasspecifically stated in the public prints that he does not know her bysight. The statements of the two persons most vitally affected bythis disturbing rumour should be taken as final. Sufficient pain andannoyance already has been caused by the malicious and utterlygroundless report. " The name of Maud Applegate Blithers was appendedto the statement, and it was dated Paris, August 29. 

Thereafter followed a lengthy description of the futile search forthe young lady in Paris, and an interview with the localrepresentatives of Mr. Blithers, all of whom declared that thesignature was genuine, but refused to commit themselves furtherwithout consulting their employer. They could throw no light upon thesituation, even going so far as to declare that they were unaware ofthe presence of Miss Blithers in Paris. 

It appears that the signed statement was left in the counting-roomsof the various newspapers by a heavily veiled lady at an hour agreedupon as "about ten o'clock. " There was absolutely no clue to theidentity of this woman. 

Instead of following the suggestion of Miss Blithers that "sufficientpain and annoyance already had been caused, " the journalistsproceeded to increase the agony by venturing the hope that freshdevelopments would materialise before the day was done. 

"Well, she appears to be here, " said Robin, as he laid down the lastof the three journals and stared at Dank as if expecting hope fromthat most unreliable source. 

"I suppose you will now admit that I am right about the letter B, "said Dank sullenly. 

"When I see Miss Guile I shall ask point blank if she is MaudApplegate, Dank, and if she says she isn't, I'll take her word forit, " said Robin. 

"And if she says she is?"

"Well, " said the Prince, ruefully, "I'll still take her word for it. "

"And then?"

"Then I shall be equally frank and tell her that I am Robin ofGraustark. That will put us all square again, and we'll see whatcomes of it in the end. "

"You don't mean to say you'll--you'll continue as you were?" gaspedDank. 

"That depends entirely on Miss Guile, Boske. "

"But you wouldn't dare to marry Maud Applegate Blithers, sir. Youwould be driven out of Graustark and--"

"I think that would depend a good deal on Miss Guile, too, old chap, "said Robin coolly. 

Dank swallowed very hard. "I want to be loyal to you, your highness, "he said as if he did not think it would be possible to remain so. 

"I shall count on you, Dank, " said Robin earnestly. 

"But--" began the lieutenant, and then stopped short. 

"Let me finish it for you. You don't feel as though you could beloyal to Miss Blithers, is that it?"

"I think that would depend on Miss Blithers, " said Dank, and thenbegged to be excused. He went out of the room rather hurriedly. 

"Well, Hobbs, " said Robin, after his astonishment had abated, "whatdo _you_ think of it?"

"I think he's in love with her, sir, " said Hobbs promptly. 

"Good Lord! with--with Miss Guile?"

"Precisely so, sir. "

"Well, I'll be _darned!_" said the American half of Prince Robin withgreat fervour. 

"Tut, tut, sir, " reproved Hobbs, who, as has been said before, was aprivileged character by virtue of long service and his previouscalling as a Cook's interpreter. "Are you going out, sir?"

"Yes. I'm going out to search the highways and by-ways for Bedelia, "said Robin, a gay light in his eyes. "By the way, did you, by anychance, learn the name of the 'andsome young gent as went away with'er, 'Obbs?"

"I did not, sir. I stood at his helbow for quite some time at theGare St. Lazare and the only words he spoke that I could heardistinctly was 'wot the devil do you mean, me man? Ain't there roomenough for you here without standing on my toes like that? Movehover. ' Only, of course, sir, he used the haspirates after a fashionof his own. The haitches are mine, sir. "

"Is he an American?"

"It's difficult to say, sir. He may be from Boston, but you never cantell, sir. "

"Do you know Boston, Hobbs?" inquired the Prince, adjusting his tiebefore the mirror. 

"Not to speak it, sir, " said Hobbs. 

The day was warm and clear, and Paris was gleaming. Robin stretchedhis long legs in a brisk walk across the Place Vendome and up the Ruede la Paix to the Boulevard. Here he hesitated and then retraced hissteps slowly down the street of diamonds, for he suspected Miss Guileof being interested in things that were costly. Suddenly inspired, hemade his way to the Place de la Concorde and settled himself on oneof the seats near the entrance to the Champs Elysees. It was hisshrewd argument that if she planned a ride on that exquisite morningit naturally would be along the great avenue, and in that event hemight reasonably hope to catch her coming or going. A man came up andtook a seat beside him. 

"Good morning, Mr. Schmidt, " said the newcomer, and Robin somewhatgruffly demanded what the deuce he meant by following him. "I havesome interesting news, " said Baron Gourou quietly, removing his hatto wipe a damp brow. He also took the time to recover his breathafter some rather sharp dodging of automobiles in order to attain hispresent position of security. Even a Minister of Police has to steplively in Paris. 

"From home?" asked Robin carelessly. 

"Indirectly. It comes through Berlin. Our special agent there wiresme that the offices of Mr. Blithers in that city have receivedinstructions from him to send engineers to Edelweiss for the purposeof estimating the cost of remodelling and rebuilding the castle, --inother words to restore it to its condition prior to the Marlanxrebellion fifteen years ago. "

There was a tantalising smile on the Baron's face as he watched thechanging expressions in that of his Prince. 

"Are you in earnest?" demanded Robin, a bright red spot appearing ineach cheek. The Baron nodded his head. "Well, he's got a lot ofnerve!"

"I shudder when I think of what is likely to happen to thosearchitects when they begin snooping around the castle, " said Gouroudrily. "By the way, have you seen Miss Guile this morning?"

Robin's cheeks were now completely suffused. "Certainly not. "

"She was in the Rue de la Paix half an hour ago. I thought you might--"

"You saw her, Baron?"

"Yes, highness, and it may interest you to know that she saw you. "

"The deuce you say! But how do you know that it was Miss Guile. You've no means of knowing. "

"It is a part of my profession to recognise people from givendescriptions. In this case, however, the identification was renderedquite simple by the actions of the young lady herself. She happenedto emerge from a shop just as you were passing and I've never seenany one, criminal or otherwise, seek cover as quickly as she did. Shedarted back into the shop like one pursued by the devil. Naturally Ihung around for a few minutes to see the rest of the play. Presentlyshe peered forth, looked stealthily up and down the street, and thendashed across the pavement to a waiting taxi-metre. It affords mepleasure to inform your highness that I took the number of themachine. " He glanced at his cuff-band. 

"Where did she go from the Rue de la Paix?" asked Robin impatiently. 

"To the Ritz. I was there almost as soon as she. She handed anenvelope--containing a letter, I fancy--to the carriage man anddrove away in the direction of the Place de l'Opera. I have a slynotion, my Prince, that you will find a note awaiting you on yourreturn to the hotel. Ah, you appear to be in haste, my young hunter. "

"I am in haste. If you expect to keep alongside, Baron, you'll haveto run I'm afraid, " cried the Prince, and was instantly in his seven-league boots. 

There was a note in Robin's rooms when he reached the hotel. It wasnot the delicately perfumed article that usually is despatched byfictional heroines but a rather business-like envelope bearing thewell-known words "The New York Herald" in one corner and the name "R. Schmidt, Hotel Ritz, " in firm but angular scrawl across its face. AsRobin ripped it open with his finger, Baron Gourou entered the room, but not without giving vent to a slight cough in the way of anannouncement. 

"You forget, highness, that I am a short man and not possessed oflegs that travel by yards instead of feet, " he panted. "Forgive mefor lagging behind. I did my best to keep up with you. "

Robin stared at his visitor haughtily for a moment and then brokeinto a good-humoured laugh. 

"Won't you sit down, Baron? I'll be at liberty in a minute or two, "he said, and coolly proceeded to scan the brief message from MissGuile. 

"Well, " said Gourou, as the young man replaced the letter in theenvelope and stuck it into his pocket. 

CHAPTER XIV

THE CAT IS AWAY

Robins's face was glowing with excitement. He put his hands in histrousers pockets and nervously jingled the coins therein, all thewhile regarding his Minister of Police with speculative eyes. Then heturned to the window and continued to stare down into the PlaceVendome for several minutes, obviously turning something over in hismind before coming to a decision. The Baron waited. None knew betterthan he how to wait. He realised that a great deal hung upon the nextfew sentences to be uttered in that room, and yet he could bepatient. 

At last Robin faced him, but without speaking. An instant later heimpulsively withdrew the letter from his pocket and held it out tothe Baron, who strode across the room and took it from his hand. Without a word, he extracted the single sheet of paper and read whatwas written thereon. 

"I gather from the nature of the invitation that you are expected toenjoy stolen fruit, if I may be so bold as to put it in just thatway, " said he grimly. "Apparently Miss Guile finds the presence of aduenna unnecessarily wise. "

"There's no harm in a quiet little excursion such as she suggests, Baron, " said Robin, defensively. 

"You forget that I have seen the beautiful Miss Guile, " said Gouroudrily. "I take it, then, that you approve of the young lady'sscheme. "

"Scheme sounds rather sinister, doesn't it?"

"Trick, if it please you more than the other. Moreover, I cannot saythat she _suggests_ the quiet little excursion. It occurs to methat she commands, your highness. " He held the missive to the lightand read, a tender irony in his voice: "'My motor will call for youat three this afternoon, and we will run out to St. Cloud for tea; atthe Pavilion Bleu. Mrs. Gaston is spending the day with relatives atChampigny, and we may as well be mice under the circumstances. If youhave another engagement, pray do not let it interfere with thepleasure I am seeking. ' Nothing could be more exacting, my dearPrince. She signs herself 'B. Guile, ' and I am sure she ismagnificently beguiling, if you will pardon the play on words. "

"You wouldn't adopt that tone of suspicion if you knew Miss Guile, "said Robin stiffly. "I am sure nothing could be more frank and above-board than her manner of treating the--"

"And nothing so cock-sure and confident, " put in the Baron. "It wouldserve her right if you ignored the letter altogether. "

"If I were as old as you, Baron, I haven't the least doubt that Ishould do so, " said Robin coolly. "And by the same token, if you wereas young as I, you'd do precisely the thing that I intend to do. I'mgoing to St. Cloud with her. "

"Oh, I haven't been in doubt about that for an instant, " said Gourou. "At your age I greatly favoured the clandestine. You will not pretendto assume that this is not a clandestine excursion. "

"It's a jolly little adventure, " was all that Robin could say, in hisyouthfulness. 

The Baron was thoughtful. "There is something behind thisextraordinary behaviour on the part of a lady generally accreditedwith sense and refinement, " said he after a moment. "I think I haveit, too. She is deliberately putting you to a rather severe test. "

"Test? What do you mean?"

"She is trying you out, sir. Miss Guile, --or possibly Miss Blithers, --is taking a genuine risk in order to determine whether you are areal gentleman or only a make-believe. She is taking a chance withyou. You may call it a jolly little adventure, but I call it the acidtest. Young women of good breeding and refinement do not plan suchadventures with casual, ship-board acquaintances. She intends to findout _what_, not _who_, you are. I must say she's exceedingly cleverand courageous. "

Robin laughed. "Thank you, Baron. Forewarned is forearmed. I shallremain a gentleman at any cost. "

"She is so shrewd and resourceful that I am almost convinced she canbe no other than the daughter of the amazing Mr. Blithers. I believehe achieved most of his success through sheer impudence, though it iscommonly described as daring. "

"In any case. Baron, I shall make it a point to find out whether sheis the lady who defies the amazing Mr. Blithers, and goes into printabout it. "

"She has merely denied that she is engaged to the Prince ofGraustark. Pray do not come back to us with the news that she isengaged to R. Schmidt, " said Gourou significantly. 

Robin smiled reflectively. "That _would_ make a jolly adventure of it, wouldn't it?"

At three o'clock, a big limousine swung under the porte cochere atthe Ritz and a nimble footman hopped down and entered the hotel. Robin was waiting just inside the doors. He recognised the car as theone that had taken Miss Guile away from the Gare St. Lazare, andstepped forward instantly to intercept the man. 

"For Mr. Schmidt?" he inquired. 

"Oui, M'sieur. "

Thrilled by a pleasurable sense of excitement, the Prince ofGraustark entered the car. He was quick to observe that the curtainsin the side windows were partially drawn across the glass. The factthat she elected to journey to the country in a limousine on this hotday did not strike him as odd, for he knew that the comfort lovingFrench people prefer the closed vehicle to the wind-inviting, dust-gathering touring body of the Americans and British. He observed thesingle letter L in gold in the panel of the door, and made mentalnote of the smart livery of the two men on the front seat. 

A delicate perfume lingered in the car, convincing proof that MissGuile had left it but a few minutes before its arrival at the Ritz. As a matter of fact, she was nearer than he thought, for the carwhirled into the Rue de la Paix and stopped at the curb not more thana hundred yards from the Place Vendome. 

Once more the nimble footman hopped down and threw open the door. Aslender, swift-moving figure in a blue linen gown and a wide hat fromwhich sprung two gorgeous blue plumes, emerged from the door of adiamond merchant's shop, and, before Robin could move from hiscorner, popped into the car and sat down beside him with a nervouslittle laugh on her lips--red lips that showed rose-like and temptingbehind a thick chiffon veil, obviously donned for an excellentreason. The exquisite features of Miss Guile were barelydistinguishable beneath the surface of this filmy barrier. The doorclosed sharply and, almost before the Prince had recovered from hissurprise, the car glided off in the direction of the Place del'Opera. 

"Isn't it just like an elopement?" cried Miss Guile, and it was quiteplain to him that she was vastly pleased with the sprightlyintroduction to the adventure. Her voice trembled slightly and shesat up very straight in the wide, comfortable seat. 

"Is it really you?" cried Robin, and he was surprised to find thathis own voice trembled. 

"Oh, " she said, with a sudden diffidence, "how do you do? What mustyou think of me, bouncing in like that and never once speaking toyou?"

"If I were to tell you what I think of you, you'd bounce right outagain without speaking to me, " said he, smiling. "How do you do?" Heextended his hand, but it was ignored. She sank back into the cornerand looked at him for a moment as if uncertain what to say or donext. The shadowy red lips were smiling and the big dark eyes wereeloquent, even through the screen. 

"I may as well tell you at the outset, Mr. Schmidt, that I've never--_never_--done a thing like this before, " she said, an uneasy note inher voice. 

"I am quite sure of that, " said he, "and therefore confess to a vastwealth of satisfaction. "

"What _do_ you think of me?"

"I think that you are frightened almost out of your boots, " said heboldly. 

"No, I'm not, " said she resolutely. "I am only conscious of feelingextremely foolish. "

"I shouldn't feel that way about stealing off for a cup of tea, " saidhe. "It's all quite regular, you know, and is frequently done in thevery best circles when the cat's away. "

"You see, I couldn't quite scrape up the courage to go directly tothe hotel for you, " she said. "I know several people who are stoppingthere and I--I--well, you won't think I'm a dreadful person, willyou?"

"Not at all, " he declared promptly. Then he resolved to put one ofthe questions he had made up his mind to ask at the firstopportunity. "Do you mind telling me why you abandoned me socompletely, so heartlessly on the day we landed?"

"Because there was no reason why I should act otherwise, Mr. Schmidt, " she said, the tremor gone from her voice. 

"And yet you take me to St. Cloud for tea, " he said pointedly. 

"Ah, but no one is to know of this, " she cried warmly. "This is asecret, a very secret adventure. "

He could not help staring. "And that is just why I am mystified. Whyis to-day so different from yesterday?"

"It isn't, " she said. "Doesn't all this prove it?"

His face fell. "Don't you want to be seen with me, Miss Guile? Am Inot--"

"Wait! Will you not be satisfied with things as they are and refrainfrom asking unnecessary questions?"

"I shall have to be satisfied, " said he ruefully. 

"I am sorry I said that, Mr. Schmidt, " she cried, contrite at once. "There is absolutely no reason why I should not be seen with you. Butwon't you be appeased when I say that I wanted to be with you aloneto-day?"

He suddenly remembered the Baron's shrewd conjecture and let theopportunity to say something banal go by without a word. Perhaps itwas a test, after all. He merely replied that she was paying him agreater compliment than he deserved. 

"There are many things I want to speak about, Mr. Schmidt, and--andyou know how impossible it is to--to get a moment to one's self whenone is being watched like a child, as I am being watched over by dearMrs. Gaston. She is my shield and armour, my lovely one-headeddragon. I placed myself in her care and--well, she is a verydependable person. You _will_ understand, won't you?"

"Pray do not distress yourself, Miss Guile, " he protested. "The lastword is spoken. I am too happy to spoil the day by doubting itsintegrity. Besides, I believe I know you better than you think I do. "

He expected her to reveal some sign of dismay, but she was suddenlyon guard. 

"Then you will not mind my eccentricities, " she said calmly, "and weshall have a very nice drive, some tea and a--lark in place of themore delectable birds prescribed by the chef at the Pavilion Bleu. "

As the car turned into the Boulevard des Capucines Robin suppressedan exclamation of annoyance on beholding Baron Gourou and Dankstanding on the curb almost within arm's length of the car as itpassed. The former was peering rather intently at the two men on thefront seat, and evinced little or no interest in the occupants of thetonneau. 

"Wasn't that your friend Mr. Dank?" inquired Miss Guile withinterest. He felt that she was chiding him. 

"Yes, " said he, and then turned for another look at his compatriots. Gourou was jotting something down on his cuff-band. The Princementally promised him something for his pains. "But let us leave dullcare behind, " he went on gaily. 

"He isn't at all dull, " said she. 

"But he _is_ a care, " said he. "He is always losing his heart, MissGuile. "

"And picking up some one else's, I fancy, " said she. 

"By the way, who was the good-looking chap that came to Cherbourg tomeet you?"

"A very old friend, Mr. Schmidt. I've known him since I was thathigh. " (That high was on a line with her knee. )

"Attractive fellow, " was his comment. 

"Do you think so?" she inquired innocently, and he thought she over-played it a little. He was conscious of an odd sense ofdisappointment in her. "Have you never been out to St. Cloud? No? Inever go there without feeling a terrible pity for those poorprodigals who stood beside its funeral pyre and saw their follystripped down to the starkest of skeletons while they waited. The dayof glory is short, Mr. Schmidt, and the night that follows isbitterly long. They say possession is nine points of the law, butwhat do nine points mean to the lawless? The rich man of to-day maybe the beggar of to-morrow, and the rich man's sons and daughters maybe serving the beggars of yesterday. I have been told that in thelower east side of New York City there are men and women who wereonce princes and princesses, counts and countesses, dukes andduchesses. Why doesn't some one write a novel about the royalty thathides its beggary in the slums of that great city?"

"What's this? Epigrams and philosophy, Miss Guile?" he exclaimedwonderingly. "You amaze me. What are you trying to convey? That someday you may be serving yesterday's beggar?"

"Who knows!" she said cryptically. "I am not a philosopher, and I'msorry about the epigrams. I loathe people who make use of them. Theyare a cheap substitution for wisdom. Do you take sugar in your tea?"It was her way of abandoning the topic, but he looked his perplexity. "I thought I'd ask now, just for the sake of testing my memory lateron. " She was laughing. 

"Two lumps and cream, " he said. "Won't you be good enough to take offthat veil? It seriously obstructs the view. "

She complacently shook her head. "It doesn't obstruct mine, " shesaid. "Have you been reading what the papers are saying about yourfriend Mr. Blithers and his obstreperous Maud?"

Robin caught his breath. In a flash he suspected an excellent reasonfor keeping the veil in place. It gave her a distinct advantage overhim. 

"Yes. I see that she positively denies the whole business. "

"Likewise the prospective spouse, " she added. "Isn't it sickening?"

"I wonder what Mr. Blithers is saying to-day, " said he audaciously. "Poor old cock, he must be as sore as a crab. By the way, it isreported that she crossed on the steamer with us. "

"I am quite certain that she did, Mr. Schmidt, " said she. 

"You really think so?" he cried, regarding her keenly. 

"The man who came to meet me knows her quite well. He is confidentthat he saw her at Cherbourg. "

"I see, " said he, and was thoroughly convinced. "I may as wellconfess to you. Miss Guile, that I also know her when I see her. "

"But you told me positively that you had never seen her, Mr. Schmidt, " she said quickly. 

"I had not seen her up to the second day out on the _Jupiter_, " heexplained, enjoying himself immensely. 

"It was after that that you--"

"I know, " he said, as she hesitated; "but you see I didn't know shewas Miss Blithers until sometime after I had met you. " There was achallenge in his manner amounting almost to a declaration. 

She leaned forward to regard him more intently. 

"Is it possible, Mr. Schmidt, that you suspect _me_ of beingthat horrid, vulgar creature?"

Robin was not to be trapped. There was something in the shadowy eyesthat warned him. 

"At least, I may say that I do not suspect you of being a horrid, vulgar creature, " he said evasively. 

"What else can this Miss Blithers be if not that?"

"Would you say that she is vulgar because she refuses to acknowledgea condition that doesn't exist? I think she did perfectly right indenying the engagement. "

"You haven't answered my question, Mr. Schmidt. "

"Well, " he began slowly, "I don't suspect you of being MissBlithers. "

"But you did suspect it. "

"I was pleasantly engaged in speculation, that's all. It is generallybelieved that Miss Blithers sailed under an assumed name--literally, not figuratively. "

"Is there any reason why you should imagine that my name is notGuile?"

"Yes. Your luggage is resplendently marked with the second letter inthe alphabet--a gory, crimson B. "

"I see, " she said reflectively. "You examined my luggage, as they sayin the customs office. And you couldn't put B and G together, is thatit?"

"Obviously. "

"If you had taken the trouble to look, you would have found anequally resplendent G on the opposite end of each and every trunk, Mr. Schmidt, " she said quietly. 

"I did not examine your luggage, Miss Guile, " said he stiffly. Shehadn't left much for him to stand upon. "Rather unique way to putone's initials on a trunk, isn't it?"

"It possesses the virtue of originality, " she admitted, "and it neverfails to excite curiosity. I am sorry you were misled. Nothing couldbe more distressing than to be mistaken for the heroine of a storyand then turn out to be a mere nobody in the end. I've no doubt thatif the amiable Miss Blithers were to hear of it, she'd rush intoprint and belabour me with the largest type that money could buy. "

"Oh, come now, Miss Guile, " he protested, "it really isn't fair toMiss Blithers. She was justified in following an illustrious example. You forget that the Prince of Graustark was the first to rush intoprint with a flat denial. What else could the poor girl do?"

"Oh, I am not defending the Prince of Graustark. He behavedabominably, rushing into print as you say. Extremely bad taste, Ishould call it. "

Robin's ears burned. He could not defend himself. There was nothingleft for him to do but to say that it "served him jolly well right, the way Miss Blithers came back at him. "

"Still, " she said, "I would be willing to make a small wager that thewell-advertised match comes off in spite of all the denials. Given adetermined father, an ambitious mother, a purse-filled daughter andan empty-pursed nobleman, and I don't see how the inevitable can beavoided. "

His face was flaming. It was with difficulty that he restrained theimpulse to put her right in the matter without further ado. 

"Are you sure that the Prince is so empty of purse as all that?" hemanaged to say, without betraying himself irretrievably. 

"There doesn't seem to be any doubt that he borrowed extensively ofMr. Blithers, " she said scornfully. "He is under some obligations tohis would-be-father-in-law, I submit, now isn't he?"

"I suppose so, Miss Guile, " he admitted uncomfortably. 

"And therefore owes him something more than a card in the newspapers, don't you think?"

"Really, Miss Guile, I--I--"

"I beg your pardon. The Prince's affairs are of no importance to you, so why should I expect you to stand up for him?"

"I confess that I am a great deal more interested in Miss Blithersthan I am in the Prince. By the way, what would you have done had youbeen placed in her position?"

"I think I should have acted quite as independently as she. "

"If your father were to pick out a husband for you, whether or no, you would refuse to obey the paternal command?"

"Most assuredly. As a matter of fact, Mr. Schmidt, my father hasexpressed a wish that I should marry a man who doesn't appeal to meat all. "

"And you refuse?"

"Absolutely. "

"More or less as Miss Blithers has done, " he said pointedly. 

"Miss Blithers, I understand, has the advantage of me in one respect. I am told that she wants to marry another man and is very much inlove with him. "

"A chap named Scoville, " said Robin, unguardedly. 

"You know him, Mr. Schmidt?"

"No. I've merely heard of him. I take it from your remark that youdon't want to marry anybody--at present. "

"Quite right. Not at present. Now let us talk of something else. _Abas_ Blithers! Down with the plutocrats! Stamp out the vulgarians!Is there anything else you can suggest?" she cried gaily. 

"Long live the Princess Maud!" said he, and doffed his hat. Thesatirical note in his voice was not lost on her. She startedperceptibly, and caught her breath. Then she sank back into thecorner with a nervous, strained little laugh. 

"You think she will marry him?"

"I think as you do about it, Miss Guile, " said he, and she wassilenced. 

CHAPTER XV

THE MICE IN A TRAP

They had a table in a cool, shady corner of the broad porchoverlooking the Place d'Armes and the Seine and its vociferousferries. To the right runs the gleaming roadway that leads to thehills and glades through which pomp and pride once strode with suchfatal arrogance. Blue coated servitors attended them on theirarrival, and watched over them during their stay. It was as if MissGuile were the fairy princess who had but to wish and her slightestdesire was gratified. Her guest, a real prince, marvelled not alittle at the complete sway she exercised over this somewhatautocratic army of menials. They bowed and scraped, and fetched, andcarried, and were not Swiss but slaves in Bagdad during the reign ofits most illustrious Caliph, Al-haroun Raschid the great. The magicof Araby could have been no more potent than the spell this beautifulgirl cast over the house of Mammon. She laid her finger upon a purseof gold and wished, and lo! the wonders of the magic carpet wererepeated. 

Robin remembered that Maud Applegate Blithers had spent the greaterpart of her life in Paris, and it was therefore not unreasonable tosuppose that she had spent something else as well. At any rate, thePavilion Bleu was a place where it _had_ to be spent if one wanted theattention accorded the few. 

She had removed her veil, but he was not slow to perceive that shesat with her back to the long stretch of porch. 

"Do you prefer this place to Armenonville or the Paillard at PreCatelan, Miss Guile?" he inquired, quite casually, but with a secretpurpose. 

"No, it is stupid here, as a rule, and common. Still every one goesto the other places in the afternoon and I particularly wanted to beas naughty as possible, so I came here to-day. "

"It doesn't strike me as especially naughty, " he remarked. 

"But it was very, very naughty before you and I were born, Mr. Schmidt. The atmosphere still remains, if one possesses acomprehensive imagination. "

"I daresay, " said he, "but the imagination doesn't thrive on tea. Those were the days of burgundy and a lot of other red things. "

"One doesn't need to be in shackles, to expatiate on the terrors ofthe Bridge of Sighs, " she said. 

"Are you going to take me up to the park?"

"Yes. Into the Shadows. "

"Oh, that's good! I'm sure my imagination will work beautifully whenit isn't subdued by all these blue devils. I--_Que voulez vous?_" Thequestion was directed rather sharply to a particularly deferential"blue devil" who stood at his elbow. 

"Monsieur Schmidt?"

"Yes. What's this? A letter! 'Pon my soul, how the deuce could anyone--" He got no farther, for Miss Guile's action in pulling down herveil and the subsequent spasmodic glance over her shoulder betrayedsuch an agitated state of mind on her part that his own sensationswere checked at the outset. 

"There must be some one here who knows you, Mr. Schmidt, " she saidnervously. "See what it says, please, --at once. I--perhaps we shouldbe starting home immediately. "

Robin tore open the envelope. A glance showed him that the brief notewas from Gourou. A characteristic G served as a signature. As heread, a hard line appeared between his eyes and his expression grewserious. 

"It is really nothing, Miss Guile, " he said and prepared to tear thesheet into many pieces. "A stupid, alleged joke of a fellow whohappens to know me, that's all. "

"Don't tear it up!" she cried sharply. "What does it say? I have aright to know, Mr. Schmidt, even though it is only a joke. What hasthis friend of yours to say about me? What coarse, uncalled-forcomment has he to make about--"

"Let me think for a moment, Miss Guile, " he interrupted, suddenlyrealising that it was time for reflection. After a moment he saidsoberly: "I think it would be wise if we were to leave instantly. There is nothing to be alarmed about, I assure you, but--well, we'dbetter go. "

"Will you allow me to see that letter?" she asked, extending herhand. 

"I'd rather not, if you don't mind. "

"But I insist, sir! I'll not go a step from this place until I knowwhat all this is about. "

"As it happens to concern you even more than it does me, I supposeyou'd better see what it says. " He passed the letter over to her andwatched her narrowly as she read. Again the veil served as acompetent mask. 

"Who wrote this letter, Mr. Schmidt?" she demanded. Even through theveil he could see that her eyes were wide with--was it alarm oranger?

"A man named Gourou. He is a detective engaged on a piece of work forMr. Totten. "

"Is it a part of his duty to watch your movements?" she asked, leaning forward. 

"No. He is my friend, however, " said Robin steadily. " According tothis epistle, it would appear that it is a part of his duty to keeptrack of you, not me. May I ask why you should be shadowed by two ofhis kind?"

She did not answer at once. When she spoke, it was with a determinedeffort to maintain her composure. 

"I am sorry to have subjected you to all this, Mr. Schmidt. We willdepart at once. I find that the cat is never away, so we can't bemice. What a fool I've been. " There was something suspiciouslysuggestive of tears in her soft voice. 

He laid a hand upon the small fingers that clutched the crumpledsheet of paper. To have saved his life, he could not keep the choked, husky tremor out of his voice. 

"The day is spoiled for you. That is my only regret. As for me, MissGuile, I am not without sin, so I may cast no stones. Pray regard meas a fellow culprit, and rest assured that I have no bone to pickwith you. I too am watched and yet I am no more of a criminal thanyou. Will you allow me to say that I am a friend whose devotioncannot be shaken by all the tempests in the world?"

"Thank you, " she said, and turned her hand under his to give it aquick, convulsive clasp. Her spirits seemed to revive under theresponsive grip. "You might have said all the tempests in a tea pot, for that is really what it amounts to. My father is a very foolishman. Will you send for the car?"

He called an attendant and ordered him to find Miss Guile's footmanat once. When he returned to the table, she was reading the note oncemore. 

"It is really quite thrilling, isn't it?" she said, and there wasstill a quaver of indignation in her voice. "Are you not mystified?"

"Not in the least, " said he promptly, and drew a chair up closebeside hers. "It's as plain as day. Your father has found you out, that's all. Let's read it again, " and they read it together. 

"A word to the wise, " it began. "Two men from a private detectiveconcern have been employed since yesterday in watching the movementsof your companion, for the purpose of safe-guarding her against good-looking young men, I suspect. I have it from the most reliable ofsources that her father engaged the services of these men almostsimultaneously with the date of our sailing from New York. It mayinterest you to know that they followed you to St. Cloud in a high-power car and no doubt are watching you as you read this message fromyour faithful friend, who likewise is not far away. "

"I should have anticipated this, Mr. Schmidt, " she said ruefully. "Itis just the sort of thing my father would do. "

"You seem to take it calmly enough. "

"I am quite used to it. I would be worth a great deal to anyenterprising person who made it his business to steal me. There is nolimit to the ransom he could demand. "

"You alarm me, " he declared. "No doubt these worthy guardians lookupon me as a kidnapper. I am inclined to shiver. "

"'All's well that ends well, '" quoth she, pulling on her gloves, "Ishall restore you safely to the bosom of the Ritz and that will bethe end of it. "

"I almost wish that some one would kidnap you, Miss Guile. It wouldafford me the greatest pleasure in the world to snatch you from theirclutches. Your father would be saved paying the ransom but I shouldhave to be adequately rewarded. I fancy, however, that he wouldn'tmind paying the reward I should hold out for. "

"I am quite sure he would give you anything you were to ask for, Mr. Schmidt, " said she gaily. "You would be reasonable, of course. "

"I might ask for the most precious of his possessions, " said he, leaning forward to look directly into eyes that wavered and refusedto meet his. 

"Curiosity almost makes me wish that I might be kidnapped. I shouldthen find out what you consider to be his most precious possession, "she said, and her voice was perilously low. 

"I think I could tell you in advance, " said he, his eyes shining. 

"I--I prefer to find out in my own way, Mr. Schmidt, " she stammeredhurriedly. Her confusion was immensely gratifying to him. There is notelling what might have happened to the Prince of Graustark at thatmoment if an obsequious attendant had not intervened with the earthlyinformation that the car was waiting. 

"Good Lord, " Robin was saying to himself as he followed her to thesteps, "was I about to go directly against the sage advice of oldGourou? Was I so near to it as that? In another minute--Gee, but itwas a close shave. She is adorable, she is the most adorable creaturein the world, even though she is the daughter of old man Blithers, and I--'gad I wonder what will come of it in the end? Keep a tightgrip on yourself, Bobby, or you're a goner, sure as fate. "

They were painfully aware of the fact that their progress down thelong verandah was made under the surveillance of two, perhaps threepairs of unwavering eyes, and because of it they looked neither toright nor left but as those who walk tight-ropes over dangerousplaces. There was something positively uncanny in the feeling thattheir every movement was being watched by secret observers. Onceinside the car, Miss Guile sank back with a long sigh of relief. 

"Did you feel it, too?" she asked, with a nervous little catch in hervoice. 

"I did, " said he, passing his hand over his brow. "It was like beingalone in the dark with eyes staring at one from all sides of theroom. "

The car shot across the bridge and was speeding on its way towardthe Bois when Robin ventured a glance behind. Through the littlewindow in the back of the car he saw a big, swift-moving automobilenot more than a quarter of a mile in their rear. 

"Would you like to verify the report of my friend Gourou?" he asked, his voice quick with exhilaration. She knelt with one knee upon theseat and peered back along the road. 

"There they are!" she cried. She threw the veil back over her hat asshe resumed her seat in the corner. Her eyes were fairly dancing withexcitement. The warm red lips were parted and she was breathingquickly. Suddenly she laid her hand over her heart as if to check itslively thumping. "Isn't it splendid? We are being pursued--actuallychased by the man-hunters of Paris! Oh, I was never so happy in mylife. Isn't it great?"

"It is glorious!" he cried exultantly. "Shall I tell the chauffeur tohit it up a bit? Let's make it a real chase. "

"Yes, do! We'll see if we can foil them, as they say in the books. Oh, wouldn't it be wonderful if we were to--to--what do you call it?Give them the slip, isn't that it?"

"I'm game, " said he, with enthusiasm. For a second or two they lookedstraight into each other's eyes and a message was exchanged thatnever could have been put into words. No doubt it was the flush ofeager excitement that darkened their cheeks. In any case, it cameswiftly and went as quickly, leaving them paler than before andvastly self-conscious. And after that brief, searching look they knewthat they could never be as they were before the exchange. They wereno longer strangers to each other, but shy comrades and filled with adelicious sense of wonder. 

Robin gave hurried directions through the speaking tube to theattentive footman, and so explicit were these directions that thegreatest excitement prevailed upon the decorous front seat of thecar--first the footman looked back along the road, then thechauffeur, after which a thrill of excitement seemed to fairly raceup and down their liveried backs. The car itself took a notion toquiver with the promise of joy unrestrained. In less than a minutethey were going more than a mile a minute over a short stretch of theAvenue de Longchamp. At the Porte de Hippodrome they slowed down andran into the Bois, taking the first road to the left. In a fewminutes they were scudding past Longchamp at a "fair clip" to quoteR. Schmidt. Instead of diverging into the Allee de Longchamp, the cartook a sharp turn into the Avenue de l'Hippodrome and, at theintersection, doubled back over the Allee de la Heine Marguerite, going almost to the Boulogne gate, where again it was sent Pariswardover the Avenue de St. Cloud. 

Miss Guile was in command of the flight. She called out theinstructions to the driver and her knowledge of the intricate routesthrough the park stood them well in hand. Purposely she evaded theCascades, circling the little pools by narrow, unfrequented roads, coming out at last to the Porte de la Muette, where they left thepark and took to the Avenue Henri Martin. It was her design to avoidthe customary routes to the heart of the city, and all would havegone well with them had not fate in the shape of two burly_sergents de ville_ intervened at a time when success seemedmost certain. It was quite clear to the pursued that the carcontaining their followers had been successfully eluded and was nodoubt in the Champs Elysees by this time. For some time there hadbeen a worried look in the Prince's eyes. Once he undertook toremonstrate with his fair companion. 

"My dear Miss Guile, we'll land in jail if we keep up this hair-raising speed. There wouldn't be any fun in that, you know. "

She gave him a scornful look. "Are you afraid, Mr. Schmidt?"

"Not on my own account, " said he, "but yours. I've heard that the newregulations are extremely rigid. "

"Pooh! I'm not afraid of the police. They--why, what's the matter?Oh, goodness!"

The car had come to a somewhat abrupt stop. Two policemen, dismountedfrom their bicycles, formed an insurmountable obstruction. They werealmost in the shade of the Trocadero. 

"Do not be alarmed, " whispered Robin to the fast paling girl, intowhose eyes the most abject misery had leaped at the sight of the twoofficers. "Leave it to me. I can fix them all right. There's nothingto be worried about--well, _sergent_, what is it?"

The polite officers came up to the window with their little note-books. 

"I regret, m'sieur, that we shall be obliged to conduct yourself andmademoiselle to the office of a magistrate. Under the new regulationsset forth in the order of last May, motorists may be given a hearingat once. I regret to add that m'sieur has been exceeding the speedlimit. A complaint came in but a few minutes ago from the Porte de laMuette and we have been ordered to intercept the car. You may followus to the office of the magistrate, m'sieur. It will soon be over, mademoiselle. "

"But we can explain--" she began nervously. 

The _sergent_ held up his hand. "It is not necessary to explain, mademoiselle. Too many motorists have explained in the past but thatdoes not restore to life the people they have killed in the pursuitof pleasure. Paris is enforcing her laws. "

"But, _sergent_, I alone am to blame for any violation of the law, "said Robin suavely. "Surely it is only necessary that I shouldaccompany you to the magistrate. The young lady is in no wayresponsible--"

"Alas, m'sieur, " said the man firmly but as if he were quite broken-hearted, "it is not for me to disobey the law, even though you may doso. It is necessary for the lady to appear before the Judge, and itis our duty to convey her there. The new law explicitly says that alloccupants of said car shall be subject to penalty under the lawwithout reprieve or pardon!"

"Where are your witnesses?" demanded Robin. 

The two men produced their watches and their notebooks, tapping themsignificantly. 

"M'sieur will not think of denying that he has been running morerapidly than the law allows, " said the second officer. "It will goharder with him if he should do so. "

"I shall insist upon having an advocate to represent me before--"

"As you like, m'sieur, " said the first officer curtly. "Proceed!" heuttered as a command to the chauffeur, and forthwith mounted hiswheel. A score of people had gathered round them by this time, andMiss Guile was crouching back in her corner. Her veil was down. Insingle file, so to speak, they started off for the office of thenearest magistrate appointed under the new law governing automobiles. A policeman pedaled ahead of the car and another followed. 

"Isn't it dreadful?" whispered Miss Guile. "What do you think theywill do to us? Oh, I am so sorry, Mr. Schmidt, to have dragged youinto this horrid--"

"I wouldn't have missed it for anything in the world, " said he soearnestly that she sat up a little straighter and caught her breath. "After all, they will do no more than assess a fine against us. Ahundred francs, perhaps. That is nothing. "

"I am not so sure of that, " said she gloomily. "My friends weresaying only yesterday that the new law provides for imprisonment aswell. Paris has constructed special prisons for motorists, and peopleare compelled to remain in them for days and weeks at a time. Oh, Ihope--"

"I'll inquire of the footman, " said Robin. "He will know. " Thefootman, whose face was very long and serious, replied through thetube that very few violators escaped confinement in the "littleprisons. " He also said "Mon dieu" a half dozen times, and there was amovement of the driver's pallid lips that seemed to indicate afervent echo. 

"I shall telephone at once--to my friends, " said Miss Guile, a noteof anger in her voice. "They are very powerful in Paris. We shall putthose miserable wretches in their proper places. They--"

"We must not forget. Miss Guile, that we _were_ breaking the law, "said Robin, who was beginning to enjoy the discomfiture of thisspoiled beauty, this girl whose word was a sort of law unto itself. 

"It is perfect nonsense, " she declared. "We did no harm. Goodness!What is this?"

Four or five policemen on wheels passed by the car, each with aforbidding glance through the windows. 

"They are the boys we left behind us, " paraphrased Robin soberly. "The park policemen. They've just caught us up, and, believe me, theylook serious, too. I dare say we are in for it. "

In a very few minutes the procession arrived at a low, formidablelooking building on a narrow side street. The cavalcade of policemendismounted and stood at attention while Mademoiselle and Monsieur gotdown from the car and followed a polite person in uniform through thedoors. Whereupon the group of _sergents de ville_ trooped in behind, bringing with them the neatly liveried servants with the golden letterL on their cuffs. 

"I believe there is a jail back there, " whispered the slim culprit, aquaver in her voice. She pointed down the long, narrow corridor atthe end of which loomed a rather sinister looking door with thickbolt-heads studding its surface. 

An instant later they were ushered into a fair-sized room on the leftof the hall, where they were commanded to sit down. A lot of chairsstood about the room, filling it to the farthest corners, while atthe extreme end was the Judge's bench. 

"I insist on being permitted to telephone to friends--to my legaladvisors, --"began Miss Guile, with praiseworthy firmness, only to besilenced by the attendant, who whispered shrilly that a trial was inprogress, couldn't she see?

Two dejected young men were standing before the Judge, flanked bythree _sergents de ville_. Robin and Miss Guile stared wide-eyedat their fellow criminals and tried to catch the low words spoken bythe fat Magistrate. Once more they were ordered to sit down, thistime not quite so politely, and they took seats in the darkest cornerof the room, as far removed from justice as possible under thecircumstances. 

Presently a young man approached them. He was very nice looking andastonishingly cheerful. The hopes of the twain went up with a bound. His expression was so benign, so bland that they at once jumped tothe conclusion that he was coming to tell them that they were free togo, that it had all been a stupid mistake. But they were wrong. Hesmilingly introduced himself as an advocate connected with the courtby appointment and that he would be eternally grateful to them ifthey would tell him what he could do for them. 

"I'd like to have a word in private with the Magistrate, " said thePrince of Graustark eagerly. 

"Impossible!" said the advocate, lifting his eyebrows and his smartlittle mustachios in an expression of extreme amazement. "It isimposs--" A sharp rapping on the Judge's desk reduced the remainderof the sentence to a delicate whisper--"ible. M'sieur. "

"Will you conduct me to a telephone booth?" whispered Miss Guile, tearfully. 

"Pray do not weep, Mademoiselle, " implored the advocate, profoundlymoved, but at the same time casting a calculating eye over theluckless pair. 

"Well, what's to be done?" demanded Robin. "We insist on having ourown legal advisors here. "

"The court will not delay the hearing, M'sieur, " explained the youngman. "Besides, the best legal advisor in Paris could do no more thanto advise you to plead guilty. I at least can do that quite as ablyas the best of them. No one ever pretends to defend a case in theautomobile courts, M'sieur. It is a waste of time, and the court doesnot approve of wasting time. Perhaps you will feel more content if Iintroduce the assistant public prosecutor, who will explain the law. That is his only duty. He does not prosecute. There is no need. The_sergents_ testify and that is all there is to the case. "

"May I inquire what service you can be to us if the whole business iscut and dried like that?" asked Robin. 

"Not so loud, M'sieur. As I said before, I can advise you in respectto your plea, and I can tell you how to present your statement to thecourt. I can caution you in many ways. Sometimes a prisoner, who iswell-rehearsed, succeeds in affecting the honourable Magistratenicely, and the punishment is not so severe. "

"So you advise us to plead guilty as delicately as possible?"

"I shall not advise you, M'sieur, unless it pleases you to retain meas your counsellor. The fee is small. Ten francs. Inasmuch as theamount is charged against you in the supplemental costs, it seemsfoolish not to take advantage of what you are obliged to pay for inany event. You will have to pay my fee, so you may as well permit meto be of service to you. "

"My only concern is over Mademoiselle, " said the Prince. "You maysend me to jail if you like, if you'll only--"

"Mon dieu! I am not the one who enjoys the distinguished honour ofbeing permitted to send people to jail, but the Judge, M'sieur. "

"It is ridiculous to submit this innocent young lady to thehumiliation of--"

"It is not only ridiculous but criminal, " said the advocate, with amagnificent bow. "But what is one to do when it is the law? Of late, the law is peculiarly sexless. And now here is where I come in. It isI who shall instruct you--both of you, Mademoiselle--how to conductyourselves before the Magistrate. Above all things, do not attempt tocontradict a single statement of the police. Admit that all they sayis true, even though they say that you have run over a child or anold woman with mortal results. It will go much easier with you. Exercise the gravest politeness and deference toward the honourableMagistrate and to every officer of the court. You are Americans, nodoubt. The courts are prone to be severe with the Americans becausethey sometimes undertake to tell them how easy it is to get the rightkind of justice in your wonderfully progressive United States. Behumble, contrite, submissive, for that is only justice to the court. If you have killed some one in your diversions, pray do not try totell the magistrate that the idiot ought to have kept his eyes open. Another thing: do not inform the court that you require a lawyer. That is evidence of extreme culpability and he will consider you tobe inexcusably guilty. Are you attending? Pray do not feel sorry forthe two young men who are now being led away. See! They are weeping. It is as I thought. They are going to prison for--But that is theiraffair, not ours. I advised them as I am advising you, but theyinsisted on making a statement of their case. That was fatal, for itfailed in many respects to corroborate the information supplied bythe police. It-"

"What was the charge against them?" whispered Miss Guile, quaking. She had watched the exit of the tearful young men, one of whom wassobbing bitterly, and a great fear possessed her. 

"Of that, Mademoiselle, I am entirely ignorant, but they wereunmistakably guilty of denying it, whatever it was. "

"Are they going to prison?" she gasped. 

"It is not that which causes them to weep so bitterly, but theknowledge that their names are to be posted on the bulletin boards inthe Place de l'Opera, the Place de l'Concorde, the--"

"Good Lord!" gasped Robin. "Is _that_ being done?"

"It is M'sieur, and the effect is marvellous. Three months ago theboards were filled with illustrious names; to-day there are but fewto be found upon them. The people have discovered that the courts arein earnest. The law is obeyed as it never was before. The prisonswere crowded to suffocation at one time; now they are almost empty. It is a good law. To-day a mother can wheel her baby carriage in thethickest of the traffic and run no risk of--Ah, but here is theassistant prosecutor coming. Permit me to further warn you that youwill be placed under oath to tell the absolute truth. The prosecutorwill ask but three questions of you: your age, your name and yourplace of residence. All of them you must answer truthfully, especially as to your names. If it is discovered that you havefalsely given a name not your own, the lowest penalty is sixty daysin prison, imposed afterwards in addition to the sentence you willreceive for violating the traffic laws. I have performed my duty asrequired by the commissioner. My fee is a fixed one, so you need notput your hand into your pocket, M'sieur. Good day. Mademoiselle--goodday, M'sieur. " He bowed profoundly and gave way to the impatientprosecutor, who had considerately held himself aloof while the finalwords were being uttered, albeit he glanced at his watch a couple oftimes. 

"Come, " he said, and he did not whisper; "let us be as expeditious aspossible. Approach the court. It is--"

"See here, " said Robin savagely, "this is too damned high-handed. Arewe to have no chance to defend ourselves? We--"

"Just as you please, M'sieur, " interrupted the prosecutor patiently. "It is nothing to me. I receive my fee in any event. If you care todefy the law in addition to what you have already done, it is not forme to object. "

"Well, I insist on having--"

A thunderous pounding on the bench interrupted his hot-headed speech. 

"Attend!" came in a sharp, uncompromising voice from the bench. "Whatis the delay? This is no time to think. All that should have beendone before. Step forward! _Sergent_, see that the prisoners stepforward. "

Robin slipped his arm through Miss Guile's, expecting her to droopheavily upon it for support. To his surprise she drew herself up, dis-engaged herself, and walked straight up to the bench, withoutfear or hesitation. It was Robin who needed an example of courage andfortitude, not she. The chauffeur and footman, shivering in theirelegance, already stood before the bench. 

"Will you be so kind as to raise your veil, Madam?" spake the court. 

She promptly obeyed. He leaned forward with sudden interest. Theprosecutor blinked and abruptly overcame the habitual inclination toappear bored. Such ravishing beauty had never before found its wayinto that little court-room. Adjacent moustaches were fingeredsomewhat convulsively by several _sergents de ville. _

"Ahem!" said the court, managing with some difficulty to regain hisjudicial form. "I am compelled by law, Mademoiselle, to warn youbefore you are placed under oath that the lowest penalty for giving afalse name in answer to the charge to be brought against you isimprisonment for not less than sixty days. I repeat this warning toyou, young man. Be sworn, if you please. "

Robin experienced a queer sense of exultation, not at all lessened bythe knowledge that he would be forced to reveal his own identity. Would she call herself Bedelia Guile or would she--"

"State your name, Mademoiselle, " said the prosecutor. 

CHAPTER XVI

THREE MESSAGES

Miss Guile lowered her head for an instant. Robin could see that herlip was quivering. A vast pity for her took possession of him and hewas ashamed of what he now regarded as unexampled meanness of spiriton his own part. She lifted her shamed, pleading eyes to search his, as if expecting to find succour in their fearless depths. She foundthem gleaming with indignation, suddenly aroused, and was instantlyapprehensive. There was a look in those eyes of his that seemedprophetic of dire results unless she checked the words that wererising to his lips. She shook her head quickly and, laying a handupon his arm, turned to the waiting magistrate. 

"My name is--Oh, is there no way to avoid the publicity--" she sighedmiserably--"the publicity that--"

"I regret, Mademoiselle, that there is no alternative--" began theJudge, to be interrupted by the banging of the court-room door. Helooked up, glaring at the offender with ominous eyes. The politeattendant from the outer corridor was advancing in great haste. Hewas not only in haste but vastly perturbed. 

Despite the profound whack of the magistrate's paper weight on thehollow top of the desk and the withering scowl that went with it, theattendant rushed forward, forgetting his manners, his habits and hispower of speech in one complete surrender to nature. He thrust intothe hand of the Judge a slip of paper, at the same time gaspingsomething that might have been mistaken for an appeal for pardon butwhich more than likely was nothing of the sort. 

"What is this?" demanded the Judge ferociously. 

"Mon dieu!" replied the attendant, rolling his eyes heavenward. 

The magistrate was impressed. He took up the slip of paper and readwhat was written thereon. Then he was guilty of a start. The nextinstant he had the prosecutor up beside him and then the advocate. Together they read the message from the outside and together theylifted three pairs of incredulous eyes to stare at the culpritsbelow. There was a hurried consultation in excited whisperings, intermittent stares and far from magisterial blinkings. 

Robin bent close to Bedelia's ear and whispered: "We must have killedsome one, the way they are acting. "

Her face was glowing with triumph. "No. Luck is with us, Mr. Schmidt. You'll see!"

The magistrate cleared his throat and beamed upon them in a mostfriendly fashion. 

Robin grasped the situation in a flash. His own identity had beenrevealed to the Judge. It was not likely that the daughter of WilliamBlithers could create such lively interest in a French court ofjustice, so it _must_ be that Gourou or Quinnox had come to therescue. The court would not think of fining a prince of the royalblood, law or no law!

"M'sieur, Mademoiselle, will you be so good as to resume your seats?An extraordinary condition has arisen. I shall be obliged toinvestigate. The trial must be interrupted for a few minutes. Pardonthe delay. I shall return as quickly as possible. _Sergent!_ Seethat Mademoiselle and M'sieur are made comfortable. "

He descended from the bench and hurried into the corridor, followedclosely by the prosecutor and the advocate, both of whom almost trodon his heels. This may have been due to the fact that they wereslighter men and more sprightly, but more than likely it was becausethey were unable to see where they were going for the excellentreason that they were not looking in that direction at all. 

Policemen and attendants, mystified but impressed, set about to makethe culprits comfortable. They hustled at least a half dozen roomychairs out of an adjoining chamber; they procured palm-leaf fans andeven proffered the improbable--ice-water!--after which they betookthemselves to a remote corner and whispered excitedly at each other, all the while regarding the two prisoners with intense interest. Eventhe despairing footman and chauffeur exhibited unmistakable signs oflife. 

"I fancy my friends have heard of our plight, Mr. Schmidt, " she said, quite composedly. "We will be released in a very few minutes. "

He smiled complacently. He could afford to let her believe that herfriends and not his were performing a miracle. 

"Your friends must be very powerful, " he said. 

"They are, " said she, with considerable directness. 

"Still, we are not out of the scrape yet, Miss Guile, " he remarked, shaking his head. "It may be a flash in the pan. "

"Oh, please don't say that, " she cried in quick alarm. "I--I shoulddie if--if we were to be sent to--"

"Listen to me, " he broke in eagerly, for an inspiration had come tohim. "There's no reason why you should suffer, in any event. Apparently I am a suspected person. I may just as well be a kidnapperas not. You must allow me to inform the Judge that I was abductingyou, so that he--"

"How absurd!"

"I don't in the least mind. Besides, I too have powerful friends whowill see that I am released in a day or two. You--"

"You cannot hope to convince the Judge that you were abducting me inmy own automobile--or at least in one belonging to my friends, whoare irreproachable. I am very much obliged to you for thinking of it, Mr. Schmidt, but it is out of the question. I couldn't allow you todo it in the first place, and in the second I'm sure the courtwouldn't believe you. "

"It was I who suggested running away from those detectives, " heprotested. 

"But I jumped at the chance, didn't I?" she whispered triumphantly. "I am even guiltier than thou. Can you ever forgive me for--"

"Hush!" he said, in a very low voice. His hand fell upon hers as itrested on the arm of the chair. They were in the shadows. She lookedup quickly and their eyes met. After a moment hers fell, and shegently withdrew her hand from its place of bondage. "We are pals, Bedelia, " he went on softly. "Pals never go back on each other. Theysink or swim together, and they never stop to inquire the reason why. When it comes to a pinch, one or the other will sacrifice himselfthat his pal may be saved. I--"

"Please do not say anything more, " she said, her eyes strangelyserious and her voice vibrant with emotion. "Please!"

"I have a confession to make to you, " he began, leaning still closer. "You have taken me on faith. You do not know who or what I am. I--"

She held up her hand, an engaging frown in her eyes. "Stop! This isno place for confessions. I will not listen to you. Save yourconfessions for the magistrate. Tell him the truth, Mr. Schmidt. I amcontent to wait. "

He stared for an instant, perplexed. "See here, Miss Guile, --Bedelia, --I've just got to tell you something that--"

"You may tell me at Interlaken, " she interrupted, and she was nowquite visibly agitated. 

"At Interlaken? Then you mean to carry out your plan to spend--"

"Sh! Here they come. Now we shall see. "

The magistrate and his companions re-entered the room at thatinstant, more noticeably excited than when they left it. The former, rubbing his hands together and smiling as he had never smiled before, approached the pair. It did not occur to him to resent the fact thatthey remained seated in his august presence. 

"A lamentable mistake has been made, " he said. "I regret that M'sieurand Mademoiselle have been subjected to so grave an indignity. Permitme to apologise for the misguided energy of our excellent_sergents_. They--"

"But we were exceeding the speed limit, " said Robin comfortably, nowthat the danger was past. "The officers were acting within theirrights. "

"I know, I know, " exclaimed the magistrate. "They are splendidfellows, all of them, and I beg of you to overlook their unfortunate--er--zealousness. Permit me to add that you are not guilty--I shouldsay, that you are honourably discharged by this humble court. Butwait! The _sergents_ shall also apologise. Here! Attend. It devolvesupon you--"

"Oh, I beg of you--" began Robin, but already the policemen, who hadbeen listening open-mouthed to the agitated prosecutor, were bowingand scraping and muttering their apologies for enforcing a cruel andunjust law. 

"And we are not obliged to give our names, _M'sieur le judge?_" criedMiss Guile gladly. 

"Mademoiselle, " said he, with a profound bow, "it is not necessary toacquaint me with something I already know. Permit me to again expressthe most unbounded regret that--"

"Oh, thank you, " she cried. "We have had a really delightfulexperience. You owe us no apology, M'sieur. And now, may we depart?"

"Instantly! LaChance, conduct M'sieur and Mademoiselle into thefresh, sweet, open air and discover their car for them without delay. _Sergents_, remain behind. Let there be nothing to indicate thatthere has been detention. Mademoiselle, you have been merely making aphilanthropic visit to our prison. There has been no arrest. "

Robin and Miss Guile emerged from the low, forbidding door and stoodside by side on the pavement looking up and down the street in searchof the car. It was nowhere in sight. The chauffeur gasped withamazement--and alarm. He had left it standing directly in front ofthe door, and now it was gone. 

"It is suggested, M'sieur, " said the polite LaChance, "that you walkto the corner beyond, turn to the left and there you will find thecar in plain view. It was removed by two gentlemen soon after youcondescended to honour us with a visit of inspection, and thereby youhave escaped much unnecessary attention from the curious who alwaysinfest the vicinity of police offices. " He saluted them gravely andreturned at once to the corridor. 

Following leisurely in the wake of the hurrying servants, Robin andBedelia proceeded down the narrow street to the corner indicated. They were silent and preoccupied. After all, _who_ was to be thankedfor the timely escape, his god or hers?

And here it may be said that neither of them was ever to know whosent that brief effective message to the magistrate, nor were theyever to know the nature of its contents. 

The men were examining the car when they came up. No one was near. There was no one to tell how it came to be there nor whither itsunknown driver had gone. It stood close to the curb and the enginewas throbbing, proof in itself that some one had but recentlydeserted his post as guardian. 

"The obliging man-hunters, " suggested Robin in reply to a low-voicedquestion. 

"Or your guardian angel, the great Gourou!" she said, frowningslightly. "By the way, Mr. Schmidt. Do you expect to be undersurveillance during your stay at Interlaken?"

There was irony in her voice. "Not if I can help it, " he said. "Andyou, Miss Guile? Is it possible that two of the best detectives inParis are to continue treading on your heels all the time you are inEurope? Must we go about with the uncomfortable feeling that some oneis staring at us from behind, no matter where we are? Are we to beperpetually attended by the invisible? If so, I am afraid we willfind it very embarrassing. "

They were in the car now and proceeding at a snail's pace toward theArc de Triomphe. Her eyes narrowed. He was sure that she clutched herslim fingers tightly although, for an excellent reason, he was not byway of knowing. He was rapturously watching those expressive eyes. 

"I shall put a stop to this ridiculous espionage at once, Mr. Schmidt. These men shall be sent kiting--I mean, about theirbusiness before this day is over. I do not intend to be spied upon aninstant longer. "

"Still they may have been instruments of providence to-day, " hereminded her. "Without them, we might now be languishing in jail andour spotless names posted in the Place de l'Opera. Bedelia Guile andRex Schmidt, malefactors. What would your father say to that?"

She smiled--a ravishing smile, it was. His heart gave a stupendousjump. "He would say that it served me right, " said she, and then:"But what difference can it possibly make to you, Mr. Schmidt, if thedetectives continue to watch over me?"

"None, " said he promptly. "I suppose they are used to almost anythingin the way of human nature, so if they don't mind, I'm sure Isha'n't. I haven't the slightest objection to being watched bydetectives, if we can only keep other people from seeing us. "

"Don't be silly, " she cried. "And let me remind you while I think ofit: You are not to call me Bedelia. "

"Bedelia, " he said deliberately. 

She sighed. "I am afraid I have been mistaken in you, " she said. Herecalled Gourou's advice. Had he failed in the test? "But don't do itagain. "

"Now that I think of it, " he said soberly, "you are not to call meMr. Schmidt. Please bear that in mind, Bedelia. "

"Thank you. I don't like the name. I'll call you--"

Just then the footman turned on the seat and excitedly pointed to acar that had swung into the boulevard from a side street. 

"The man-hunters!" exclaimed Robin. "By jove, we didn't lose themafter all. "

"To the Ritz, Pierre, " she cried out sharply. Once more she seemedperturbed and anxious. 

"What are you going to call me?" he demanded, insistently. 

"I haven't quite decided, " she replied, and lapsed into moodysilence. 

Her nervousness increased as they sped down the Champs Elysees andacross the Place de la Concorde. He thought that he understood thecause and presently sought to relieve her anxiety by suggesting thatshe set him down somewhere along the Rue de Rivoli. She flushedpainfully. 

"Thank you, Mr. Schmidt, I--are you sure you will not mind?"

"May I ask what it is that you are afraid of, Miss Guile?" heinquired seriously. 

She was lowering her veil. "I am not afraid, Mr. Schmidt, " she said. "I am a very, very guilty person, that's all. I've done something Iought not to have done, and I'm--I'm ashamed. You don't consider me abold, silly--"

"Good Lord, no!" he cried fervently. 

"Then why do you call me Bedelia?" she asked, shaking her head. 

"If you feel that way about it, I--I humbly implore you to overlookmy freshness, " he cried in despair. 

"Will you get out here, Mr. Schmidt?" She pressed a button and thecar swung alongside the curb. 

"When am I to see you again?" he asked, holding out his hand. Shegave it a firm, friendly grip and said:

"I am going to Switzerland the day after tomorrow. Good-bye. "

In a sort of daze, he walked up the Rue Castiliogne to the PlaceVendome. His heart was light and his eyes were shining with a flamethat could have but one origin. He was no longer in doubt. He was inlove. He had found the Golden Girl almost at the end of his journey, and what cared he if she did turn out to be the daughter of old manBlithers? What cared he for _anything_ but Bedelia? There wouldbe a pretty howdy-do when he announced to his people that theirPrincess had been selected for them, whether or no, and there mightbe such a thing as banishment for himself. Even at that, he would becontent, for Bedelia was proof against titles. If she loved him, itwould be for himself. She would scorn the crown and mock the throne, and they would go away together and live happily ever afterward, asprovided by the most exacting form of romance. And Blithers? What ajoke it would be on Blithers if he gave up the throne!

As he approached the Ritz, a tall young man emerged from theentrance, stared at him for an instant, and then swung off at a rapidpace in the direction of the Rue de la Paix. The look he gave Robinwas one of combined amazement and concern, and the tail end of itbetrayed unmistakable annoyance, --or it might have been hatred. Helooked over his shoulder once and found Robin staring after him. Thistime there could be no mistake. He was furious, but whether withRobin or himself there was no means of deciding from the standpointof an observer. At any rate, he quickened his pace and soondisappeared. 

He was the good-looking young fellow who had met her at the steamshiplanding, and it was quite obvious that he had been makinginvestigations on his own account. 

Robin permitted himself a sly grin as he sauntered into the hotel. Hehad given _that_ fellow something to worry about, if he hadaccomplished nothing else. Then he found himself wondering if, by anychance, it could be the Scoville fellow. That would be a facer!

He found Quinnox and Dank awaiting him in the lobby. They werevisibly excited. 

"Did you observe the fellow who just went out?" inquired Robin, assuming a most casual manner. 

"Yes, " said both men in unison. 

"I think we've got some interesting news concerning that very chap, "added the Count, glancing around uneasily. 

"Perhaps I may be able to anticipate it, Count, " ventured Robin. "I've an idea he is young Scoville, the chap who is supposed to be inlove with Miss Blithers--and _vice versa_, " he concluded, with achuckle. 

"What have you heard?" demanded the Count in astonishment. 

"Let's sit down, " said Robin, at once convinced that he had stumbledupon an unwelcome truth. 

They repaired to the garden and were lucky enough to find a tablesomewhat removed from the crowd of tea-drinkers. Robin began fanninghimself with his broad straw-hat. He felt uncomfortably warm. Quinnoxgravely extracted two or three bits of paper from his pocket, andspread them out in order before his sovereign. 

"Read this one first, " said he grimly. 

It was a cablegram from their financial agents in New York City, andit said: "Mr. B. Making a hurried trip to Paris. Just learnedScoville preceded Miss B. To Europe by fast steamer and has been seenwith her in Paris. B. Fears an elopement. Make sure papers are signedat once as such contingency might cause B. To change mind andwithdraw if possible. "

Robin looked up. "I think this may account for the two man-hunters, "said he. His companions stared. "You will hear all about them fromGourou. We were followed this afternoon. "

"Followed?" gasped Quinnox. 

"Beautifully, " said the Prince, with his brightest smile. "Detectives, you know. It was ripping. "

"My God!" groaned the Count. 

"I fancy you'll now agree with me that she is Miss Blithers, " saidDank forlornly. 

"Cheer up, Boske, " cried Robin, slapping him on the shoulder. "You'llmeet another fate before you're a month older. The world isabsolutely crowded with girls. "

"You can't crowd the world with one girl, " said Dank, and it wasquite evident from his expression that he believed the worldcontained no more than one. 

"I had the feeling that evil would be the result of this foolish tripto-day, " groaned Quinnox. "I should not have permitted you to--"

"The result is still in doubt, " said Robin enigmatically. "And now, what comes next?"

"Read this one. It is from Mr. Blithers. I'll guarantee that you donot take this one so complacently. "

He was right in his surmise. Robin ran his eye swiftly over thecablegram and then started up from his chair with a mutteredimprecation. 

"Sh!" cautioned the Count, --and just in time, for the young man wason the point of enlarging upon his original effort. "Calm yourself, Bobby, my lad. Try taking six or seven full, deep inhalations, andyou'll find that it helps wonderfully as a preventive. It saves manya harsh word. I've--"

"You needn't caution me, " murmured the Prince. "If I had the tongueof a pirate I couldn't begin to do justice to _this_, " and heslapped his hand resoundingly upon the crumpled message from WilliamW. Blithers. 

The message had been sent by Mr. Blithers that morning, evidentlyjust before the sailing of the fast French steamer on which he andhis wife were crossing to Havre. It was directed to August Totten andread as follows:

"Tell our young friend to qualify statement to press at once. Announce reconsideration of hasty denial and admit engagement. Thisis imperative. I am not in mood for trifling. Have wired Paris papersthat engagement is settled. Have also wired daughter. The sooner weget together on this the better. Wait for my arrival in Paris. " Itwas signed "W. B. "

"There's Blitherskite methods for you, " said Dank. "Speaking ofpirates, he's the king of them all. Did you ever hear of suchconfounded insolence? The damned--"

"Wait a second, Dank, " interrupted the Count. "There is still anotherdelectable communication for you, Robin. It was directed to R. Schmidt and I took the liberty of opening it, as authorised. Readit. "

This was one of the ordinary "_petits bleu_, " dropped into thepneumatic tube letter-box at half-past two that afternoon, shortlybefore Robin ventured forth on his interesting expedition in quest oftea, and its contents were very crisp and to the point:

"Pay no attention to any word you may have received from my father. He cables a ridiculous command to me which I shall ignore. If youhave received a similar message I implore you to disregard italtogether. Let's give each other a fighting chance. "

It was signed "Maud Blithers. "

CHAPTER XVII

THE PRODIGAL DAUGHTER

Mr. Blithers received a marconigram from the _Jupiter_ when the shipwas three days out from New York. It was terse but sufficient. 

"Have just had a glimpse of Prince Charming. He is very good-looking. Love to mother. Maud. "

He had barely settled into a state of complete satisfaction withhimself over the successful inauguration of a shrewd campaign to getthe better of the recalcitrant Maud and the incomprehensible Robin, when he was thrown into a panic by the discovery that young ChandlerScoville had sailed for Europe two days ahead of Maud and her elderlycompanion. The gratification of knowing that the two young people hadsailed away on the same vessel was not in the least minimised byMaud's declaration that she intended to remain in her cabin all theway across in order to avoid recognition, for he knew her too well tobelieve it possible that she could stay out of sight for any lengthof time, fair weather or foul. He even made a definite wager with hiswife that the two would become acquainted before they were half-wayacross the Atlantic, and he made a bet with himself that nature woulddo the rest. And now here came the staggering suspicion thatScoville's hasty departure was the result of a pre-arranged planbetween him and Maud, and that, after all, the silly girl might spoileverything by marrying the confounded rascal before he could doanything to prevent the catastrophe. 

He even tried to engineer a scheme whereby young Scoville might bearrested on landing and detained on one pretext or another until hecould reach Europe and put an end to the fellow's vain-gloriousconniving. 

But after consulting with his lawyers he abandoned the plan becausethey succeeded in proving to him that Maud certainly would marry thefellow if she had the least ground for believing that he was beingoppressed on her account. The cables were kept very busy, however, for the next twenty-four hours, and it is certain that Scoville was amarked man from the moment he landed. 

Newspaper reporters camped on the trail of Mr. Blithers. He veryobligingly admitted that there was something in the report that hisdaughter was to marry the Prince of Graustark, although he couldn'tsay anything definite at the time. It wouldn't be fair to the partiesconcerned, he explained. He gave away a great many boxes of cigars, and not a few of the more sagacious reporters succeeded in getting atleast three boxes by interviewing him on as many separate occasionswithout being detected in the act of repeating. Then came thedisgusting denials in Paris by his daughter and the ungratefulPrince. This was too much. He couldn't understand such unfilialbehaviour on the part of one, and he certainly couldn't forgive theingratitude of the other. 

Instead of waiting until Saturday to sail, he changed ships and leftNew York on Friday, thereby gaining nothing by the move except relieffrom the newspapers, for it appears that he gave up a five day boatfor one that could not do it under six. Still he was in activepursuit, which was a great deal better than sitting in New Yorktwiddling his thumbs or looking at his watch and berating thepernicious hours that stood between him and Saturday noon. 

"There will be something doing in Europe the day I land there, Lou, "he said to his wife as they stood on deck and watched the Statue ofLiberty glide swiftly back toward Manhattan Island. "I've got all thestrings working smoothly. We've got Groostock where it can't peep anylouder than a freshly hatched chicken, and we'll soon bring Maud toher senses. I tell you, Lou, there is nothing that makes a girlforget her lofty ideals so quickly as the chance to go shopping forprincess gowns. She's seen the prince and I'll bet she won't be sostubborn as she was before. And if he has had a good, square look ather, --if he's had a chance to gaze into those eyes of hers, --why, I--well, I leave it to you. He can't help getting off his high horse, can he?"

Mrs. Blithers favoured him with a smile. It was acknowledged thatMaud was the living image of what her mother had been at the age oftwenty. 

"I hope the child hasn't made any silly promise to Channie Scoville, "she sighed. 

"I've been thinking of that, Lou, " said he, wiping his brow, "andI've come to one conclusion: Scoville can be bought off. He's as pooras Job and half a million will look like the Bank of England to him. I'll--"

"You are not to attempt anything of the kind, Will, " she criedemphatically. "He would laugh in your face, poor as he is. He comesfrom one of the best families in New York and--"

"And I don't know where the best families need money any more thanthey do in New York, " he interrupted irritably. "'Gad, if the worstfamilies need it as badly as they do, what must be the needs of thebest? You leave it to me. It may be possible to insult him with ahalf million, so if he feels that way about it I'll apologise to himagain with another half million. You'll see that he won't be capableof resenting two insults in succession. He'll--"

"He isn't a fool, " said she significantly. 

"He'd be a fool if he refused to take--"

"Are you losing your senses, Will?" she cried impatiently. "Whyshould he accept a million to give up Maud, when he can be sure offifty times that much if he marries her?"

"But I'll cut Maud off with a dollar if she marries him, so help meMoses!" exclaimed Mr. Blithers, but he went a little pale just thesame. "That will fix him!"

"You are talking nonsense, " said she sharply. He put his fingers tohis ears somewhat earlier than usual, and she turned away with atantalising laugh. "I'm going inside, " and inside she went. When hefollowed a few minutes later he was uncommonly meek. 

"At any rate, " he said, seating himself on the edge of a chair in herparlour, "I guess those cablegrams this morning will make 'em thinktwice before they go on denying things in the newspapers. "

"Maud will pay no attention to your cablegram, and, if I am any judgeof human nature, the Prince will laugh himself sick over the one yousent to Count Quinnox. I told you not to send them. You are notdealing with Wall Street. You are dealing with a girl and a boy whoappear to have minds of their own. "

He ventured a superior sniff. "I guess you don't know as much aboutWall Street as you think you do. "

"I only know that it puts its tail between its legs and howls everytime some one points a finger at it, " she observed scornfully. 

"Now let's be sensible, Lou, " he said, sitting back a little furtherin the chair, relieved to find that she was at least willing totolerate his presence, --a matter on which he was in some doubt whenhe entered the room. There were times when he was not quite certainwhether he or she was the brains of the family. "We'll probably havea wireless from Maud before long. Then we'll have something tangibleto discuss. By the way, did I tell you that I've ordered some Dutcharchitects from Berlin to go--"

"The Dutch are from Holland, " she said wearily. 

"--to go over to Growstock and give me a complete estimate onrepairing and remodelling the royal castle? I dare say we'll have todo a good deal to the place. It's several hundred years old and mustrequire a lot of conveniences. Such as bath-rooms, electric lights, steam heating appar--"

"Better make haste slowly, Will, " she said, and he ought to have beenwarned by the light in her eye. "You are taking a great deal forgranted, aren't you?"

"It's got to be fixed up some time, so we might just as well do it inthe beginning, " said he, failing utterly to grasp her meaning. "Probably needs refurnishing from top to bottom, too, and a new roof. I never saw a ruin yet that didn't leak. Remember those castles onthe Rhine? Will you ever forget how wet we got the day we wentthrough the one at--"

"They were abandoned, tumble-down castles, " she reminded him. 

"There isn't a castle in Europe that's any good in a rain-storm, " heproclaimed. "A mortgage can't keep out the rain and that's what everyone of 'em is covered with. Why old man Quiddox himself told me thattheir castle had been shot to pieces in one of the revolutions and--"

"It is time you informed yourself about the country you are trying toannex to the Blithers estate, " she said sarcastically. "I can assistyou to some extent if you will be good enough to listen. In the firstplace, the royal castle at Edelweiss is one of the most substantialin the world. It has not been allowed to fall into decay. In fact, itis inhabitated from top to bottom by members of the royal householdand the court, and I fancy they are not the sort of people who takekindly to a wetting. It is not a ruin, Will, such as you have beenpermitted to visit, but a magnificent building with all of the modernimprovements. The only wettings that the inmates sustain are of adaily character and due entirely to voluntary association withporcelain bath-tubs and nickle-plated showers, and they never getanything wet but their skins. As for the furnishings, I can assureyou that the entire Blithers fortune could not replace them if theywere to be destroyed by fire or pillage. They are priceless and theyare unique. I have read that the hangings in the bed-chamber of thelate Princess Yetive are the most wonderful in the whole world. Thethrone chair in the great audience chamber is of solid gold andweighs nearly three thousand pounds. It is studded with diamonds, rubies--"

"Great Scott, Lou, where did you learn all this?" he gasped, his eyesbulging. 

"--emeralds and other precious stones. There is one huge carpet inthe royal drawing-room that the Czar of Russia is said to haveoffered one hundred thousand pounds for and the offer was scorned. The park surrounding the castle is said to be beautiful beyond thepower of description. The--"

"I asked you where you got all this information. Can't you answerme?"

"I obtained all this and a great deal more from a lady who spent ayear or two inside the castle walls. I refer to Mrs. Truxton King, who might have told you as much if you had possessed the intelligenceto inquire. "

"Gee whiz!" exclaimed Mr. Blithers, going back to his buoyant boyhooddays for an adequate expression. "What a wonder you are, Lou. Butthat's the woman of it, always getting at the inside of a thing whilea man is standing around looking at the outside. Say, but won't itmake a wonderful home for you and me to spend a peaceful old age inwhen we get ready to lay aside the--"

He stopped short, for she had arisen and was standing over him with aquivering forefinger levelled at his nose, --and not more than sixinches away from it, --her handsome eyes flashing with fury. 

"You may walk in where angels fear to tread, but you will walk alone, Will Blithers. I shall not be with you, and you may as wellunderstand it now. I've told you a hundred times that money isn'teverything, and it is as cheap as dirt when you put it alongside oftradition, honour, pride and loyalty. Those Graustarkians would takeyou by the nape of the neck and march you out of their castle soquick that your head would swim. You may be able to buy their princefor Maudie to exhibit around the country, but you can't buy theintelligence of the people. They won't have you at any price and theywon't have me, so there is the situation in a nutshell. They willhate Maudie, of course, but they will endure her for obvious reasons. They may even come to love and respect her in the end, for she isworthy. But as for you and me, William, --with all our money, --wewill find every hand against us--even the hand of our daughter, Iprophesy. I am not saying that I would regret seeing Maud thePrincess of Graustark--far from it. But I do say that you and I willbe expected to know our places. If you attempt to spend yourdeclining years in the castle at Edelweiss you will find them reducedto days, and short ones at that. The people of Graustark will see toit that you die before your time. "

"Bosh!" said Mr. Blithers. "Mind if I smoke?" He took out a cigar andbegan searching for matches. 

"No, " she said, "I don't mind. It is a sign that you need somethingto steady your nerves. I know you, Will Blithers. You don't want tosmoke. You want to gain a few minutes of time, that's all. "

He lit a cigar. "Right you are, " was his unexpected admission. "Iwonder if you really have the right idea about this business. Whatobjection could any one have to a poor, tired old man sitting infront of his daughter's fireside and--and playing with her kiddies?It seems to me that--"

"You will never be a tired old man, that's the trouble, " she said, instantly touched. 

"Oh, yes, I will, " said he slowly. "I'm rather looking forward to it, too. "

"It will be much nicer to have the kiddies come to your own fireside, Will. I used to enjoy nothing better than going to spend a few dayswith my grandfather. "

"But what's the use of going to all this trouble and expense if weare not to enjoy some of the fruits?" he protested, making adetermined stand. "If these people can't be grateful to the man whohelps 'em out in their time of trouble, --and who goes out of his wayto present 'em with a bright, capable posterity, --I'd like to knowwhat in thunder gratitude really means. "

"Oh, there isn't such a thing as gratitude, " she said. "Obligation, yes, --and ingratitude most certainly, but gratitude, --no. You are ina position to know that gratitude doesn't exist. Are you forgettingthe private advices we already have had from Graustark? Does itindicate that the people are grateful? There are moments when I fearthat we are actually placing Maud's life in peril, and I have hadsome wretched dreams. They do not want her. They speak of exile forthe Prince if he marries her. And now I repeat what I have saidbefore:--the people of Graustark must have an opportunity to see andbecome acquainted with Maud before the marriage is definitelyarranged. I will not have my daughter cast into a den of lions. Will, --for that is what it may amount to. The people will adore her, they will welcome her with open arms if they are given the chance. But they will have none of her if she is forced upon them in the wayyou propose. "

"I'll--I'll think it over, " said Mr. Blithers, and then discoveredthat his cigar had gone out. "I think I'll go on deck and smoke, Lou. Makes it stuffy in here. We'll lunch in the restaurant at half-pastone, eh?"

"Think hard, Will, " she recommended, with a smile. 

"I'll do that, " he said, "but there's nothing on earth that can altermy determination to make Maud the Princess of Groostork. _That's_ settled. "

"Graustark, Will. "

"Well, whatever it is, " said he, and departed. 

He did think hard, but not so much about a regal home for aged peopleas about Channie Scoville who had now become a positive menace to allof his well-ordered and costly plans. The principal subject forthought just now was not Graustark but this conniving young gentlemanwho stood ready to make a terrible mess of posterity. Mr. Blitherswas sufficiently fair-minded to concede that the fellow was good-looking, well-bred and clever, just the sort of chap that any girlmight fall in love with like a shot. As a matter of fact, he once hadadmired Scoville, but that was before he came to look upon him as amenace. He would make a capital husband for any girl in the world, except Maud. He could say that much for him, without reserve. 

He thought hard until half-past one and then went to the wirelessoffice, where he wrote out a message in cipher and directed theoperator to waste no time in relaying it to his offices in Paris. Hiswife was right. It would be the height of folly to offer Scovillemoney and it would be even worse to inspire the temporaryimprisonment of the young man. 

But there was a splendid alternative. He could manage to have his owndaughter abducted, --chaperon included, --and held for ransom!

The more he thought of it the better it seemed to him, and so he senta cipher message that was destined to throw his Paris managers into astate of agitation that cannot possibly be measured by words. Inbrief, he instructed them to engage a few peaceable, trustworthy andpositively respectable gentlemen, --he was particularly exacting onthe score of gentility, --with orders to abduct the young lady andhold her in restraint until he arrived and arranged for herliberation! They were to do the deed without making any fuss aboutit, but at the same time they were to do it effectually. 

He had the foresight to suggest that the job should be undertaken bythe very detective agency he had employed to shadow young Scovilleand also to keep an eye on Maud. Naturally, she was never to know thetruth about the matter. She was to believe that her father came upwith a huge sum in the shape of ransom, no questions asked. He alsoremembered in time and added the imperative command that she was tobe confined in clean, comfortable quarters and given the best ofnourishment. But, above all else, it was to be managed in a decidedlyrealistic way, for Maud was a keen-witted creature who would seethrough the smallest crack in the conspiracy if there was a singlefalse movement on the part of the plotters. It is also worthy ofmention that Mrs. Blithers was never--_decidedly never_--to know thetruth about the matter. 

He went in to luncheon in a very amiable, even docile frame of mind. 

"I've thought the matter over, Lou, " he said, "and I guess you areright, after all. We will make all the repairs necessary, but wewon't consider living in it ourselves. We'll return good for evil andlive in a hotel when we go to visit the royal family. As for--"

"I meant that you were to think hard before attempting to force Maudupon Prince Robin's subjects without preparing them for the--"

"I thought of that, too, " he interrupted cheerfully. "I'm not goingto cast my only child into the den of lions, so that's the end of it. Have you given the order, my dear?"

"No, " she said; "for I knew you would change it when you came in. "

Late that evening he had a reply from his Paris managers. Theyinquired if he was responsible for the message they had received. Itwas a ticklish job and they wanted to be sure that the message wasgenuine. He wired back that he was the sender and to go ahead. Thenext morning they notified him that his instructions would be carriedout as expeditiously as possible. 

He displayed such a beaming countenance all that day that his wifefinally demanded an explanation. It wasn't like him to beam when hewas worried about anything, and she wanted to know what had come overhim. 

"It's the sea-air, Lou, " he exclaimed glibly. "It always makes mefeel like a fighting-cock. I--"

"Rubbish! You detest the sea-air. It makes you feel like fighting, Igrant, but not like a fighting-cock. "

"There you go, trying to tell me how I feel. I've never known any onelike you, Lou. I can't say a word that--"

"Have you had any news from Maud?" she broke in suspiciously. 

"Not a word, " said he. 

"What have you done to Channie Scoville?" she questioned, fixing himwith an accusing eye. 

"Not a thing, " said he. 

"Then, what is it?"

"You won't believe me if I tell you, " said he warily. 

"Yes, I will. "

"No, you won't. "

"Tell me this instant why you've been grinning like a Cheshire catall day. "

"It's the sea-air, " said he, and then: "I said you wouldn't believeme, didn't I?"

"Do you think I'm a fool, Will Blithers?" she flashed, and did notwait for an answer. He chuckled to himself as she swept imperiouslyout of sight around a corner of the deck-building. 

He was up bright and early the next morning, tingling withanticipation. There ought to be word from Paris before noon, and itmight come earlier. He kept pretty close to the wireless operator'soffice, and was particularly attentive to the spitting crackle of theinstrument. 

About eleven o'clock an incomprehensibly long message began to rattleout of the air. He contained himself in patience for the matter ofhalf an hour or longer, and then, as the clatter continued withoutcessation, he got up and made his way to the door of the operator'soffice. 

"What is it? The history of England?" he demanded sarcastically. 

"Message for you, Mr. Blithers. It's a long one and I'm having a hardtime picking it up. Everybody seems to be talking at once. Do youwant the baseball scores, Mr. Blithers?"

"Not unless they come in cipher, " said Mr. Blithers acidly. 

"Some of 'em do. Six to nothing in favor of the Giants, two tonothing--Here we are at last. I've picked up the _Mauretania_ again. She's relaying. "

Mr. Blithers sat down on the steps and looked at his watch. It wouldbe five o'clock in Paris. He wondered if they were giving Maud herafternoon tea, and then choked up with a sudden pity for theterrified captive. It was all he could do to keep from jumping up andordering the operator to drop everything and take a messagecountermanding his inhuman instructions to those asses in Paris. Tears gushed from his eyes. He brushed them away angrily and tried toconvince himself that it served Maud right for being so obstinate. Still the tears came. The corners of his mouth drooped and his chinbegan to quiver. It was too much! The poor child was--

But just then the operator sat back with a sigh of relief, mopped hisbrow, and said:

"Good thing you're a rich man, Mr. Blithers. It came collect and--"

"Never mind, " blurted Mr. Blithers. "Hand it over. "

There were four sheets of writing at some outlandish price per word, but what cared he? He wanted to get back to his stateroom and hiscipher code as quickly--but his eyes almost started from his head ashe took in the name at the bottom of the message. It was "Maud. "

He did not require the cipher book. A fourth reader child could haveread the message without a halt. Maud had taken his requestliterally. He had asked her to send him a nice long message, but hedid not expect her to make a four-page letter of it. She was payinghim out with a vengeance!

He took the precaution to read it before handing it over to his wife, to whom it was addressed in conjunction with himself:

"Dear father and mother, " it began--(and he looked at the date lineagain to make sure it was from Paris)--"in reply to your esteemedfavour of the nineteenth, or possibly the twentieth, I beg to informyou that I arrived safely in Paris as per schedule. Regarding thevoyage, it was delightful. We had one or two rough days. The rest ofthe time it was perfectly heavenly. I met two or three interestingand amusing people on board and they made the time pass mostagreeably. I think I wired you that I had a glimpse of a certainperson. On my arrival in Paris I was met at the station by friendsand taken at once to the small, exclusive hotel where they arestopping for the summer. It is so small and exclusive that I'm sureyou have never heard of it. I may as well tell you that I have seenChannie, --you know who I mean, --Chandler Scoville, and he has beenvery nice to me. Concerning your suggestion that I reconsider thestatement issued to the press, I beg to state that I don't see anysense in taking the world into my confidence any farther than it hasbeen taken already, if that is grammatically correct. I have alsosent word to a certain person that he is not to pay any attention tothe report that we are likely to change our minds in order to helpout the greedy newspapers who don't appear to know when they have hadenough. I hope that the voyage will benefit both of you as much as itdid me. If I felt any better than I do now I'd call for the police asa precaution. Let me suggest that you try the chicken a la Bombardierin the Ritz restaurant. I found it delicious. I daresay they serve itas nicely on your ship as they do on the _Jupiter_. As the managementis the same. Of course one never can tell about chefs. My plans are atrifle indefinite. I may leave here at any moment. It is very hot andmuggy and nearly every one is skipping off to the mountains orseashore. If I should happen to be away from Paris when you arrivedon't worry about me. I shall be all right and in safe hands. I willlet you know where I am just as soon as I get settled somewhere. Imust go where it is quiet and peaceful. I am so distressed over whathas occurred that I don't feel as though I could ever be seen inpublic again without a thick veil and a pair of goggles. I have plentyof money for immediate use, but you might deposit something to mycredit at the Credit Lyonnais as I haven't the least idea how long Ishall stay over here. Miranda is well and is taking good care of me. She seldom lets me out of her sight if that is any comfort to you. Ihope you will forgive the brevity of this communication and believe mewhen I say that it is not lack of love for you both that curtails itslength but the abominably hot weather. With endless love from yourdevoted daughter--Maud. "

The tears had dried in Mr. Blithers' eyes but he wiped them time andagain as he read this amazing letter, --this staggering exhibition ofprodigality. He swore a little at first, but toward the end even thatprerogative failed him. He set out in quest of his wife. Not that heexpected her to say any more than he had said, but that he wanted herto see at a glance what kind of a child she had brought into theworld and to forever hold her peace in future when he undertook tospeak his mind. 

He could not understand why his wife laughed softly to herself as sheread, and he looked on in simple amazement when she deliberatelyundertook to count the words. She counted them in a whisper and hecouldn't stand it. He went down where the children were shriekingover a game of quoits and felt singularly peaceful and undisturbed. 

It was nearly bed-time before word came from his managers in Paris. Bed-time had no meaning for him after he had worked out the messageby the code. It is true that he observed a life-long custom and wentto bed, but he did not do it for the purpose of going to sleep. 

"Your daughter has disappeared from Paris. All efforts to locate herhave failed. Friends say she left ostensibly for the Pyrenees butinquiries at stations and along line fail to reveal trace of her. Scoville still here and apparently in the dark. He is being watched. Her companion and maid left with her last night. Prince of Graustarkand party left for Edelweiss to-day. "

So read the message from Paris. 

CHAPTER XVIII

A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT

One usually has breakfast on the porch of the Hotel Schweizerhof atInterlaken. It is not the most fashionable hostelry in the quaintlittle town at the head of the Lake of Thun, but it is of anexcellent character, and the rolls and honey to be had with one'sbreakfast can not be surpassed in the Bernese Oberland. Straightahead lies one of the most magnificent prospects in all the world: anunobstructed view of the snow-thatched Jungfrau, miles away, gleamingwhite and jagged against an azure sky, suggesting warmth instead ofchill, grandeur instead of terror. Looking up the valley one might beled to say that an hour's ramble would take him to the crest of thatshining peak, and yet some men have made a life's journey of it. Others have turned back in time. 

One has a whiff of fragrant woodlands and serene hay-cocks, a breathof cool air from the Jungfrau's snows, a sniff of delectable baconand toast--and a zest for breakfast. And one sets about it withinterest, with the breakfast of the next day as a thing to lookforward to. 

R. Schmidt sat facing the dejected Boske Dank. His eyes were dancingwith the joy of living, and nothing better can be said of a man'scharacter than that he is gay and happy at breakfast-time. He whowakes up, refreshed and buoyant, and eager for the day's adventure, is indeed a child of nature. He will never grow old and crabbed; hewill grip the hand of death when the time comes with the unconqueredzeal that makes the grim reaper despise himself for the advantage hetakes of youth. 

"Well, here we are and in spite of that, where are we?" said Dank, who saw nothing beautiful in the smile of any early morn. "I mean tosay, what have we to show for our pains? We sneak into thisGodforsaken hamlet, surrounded on all sides by abominations in theshape of tourists, and at the end of twenty-four hours we discoverthat the fair Miss Guile has played us a shabby trick. I daresay sheis laughing herself sick over the whole business. "

"Which is more than you can say for yourself, Boske, " said Robinblithely. "Brace up! All is not lost. We'll wait here a day or twolonger and then--well, I don't know what we'll do then. "

"She never intended to come here at all, " said Dank, filled withresentment. "It was a trick to get rid of us. She--"

"Be honest, old chap and say that it was a trick to get rid of_me_. Us is entirely too plural. But I haven't lost heart. She'll turnup yet. "

"Count Quinnox is in despair over this extraordinary whim of yours, highness. He is really ill in bed this morning. I--"

"I'll run up and see him after breakfast, " cried the Prince, genuinely concerned. "I'm sorry he is taking it so seriously. "

"He feels that we should be at home instead of dawdling about the--"

"That reminds me. Dank, " broke in the Prince, fresh happiness in hissmile; "I've decided that home is the place for you and the Count--and Gourou too. I'm perfectly able to take care of myself, --with someassistance from Hobbs, --and I don't see any necessity for you threeto remain with me any longer. I'll tell the Count that you all maystart for Vienna tonight. You connect with the Orient express at--"

"Are you mad, highness?" cried Dank, startled out of his dejection. "What you speak of is impossible--utterly impossible. We cannotleave you. We were delegated to escort you--"

"I understand all of that perfectly, Dank, " interrupted Robin, suddenly embarrassed, "but don't you see how infernally awkward itwill be for me if Miss Guile does appear, according to plan? She willfind me body-guarded, so to speak, by three surly, scowlingindividuals whose presence I cannot explain to save my soul, unless Itell the truth, and I'm not yet ready to do that. Can't you see whatI mean? How am I to explain the three of you? A hawk-eyed triumviratethat camps on my trail from morn till night and refuses to budge!She'll suspect something, old fellow, and--well, I certainly willfeel more comfortable if I'm not watched for the next few days. "

"That's the point, highness. You've just got to be watched for thenext few days. We would never dare to show our faces in Graustarkagain if we allowed anything to happen to you while you are under ourcare. You are a sacred charge. We must return you to Graustark as--er--inviolate as when you departed. We--we couldn't think ofsubjecting you to the peril of a--that is to say, it might provefatal. Graustark, in that event, would be justified in hanging two ofher foremost citizens and yours truly from gibbets designedespecially for the blackest of traitors. "

"I see, Dank. If I find happiness, you are almost sure to finddisgrace and death, eh? It doesn't seem a fair division, does it? Isuppose you all feel that the worst thing that can possibly happen isfor me to find happiness. "

"If I were the Prince of Graustark I should first think of thehappiness of my subjects. I would not offend. "

"Well put, Boske, but fortunately you are not the Prince. I sometimeswish that you were. It would relieve me of a tremendousresponsibility. I am not mean enough, however, to wish a crown uponyou, old fellow. You are lucky to be who and what you are. No onecares what you do, so long as you are honourable about it. With me itis different. I have to be watched day and night in order to be keptfrom doing what all the rest of the world looks upon as honourable. "

"I implore you, highness, to give up this mad enterprise and returnto your people as--"

"There is only one person in the world who can stop me now, Dank. "

"And she isn't likely to do so, worse luck, " was the other'scomplaint. 

"When she tells me to go about my business, I'll go, but not untilthen. Don't you like honey, Dank?"

"No, " said Dank savagely. "I hate it. " He leaned back in his chairand glowered upon the innocent, placid Jungfrau. The Prince ate insilence. "May I be permitted a question, highness?"

"All you like, Boske. You are my best friend. Go ahead. "

"Did you see Miss Guile after that visit to St. Cloud--and to thepolice station?"

"No. Evidently she was frightened out of her boots by the Hawkshaws. I don't blame her, do you?"

"And you've had no word from her?"

"None. Now you are going to ask what reason I have for believing thatshe will come to Interlaken. Well, I can't answer that question. Ithink she'll come, that's all. "

"Do you think she is in love with you?"

"Ah, my dear fellow, you are asking me to answer my own prayer, " saidRobin, without a sign of resentment in his manner. "I'm praying thatshe isn't altogether indifferent. By the way, it is my turn to askquestions. Are you still in love with her?"

"I am proud to say that you are more in my prayers that she, " saidDank, with a profound sigh. "Nothing could please me more than to bethe one to save my prince from disaster, even if it meant thesacrifice of self. My only prayer is that you may be spared, sir, andI taken in your place. "

"That was a neat answer, 'pon my soul, " cried the Prince admiringly. "You--Hello, who is this approaching? It is no other than the greatGourou himself, the king of sleuths, as they say in the books I usedto read. Good morning, Baron. "

The sharp-visaged little Minister of Police came up to the table andfixed an accusing eye upon his sovereign, --the literal truth, for hehad the other eye closed in a protracted wink. 

"I regret to inform your majesty that the enemy is upon us, " he said. "I fear that our retreat is cut off. Nothing remains save--"

"She has arrived?" cried the Prince eagerly. 

"She has, " said the Baron. "Bag and baggage, and armed to the eyes. Each eye is a gatling-gun, each lip a lunette behind which lies anunconquerable legion of smiles and rows of ivory bayonets, each ear ahardy spy, and every nut-brown strand a covetous dastard on thewarpath not for a scalp but for a crown. Napoleon was never so wellprepared for battle as she, nor Troy so firmly fortified. Yes, highness, the foe is at our gates. We must to arms!"

"Where is she?" demanded Robin, unimpressed by this glowingpanegyric. 

"At this instant, sir, I fancy she is rallying her forces in the veryface of a helpless mirror. In other words, she is preparing for thefray. She is dressing. "

"The devil! How dare you pry into the secret--"

"Abhorrent thought! I deduce, nothing more. Her maid loses herself inthe halls while attempting to respond to the call for re-inforcements. She accosts a gentleman of whom she inquires the way. The gentlemaninforms her she is on the third, not the second _etage_, and shescurries away simpering, but not before confiding to me--the aforesaidgentleman--that her mistress will give her fits for being late with herhair, whatever that may signify. So, you see, I do not stoop to keyholesbut put my wits to work instead. "

"When did she arrive?"

"She came last night via Milan. "

"From Milan?" cried Robin, astonished. 

"A roundabout way, I'll admit, " said the Baron, drily, "and tortuousin these hot days, but admirably suited to a purpose. I should saythat she was bent on throwing some one off the track. "

"And yet she came!" cried the Prince, in exultation. "She wanted tocome, after all, now didn't she, Dank?" He gave the lieutenant a lookof triumph. 

"She is more dangerous than I thought, " said the guardsmanmournfully. 

"Sit down, Baron, " commanded the Prince. "I want to lay down the lawto all of you. You three will have to move on to Graustark and leaveme to look out for myself. I will not have Miss Guile--"

"No!" exclaimed the Baron, with unusual vehemence. "I expected you topropose something of the kind, and I am obliged to confess to youthat we have discussed the contingency in advance. We will not leaveyou. That is final. You may depose us, exile us, curse us or anythingyou like, but still we shall remain true to the duty we owe to ourcountry. We stay here, Prince Robin, just so long as you are contentto remain. "

Robin's face was very red. "You shame me, Baron, " he said simply. "Iam sorry that I spoke as I did. You are my friends, my loyal friends, and I would have humbled you in the eyes of my people. I beg yourpardon, and yours, Boske. After all, I am only a prince and a princeis dependent on the loyalty of such as you. I take back all that Isaid. "

The Baron laid a kindly hand on the young man's shoulder. "I wasrough, highness, in my speech just now, but you will understand thatI was moved to--"

"I know, Baron. It was the only way to fetch me up sharp. No apologyis required. God bless you. "

"Now I have a suggestion of my own to offer, " said the Baron, takinga seat at the end of the table. "I confess that Miss Guile may not befavourably impressed by the constant attendance of three able-bodiednurses, and, as she happens to be no fool, it is reasonably certainthat she will grasp the significance of our assiduity. Now I proposethat the Count, Dank and myself efface ourselves as completely aspossible during the rest of our enforced stay in Interlaken. Ipropose that we take quarters in another hotel and leave you andHobbs to the tender mercies of the enemy. It seems to me that--"

"Good!" cried Robin. "That's the ticket! I quite agree to that, Baron. "

Dank was prepared to object but a dark look from Gourou silenced him. "I've talked it over with the Count and he acquiesces, " went on theBaron. "We recognise the futility of trying to induce you to leave atonce for Graustark, and we are now content to trust Providence towatch over and protect you against a foe whose motives may in timebecome transparent, even to the blind. "

The irony in the remark was not lost on Robin. He flushed angrily butheld his tongue. 

Ten o'clock found the three gentlemen, --so classified by Hobbs, --outof the Schweizerhof and arranging for accommodations at the ReginaHotel Jungfraublick, perched on an eminence overlooking the valleyand some distance removed from the temporary abode of the Prince. Their departure from the hotel in the Hoheweg was accomplishedwithout detection by Miss Guile or her friends, and, to all intentsand purposes, Robin was alone and unattended when he sat down on theporch near the telescope to await the first appearance of theenchanting foe. He was somewhat puzzled by the strange submissivenessof his companions. Deep down in his mind lurked the disquietingsuspicion that they were conniving to get the better of the lovelytemptress by some sly and secret bit of strategy. What was back ofthe wily Baron's motive? Why were they now content to let him takethe bit in his teeth and run wherever he would? What had become oftheir anxiety, their eagerness to drag him off to Graustark by thefirst train? There was food for reflection in the tranquilcapitulation of the defenders. Were they acting under freshinstructions from Edelweiss? Had the Prime Minister directed them toput no further obstacle in front of the great Blithers invasion? Or--and he scowled darkly at the thought--was there a plan afoot toovercome the dangerous Miss Guile by means more sinister than subtle?

Enlightenment came unexpectedly and with a shock to his composure. Hehad observed the three spirited saddlehorses near the entrance of thehotel, in charge of two stable-boys, but had regarded them only assplendid specimens of equine aristocracy. It had not entered his mindto look upon them as agents of despair. 

Two people emerged from the door and, passing by without so much as aglance in his direction, made their way to the mounting block. Robin's heart went down to his boots. Bedelia, a graceful figure in asmart riding habit, was laughing blithely over a soft-spoken remarkthat her companion had made as they were crossing the porch. And thatcompanion was no other than the tall, good-looking fellow who had mether at Cherbourg! The Prince, stunned and incredulous, watched themmount their horses and canter away, followed by a groom who seemed tohave sprung up from nowhere. 

"Good morning, Mr. Schmidt, " spoke a voice, and, still bewildered, hewhirled, hat in hand, to confront Mrs. Gaston. "Did I startle you?"

He bowed stiffly over the hand she held out for him to clasp, andmurmured something about being proof against any surprise. The colourwas slowly returning to his face, and his smile was as engaging asever despite the bitterness that filled his soul. Here was a prettytrick to play on a fellow! Here was a slap in the face!

"Isn't it a glorious morning? And how wonderful she is in thisgorgeous sunlight, " went on Mrs. Gaston, in what may be described asa hurried, nervous manner. 

"I had the briefest glimpse of her, " mumbled Robin. "When did shecome?"

"Centuries and centuries ago, Mr. Schmidt, " said she, with a smile. "I was speaking of the Jungfrau. "

"Oh!" he exclaimed, flushing. "I thought you--er--yes, of course!Really quite wonderful. I have heard it said that she never removesher night-cap, but always greets the dawn in spotless--ahem! Ofcourse you understand that I am speaking of the Jungfrau, " hefloundered. 

"Naturally, Mr. Schmidt. And so you came, after all. We were afraidyou might have concluded to alter your plans. Miss Guile will bedelighted. "

He appeared grateful for the promise. "I have been here for threedays, Mrs. Gaston. You were delayed in leaving Paris?"

"Yes, " she said, and changed the subject. "The riding is quite good, I understand. They are off for Lauterbrunnen. "

"I see, " said he. "There is a splendid inn there, I am told. "

"They will return here for luncheon, of course, " she said, raisingher eyebrows slightly. His heart became a trifle lighter at this. "Mr. White is a lifelong friend and acquaintance of the family, " shevolunteered, apropos of nothing. 

"Oh, his name is White?" with a quiet laugh. 

"If you have nothing better to do, Mr. Schmidt, why not come with meto the Kursaal? The morning concert will begin shortly, and I--"

"I think you will find that the band plays in the square across theway, Mrs. Gaston, and not in the Casino. At least, that has been theprogramme for the last two mornings. "

"Nevertheless, there is a concert at the Casino today, " she informedhim. "Will you come?"

"Gladly, " he replied, and they set off for the Kursaal. He foundseats in the half-empty pavillion and prepared to listen to themusic, although his real interest was following the narrow highway toLauterbrunnen--and the Staubbach. 

"This is to be a special concert given at the request of the GrandDuke who, I hear, is leaving this afternoon for Berne. "

"The Grand Duke? I was not aware of the presence of royalty, " said hein surprise. 

"No? He has been here for three days, but at another hotel. The GrandDuke Paulus and his family, you know. "

Robin shot a swift, apprehensive glance about the big enclosure, sweeping the raised circle from end to end. On the opposite side ofthe pavillion he discovered the space reserved for the distinguishedparty. Although he was far removed from that section he sank deeperinto his chair and found one pretext after another to screen his facefrom view. He did know the Grand Duke Paulus and the Grand Duke knewhim, which was even more to the point. 

The Prince of Graustark had been a prime favourite of the great mansince his knickerbocker days. Twice as a boy he had visited in theducal palace, far distant from Graustark, and at the time of his owncoronation the Grand Duke and his sons had come to the castle inEdelweiss for a full month's stay. They knew him well and they wouldrecognise him at a glance. At this particular time the last thing onearth that he desired was to be hailed as a royal prince. 

Never, in all his life, had he known the sun to penetrate so brightlyinto shadows as it did to-day. He felt that he was sitting in aperfect glare of light and that every feature of his face was clearto the most distant observer. 

He was on the point of making an excuse to leave the place when theducal party came sauntering down the aisle on their way to thereserved section. Every one stood up, the band played, the Grand Dukebowed to the right and to the left, and escape was cut off. Robincould only stand with averted face and direct mild execrations at thesunlight that had seemed so glorious at breakfast-time. 

"He is a splendid-looking man, isn't he?" Mrs. Gaston was saying. Shewas gazing in rapt admiration upon the royal group. 

"He is, indeed, " said Robin, resolutely scanning a programme, whichhe continued to hold before his face. When he sat down again, it waswith his back to the band. "I don't like to watch the conductors, " heexplained. "They do such foolish things, you know. "

Mrs. Gaston was eyeing him curiously. He was bitterly conscious of acrimson cheek. In silence they listened to the first number. Whilethe applause was at its height, Mrs. Gaston leaned forward and saidto him:

"I am afraid you are not enjoying the music, Mr. Schmidt. What is onyour mind?"

He started. "I--I--really, Mrs. Gaston, I am enjoying it. I--"

"Your mind has gone horse-back riding, I fear. At present it isbetween here and Lauterbrunnen, jogging beside that roaring littletorrent that--"

"I don't mind confessing that you are quite right, " said he frankly. "And I may add that the music makes me so blue that I'd like to jumpinto that roaring torrent and--and swim out again, I suppose, " heconcluded, with a sheepish grin. 

"You are in love. "

"I am, " he confessed. 

She laid her hand upon his. Her eyes were wide with eagerness. "Wouldit drive away the blues if I were to tell you that you have a chanceto win her?"

He felt his head spinning. "If--if I could believe that--that-" hebegan, and choked up with the rush of emotion that swept through him. 

"She is a strange girl. She will marry for love alone. Her father isdetermined that she shall marry a royal prince. That much I mayconfess to you. She has defied her father, Mr. Schmidt. She willmarry for love, and I believe it is in your power to awaken love inthat adorable heart of hers. You--"

"For God's sake, Mrs. Gaston, tell me--tell me, has she breathed aword to you that--"

"Not a single word. But I know her well. I have known her since shewas a baby, and I can read the soul that looks out through thoselovely eyes. Knowing her so well, I may say to you--oh, it must be inthe strictest confidence!--that you have a chance. And if you win herlove, you will _have_ the greatest treasure in all the world. She--but, look! The Grand Duke is leaving. He--"

"I don't care what becomes of the Grand Duke, " he burst out. "Tell memore. Tell me how you look into her soul, and tell me what you see--"

"Not now, sir. I have said enough. I have given you the sign of hope. It remains with you to make the most of it. "

"But you--you don't know anything about me. I may be the veriestadventurer, the most unworthy of all--"

"I think, Mr. Schmidt, that I know you pretty well. I do not requirethe aid of Diogenes' lantern to see an honest man. I am responsiblefor her welfare. She has been placed under my protection. For twentyyears I have adored her. I am not likely to encourage an adventurer. "

"I must be honest with you, Mrs. Gaston, " he said suddenly. "I amnot--"

She held up her hand. "Mr. Totten has informed me that you are alife-long friend of Mrs. Truxton King. I cabled to her from Paris. There is no more to be said. "

His face fell. "Did she tell you--everything?"

"She said no more than that R. Schmidt is the finest boy in all theworld. " Suddenly her face paled. "You are never--_never_ to breathe aword of this to--to Bedelia, " she whispered. 

"But her father? What will he say to--"

"Her father has said all that can be said, " she broke in quietly. "Hecannot force her to marry the man he has selected. She will marry theman she loves. Come now! Let us go. I am tired of the music. "

"Thank you, thank you, Mrs. Gaston, " he cried, with shining eyes. "God bless you!"

She gave him a queer look. "You must not think that your task is aneasy one, " she said meaningly. "There are other men in the world, youknow. "

CHAPTER XIX

"WHAT WILL MY PEOPLE DO!"

The Grand Duke and his party left Interlaken by special train earlyin the afternoon, and great was Robin's relief when Hobbs returnedwith the word that they were safely on their way to the capital ofSwitzerland. He emerged from the seclusion of his room, where he hadbeen in hiding since noon, and set out for a walk through the town. His head was high and his stride jaunty, for his heart was like acork. People stared after him with smiles of admiration, and never a_cocher'_ passed him by without a genial, inviting tilt of theeyebrow and a tentative pull at the reins, only to meet with apleasant shake of the head or the negative flourish of a bamboo cane. 

Night came and with it the silvery glow of moonlight across the hoaryheaded queen of the Oberland. When Robin came out from dinner heseated himself on the porch, expectant, eager--and vastly lonesome. An unaccountable shyness afflicted him, rendering him quite incapableof sending his card up to the one who could have dispelled thegathering gloom with a single glance of the eye. Would she comestealing out ostensibly to look at the night-capped peak, but withfurtive glances into the shadows of the porch in quest of--But no!She would not do that! She would come attended by the exasperatingMr. White and the friendly duenna. Her starry eyes, directedelsewhere, would only serve to increase the depth of the shadows inwhich he lurked impatient. 

She came at last--and alone. Stopping at the rail not more than anarm's length from where he sat, she gazed pensively up at the solemnmistress of the valley, one slim hand at her bosom, the other hanginglimp at her side. He could have touched that slender hand by merelystretching forth his own. Breathless, enthralled, he sat as onedeprived of the power or even the wish to move. The spell was uponhim; he was in thralldom. 

She wore a rose-coloured gown, soft, slinky, seductive. A lightEgyptian scarf lay across her bare shoulders. The slim, white neckand the soft dark hair--but she sighed! He heard that faint, quick-drawn sigh and started to his feet. 

"Bedelia!" he whispered softly. 

She turned quickly, to find him standing beside her, his face aglowwith rapture. A quick catch of the breath, a sudden movement of thehand that lay upon her breast, and then she smiled, --a wavering, uncertain smile that went straight to his heart and shamed him forstartling her. "I beg your pardon, " he began lamely. "I--I startledyou. "

She held out her hand to him, still smiling. "I fear I shall neverbecome accustomed to being pursued, " she said, striving for commandof her voice. 

"It is dreadful to feel that some one is forever watching you frombehind. I am glad it is you, however. You at least are not 'thesecret eye that never sleeps'!" She gently withdrew her hand from hisardent clasp. "Mrs. Gaston told me that she had seen you. I fearedthat you might have gone on your way rejoicing. "

"Rejoicing?" he cried. "Why do you say that?"

"After our experience in Paris, I should think that you had hadenough of me and my faithful watchdogs. "

"Rubbish!" he exclaimed. "I shall never have enough of you, " he wenton, with sudden boldness. "As for the watch-dogs, they are not likelyto bite us, so what is there to be afraid of?"

"Have you succeeded in evading the watchful eye of Mr. Totten'sfriend?" she enquired, sending an apprehensive glance along theporch. 

"Completely, " he declared. "I am quite alone in this hotel and, Ibelieve, unsuspected. And you? Are you still being--"

"Sh! Who knows? I think we have thrown them off the track, but onecannot be sure. I raised a dreadful rumpus about it in Paris, and--well, they said they were sorry and advised me not to be worried, forthe surveillance would cease at once. Still, I am quite sure thatthey lied to me. "

"Then you _are_ being followed. "

She smiled again, and there was mischief in her eyes. "If so, I haveled them a merry chase. We have been travelling for two days andnights, Mr. Schmidt, by train and motor, getting off at stationsunexpectedly, hopping into trains going in any direction but theright one, sleeping in strange beds and doing all manner of queerthings. And here we are at last. I am sure you must look upon me as avery silly, flibberty-gibbet creature. "

"I see that your retinue has been substantially augmented, " heremarked, a trace of jealousy in his voice. "The good-looking Mr. White has not been eluded. "

"Mr. White? Oh, yes, I see. But he is to be trusted, Mr. Schmidt, "she said mysteriously--and tantalisingly. "He will not betray me tomy cruel monster of a father. I have his solemn promise not to revealmy whereabouts to any one. My father is the last person in the worldto whom he would go with reports of my misdoings. "

"I saw you this morning, riding with him, " said he glumly. 

"Through the telescope?" she inquired softly, laying a hand upon thestationary instrument. 

He flushed hotly. "It was when you were starting out, Miss Guile. Iam not one of the spies, you should remember. "

"You are my partner in guilt, " she said lightly. "By the way, haveyou forgiven me for leading you into temptation?"

"Certainly. I am still in the Garden of Eden, you see, and as I don'ttake any stock in the book of Genesis, I hope to prove to myself atleast, that the conduct of an illustrious forebear of mine was notdue to the frailties of Eve but to his own tremendous anxiety to getout of a place that was filled with snakes. I hope and pray that youwill continue to put temptation in my path so that I may have thefrequent pleasure of falling. "

She turned her face away and for a moment was silent. "Shall we takethose chairs over there, Mr. Schmidt? They appear to be as abandonedas we. " She indicated two chairs near the broad portals. 

He shook his head. "If we are looking for the most utterly abandoned, allow me to call your attention to the two in yonder corner. "

"It is quite dark over there, " she said with a frown. 

"Quite, " he agreed. "Which accounts, no doubt, for your failure tosee them. "

"Mrs. Gaston will be looking for me before--" she began hesitatingly. 

"Or Mr. White, perhaps. Let me remind you that they have exceedinglysharp eyes. "

"Mr. White is no longer here, " she announced. 

His heart leaped. "Then I, at least, have nothing to fear, " he saidquickly. 

She ignored the banality. "He left this afternoon. Very well, let ustake the seats over there. I rather like the--shall I say shadows?"

"I too object to the limelight, --Bedelia, " he said, offering her hisarm. 

"You are not to call me Bedelia, " she said, holding back. 

"Then 'forgive us our transgressions' is to be applied in the usualorder, I presume. "

"Are you sorry you called me Bedelia?" she insisted, frowningominously. 

"No. I'm sorry you object, that's all. "

They made their way through a maze of chairs and seated themselves inthe dim corner. Their view of the Jungfrau from this vine-screenedcorner was not as perfect as it might have been, but the Jungfrau hadno present power of allurement for them. 

"I cannot stay very long, " she said as she sank back in thecomfortable chair. 

He turned his back not only upon the occupants of the porch but thelustrous Jungfrau, drawing his chair up quite close to hers. As heleaned forward, with his elbows on the arms of the chair, she seemedto slink farther back in the depths of hers, as if suddenly afraid ofhim. 

"Now, tell me everything, " he said. "From beginning to end. Whatbecame of you after that day at St. Cloud, whither have youjourneyed, and wherefore were you so bent on coming to this nowblessed Interlaken?"

"Easily answered. Nothing at all became of me. I journeyed thither, and I came because I had set my heart on seeing the Jungfrau. "

"But you had seen it many times. "

"And I hoped that I might find peace and quiet here, " she added quitedistinctly. 

"You expected to find me here, didn't you?"

"Yes, but I did not regard you as a disturber of the peace. "

"You knew I would come, but you didn't know why, did you, Bedelia?"He leaned a little closer. 

"Yes, I knew why, " she said calmly, emotionlessly. He drew backinstantly, chilled by her directness. "You came because there waspromise of an interesting adventure, which you now are on the pointof making impossible by a rather rash exhibition of haste. "

He stared at her shadowy face in utter confusion. For a moment he wasspeechless. Then a rush of protesting sincerity surged up within himand he cried out in low, intense tones: "I cannot allow you to thinkthat of me, Miss Guile. If I have done or said anything to lead youto believe that I am--"

"Oh, I beg of you, Mr. Schmidt, do not enlarge upon the matter bytrying to apologise, " she cried. 

"I am not trying to apologise, " he protested. "I am trying to justifywhat you are pleased to call an exhibition of haste. You see, it'sjust this way: I am obliged to make hay while the sun shines, forsoon I may be cast into utter darkness. My days are numbered. In afortnight I shall be where I cannot call my soul my own. I--"

"You alarm me. Are you to be sent to prison?"

"You wouldn't look upon it as a prison, but it seems like one to me. Do not laugh. I cannot explain to you now. Another day I shall tellyou everything, so pray take me for what I am to-day, and ask noquestions. I have asked no more of you, so do you be equally generouswith me. "

"True, " she said, "you have asked no questions of me. You take me forwhat I am to-day, and yet you know nothing of my yesterdays or my to-morrows. It is only fair that I should be equally confiding. Letthere be no more questions. Are we, however, to take each otherseriously?"

"By all means, " he cried. "There will come a day when you mayappreciate the full extent of my seriousness. "

"You speak in riddles. "

"Is the time ripe for me to speak in sober earnest?" he questionedsoftly. She drew back again in swift alarm. 

"No, no! Not now--not yet. Do not say anything now, Mr. Schmidt, thatmay put an end to our--to our adventure. "

She was so serious, so plaintive, and yet so shyly prophetic ofcomfort yet to be attained, that his heart warmed with a mighty glowof exaltation. A sweet feeling of tenderness swept over him. 

"If God is good, there can be but one end to our adventure, " he said, and then, for some mysterious reason, silence fell between them. Longafterward--it seemed hours to him!--she spoke, and her voice was lowand troubled. 

"Can you guess why I am being watched so carefully, why I am beingfollowed so doggedly by men who serve not me but another?"

"Yes. It is because you are the greatest jewel in the possession of agreat man, and he would preserve you against all varlets, --such asI. "

She did not reveal surprise at his shrewd conjecture. She nodded herhead and sighed. 

"You are right. I am his greatest jewel, and yet he would give meinto the keeping of an utter stranger. I am being protected againstthat conscienceless varlet--Love! If love lays hands upon me--ah, myfriend, you cannot possibly guess what a calamity that would be!"

"And love _will_ lay hands upon you, Bedelia, --"

"I am sure of that, " she said, once more serene mistress of herselfafter a peculiarly dangerous lapse. "That is why I shudder. Whatcould be more dreadful than to fall into the clutches of thatmerciless foe to peace? He rends one's heart into shreds; he stabs inthe dark; he thrusts, cuts and slashes and the wounds never heal; heblinds without pity; he is overbearing, domineering, ruthless and hisvictims are powerless to retaliate. Love is the greatest tyrant inall the world, Mr. Schmidt, and we poor wretches can never hope toconquer him. We are his prey, and he is rapacious. Do you not shudderalso?"

"Bless you, no! I'd rather enjoy meeting him in mortal combat. Mynotion of bliss would be a fight to the death with love, for then theconflict would not be one-sided. What could be more glorious than tostand face to face with love, hand to hand, breast to breast, lip tolip until the end of time? Let him cut and slash and stab if youwill, there would still be recompense for the vanquished. Even thosewho have suffered most in the conflict with love must admit that theyhave had a share in the spoils. One can't ignore the sweet hours whencounting up the bitter ones, after love has withdrawn from the tenderencounter. The cuts and slashes are cherished and memory is a store-house for the spoils that must be shared with vanity. "

"It sounds like a book. Who is your favourite author?" she inquiredlightly. 

"Baedeker, " he replied, with promptness. "Without my Baedeker, Ishould never have chanced upon the route travelled by love, nor thehotel where I now lodge in close proximity to--"

"Will you please be sensible?"

"You invite something to the contrary, Bedelia, " he ventured. 

"Haven't I requested you to--"

"I think of you only as Bedelia, " he made haste to explain. "Bedeliawill stick to you forever, you see, while Miss Guile is almostephemeral. It cannot live long, you know, with so many other nameseager to take its place. But Bedelia--ah, Bedelia is everlasting. "

She laughed joyously, naturally. "You really are quite wonderful, Mr. Schmidt. Still I must change the subject. I trust the change will notaffect your glibness, for it is quite exhilarating. How long do youpurpose remaining in Interlaken?"

"That isn't changing the subject, " said he. "I shall be here for aweek or ten days--or perhaps longer. " He put it in the form of aquestion, after all. 

"Indeed? How I envy you. I am sorry to say I shall have to leave in aday or two. "

His face fell. "Why?" he demanded, almost indignantly. 

"Because I am enjoying myself, " she replied. 

"I don't quite get your meaning. "

"I am having such a good time disobeying my father, Mr. Schmidt, andeluding pursuers. It is only a matter of a day or two before I amdiscovered here, so I mean to keep on dodging. It is splendid fun. "

"Do you think it is quite fair to me?"

"Did I induce you to come here, good sir?"

"You did, " said he, with conviction. "Heaven is my witness. I wouldnot have come but for you. I am due at home by this time. "

"Are you under any obligations to remain in Interlaken for a week orten days?"

"Not now, " he replied. "Do you mind telling me where you are goingto, Miss Guile?"

"First to Vienna, then--well, you cannot guess where. I have decidedto go to Edelweiss. "

"Edelweiss!" he exclaimed in astonishment. He could hardly believehis ears. 

"It is the very last place in the world that my father would think oflooking for me. Besides I am curious to see the place. I understandthat the great Mr. Blithers is to be there soon, and the stupidPrince who will not be tempted by millions, and it is even possiblethat the extraordinary Miss Blithers may take it into her head tolook the place over before definitely refusing to be its Princess. Imay find some amusement--or entertainment as an on-looker when theriots begin. "

He was staring at her wide-eyed and incredulous. "Do you really meanto say you are going to Graustark?"

"I have thought of doing so. Don't you think it will be amusing to beon the scene when the grand climax occurs? Of course, the Prince willcome off his high horse, and the girl will see the folly of her ways, and old Mr. Blithers will run 'rough shod over everybody, and--but, goodness, I can't even speculate on the possibilities. "

He was silent. So this was the way the wind blew, eh? There was butone construction to be put upon her decision to visit the Capital ofGraustark. She _had_ taken it into her head "to look the placeover before definitely refusing to be its Princess!" His first thrillof exultation gave way to a sickening sense of disappointment. 

All this time she was regarding him through amused, half-closed eyes. She had a distinct advantage over him. She knew that he was thePrince of Graustark; she had known it for many days. Perhaps if shehad known all the things that were in his cunning brain, she wouldnot have ventured so far into the comedy she was constructing. Shewould have hesitated--aye, she might have changed her methodscompletely. But she was in the mood to do and say daring things. Sheconsidered her position absolutely secure, and so she could afford toenjoy herself for the time being. There would be an hour ofreckoning, no doubt, but she was not troubled by its promise ofcastigation. 

"Poor Prince!" she sighed pityingly. He started. The remark was sounexpected that he almost betrayed himself. It seemed profoundlypersonal. "He will be in very hot water, I fear. "

He regarded her coldly. "And you want to be on hand to see himsquirm, I suppose. "

She took instant alarm. Was she going too far? His query was somewhatdisconcerting. 

"To be perfectly frank with you, Mr. Schmidt, I am going to Graustarkbecause no one will ever think of looking for me in such an out-of-the-way place. I am serious now, so you must not laugh at me. Circumstances are such that I prefer to seek happiness after afashion of my own. My parents love me, but they will not understandme. They wish me to marry a man they have picked out for me. I intendto pick out my own man, Mr. Schmidt. You may suspect, from all thatyou have seen, that I am running away from home, from those who aredearest in all the world to me. You knew that I was carefully watchedin Paris. You know that my father fears that I may marry a mandistasteful to him, and I suppose to my mother, although she is notso--"

"Are his fears well-founded?" he asked, rudely interrupting her. "Isthere a man that he has cause to fear? Are--are you in love with someone, Bedelia?"

"Do not interrupt me. I want you to know that I am not running awayfrom home, that I shall return to it when I see fit, and that I amnot in love with the man they suspect. I want you to be just with me. You are not to blame my father for anything, no matter how absurd hisactions may appear to you in the light of the past few days. It isright that he should try to safeguard me. I am wayward but I am notfoolish. I shall commit no silly blunder, you may be sure of that. Now do you understand me better?"

She was very serious, very intense. He laid his hand on hers, and shedid not withdraw it. Emboldened, his hand closed upon the daintyfingers and an instant later they were borne to his hot lips. 

"You have said that I came here in search of a light adventure, " hewhispered, holding her hand close to his cheek as he bent nearer toher. "You imply that I am a trifler, a light-o'-love. I want you tounderstand me better. I came here because I--"

"Stop!" she pleaded. "You must not say it. I am serious--yes, I knowthat you are serious too. But you must wait. If you were to say it tome now I should have to send you away and--oh, believe me, I do notwant to do that. I--I--"

"You love no one else?" he cried, rapturously. 

She swayed slightly, as if incapable of resisting the appeal thatcalled her to his heart. Her lips were parted, her eyes glowedluminously even in the shadows, and she scarcely breathed the words:

"I love no one else. "

A less noble nature than his would have seized upon the advantageoffered by her sudden weakness. Instead, he drew a long, deep breath, straightened his figure and as he gently released the imprisonedhand, the prince in him spoke. 

"You have asked me to wait. I am sure that you know what is in myheart. It will always be there. It will not cut and slash and stab, for it is the most tender thing that has ever come into my life--oryours. It must never be accused of giving pain to you, so I shallobey you--and wait. You are right to avoid the risk of entrusting asingle word of hope to me. I am a passer-by. My sincerity, my honestyof purpose remain to be proved. Time will serve my cause. I can onlyask you to believe in me--to trust me a little more each day--and tolet your heart be my judge. "

She spoke softly. "I believe in you, I trust you even now, or I wouldnot be here. You are kind to me. Few would have been so generous. Weboth are passers-by. It is too soon for us to judge each other in thefull. I must be sure--oh, I must be sure of myself. Can youunderstand? I must be sure of myself, and I am not sure now. You donot know how much there is at stake, you can not possibly know whatit would mean to me if I were to discover that our adventure had noreal significance in the end. I know it sounds strange andmysterious, or you would not look so puzzled. But unless I can besure of one thing--one vital thing--our adventure has failed in everyrespect. Now, I must go in. No; do not ask me to stay--and let me goalone. I prefer it so. Good night, my comrade. "

He stood up and let her pass. "Good night, my princess, " he said, clearly and distinctly. She shot a swift glance into his eyes, smiledfaintly, and moved away. His rapt gaze followed her. She entered thedoor without so much as a glance over her shoulder. 

"My princess, " he repeated wonderingly, to himself. "Have I kissedthe hand of my princess? God in heaven, is there on earth a princessmore perfect than she? Can there be in all this world another sodeserving of worship as she?"

Late at night she sat in her window looking up at the peacefulJungfrau. A dreamy, ineffably sweet smile lay in her dark eyes. Thehand he kissed had lain long against her lips. To herself she hadrepeated, over and over again, the inward whisper:

"What will my dear, simple old dad say if I marry this man afterall?"

In a window not ten feet away, he was staring out into the night, with lowering eyes and troubled heart, and in his mind he was saying:

"What will my people do if I marry this woman after all?"

CHAPTER XX

LOVE IN ABEYANCE

Two days went by. They were fraught with an ever-increasing joy forthe two who were learning to understand each other through the mute, though irresistible teachings of a common tutor. Each succeeding hourhad its exquisite compensation; each presented the cup of knowledgeto lips that were parched with the fever of impotence, and each timeit was returned empty by the seekers after wisdom. There were days inwhich Love went harvesting and prospered amazingly in the fields, foreach moment that he stored away against the future was ripe withpromise. He was laying by the store on which he was to subsist to theend of his days; he allowed no moment to go to waste, for he is amiser and full of greed. Not one word of love passed between thesetwo who waited for the fruit to ripen. They were never alonetogether. Always they were attended by the calm, keen-eyed Mrs. Gaston, who, though she may have been in sympathy with their secretenterprise, was nevertheless a dependable barrier to its hastyconsummation. 

She had received her instructions from the one now most likely to bein need of a deterring influence; the girl herself. After thatevening on the porch, Bedelia had gone straight to her duenna withthe truth. Then she made it clear to the good lady that she was notto be left alone for an instant to confront the welcome besieger. Andso it was that when Robin and Bedelia walked or rode together, theywere attended by prevention. In the Casino, at the gaming tables, atthe concert, or even in the street he was never free to express athought or emotion that, under less guarded conditions, might haveexposed her to the risk she was so carefully avoiding. 

He understood the situation perfectly and was not resentful. Heappreciated the caution with which she was carrying on her owncampaign, and he was not unmindful of the benefits that might alsoaccrue to him through this proscribed period of reflection. While hewas sure of himself by this time, and fully determined to risk evenhis crown for the girl who so calmly held him at bay, he was alsosensible of the wisdom of her course. She was not willing to subjectherself or him to the dangers of temptation. As she had said, therewas a great deal at stake; the rest of their lives, in truth. 

There was one little excursion to Grindelwald and its glacier, andlater an ascent of the Schynige Platte. Even a desperate horror ofthe rack and pinion railway up and down the steep mountain did notdaunt the incomparable chaperone. (True, she closed her eyes andshrank as far away from the edge of eternity as possible, but shestuck manfully to her post. ) He dined with them on the two evenings, and with them heard the concerts. 

There were times when he was perplexed, and uncertain of her. At notime did she relax into what might have been considered a receptiveor even an encouraging mood. He watched eagerly for the love-lightthat he hoped to surprise in her eyes, but it never appeared. She wasserene, self-contained, natural. That momentary dissolving on herpart when she sat with him in the shadows was the only circumstancehe had to base his hopes upon. She had betrayed herself then by wordand manner, but now she had her emotions well in hand. 

Her lovely eyes met his frankly and without the faintest sign ofdiffidence or self-consciousness. Her soft laugh was free andunconstrained, her smile gay and remotely suggestive of mischief. Attimes he thought she was playing the game too well for one whoprofessed to be concerned about the future. 

On the third day he was convicted of duplicity. She went off for awalk alone, leaving him safely anchored in what he afterwards came tolook upon as a pre-arranged game of auction-bridge. When she came inafter an absence of at least two hours, the game was just breakingup. He noted the questioning look that Mrs. Gaston bestowed upon herfair charge, and also remarked that it contained no sign of reproof. The girl went up to her room without so much as a word with him. Herface was flushed and she carried her head disdainfully. He wasgreatly puzzled. 

The puzzle was soon explained. He waited for her on the stairway asshe came down alone to dinner. 

"You told me that your friends were not in Interlaken, Mr. Schmidt, "she said coldly. "Why did you feel called upon to deceive me?"

He bit his lip. For an instant he reflected, and then gave an evasiveanswer. "I think I told you that I was alone in this hotel. MissGuile. My friends are at another hotel. I am not aware that--"

"I have seen and talked with that charming old man, Mr. Totten, " sheinterrupted. "He has been here for days, and Mr. Dank as well. Do youthink that you have been quite fair with me?"

He lowered his eyes. "I think I have been most fair to both of us, "he replied. "Will you believe me when I say that in a way Ipersonally requested them to leave this hotel and seek another? Andwill it decrease your respect for me if I add that I wanted to haveyou all to myself, so to speak, and not to feel that these goodfriends of mine were--"

"Why don't you look me in the face, Mr. Schmidt?" she broke in. Helooked up at once prepared to meet a look of disdain. To hissurprise, she was smiling. "I have talked it all over with Mrs. Gaston, and she advised me to forgive you if you were in the leastpenitent and--honest. Well, you have made an honest confession, I amsatisfied. Now, I have a confession to make. I have suspected allalong that Mr. Totten and Mr. Dank and the shadowy Mr. Gourou were inthe town. "

"You suspected?" he cried in amazement and chagrin. 

"I was morally certain that they were here. Today my suspicions werejustified. I encountered Mr. Totten in the park beyond theJungfraublick. He was very much upset, I can assure you, but herecovered with amazing swiftness. We sat on one of the benches in anice little nook and had a long, long talk. He is a charming man. Ihave asked him to come to luncheon with us to-morrow, and to bringMr. Dank. "

"Good Lord, will wonders never--"

"But I did not include the still invisible Mr. Gourou. I was afraidthat you would be too uncomfortable under the hawk-like eye of thegentleman who so kindly warned us at the Pavilion Bleu. " There wasgentle raillery in her manner. "I shall expect you to join us, Mr. Schmidt. You have no other engagement?"

"I--I shall be delighted, " he stammered. 

She laid her hand gently upon his arm and a serious sweetness cameinto her eyes. 

"Come, " she said; "let us go in ahead of Mrs. Gaston. Let us havejust one little minute to ourselves, Mr. Schmidt. "

It was true that she came upon the Count in one of the paths of theKleine Rugen. He was walking slowly toward her, his eyes fixedthoughtfully upon the ground. When she accosted him, he was plainlyconfused, as she had said. After the first few passages in politethough stilted conversation, his keen, grey eyes resumed theirthoughtful--it was even a calculating look. 

"Will you sit here with me for a while, Miss Guile?" he asked gently. "I have something of the gravest importance to say to you. "

She sat beside him on the sequestered bench, and when she arose toleave him an hour later, her cheek was warm with colour and her eyeswere filled with tenderness toward this grim, staunch old man who wasthe friend of _her_ friend. She laid her hand in his and suffered himto raise it to his lips. 

"I hope, my dear young lady, " said he with simple directness, "thatyou will not regard me as a stupid, interfering old meddler. God ismy witness, I have your best interests at heart. You are too good andbeautiful to--"

"I shall always look upon you as the kindest of men!" she criedimpulsively, and left him. 

He stood watching her slender, graceful figure as she moved down thesloping path and turned into the broad avenue. A smallish man with alean face came up from the opposite direction and stopped beside him. 

"Could you resist her, Quinnox, if you were twenty-two?" asked thisman in his quiet voice. 

Quinnox did not look around, but shook his head slowly. "I cannotresist her at sixty-two, my friend. She is adorable. "

"I do not blame him. It is fate. _She_ is fate. Our work is done, myfriend. We have served our country well, but fate has taken the matterout of our hands. There is nothing left for us to do but to fold ourarms and wait. " Gourou revealed his inscrutable smile as he pulled athis thin, scraggly moustache. He was shaking his head, as one whoresigns himself to the inevitable. 

After a long silence Quinnox spoke. 

"Our people will come to love their princess, Gourou. "

"Even as you and I, my friend, " said the Baron. 

And then they held their heads erect and walked confidently down theroad their future sovereign had traversed before them. 

When Mrs. Gaston joined Robin and Bedelia at the table which had beenset for them in the _salle a manger_, she laid several letters beforethe girl who picked them up instantly and glanced at thesuperscription on each. 

"I think that all of them are important, " said Mrs. Gastonsignificantly. The smile on the girl's face had given way to aclouded brow. She was visibly perturbed. 

"You will forgive me, Mr. Schmidt, " she said nervously. "I mustlook at them at once. "

He tried not to watch her face as she read what appeared to be abrief and yet evidently important letter, but his rapt gaze was notto be so easily managed. An exclamation of annoyance fell from herlips. 

"This is from a friend in Paris, Mr. Schmidt, " she said, hesitatingly. Then, as if coming to a quick decision: "My father has heard that I amcarrying on atrociously with a strange young man. It seems that it isa _new_ young man. He is beside himself with rage. My friends havealready come in for severe criticism. He blames them for permittinghis daughter to run at large and to pick up with every Tom, Dick andHarry. Dear me, I shudder when I think of what he will do to you, Mrs. Gaston. He will take off your head completely. But never fear, you olddear, I will see that it is put on again as neatly as ever. So, yousee, Mr. Schmidt, you now belong to that frightful order of nobodies, the Toms and the Dicks and the Harrys. "

"I see that there is a newspaper clipping attached, " he remarked. "Perhaps your father has been saying something to the newspapers. " Itwas a mean speech and he regretted it instantly. 

She was not offended, however. Indeed, she may not have heard what hesaid, for she was reading the little slip of printed matter. Suddenlyshe tore it into tiny bits and scattered them under the table. Hercheeks were red and her eyes glistened unmistakably withmortification. He was never to know what was in that newspapercutting, but he was conscious of a sharp sensation of anger and pitycombined. Whatever it was, it was offensive to her, and his bloodboiled. He noted the expression of alarm and apprehension deepen inMrs. Gaston's face. 

Bedelia slashed open another envelope and glanced at its contents. Her eyes flew open with surprise. For an instant she stared, a frownof perplexity on her brow. 

"We are discovered!" she cried a moment later, clapping her handstogether in an ecstasy of delight. "The pursuers are upon our heels. Even now they may be watching me from behind some convenient post orthrough some handy window pane. Isn't it fine? Don't look sohorrified, you old dear. They can't eat us, you know, even though weare in a dining-room. I love it all! Followed by man-hunters! Whatcould be more thrilling? The chase is on again. Quick! We mustprepare for flight!"

"Flight?" gasped Robin. Her eyes were dancing. His were filled withdismay. 

"It is as I feared, " she cried. "They have found me out. Hurry! Letus finish this wretched dinner. I must leave here to-night. "

"Impossible!" cried Mrs. Gaston. "Don't be silly. To-morrow will betime enough. Calm yourself, my dear. "

"To-morrow at sunrise, " cried Bedelia enthusiastically. "It isalready planned, Mr. Schmidt. I have engaged an automobile inanticipation of this very emergency. The trains are not safe. To-morrow I fly again. This letter is from the little stenographer inParis. I bribed her--yes, I bribed her with many francs. She is inthe offices of the great detective agency-'the Eye that neverSleeps!' I shall give her a great many more of those excellentfrancs, my friends. She is an honest girl. She did not fail me. "

"I don't see how you can say she is honest if she accepted a bribe, "said Mrs. Gaston severely. 

"Pooh!" was Miss Guile's sufficient answer to this. "We cross theBrunig Pass by motor. That really is like flying, isn't it?"

"To Lucerne?" demanded Robin, still hazily. 

"No, no! That would be madness. We shall avoid Lucerne. Miles andmiles to the north we will find a safe retreat for a day or two. Thenthere will be a journey by rail to--to your own city of Vienna, Mr. Schmidt. You--"

"See here, " said Robin flatly, "I don't understand the necessity forall this rushing about by motor and--"

"Of course you don't, " she cried. "You are not being sought by acruel, inhuman monster of a father who would consign you to a mostshudderable fate! You don't have to marry a man whose very name youhave hated. You can pick and choose for yourself. And so shall I, forthat matter. You--"

"You _adore_ your father, " cut in Mrs. Gaston sharply. "I don'tthink you should speak of him in that--"

"Of course I adore him! He is a dear old bear. But he is a monster, an ogre, a tyrant, a--oh, well, he is everything that's dreadful! Youlook dreadfully serious, Mr. Schmidt. Do you think that I shouldsubmit to my father's demands and marry the man he has chosen forme?"

"I do, " said Robin, abruptly and so emphatically that both of hishearers jumped in their seats. He made haste to dissemble. "Ofcourse, I'd much rather have you do that than to break your neckrolling over a precipice or something of the sort in a crazyautomobile dash. "

Miss Guile recovered her poise with admirable promptness. Her smilewas a trifle uncertain, but she had a dependable wit. "If that is allthat you are afraid of, I'll promise to save my neck at all costs, "she said. "I could have many husbands but only one poor little neck. "

"You can have only one husband, " said he, almost savagely. "By theway, why don't you read the other letter?" He was regarding it withjealous eyes, for she had slipped it, face downward, under the edgeof her plate. 

"It isn't important, " she said, with a quick look into his eyes. Sheconvicted herself in that glance, and knew it on the instant. 

Angry with herself, she snatched up the letter and tore it open. Hercheeks were flushed. She read however without betraying anyadditional evidence of uneasiness or embarrassment. When she hadfinished, she deliberately folded the sheets and stuck them back intothe envelope without comment. One looking over her shoulder as sheread, however, might have caught snatches of sentences here and thereon the heavily scrawled page. They were such as these: "You had ledme to hope, "... "for years I have been your faithful admirer, "... "Norhave I wavered for an instant despite your whimsical attitude, "... "therefore I felt justified in believing that you were sincere inyour determination to defy your father. " And others of an even morecaustic nature: "You are going to marry this prince after all, "... "not that you have ever by word or deed bound yourself to me, yet Ihad every reason to hope, "... " Your father will be pleased to findthat you are obedient, " ... "I am not mean enough to wish you anythingbut happiness, although I know you will never achieve it through thissickening surrender to vanity, "... "if I were a prince with a crownand a debt that I couldn't pay, "... "admit that I have had no realchance to win out against such odds, " etc. 

She faced Robin coolly. "It will be necessary to abandon our littleluncheon for to-morrow. I am sorry. Still Mr. Totten informs me thathe will be in Vienna shortly. The pleasure is merely postponed. "

"Are you in earnest about this trip by motor to-morrow morning?"demanded Robin darkly. "You surely cannot be--"

"I am very much in earnest, " she said decisively. He looked to Mrs. Gaston for help. That lady placidly shook her head. In fact, sheappeared to be rather in favour of the preposterous plan, if one wereto judge by the rapt expression on her countenance. "I had thesupposedly honest word of these crafty gentlemen that I was not to beinterfered with again. They gave me their promise. I shall now givethem all the trouble possible. "

"But it will be a simple matter for them to find out how and when youleft this hotel and to trace you perfectly. "

"Don't be too sure of that, " she said, exultantly. "I have a trick ortwo up my sleeve that will baffle them properly, Mr. Schmidt. "

"My dear, " interposed Mrs. Gaston severely, "do not forget yourself. It isn't necessary to resort to slang in order--"

"Slang is always necessary, " avowed Bedelia, undisturbed. "Goodness, I know I shall not sleep a wink to-night. "

"Nor I, " said Robin gloomily. Suddenly his face lightened. A wild, reckless gleam shot into his eyes and, to their amazement, he bangedthe table with his fist. "By Jove, I know what I shall do. I'll gowith you!"

"No!" cried Bedelia, aghast. "I--I cannot permit it, Mr. Schmidt. Can't you understand? You--_you_ are the man with whom I am supposedto be carrying on atrociously. What could be more convicting than tobe discovered racing over a mountain-pass--Oh, it is not to beconsidered--not for an instant. "

"Well, I can tell you flatly just what I intend to do, " said he, setting his jaws. "I shall hire another car and keep you in sightevery foot of the way. You may be able to elude the greatestdetective agency in Europe, but you can't get away from me. I intendto keep you now that I've got you, Bedelia. You can't shake me off. Where you go, I go. "

"Do you mean it?" she cried, a new thrill in her voice. He lookeddeep into her eyes and read there a message that invited him toperform vast though fool-hardy deeds. Her eyes were suddenly sweetwith the love she had never expected to know; her lips trembled withthe longing for kisses. "I shall travel far, " she murmured. "You mayfind the task an arduous one--keeping up with me, I mean. "

"I am young and strong, " he said, "and, if God is good to me, I shalllive for fifty years to come, or even longer. I tingle with joy, Bedelia, when I think of being near you for fifty years or more. Have--have you thought of it in that light? Have you looked aheadand said to yourself: fifty years have I to live and all of themwith--"

"Hush! I was speaking of a week's journey, not of a life's voyage, Mr. Schmidt, " she said, her face suffused. 

"I was speaking of a honeymoon, " said he, and then remembered Mrs. Gaston. She was leaning back in her chair, smiling benignly. He hadan uncomfortable thought: was he walking into a trap set for him bythis clever woman? Had she an ulterior motive in advancing his cause?

"But it would be perfectly silly of you to follow me in a car, " saidBedelia, trying to regain her lost composure. "Perfectly silly, wouldn't it, Mrs. Gas-ton?"

"Perfectly, " said Mrs. Gaston. 

"I will promise to see you in Vienna--"

"I intend to see you every day, " he declared, "from now till the endof time. "

"Really, Mr. Schmidt, you--"

"If there is one thing I despise beyond all reason, Bedelia, it isthe name of 'Schmidt'! I wish you wouldn't call me by that name. "

"I can't just call you 'Mister, '" she demurred. 

"Call me Rex for the present, " said he. "I will supply you with abetter one later on. "

"May I call him Rex?" she inquired of her companion. 

"In moderation, " said Mrs. Gaston. 

"Very well, then, Rex, I have changed my mind. I shall not cross theBrunig by motor since you insist upon risking your neck in pursuit ofme. I shall go by train in the morning, --calmly, complacently, stupidly by train. Instead of a thrilling dash for liberty over rockyheights and through perilous gorges, I shall travel like anybourgeoise in a second--or third class carriage, and the only thrillI shall have will be when we stop for Baker's chocolate at the top ofthe Pass. By that time I expect to be sufficiently hungry to bethrilled even by the sight of a cake of chocolate. Will you travel inthe carriage behind me? I fancy it will be safe and convenient andyou can't possibly be far from my heels. "

"That's a sensible idea, " he cried. "And we may be able toaccommodate your other pursuers on the same train. What's the senseof leaving them behind? They'd only catch us up in the end, so wemight just as well take them along with us. "

"No. We will keep well ahead of them. I insist on that. They can'tget here before to-morrow afternoon, so we will be far in the lead. We will be in Vienna in two days. There I shall say good-bye to you, for I am going on beyond. I am going to Graustark, the new Blithersestate. Surely you will not follow me there. "

"You are very much mistaken. I shall be there as soon as you and Ishall stay just as long, provided Mr. Blithers has no objections, "said Robin, with more calmness than he had hoped to display in theface of her sudden thrust. 

"We are forgetting our dinner, " said Mrs. Gaston quietly. "I thinkthe waiter is annoyed. "

CHAPTER XXI

MR. BLITHERS ARRIVES IN GRAUSTARK

Mr. William W. Blithers arrived in Edelweiss, the Capital ofGraustark, on the same day that the Prince returned from his tour ofthe world. As a matter of fact, he travelled by special train andbeat the Prince home by the matter of three hours. The procession oftroops, headed by the Royal Castle Guard, it was announced would passthe historic Hotel Regengetz at five in the afternoon, so Mr. Blithers had front seats on the extension porch facing the Platz. 

He did not know it, but if he had waited for the regular train inVienna, he would have had the honour of travelling in the samerailway carriage with the royal young man. ("Would" is used advisedlyin the place of "might, " for he _would_ have travelled in it, you maybe sure. )

Moreover, he erred in another particular, for arriving at the sameinstant and virtually arm-in-arm with the country's sovereign, hecould hardly have been kept out of the procession itself. When youstop to think that next to the Prince he was the most importantpersonage in the realm on this day of celebration, it ought not to beconsidered at all unreasonable for him to have expected some notableattention, such as being placed in the first carriage immediatelybehind the country's sovereign, or possibly on the seat facing him. Missing an opportunity like this, wasn't at all Mr. Blithers' idea ofsuccess. He was very sorry about the special train. If it hadn't beenfor that train he might now be preparing to ride castlewards behind aroyal band instead of sitting with his wife in the front row of seatson a hotel porch, just like a regular guest, waiting for the paradeto come along. It certainly was a wasted opportunity. 

He had lost no time in his dash across the continent. In the firstplace, his agents in Paris made it quite clear to him that there waslikely to be "ructions" in Graustark over the loan and the prospectof a plebeian princess being seated on the throne whether the peopleliked it or not; and in the second place, Maud Applegate had left anote on his desk in the Paris offices, coolly informing him that shewas likely to turn up in Edelweiss almost as soon as he. She added anannoying postscript. She said she was curious to see what sort of aplace it was that he had been wasting his money on!

To say that he was put out by Maud's aggravating behaviour would bestating the case with excessive gentleness. He was furious. He sentfor the head of the detective agency and gave him a blowing up thathe was never to forget. It appears that the detectives had followed afalse lead and had been fooled by the wary Maud in a most humiliatingmanner. They hadn't the remotest notion where she was, and evincedgreat surprise when informed in a voice loud enough to be heard ahalf-block away that she was on her way to Graustark. They said itcouldn't be possible, and he said they didn't know what they weretalking about. He was done with them. They could step out and ask thecashier to give them a check for their services, and so on and soforth. He did not forget to notify them that they were a gang ofloafers. 

Then he dragged Mrs. Blithers off to the Gare de l'Este and took theExpress to Vienna. He would see to the loan first and to Maudafterward. 

He had no means of knowing that a certain Miss Guile was doing moreto shape the destiny of the principality of Graustark than all themillions he had poured into its treasury. Nor had he the faintestsuspicion that she was even then on Graustark soil and waiting aseagerly as he for the procession to pass a given point. 

Going back a day or two, it becomes necessary to report that while inVienna the perverse Bedelia played a shabby trick on the infatuatedRobin. She stole away from the Bristol in the middle of the night andwas half-way to the Graustark frontier before he was aware of herflight. She left a note for him, the contents of which sufficed toease his mind in the presence of what otherwise might have beenlooked upon as a calamity. Instead of relapsing into despondency overher defection, he became astonishingly exuberant. It was relief andnot despair that followed the receipt of the brief letter. She hadplayed directly into his hand, after all. In other words, she hadremoved a difficulty that had been troubling him for days: theimpossibility of entering his own domain without betraying hisidentity to her. Naturally his entrance to the Capital would beattended by the most incriminating manifestation on the part of thepopulace. The character of R. Schmidt would be effaced in an instant, and, according to his own notion, quite a bit too soon to suit hisplans. He preferred to remain Schmidt until she placed her hand inhis and signified a readiness to become plain Mrs. R. Schmidt ofVienna. That would be his hour of triumph. 

In her note she said: "Forgive me for running away like this. It isfor the best. I must have a few days to myself, dear friend, --daysfor sober reflection uninfluenced by the presence of a natural enemyto composure. And so I am leaving you in this cowardly, gracelessfashion. Do not think ill of me. I give you my solemn promise that ina few days I shall let you know where I may be found if you choose tocome to me. Even then I may not be fully convinced in my own mindthat our adventure has reached its climax. You have said that youwould accompany me to Graustark. I am leaving to-night for thatcountry, where I shall remain in seclusion for a few days beforeacquainting you with my future plans. It is not my intention to stopin Edelweiss at present. The newspapers proclaim a state of unrestthere over the coming visit of Mr. Blithers and the return of thePrince, both of whom are very much in the public eye just now. Iprefer the quiet of the country to the excitement of the city, so Ishall seek some remote village and give myself up to--shall I sayprayerful meditation? Believe me, dear Rex, to be your most devoted, though whimsical, Bedelia. "

He was content with this. Deep down in his heart he thanked her forrunning away at such an opportune time! The situation wasimmeasurably simplified. He had laid awake nights wondering how hecould steal into his own domain with her as a companion and still putoff the revelation that he was not yet ready to make. Now the way wascomparatively easy. Once the demonstration was safely over, he couldcarry on his adventure with something of the same security that madethe prowlings of the Bagdad Caliphs such happy enterprises, for hecould with impunity traverse the night in the mantle of R. Schmidt. 

Immediately upon receiving her letter, he sent for Quinnox andGourou, who were stopping at a hotel nearby. 

"I am ready to proceed to Edelweiss, my friends, " said he. "MissGuile has departed. Will you book accommodations on the earliesttrain leaving for home?"

"I have already seen to that, highness, " said Gourou calmly. "Weleave at six this evening. Count Quinnox has wired the Prime Ministerthat you will arrive in Edelweiss at three to-morrow afternoon, Godwilling. "

"You knew that she had gone?"

"I happened to be in the Nordbahnhof when she boarded the train atmidnight, " replied the Baron, unmoved. 

"Do you never sleep?" demanded Robin hotly. 

"Not while I am on duty, " said Gourou. 

The Prince was thoughtful, his brow clouding with a troubled frown. "I suppose I shall now have to face my people with the confessionthat will confirm their worst fears. I may as well say to you, myfriends, that I mean to make her my wife even though it costs me mykingdom. Am I asking too much of you, gentlemen, when I solicit yoursupport in my fight against the prejudice that is certain to--"

Quinnox stopped him with a profound gesture of resignation and asingle word: "Kismet!" and Gourou, with his most ironic smile, added:"You may count on us to support the crown, highness, even though welose our heads. "

"Thank you, " said Robin, flushing. "Just because I appear to havelost my head is no reason for your doing the same, Baron Gourou. "

The Baron's smile was unfaltering. "True, " he said. " But we may beable to avoid all that by inducing the people of Graustark to losetheir hearts. "

"Do you think they will accept her as--as their princess?" criedRobin, hopefully. 

"I submit that it will first be necessary for you to induce MissGuile to accept you as her prince, " said Gourou mildly. "That doesn'tappear to be settled at present. "

He took alarm. "What do you mean? Your remark has a sinister sound. Has anything transpired to--"

"She has disappeared, highness, quite effectually. That is all that Ican say, " said Gourou, and Robin was conscious of a sudden chill andthe rush of cold moisture to his brow. "But let us prepare toconfront an even more substantial condition. A prospective father-in-law is descending upon our land. He is groping in the dark and he isangry. He has lost a daughter somewhere in the wilds of Europe, andhe realises that he cannot hope to become the grandfather of princesunless he can produce a mother for them. At present he seems to bedesperate. He doesn't know where to find her, as Little Bo-peep mighthave said. We may expect to catch him in a very ugly and obstreperousmood. Have I told you that he was in this city last night? He arrivedat the Bristol a few hours prior to the significant departure of MissGuile. Moreover, he has chartered a special train and is leaving to-day for Edelweiss. Count Quinnox has taken the precaution to advisethe Prime Minister of his approach and has impressed upon him theimportance of decrying any sort of popular demonstration against himon his arrival. Romano reports that the people are in an angry mood. I would suggest that you prepare, in a way, to placate them, now thatMiss Guile has more or less dropped out of sight. It behooves you to--"

"See here, " broke in Robin harshly, "have you had the effrontery tomake a personal appeal to Miss Guile in your confounded efforts toprevent the--"

"Just a moment, Robin, " exclaimed Count Quinnox, his face hardening. "I am sorry to hear words of anger on your lips, and directed towardyour most loyal friends. You ask us to support you and in the nextbreath imply that we are unworthy. It is beneath the dignity ofeither Baron Gourou or myself to reply to your ungenerous charge. "

"I beg your pardon, " said Robin, but without lowering his head. Hewas not convinced. The barb of suspicion had entered his brain. Werethey, after all, responsible for Bedelia's flight? Had they revealedhis identity to the girl and afterward created such alarm in herbreast that she preferred to slink away in the night rather than tocourt the humiliation that might follow if she presumed to wedGraustark's prince in opposition to his country's wish? "You mustadmit that the circumstance of her secret flight last night iscalculated to--But, no matter. We will drop the subject. I warn you, however, that my mind is fixed. I shall not rest until I have foundher. "

"I fancy that the state of unrest will be general, " said Gourou, withperfect good-nature. "It will go very hard with Graustark if we failto find her. And now, to return to our original sin: What are we todo about the ambitious Mr. Blithers? He is on my conscience and Itremble. "

It must not be supposed for an instant that the City of Edelweiss andthe court of Graustark was unimpressed by the swift approach andabrupt arrival of Mr. Blithers. His coming had been heralded for daysin advance. The city was rudely expectant, the court uneasy. The manwho had announced his determination to manage the public and privateaffairs of the principality was coming to town. He was coming instate, there could be no doubt about that. More than that, he wascoming to propitiate the people whether they chose to be mollified ornot. He was bringing with him a vast store of business acumen, anunexampled confidence and the self-assurance of one who has neverencountered failure. Shylock's mantle rested on his hated shoulders, and Judas Iscariot was spoken of with less abhorrence than William W. Blithers by the Christian country of Graustark. He was coming to getbetter acquainted with his daughter's future subjects. 

Earlier in the week certain polite and competent gentlemen fromBerlin had appeared at the Castle gates, carrying authority from thedauntless millionaire. They calmly announced that they had come tosee what repairs were needed in and about the Castle and to put theplace in shape. A most regrettable incident followed. They werechased out of town by an angry mob and serious complications with theGerman Empire were likely to be the result of the outrage. 

Moreover, the citizens of Graustark were openly reluctant to deposittheir state bonds as security for the unpopular loan, and there was alively sentiment in favour of renouncing the agreement entered intoby the cabinet. 

The Prime Minister, in the absence of the Prince, called massmeetings in all the towns and villages and emissaries of the crownaddressed the sullen crowds. They sought to clarify the atmosphere. So eloquent were their pleadings and so sincere their promises thatno evil would befall the state, that the more enlightened of thepeople began to deposit their bonds in the crown treasury. Others, impressed by the confidence of their more prosperous neighbours, showed signs of weakening. The situation was made clear to them. There could be no possible chance of loss from a financial point ofview. Their bonds were safe, for the loan itself was a perfectlylegitimate transaction, a conclusion which could not be gainsaid bythe most pessimistic of the objectors. Mr. Blithers would be paid infull when the time came for settlement, the bonds would be restoredto their owners, and all would be well with Graustark. 

As for the huge transactions Mr. Blithers had made in London, Parisand Berlin, there could be but one conclusion: he had the right toinvest his money as he pleased. That was his look-out. The bonds ofGraustark were open to purchase in any market. Any investor in theworld was entitled to buy all that he could obtain if he feltinclined to put his money to that use. The earnest agents of thegovernment succeeded in convincing the people that Mr. Blithers hadmade a good investment because he was a good business man. What didit matter to Graustark who owned the outstanding bonds? It might aswell be Blithers as Bernstein or any one else. 

As for Miss Blithers becoming the Princess of Graustark, that wassimple poppy-cock, declared the speakers. The crown could take oaththat Prince Robin would not allow _that_ to happen. Had he notdeclared in so many words that he would never wed the daughter ofWilliam Blithers, and, for that matter, hadn't the young woman alsoannounced that she would have none of him? There was one thing thatMr. Blithers couldn't do, and that was to marry his daughter to thePrince of Graustark. 

And so, by the time that Mr. Blithers arrived in Edelweiss, thepeople were in a less antagonistic frame of mind, --though sullenlysuspicious, --and were even prepared to grin in their sleeves, for, after all, it was quite clear that the joke was not on them but onMr. Blithers. 

When the special train pulled into the station Mr. Blithers turned tohis wife and said:

"Cheer up, Lou. This isn't a funeral. "

"But there is quite a mob out there, " she said, peering through thecar window. "How can we be sure that they are friendly?"

"Don't you worry, " said Mr. Blithers confidently. "They are notlikely to throw rocks at the goose that lays the golden egg. " If hehad paused to think, he would not have uttered such a carelessindictment. The time would come when she was to remind him of histhoughtless admission, omitting, however, any reference to the goldenegg. 

The crowd was big, immobile, surly. It lined the sidewalks in thevicinity of the station and stared with curious, half-closed eyes atthe portly capitalist and his party, which, by the way, was renderedsomewhat imposing in size by augmentation in the shape of lawyersfrom Paris and London, clerks and stenographers from the Parisoffice, and four plain clothes men who were to see to it that Midaswasn't blown to smithereens by envious anarchists; to say nothing ofa lady's maid, a valet, a private secretary and a doctor. (Mr. Blithers always went prepared for the worst. )

He was somewhat amazed and disgruntled by the absence of silk-hatambassadors from the Castle, with words of welcome for him on hisarrival. There was a plentiful supply of policemen but no cabinetministers. He was on the point of censuring his secretary for notmaking it clear to the government that he was due to arrive at suchand such an hour and minute, when a dapper young man in uniform--hecouldn't tell whether he was a patrolman or a captain--came up andsaluted. 

"I am William W. Blithers, " said he sharply. 

"I am an official guide and interpreter, sir, " announced the youngman suavely. "May I have the honour--"

"Not necessary--not necessary at all, " exploded Mr. Blithers. "I canget about without a guide. "

"You will require an interpreter, sir, " began the other, only to bewaved aside. 

"Any one desiring to speak to me will have to do it in English, " saidMr. Blithers, and marched out to the carriages. 

He was in some doubt at first, but as his carriage passed swiftlybetween the staring ranks on the sidewalks, he began to doff his hatand bow to the right and the left. His smiles were returned by themultitude, and so his progress was more or less of a triumph afterall. 

At the Regengetz he found additional cause for irritation. The lordsand nobles who should have met him at the railway station were asconspicuously absent in the rotunda of the hotel. No one was there toreceive him except the ingratiating manager of the establishment, whohoped that he had had a pleasant trip and who assured him that itwould not be more than a couple of hours before his rooms would bevacated by the people who now had them but were going away as soon asthe procession had passed. 

"Get 'em out at once, " stormed Mr. Blithers. "Do you think I want tohang around this infernal lobby until--"

"Pardon me, " said the manager blandly, "but your rooms will not beready for you before four or five o'clock. They are occupied. We canput you temporarily in rooms at the rear if your lady desires to restand refresh herself after the journey. "

"Well, I'll be--" began Mr. Blithers, purple in the face, and thenleaned suddenly against the counter, incapable of finishing thesentence. 

The manager rubbed his hands and smiled. "This is one of our galadays, Mr. Blithers. You could not have arrived at a time moreopportune. I have taken the precaution to reserve chairs for you onthe verandah. The procession will pass directly in front of the hotelon its way to Castle avenue. "

"What procession?" demanded Mr. Blithers. He was beginning to recallthe presence of uniformed bands and mounted troops in the sidestreets near the station. 

"The Prince is returning to-day from his trip around the world, " saidthe manager. 

"He ought to have been back long ago, " said Mr. Blithers wrathfully, and mopped his brow with a hand rendered unsteady by a mentalconvulsion. He was thinking of his hat-lifting experience. 

True to schedule, the procession passed the hotel at five. Bands wereplaying, people were shouting, banners were waving, and legions ofmounted and foot soldiers in brilliant array clogged thethoroughfare. The royal equipage rolled slowly by, followed by lessgorgeous carriages in which were seated the men who failed to makethe advent of Mr. Blithers a conspicuous success. 

Prince Robin sat in the royal coach, faced by two unbending officersof the Royal Guard. He was alone on the rear seat, and his brown, handsome face was aglow with smiles. Instead of a hat of silk, helifted a gay and far from immaculate conception in straw; instead ofa glittering uniform, he wore a suit of blue serge and a peculiarlyAmerican tie of crimson hue. He looked more like a popular athletereturning from conquests abroad than a prince of ancient lineage. Butthe crowd cheered itself hoarse over this bright-faced youngster whorode by in a coach of gold and brandished a singularly unregalchapeau. 

His alert eyes were searching the crowd along the street, in thebalconies and windows with an eager intensity. He was looking for thesweet familiar face of the loveliest girl on earth, and knew that helooked in vain, for even though she were one among the many herfeatures would be obscured by an impenetrable veil. If she werethere, he wondered what her thoughts might be on beholding the humbleR. Schmidt in the role of a royal prince receiving the laudations ofthe loving multitude!

Passing the Regengetz, his eyes swept the rows of cheering peoplebanked upon its wide terrace and verandahs. He saw Mr. And Mrs. Blithers well down in front, and for a second his heart seemed tostand still. Would she be with them? It was with a distinct sensationof relief that he realised that she was not with the smilingAmericans. 

Mr. Blithers waved his hat and, instead of shouting theincomprehensible greeting of the native spectators, called out invociferous tones:

"Welcome home! Welcome! Hurrah!"

As the coach swerved into the circle and entered the great, tree-lined avenue, followed by the clattering chorus of four thousandhorse-shoes, Mrs. Blithers after a final glimpse of the disappearingcoach, sighed profoundly, shook out her handkerchief from thecrumpled ball she had made of it with her nervously clenched fingers, touched her lips with it and said:

"Oh, what a remarkably handsome, manly boy he is, Will. "

Mr. Blithers nodded his head proudly. "He certainly is. I'll bet myhead that Maud is crazy about him already. She can't help it, Lou. That trip on the _Jupiter_ was a God-send. "

"I wish we could hear something from her, " said Mrs. Blithers, anxiously. 

"Don't you worry, " said he. "She'll turn up safe and sound andenthusiastic before she's a week older. We'll have plain sailing fromnow on, Lou. "

CHAPTER XXII

A VISIT TO THE CASTLE

Mr. Blithers indeed experienced plain sailing for the ensuing twentyhours. It was not until just before he set forth at two the nextafternoon to attend, by special appointment, a meeting of the cabinetin the council chamber at the Castle that he encountered the firstsymptom of squalls ahead. 

He had sent his secretary to the Castle with a brief note suggestingan early conference. It naturally would be of an informal character, as there was no present business before them. The contracts hadalready been signed by the government and by his authorised agents. So far as the loan was concerned there was nothing more to be said. Everything was settled. True, it was still necessary to conform to acertain custom by having the Prince affix his signature to thecontract over the Great Seal of State, but as he previously hadsigned an agreement in New York this brief act was of a more or lessperfunctory nature. 

The deposit of bonds by the state and its people would follow incourse of time, as prescribed by contract, and Mr. Blithers wasrequired to place in the Bank of Graustark, on such and such a date, the sum of three million pounds sterling. Everybody was satisfiedwith the terms of the contract. Mr. Blithers was to get what reallyamounted to nearly nine percent on a gilt-edged investment, andGraustark was to preserve its integrity and retain its possessions. 

There was a distant cloud on the financial horizon, however, a vagueshadow at present, --but prophetic of storm. It was perfectly clear tothe nobles that when these bonds matured, Mr. Blithers would be in aposition to exact payment, and as they matured in twelve years fromdate he was likely to be pretty much alive and kicking when the hourof reckoning arrived. 

Mr. Blithers was in the mood to be amiable. He anticipatedconsiderable pleasure in visiting the ancient halls of hisprospective grandchildren. During the forenoon he had taken a motorride about the city with Mrs. Blithers, accompanied by a guide whocreated history for them with commendable glibness and some veracity, and pointed out the homes of great personages as well as thechurches, monuments and museums. He also told them in a confidentialundertone that the Prince was expected to marry a beautiful Americangirl and that the people were enchanted with the prospect! That slybit of information realised ten dollars for him at the end of thetrip, aside from his customary fee. 

The first shock to the placidity of Mr. Blithers came with the briefnote in reply to his request for an informal conference. The LordChamberlain curtly informed him that the Cabinet would be in sessionat two and would be pleased to grant him an audience of half an hour, depending on his promptness in appearing. 

Mr. Blithers was not accustomed to being granted audiences. He hadgot into the habit of having them thrust upon him. It irritated himtremendously to have any one measure time for him. Why, even thePresident of the United States, the Senate, or the District Attorneyin New York couldn't do _that_ for him. And here was a whipper-snapper Lord Chamberlain telling him that the Cabinet would grant himhalf-an-hour! He managed to console himself, however, with thethought that matters would not always be as they were at present. There would be a decided change of tune later on. 

It would be folly to undertake the depiction of Mr. Blithers' firstimpressions of the Castle and its glories, both inside out. To beginwith, he lost no small amount of his assurance when he discoveredthat the great gates in the wall surrounding the park were guarded byresplendent dragoons who politely demanded his "pass. " After theofficer in charge had inspected the Lord Chamberlain's card as if hehad never seen one before, he ceremoniously indicated to a wardenthat the gates were to be opened. There was a great clanking ofchains, the drawing of iron bolts, the whirl of a windlass, and theponderous gates swung slowly ajar. 

Mr. Blithers caught his breath--and from that instant until he foundhimself crossing the great hall in the wake of an attendant delegatedto conduct him to the council chamber his sensations are not to bedescribed. It is only necessary to say that he was in a reverentialcondition, and that is saying a great deal for Mr. Blithers. Acertain bombastic confidence in himself gave way to mellow timidity. He was in a new world. He was cognisant of a distinct sensation ofawe. His ruthless Wall Street tread became a mincing, uncertainshuffle; he could not conquer the absurd notion that he ought to tip-toe his way about these ancient halls with their thick, velvety rugsand whispering shadows. 

Everywhere about him was pomp, visible and invisible. It was in thegreat stairway, the vaulted ceilings, the haughty pillars, over allof which was the sheen of an age that surpassed his comprehension. Rigid servitors watched his progress through the vast spaces--menwith grim, unsmiling faces. He knew, without seeing, that this hugepile was alive with noble lords and ladies: The court! Gallantry andbeauty to mock him with their serene indifference!

Somewhere in this great house beautiful women were idling, orfeasting, or dreaming. He was conscious of their presence all abouthim, and shrank slightly as he wondered if they were scrutinising hisungainly person. He was suddenly ashamed of his tight-fitting cut-a-way coat and striped trousers. Really he ought to get a new suit!These garments were much too small for him. 

Were ironic eyes taking in the fresh creases in those New Yorktrousers? Were they regarding his shimmering patent leather shoeswith an intelligence that told them that he was in pain? Were theywondering how much he weighed and why he didn't unbutton his coatwhen he must have known that it would look better if it didn't pinchhim so tightly across the chest? Above all things, were they smilingat the corpulent part of him that preceded the rest of his body, cladin an immaculate waistcoat? He never had felt so conspicuous in hislife, nor so certain that he was out of place. 

Coming in due time--and with a grateful heart--to a small ante-chamber, he was told to sit down and wait. He sat down very promptly. In any other house he would have sauntered around, looking at theemblems, crests and shields that hung upon the walls. But now he satand wondered. He wondered whether this could be William W. Blithers. Was this one of the richest men in the world--this fellow sittinghere with his hands folded tightly across his waistcoat? He wasforced to admit that it was and at the same time it wasn't. 

The attendant returned and he was ushered into a second chamber, atthe opposite end of which was a large, imposing door--closed. Besidethis door stood a slim, erect figure in the red, blue and golduniform of an officer of the Castle guard. As Mr. Blithers approachedthis rigid figure, he recognised a friend and a warm glow pervadedhis heart. There could be no mistaking the smart moustache andsupercilious eye-brows. It was Lieutenant Dank. 

"How do you do?" said Mr. Blithers. "Glad to see you again. " Hisvoice sounded unnatural. He extended his hand. 

Dank gave him a ceremonious salute, bowed slightly but without asmile, and then threw open the door. 

"Mr. Blithers, my lords, " he announced, and stood aside to let thestranger in a strange land pass within. 

A number of men were seated about a long table in the centre of thisimposing chamber. No one arose as Mr. Blithers entered the room andstopped just inside the door. He heard it close gently behind him. Hewas at a loss for the first time in his life. He didn't know whetherhe was to stop just inside the door fingering his hat like amessenger boy, or go forward and join the group. His gaze fell upon ahuge oaken chair at the far end of the table. It was the onlyunoccupied seat that came within the scope of his rather limitedvision. He could not see anything beyond the table and the impassivegroup that surrounded it. Was it possible that the big chair wasintended for him? If so, how small and insignificant he would lookupon it. He had a ghastly notion that his feet would not touch thefloor, and he went so far as to venture the hope that there would bea substantial round somewhere about midway from the bottom. 

He had appeared before the inquisitorial committees in the UnitedStates Senate, and had not been oppressed by the ponderous gravity ofthe investigation. He had faced the Senators without a tremor of awe. He had even regarded them with a confidence, equal if not superior totheir own. But now he faced a calm, impassive group of men who seemedto strip him down to the flesh with a cool, piercing interest, andwho were in no sense impressed by what they saw. 

Despite his nervousness he responded to the life long habit ofcalculation. He counted the units in the group in a single, rapidglance, and found that there were eleven. Eleven lords of the realm!Eleven stern, dignified, unsmiling strangers to the arrogance ofWilliam W. Blithers! Something told him at once that he could notspend an informal half-hour with them. Grim, striking, seriousvisages, all of them! The last hope for his well-fed American humourflickered and died. He knew that it would never do to regale them inan informal off-hand way--as he had planned--with examples of nativewit. 

Reverting to the precise moment of his entrance to the Castle, wefind Mr. Blithers saying to himself that there wasn't the slightestuse in even hoping that he might be invited to transfer his lodgingsfrom the Regengetz to the Royal bed-chambers. The chance of beinginvited to dine there seemed to dwindle as well. While he sat andwaited in the first antechamber he even experienced strangemisgivings in respect to parental privileges later on. 

After what appeared to him to be an interminable length of time, butin reality no more than a few seconds, a tall man arose from his seatand advanced with outstretched hand. Mr. Blithers recognised CountQuinnox, the Minister of War. He shook that friendly hand with afervour that must have surprised the Count. Never in all his life hadhe been so glad to see any one. 

"How are you, my lord, " said the king of finance, fairly meek withgratefulness. 

"Excellently well, Mr. Blithers, " returned the Count. "And you?"

"Never better, never better, " said Mr. Blithers, again pumping theCount's hand up and down--with even greater heartiness than before. "Glad to see you. Isn't it a pleasant day? I was telling Mrs. Blithers this morning that I'd never seen a pleasanter day. We--"

"Let me introduce you to my colleagues, Mr. Blithers, " interruptedthe Count. 

"Happy, I'm sure, " mumbled Mr. Blithers. To save his life, hecouldn't tell what had got into him. He had never acted like thisbefore. 

The Count was mentioning the names of dukes, counts and barons, andMr. Blithers was bowing profoundly to each in turn. No one offered toshake hands with him, although each rose politely, even graciously. They even smiled. He remembered that very well afterwards. Theysmiled kindly, almost benignly. He suddenly realised what had gotinto him. It was respect. 

"A chair, Franz, " said the white haired, gaunt man who was calledBaron Romano. "Will you sit here, Mr. Blithers? Pray forgive ourdelay in admitting you. We were engaged in a rather seriousdiscussion over--"

"Oh, that's all right, " said Mr. Blithers, magnanimously. "Am Iinterfering with any important business, gent--my lords? If so, just--"

"Not at all, Mr. Blithers. Pray be seated. "

"Sure I'm not taking any one's seat?"

"A secretary's, sir. He can readily find another. "

Mr. Blithers sat down. He was rather pleased to find that the bigchair was not meant for him. A swift intuition told him that it wasreserved for the country's ruler. 

"The Prince signed the contracts just before you arrived, Mr. Blithers, " said Baron Romano. "The seal has been affixed to each ofthe documents, and your copy is ready for delivery at any time. "

Mr. Blithers recovered himself slightly. "You may send it to thehotel, Baron, at any time to-morrow. My lawyers will have a look atit. " Then he made haste to explain: "Not that it is really necessary, but just as a matter of form. Besides, it gives the lawyers somethingto do. " He sent an investigating glance around the room. 

"The Prince has retired, " said the Baron, divining the thought. "Hedoes not remain for the discussions. " Glancing at the huge old clockabove the door, the Prime Minister assumed a most business-like air. "It will doubtless gratify you to know that three-fourths of thebonds have been deposited, Mr. Blithers, and the remainder will begathered in during the week. Holders living in remote corners of ourcountry have not as yet been able to reach us with their securities. A week will give them sufficient time, will it not, Count Lazzar?"

"I may safely say that all the bonds will be in our hands by nextTuesday at the latest, " said the Minister of the Treasury. He was athin, ascetic man; his keen eyes were fixed rather steadily upon Mr. Blithers. After a moment's pause, he went on: "We are naturallyinterested in your extensive purchases of our outstanding bonds, Mr. Blithers. I refer to the big blocks you have acquired in London, Paris and Berlin. "

"Want to know what I bought them for?" inquired Mr. Blithers amiably. 

"We have wondered not a little at your readiness to invest such afortune in our securities. "

"Well, there you have it. Investment, that's all. Your credit issound, and your resources unquestioned, your bonds gilt-edge. I amglad of the opportunity to take a few dollars out of Wall Streetuncertainties and put 'em into something absolutely certain. Groo--Gras--er--Groostock bonds are pretty safe things to have lying in asafety vault in these times of financial unrest. They create a prettysolid fortune for my family, --that is to say, for my daughter and herchildren. A sensible business man, --and I claim to be one, --looksahead, my lords. Railroads are all right as long as you are alive andcan run them yourself. It's after you are dead that they fail to dowhat is expected of them. New fingers get into the pie, and you nevercan tell what they'll pull out in their greediness. I cannot imagineanything safer in the shape of an investment than the bonds of anation that has a debt of less than fifty million dollars. As acitizen of a republic whose national debt is nearly a billion, Iconfess that I can't see how you've managed so well. "

"We are so infinitesimal, Mr. Blithers, that I daresay we could belost in the smallest of your states, " said Baron Romano, with asmile. 

"Rhode Island is pretty small, " Mr. Blithers informed him, without asmile. 

"It is most gratifying to Graustark to know that you value oursecurities so highly as a legacy, " said Count Lazzar, suavely. "May Iventure the hope, however, that your life may be prolonged beyond theterm of their existence? They expire in a very few years--a dozen, infact. "

"Oh, I think I can hang on that long, " said Mr. Blithers, a littlemore at ease. He was saying to himself that these fellows were not sobad, after all. "Still one never knows. I may be dead in a year. Mydaughter--but, of course, you will pardon me if I don't go into myprivate affairs. I fear I have already said too much. "

"On the contrary, sir, we are all only too willing to be edified. Theworkings of an intelligence such as jours cannot fail to be ofinterest to us who are so lacking in the power to cope with greatundertakings. I confess to a selfish motive in asking you about yourmethods of--er--investment, " said the Minister of Finance. Mr. Blithers failed to see that he was shrewdly being led up to a matterthat was of more importance to Graustark just then than anythingalong financial lines. 

"I am only too willing, my lords, to give you the benefit of myexperience. Any questions that you may care to ask, I'll be glad toanswer to the best of my ability. It is only natural that I shouldtake a great personal interest in Graustock from now on. I want tosee the country on the boom. I want to see it taking advantage of allthe opportunities that--er--come its way. There may be a fewpointers that William W. Blithers can give you in respect to yourrailways and mines--and your general policy, perhaps. I hope youwon't hesitate about asking. "

The Prime Minister tapped reflectively upon the table-top with hisfingers for a moment or two. 

"Thank you, " he said. "We are at this very moment in something of aquandary in respect to the renewal of a treaty with one of ourneighbours. For the past twenty years we have been in alliance withour next door neighbours, Axphain on the north and Dawsbergen on thesouth and east. The triple alliance will end this year unlessrenewed. Up to the present our relations have been most amiable. Axphain stands ready to extend our mutual protective agreement foranother term of years, but Dawsbergen is lukewarm and inclined towithdraw. When you become better acquainted with the politics of ourcountry you will understand how regrettable such an action on thepart of a hitherto friendly government will be. "

"What's the grievance?" inquired Mr. Blithers, bluntly. He was edginginto familiar waters now. "What's the matter with Dawsbergen? Moneycontroversy?"

"Not at all, " said Lazzar hastily. 

"Why not let 'em withdraw?" said Mr. Blithers. "We can get alongwithout them. "

There was a general uplifting of heads at the use of the pronoun, anda more fixed concentration of gaze. 

"I daresay you are already acquainted with the desire on the part ofDawsbergen to form an alliance in which Axphain can have no part, "said Baron Romano. "In other words, it has been the desire of bothDawsbergen and Graustark to perfect a matrimonial alliance that maycement the fortunes of the two countries--"

"Count Quinnox mentioned something of the sort, " interrupted Mr. Blithers. "But suppose this matrimonial alliance doesn't come off, who would be the sufferer, you or Dawsbergen? Who will it benefit themost?"

There was a moment's silence. Doubtless it had never occurred to theMinistry to speculate on the point. 

"Dawsbergen is a rich, powerful country, " said Romano. "We will bethe gainers by such an alliance. Mr. Blithers. "

"I don't go much on alliances, " said the capitalist. "I believe inkeeping out of them if possible. "

"I see, " said the Baron reflectively. There was another silence. Then: "It has come to our notice in a most direct manner that thePrince of Dawsbergen feels that his friendly consideration of aproposal made by our government some years ago is being disregardedin a manner that can hardly be anything but humiliating to him, notonly as a sovereign but as a father. "

"He's the one who has the marriageable daughter, eh? I had reallyforgotten the name. "

The Baron leaned forward, still tapping the table-top with his long, slim fingers. 

"The report that Prince Robin is to marry your daughter, Mr. Blithers, has reached his ears. It is only natural that he shouldfeel resentful. For fifteen years there has been an understandingthat the Crown Princess of Dawsbergen and the Prince of Graustarkwere one day to be wedded to each other. You will admit that thepresent reports are somewhat distressing to him and unquestionably soto the Crown Princess. "

Mr. Blithers settled back in his chair. "It seems to me that he ismaking a mountain out of a molehill. "

Baron Romano shrank perceptibly. "It devolves upon me, sir, asspokesman for the Ministry, the court and the people of Graustark, toinform you that marriage between our Prince and any other than theCrown Princess of Dawsbergen is not to be considered as possible. "

Mr. Blithers stared. "Hasn't the Prince any voice in the matter?" hedemanded. 

"Yes. He has already denied, somewhat publicly, that he is notcontemplating marriage with your daughter. He has had a voice in thatmatter at least. "

A fine moisture started out on the purplish brow of Mr. Blithers. Twenty-two eyes were upon him. He realised that he was not attendingan informal conference. He had been brought here for a deliberatepurpose. 

"I may be permitted the privilege of reminding you, my lords, thathis denial was no more emphatic than that expressed by my daughter, "he said, with real dignity. 

"We have accepted her statement as final, but it is our earnestdesire that the minds of the people be set at rest, " said the Barongravely. "I sincerely trust that you will appreciate our position, Mr. Blithers. It is not our desire or intention to offend in thismatter, but we believe it to be only fair and just that we shouldunderstand each other at the outset. The impression is afoot that--"

"My lords, " said Mr. Blithers, rising, his face suddenly pale, "I begleave to assure you that my daughter's happiness is of far moreimportance to me than all the damned principalities in the world. Just a moment, please. I apologise for the oath--but I mean it, justthe same. I do not resent your attitude, nor do I resent your hastein conveying to me your views on the subject. It may be diplomacy togo straight to a question and get it over with, but it isn't alwaysdiplomatic to go off half-cocked. I will say, with perfect candour, that I should like to see my daughter the Princess of Graustark, but--by God! I want you to understand that her own wishes in the matterare to govern mine in the end. I have had this marriage in mind, there's no use denying it. I have schemed to bring these two youngpeople together with a single object in view. I knew that if they sawenough of each other they would fall in love, and they would want thehappiness that love brings to all people. Just a moment, Baron! Iwant to say to you now, all of you, that if my girl should love yourprince and he should love her in return, there isn't a power belowheaven that can keep them apart. If she doesn't love him, and heshould be unlucky enough to love her, I'd see him hanged before hecould have her. I'll admit that I have counted on seeing all of thiscome to pass, and that I have bungled the thing pretty badly becauseI'm a loving, selfish father, --but, my lords, since you have broughtme here to tell me that it is impossible for my girl to marry yourprince, I will say to you, here and now, that if they ever love eachother and want to get married, I'll see to it that it isn'timpossible. You issue an ultimatum to me, in plain words, so I'llsubmit one to you, in equally plain words. I intend to leave thismatter entirely to my daughter and Prince Robin. They are to do thedeciding, so far as I am concerned. And if they decide that they loveeach other and want to get married, _they will get married_. Do I makemyself perfectly plain, my lords?"

The dignified Ministry of Graustark sat agape. With his concludingwords, Mr. Blithers deposited his clenched fist upon the table with aheavy thud, and, as if fascinated, every eye shifted from his face tothe white knuckles of that resolute hand. 

Baron Romano also arose. "You place us in the extremely distressingposition of being obliged to oppose the hand of a benefactor, Mr. Blithers. You have come to our assistance in a time of need. Youhave--"

"If it is the loan you are talking about, Baron, that is quite besidethe question, " interrupted Mr. Blithers. "I do not speculate. I mayhave had a personal motive in lending you this money, but I don'tbelieve you will find that it enters into the contract we havesigned. I don't lend money for charity's sake. I sometimes give it tocharity, but when it comes to business, I am not charitable. I havemade a satisfactory loan and I am not complaining. You may leave outthe word benefactor, Baron. It doesn't belong in the game. "

"As you please, sir, " said Romano coldly. "We were only intent uponconveying to you our desire to maintain friendly relations with you, Mr. Blithers, despite the unpleasant conditions that have arisen. Imay at least question your right to assume that we are powerless toprevent a marriage that is manifestly unpopular with the subjects ofPrince Robin. "

"I had it on excellent authority to-day that the people are notopposed to the union of my daughter and the prince, " said Mr. Blithers. 

"I am compelled to say that you have been misinformed, " said theBaron, flatly. 

"I think I have not been misinformed, however, concerning thepersonal views of Prince Robin. If I am not mistaken, he openlydeclares that he will marry to suit himself and not the people ofGraustark. Isn't it barely possible, my lords, that he may havesomething to say about who he is to marry?"

"I confess that his attitude is all that you describe, " said theBaron. "He has announced his views quite plainly. We admit that hemay have something to say about it. "

"Then I submit that it isn't altogether an improbability that he maydecide to marry according to the dictates of his heart and not forthe sake of appearances, " said Mr. Blithers scathingly. "I have anidea that he will marry the girl he loves, no matter who she may be. "

[Illustration: The dignified Ministry of Graustark sat agape]

Count Quinnox and Baron Gourou exchanged glances. These two men wereguilty of having kept from their colleagues all informationconcerning a certain Miss Guile. They, as well as Dank, were bound bya promise exacted by their sovereign prince. They alone knew that Mr. Blithers was supported by an incontrovertible truth. For the present, their lips were sealed, and yet they faced that anxious group with acomplete understanding of the situation. They knew that Mr. Blitherswas right. Prince Robin would marry the girl that he loved, and noother. They knew that their prince expected to marry the daughter ofthe man who now faced these proud noblemen and virtually defied them!

"Am I not right, Count Quinnox?" demanded Mr. Blithers, turningsuddenly upon the Minister of War. "You are in a position to knowsomething about him. Am I not right?"

Every eye was on the Count. "Prince Robin will marry for love, mylords, " he said quietly, "I am forced to agree with Mr. Blithers. "

Baron Romano sank into his chair. There was silence in the room formany seconds. 

"May I enquire, Count Quinnox, if you know anything of the presentstate of Prince Robin's--er--heart?" inquired the Prime Ministerfinally. 

A tinge of red appeared in each of Count Quinnox's swarthy cheeks. 

"I can only surmise, " said he briefly. 

"Has--has he met some one in whom he feels a--er--an interest?"

"Yes. "

"May we have the benefit of your conclusions?" said Baron Romano, icily. 

"I am not at liberty to supply information at present, " said theCount, visibly distressed. 

Mr. Blithers leaned forward, his hands upon the table. "Some one hemet after leaving New York?" he inquired eagerly. 

"Time will reveal everything, Mr. Blithers, " said the Count, andclosed his jaws resolutely. His colleagues looked at him inconsternation. The worst, then, had happened!

A gleam of triumph shot into the eyes of Mr. Blithers. His heartswelled. He felt himself stepping out upon safe, solid ground after aperiod of floundering. The very best, then, had happened!

"My lords, I find that my half-hour is almost up, " he said, pullingout his gold watch and comparing its time with that of the clock onthe wall. "Permit me to take my departure. I am content to letmatters shape themselves as they may. Shakespeare says 'there is adestiny that shapes our ends, rough hew them'--er--and so forth. Allow me, however, before leaving, to assure you of my most kindlyinterest in the welfare of your State. You may be pleased to knowthat it is not from me that Graustark--did I get it right that time?--will redeem her bonds when they mature, but from my only daughter. She is nearly twenty-one years of age. On her twenty-fifth birthday Ishall present to her--as a gift--all of my holdings in Graustark. Shemay do as she sees fit with them. Permit me to wish you all good day, my lords. You may send the contract to my hotel, Baron. I expect toremain in the city for some time. "

As he traversed the vast halls on his way to the outer world, he wasagain overcome by the uneasy conviction that ironic eyes were lookingout upon him from luxurious retreats. Again he felt that his coatfitted him too tightly and that his waistcoat was painfully inevidence. He hurried a bit. If he could have had his way about it, hewould have run. Once outside the castle doors, he lighted a bigcigar, and threw the burnt-out match upon the polished flagstones ofthe terrace. He regretted the act on the instant. He wished he hadnot thrown it there. If the solemn grooms had not been watching, hewould have picked it up and stuck it into his pocket for disposal onthe less hallowed stones of a city thoroughfare. 

Outside the gates he felt more at ease, more at home, in fact. Hesmoked in great contentment. In the broad, shady avenue he took outhis watch and pried open the case. A great pride filled his eyes ashe looked upon the dainty miniature portrait of his daughter Maud. She _was_ lovely--she was even lovelier than he had ever thoughtbefore. 

At the Regengetz a telegram awaited him. It was from Maud. 

"I shall be in Edelweiss this week without fail. I have somethingvery important to tell you. " So it read. 

CHAPTER XXIII

PINGARI'S

Nine o'clock of a rainy night, on the steep, winding road thatclimbed the mountain-side from the walled-in city to the crest onwhich stood the famed monastery of St. Valentine, --nine o'clock of anight fraught with pleasurable anticipation on the part of one R. Schmidt, whose eager progress up the slope was all too slownotwithstanding the encouragement offered by the conscienceless Jehuwho frequently beat his poor steeds into a gallop over levelstretches and never allowed them to pause on the cruel grades. 

Late in the afternoon there had come to the general post-office aletter for Mr. R. Schmidt. He had told her that any message intendedfor him would reach his hands if directed to the post-office. Sincehis arrival in the city, three days before, he had purposely avoidedthe main streets and avenues of Edelweiss, venturing forth but seldomfrom the Castle grounds, and all because he knew that he could not goabroad during the day-time without forfeiting the privileges to beenjoyed in emulation of the good Caliphs of Baghdad. His people wouldbetray their prince because they loved him: his passage through thestreets could only be attended by respectful homage on the part ofevery man, woman and child in the place. If Bedelia were there, shecould not help knowing who and what he was, with every one stupidlylifting his hat and bowing to him as he passed, and he did not wantBedelia to know the truth about him until she had answered an all-important question, as has been mentioned before on more than oneoccasion in the course of this simple tale. 

Her letter was brief. She merely acquainted him with the fact thatshe had arrived in Edelweiss that day from Ganlook, twenty milesaway, and was stopping at the Inn of the Stars outside the city gatesand half way up the mountain-side, preferring the quiet, ancienttavern to the stately Regengetz for reasons of her own. 

In closing she said that she would be delighted to see him when itwas convenient for him to come to her. On receipt of this singularlymatter-of-fact letter, he promptly despatched a message to MissGuile, Inn of the Stars, saying that she might expect him at ninethat night. 

Fortunately for him, the night was wet and blustering. He donned arain-coat, whose cape and collar served to cover the lower part ofhis face fairly well, and completed his disguise by pulling far downover his eyes the villainous broad-brimmed hat affected by theshepherds in the hills. He had a pair of dark eye-glasses in reservefor the crucial test that would come with his entrance to the Inn. 

Stealing away from the Castle at night, he entered the ram-shacklecab that Hobbs had engaged for the expedition, and which awaited himnot far from the private entrance to the Park. Warders at the gatelooked askance as he passed them by, but not one presumed to questionhim. They winked slyly at each other, however, after he haddisappeared in the shadows beyond the rays of the feeble lanternsthat they carried. It was good to be young!

The driver of that rattling old vehicle was no other than theversatile Hobbs, who, it appears, had rented the outfit for a fixedsum, guaranteeing the owner against loss by theft, fire ordissolution. It is not even remotely probable that the owner wouldhave covered the ground so quickly as Hobbs, and it is certain thatthe horses never suspected that they had it in them. 

The mud-covered vehicle was nearing the Inn of the Stars when Robinstuck his head out of the window and directed Hobbs to drive slower. 

"Very good, sir, " said Hobbs. "I thought as how we might be lateafter losing time at the city gates, sir, wot with that silly guardand the--"

"We are in good time, Hobbs. Take it easy. "

The lights of the Inn were gleaming through the drizzle not more thana block away. Robin's heart was thumping furiously. Little chills ranover him, delicious chills of excitement. His blood was hot and cold, his nerves were tingling. The adventure!

"Whoa!" said Hobbs suddenly. "'Ello, wot the 'ell is--"

A dark figure had sprung into the road-way near the horses' heads, and was holding up a warning hand. 

"Is this Mr. Schmidt's carriage?" demanded a hoarse, suppressedvoice. 

"It is, " said Hobbs, "for the time being. Wot of it?"

Robin's head came through the window. 

"What do you want?"

"Some one is coming out here to meet you, sir. Do not drive up to thedoors. Those are the orders. You are to wait here, if you please. "

Then the man shot away into the darkness, leaving the wayfarersmystified by his words and action. 

"Wot am I to do, sir?" inquired Hobbs. "Most hextraordinary orders, and who the deuce is behind them, that's wot I'd like to know. "

"We'll wait here, Hobbs, " said Robin, and then put his hand suddenlyto his heart. It was acting very queerly. For a moment he thought itwas in danger of pounding its way out of his body!

Below him lay the lighted city, a great yellow cloud almost at hisfeet. Nearer, on the mountain-side were the misty lights in thewindows of dwellers on the slope, and at points far apart the streetlamps, dim splashes of light in the gloom. Far above were the almostobscured lights of St. Valentine, hanging in the sky. He thought ofthe monks up there. What a life! He would not be a monk, not he. 

"My word!" exclaimed Hobbs, but instantly resumed his character ascabby. 

A woman came swiftly out of the blackness and stopped beside the cab. She was swathed in a long gossamer, and hooded. The carriage lampsgleamed strong against the dripping coat. 

"Is it you?" cried Robin, throwing open the door and leaping to theground. 

"It is I, M'sieur, " said the voice of Marie, Miss Guile's Frenchmaid. 

Bleak disappointment filled his soul. He had hoped for--but no! Hemight have known. She would not meet him in this manner. 

"What has happened?" he cried, grasping the girl's arm. "Has she--"

"Sh! May we not speak in French?" said Marie, lowering her voiceafter a significant look at the motionless cabman. "He may understandEnglish, M'sieur. My mistress has sent me to say to M'sieur that shehas changed her mind. "

"Changed her mind, " gasped Robin. 

"Yes, M'sieur. She will not receive you at the Inn of the Stars. Shebids you drive to the end of this street, where there is a gardenwith a Magyar band, and the most delicious of refreshments to be hadunder vine-covered--"

"A public garden?" exclaimed Robin in utter dismay. 

"Pingari's, sir, " said Hobbs, without thinking. "I know the placewell. It is a very quiet, orderly place--I beg pardon!"

"So he understands French, eh?" cried Marie sharply. 

"It doesn't matter, " cried Robin impatiently. "Why, in heaven's name, did she select a public eating-house in which to receive me?"

"If M'sieur chooses to disregard the wishes of--" began the maid, buthe interrupted her. 

"I am not accustomed to meeting people in public gardens. I--"

"Nor is my mistress, M'sieur. I assure you it is the first time shehas committed an indiscretion of this kind. May I put a flea inM'sieur's ear? The place is quite empty to-night, and besides thereis the drive back to the Inn with Mademoiselle. Is not thatsomething, M'sieur?'

"By jove!" exclaimed Robin. "Drive on, --you! But wait! Let me takeyou to the Inn, Marie. It--"

"No! I may not accept M'sieur's thoughtful invitation. Bon soir, M'sieur. "

She was off like a flash. Robin leaped nimbly into the cab. 

"Pingari's, driver!" he said, his heart thumping once more. 

"Very good, sir, " and they were off at a lively rate, rattling quitegaily over the cobble-stones. 

Pingari's is the jumping-off place. It stands at the sharp corner ofan elbow in the mountain, with an almost sheer drop of a thousandfeet into the quarries below. A low-roofed, rambling building, onceused as a troop-house for nomadic fighting-men who came from allparts of the principality on draft by feudal barons in the daysbefore real law obtained, it was something of a historic place. Partsof the structure are said to be no less than five hundred years old, but time and avarice have relegated history to a rather uncertainbackground, and unless one is pretty well up in the traditions of thetown, he may be taken in nicely by shameless attendants who make nodistinction between the old and the new so long as it pays them toprocrastinate. 

As a matter of fact, the walls of the ancient troop-house surroundwhat is now considered the kitchen, and one never steps inside ofthem unless he happens to be connected in a somewhat menial way withthe green grocer, the fish-monger, the butcher or the poultry-man. The wonderful vine-covered porches, reeking with signs of decay andtottering with age, are in truth very substantial affairs constructedby an ancestor of the present Signor Pingari no longer ago than theNapoleonic era--which is quite recent as things go in Graustark. 

Hobbs drove bravely into the court yard, shouted orders to a coupleof hostlers and descended from the box. The Magyar band was playingblithely to the scattered occupants of the porches overlooking theprecipice. 

"'Ere we are, sir, " said he to the Prince, as he jerked open the doorof the cab. "Shall I wait, sir?"

"Certainly, " said Robin, climbing out. "I am a long way from home, mygood man. "

He hurried up the steps and cast an eye about the place. There wereno ladies unattached. As he was about to start on a tour ofinvestigation, a polite person in brass buttons came up to him. 

"Alone, sir?" he inquired pityingly. 

"Quite, " said Robin, still peering into the recesses. 

"Then come with me, if you please. I am directed to escort you to onewho is also alone. This way, sir. "

Robin followed him through a door, down a narrow hallway, up a flightof stairs and out another door upon a small portico, sheltered by aheavy canvas awning. Two men were standing at the railing, lookingdown upon the impressionistic lights of the sunken city. The Princedrew back, his face hardening. 

"What does this mean, sirrah? You said--"

At the sound of his voice the two men turned, stared at him intentlyfor an instant and then deliberately strode past him, entered thedoor and disappeared. The person in brass buttons followed them. 

A soft, gurgling laugh fell upon his ears--a laugh of pure delight. He whirled about and faced--one who was no longer alone. 

She was seated at the solitary little table in the corner; until nowit had escaped his notice for the excellent reason that it wasoutside the path of light from the open doorway, and the faint glowfrom the adjacent porches did not penetrate the quiet retreat. 

He sprang toward her with a glad cry, expecting her to rise. Sheremained seated, her hand extended. This indifference on her part mayhave been the result of cool premeditation. In any event, it servedto check the impulsive ardour of the Prince, who, it is to be feared, had lost something in the way of self-restraint. It is certain--absolutely certain--that had she come forward to meet him, she wouldhave found herself imprisoned in a pair of strong, eager arms, --and acrisis precipitated. He had to be content with a warm hand-clasp anda smile of welcome that even the gloom could not hide from hisdevouring eyes. 

"My dear, dear Bedelia, " he murmured. "I had almost given you up. Three long days have I waited for you. You--"

"I have never broken a promise, Rex, " she said coolly. " It is you whoare to be commended, not I, for you see I was coming to Graustarkanyway. I should not have been surprised if you had failed me, sir. It is a long way from Vienna to this out-of-the-way--"

"The most distant spot in the world would not have been too far awayto cause an instant's hesitation on my part, " said he, dropping intothe chair opposite her. "I would go to the end of the world, Bedelia. "

"But your personal affairs--your business, " she protested. "Can youneglect it so--"

"My business is to find happiness, " said he. "I should be neglectingit indeed if I failed to pursue the only means of attaining it. Youare happiness, Bedelia. "

"What would you sacrifice for happiness?" she asked softly. 

"All else in the world, " he replied steadily. "If I were a king, myrealm should go if it stood between me and--you, Bedelia. "

She drew back with a queer little gasp, as if suddenly breathless. 

"Wait--wait just for a moment, " she said, with difficulty steadyingher voice. "This night may see the end of our adventure, Rex. Let usthink well before we say that it is over. I know, if you do not, thata great deal depends upon what we are to say to each other to-night. You will ask me to be your wife. Are you sure that you appreciate allthat it means to you and to your future if I should say yes to thatdear question?"

He looked at her intently. "What do you know, Bedelia?"

"I know that you are the Prince of Graustark and that it is ordainedthat you shall wed one whose station is the equal of your own. Youmust think well, dear Rex, before you ask Bedelia Guile to be yourwife. "

"You know that I am--" he began, dully, and then burst into amirthless laugh. "And knowing who I am, why do you not leap at thechance to become the Princess of Graustark? Why not realise anambition that--"

"Hush! You see how well I considered when I advised you to thinkbefore speaking? You are now saying things that are unworthy of you. You are forgetting that it is my privilege to say no to the am insearch of happiness. I too--"

He stood up, leaning far over the table, a penetrating look in hiseyes. 

"How long have you known, Bedelia?"

"Since the second day out on the _Jupiter_, " she replied serenely. 

He slowly resumed his seat, overwhelmed by the sickening realisationthat his bubble had burst. She had known from the beginning. She hadplayed with him. She had defied him!

"I know what you are thinking, Rex, " she said, almost pleadingly. "You are thinking ill of me, and you are unjust. It was as fair forme as it was for you. We played a cautious game. You set about to winmy love as you saw fit, my friend, and am I to be condemned if Iexercised the same privilege? I was no more deliberate, no morereprehensible than you. Am I more guilty of deceit than you?"

He gave a great sigh of relief. "You are right, " he said. "It is myturn to confess. I have known for many days that you are not BedeliaGuile. We are quits. "

She laughed softly. "I rather like Bedelia. I think I shall keep itas a good-luck name. We have now arrived at the time for a profoundcontemplation of the results of our experiments. In the meantime, Ihave had no dinner. I trust that the Prince of Graustark has dined solightly that he will not decline to share my repast with me. It hasalready been ordered--for two. "

"By jove, you--you amaze me!" he exclaimed. 

"Please remove that dreadful mackintosh and touch the bell for me. You see, I am a very prosaic person, after all. Even in the face ofdisaster I can have a craving for food and drink. That's better. "

In a sort of daze, he tapped the little table bell. A waiter appearedon the instant. 

"Give us more light, waiter, " was her command, "and serve dinner atonce. "

The lights went up, and Robin looked into her soft, smiling eyes. 

"It doesn't matter, " he whispered hoarsely. "I don't care whathappens to me, Bedelia, I--I shall never give you up. You are worthall the kingdoms in the world. You are the loveliest, most adorable--"

"Hush! The eyes of your people are upon you. See! Even the waiterrecognises his prince. He is overcome. Ah! He falters with theconsomme. It is a perilous moment. There! I knew something wouldhappen, poor fellow. He has spilled--but, all is well; he has hiswits again. See! He replenishes from the steaming tureen. We aresaved. "

Her mood was so gaily satiric, so inconsequential, that he allowed awondering, uncertain smile to banish the trouble from his eyes as heleaned back in the chair and studied the vivid, excited face of thegirl who had created havoc with his senses. She was dressed as he hadseen her on board the _Jupiter_ during those delightful days ondeck: the same trim figure in a blue serge suit and a limp white hat, drawn well down over her soft brown hair, with the smart red tie andthe never-to-be-forgotten scent of a perfume that would linger in hisnostrils forever and forever. 

"Do you think it strange that I should have asked you to meet me herein this unconventional way instead of at the Inn?" she inquired, suddenly serious. Again the shy, pleading expression stole into hereyes. 

"I did think so, but no longer. I am glad that we are here. "

"Mrs. Gaston is inside, " she informed him quickly. "I do not comealone. An hour ago the Inn became quite impossible as a trystingplace. A small party from the Regengetz arrived for dinner. Can youguess who is giving the dinner? The great and only William W. Blithers, sir, who comes to put an obstinate daughter upon the throneof Graustark, whether she will or no. "

"Did he see you?" cried Robin. 

"No, " she answered, with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. "I stoleout through the back door, and sent Marie out with one of the portersto head you off. Then I came on here. I didn't even stop to change mygown. "

"Hide and seek is a bully game, " said he. "It can't last much longer, Bedelia. I think it is only right that we should go to your fatherand tell him that--everything is all right. It is his due. You'vesolved your own problem and are satisfied, so why not revealyourself. There is nothing to be gained by further secrecy. "

She was watching him closely. "Are you, after all is said and done, sure that you want to marry the daughter of William Blithers, in theface of all the bitter consequences that may follow such an act?Think hard, my dear. She is being forced upon you, in a way. Mr. Blithers' money is behind her. Your people are opposed to thebargain, for that is the way in which they will look upon it. Theymay act very harshly toward you. The name of Blithers is detested inyour land. His daughter is reviled. Are you sure that you want tomarry her, Re--Robin?"

"Are you through?" he asked, transfixing her with a determined look. "Well, then, I'll answer you. I do want to marry you, and, more thanthat, I mean to marry you. I love--"

"You may tell me, Robin, as we are driving back to the Inn together--not here, not now, " she said softly, the lovelight in her eyes. 

Happiness blurred his vision. He was thrilled by an enchantment sostupefying that the power of speech, almost of thought, was deniedhim for the time being. He could only sit and stare at her withprophetic love in his eyes, love that bided its time and trembledwith anticipation. 

Long afterward, as they were preparing to leave Pingari's she said tohim:

"My father is at the Inn, Robin. I ran away from him to-night becauseI wanted to be sure that our adventure was closed before I revealedmyself to him. I wanted to be able to say to him that love will findits way, no matter how blind it is, nor how vast the world it has totraverse in search of its own. My father is at the Inn. Take me tohim now, Robin, and make the miracle complete. "

His fingers caressed her warm cheek as he adjusted the collar of thelong seacoat about her throat and chin. Her eyes were starry bright, her red lips were parted. 

"My Princess!" he whispered tenderly. "My Princess!"

"My Prince, " she said so softly that the words barely reached hisears. "We have proved that Love is the king. He rules us all. Helaughs at locksmiths--and fathers--but he does not laugh atsweethearts. Come, I am ready. "

He handed her into the cab a moment later, and drew the long deepbreath of one who goes down into deep water. Then he followed afterher. The attendant closed the door. 

"Where to, sir?" called Hobbs from the driver's seat. 

He received no answer, yet cracked his whip gaily over the horses'backs and drove out into the slanting rain. 

Hobbs was a dependable fellow. He drove the full length of the streettwice, passing the Inn of the Stars both times at a lively clip, andmight have gone on forever in his shuttlecock enterprise, had not theexcited voice of a woman hailed him from the sidewalk. 

"Stop! _Attendez_! You! Man!"

He pulled up with a jerk. The dripping figure of Marie ran up frombehind. 

"My mistress? Where is she?" panted the girl. 

"In heaven, " said Hobbs promptly, whereupon Marie pounded on theglass window of the cab. 

Robin quickly opened the door. 

"Wha--what is it?"

"Yes, Marie, " came in muffled tones from the depths of the cab. 

"Madame Gaston returns long ago. She is beside herself. She is like amaniac. She has lost you; she cannot explain to--to Mademoiselle'sfather. Mon dieu, when he met her unexpectedly in the hall, heshouts, 'where is my daughter?' And poor Madame she has but to shiverand stammer and--run away! _Oui_! She dash out into the rain! Itis terrible. She--"

Bedelia broke in upon this jumbled recitation. "Where have we been, Robin? Where are we now?"

"Where are we, Hobbs?"

"We are just getting back to the Inn of the Stars, sir, --descending, you might say, sir, " said Hobbs. 

"Drive on, confound you. "

"To the Inn, sir?"

"Certainly!"

The door slammed and the final block was covered in so short a timethat Robin's final kiss was still warm on Bedelia's lips when thegallant cab rolled up to the portals of the Inn of the Stars. 

"Did you ever know such a night, sir?" inquired Hobbs, as the Princehanded his lady out. He was referring to the weather. 

CHAPTER XXIV

JUST WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN EXPECTED

Even the most flamboyant of natures may suffer depression at times, and by the same token arrogance may give way to humility, --or, at thevery least, conviction. 

Mr. Blithers had had a trying day of it. To begin with, his wiferaked him over the coals for what she was pleased to call hissenseless persistence in the face of what she regarded as unalterableopposition on the part of the Cabinet and House of Nobles. It appearsthat he had experienced a second encounter with the Ministry only theday before. After sleeping over the results of his first visit to theCouncil Chamber, he awoke to the fact that matters were in such acondition that it behooved him to strike while the iron was hot. Sohe obtained a second hearing, principally because he had not slept aswell over it as he would have liked, and secondarily because hewanted to convince himself that he could parade their ancient hallswithout feeling as self-conscious as a whipped spaniel. 

He came off even worse in his second assault upon the ministry, forthis time the members openly sneered at his declarations. As for hisprogress through the enchanted halls he was no end worse off thanbefore. It so happened that he arrived at the castle at the very hourwhen the ladies and gentlemen of the royal household were preparingto fare forth to the tennis courts. He came upon them, first on theterrace, then in the entrance, and later on was stared at withevident curiosity by white flanneled and duck-skirted persons in thelofty halls. He wished that he was back at Blitherwood wheresimplicity was not so infernally common. 

He made the mistake of his life when he gave to his wife the detailsof this second conference with the Cabinet. He did it in the hopethat a sympathetic response would be forthcoming. To his surprise, she merely pitied him, but in such a disgustingly personal way thathe wondered if he could ever forgive her. 

"Can't you appreciate what I am doing for Maud?" he argued, almosttearfully. 

"I can appreciate what you are doing _to_ her, " said she, and sweptout of the room. 

"It's bad enough to have one stubborn woman in the family, " said heto himself, glaring at the closed door--which had been slammed, bythe way, --"but two of 'em--Good Lord!"

And so it was that Mr. Blithers, feeling in need of cheer, arranged alittle dinner for that evening, at the Inn of the Stars. He firstinvited his principal London lawyer and his wife--who happened to be_his_ principal--and then sent a more or less peremptory invitation tothe President of the Bank of Graustark, urging him to join the partyat the Regengetz and motor to the Inn. He was to bring his wife andany friends that might be stopping with them at the time. The bankerdeclined. His wife had been dead for twenty years; the only friends hepossessed were directors in the bank, and they happened to be having ameeting that night. So Mr. Blithers invited his secondary Londonlawyer, his French lawyer and two attractive young women who itappears were related to the latter, although at quite a distance, andthen concluded that it was best to speak to his own wife about thelittle affair. She said she couldn't even think of going. Maud mightarrive that very night and she certainly was not going out of thehotel with such an event as that in prospect. 

"But Simpson's wife is coming, " protested Mr. Blithers, "andPericault's cousins. Certainly you must come. Jolly little affair toliven us up a bit. Now Lou, --"

"I am quite positive that Lady Simpson will change her mind when shehears that Pericault's cousins are going, " said Mrs. Blithers acidly. 

"Anything the matter with Pericault's cousins?" he demanded, inclinedto the bellicose. 

"Ask Pericault, " she replied briefly. 

He thought for a moment. "If that's the case, Lou, you'll have tocome, if only to save my reputation, " he said. " I didn't think it ofPericault. He seems less like a Frenchman than any man I've everknown. "

Mrs. Blithers relented. She went to the dinner and so did LadySimpson, despite Pericault's cousins, and the only ones in the partywho appeared to be uneasy were the cousins themselves. It is safe tosay that it was not the rain that put a dampener on what otherwisemight have been an excessively jovial party. 

Stupendous was the commotion at the Inn of the Stars when it becameknown that one of the richest men in the world--and a possiblefather-in-law apparent to the crown, --was to honour the place withhis presence that night. Every one, from the manager down to the boywho pared potatoes, laid himself out to make the occasion a memorableone. 

The millionaire's table was placed in the very centre of the dining-room, and plates were laid for eight. At the last minute, Mr. Blithers ordered the number increased to nine. 

"My daughter may put in an appearance, " he explained to Lady Simpson. "I have left word at the hotel for her to come up if by any chanceshe happens to arrive on the evening train. "

"Haven't you heard from her, Mr. Blithers?" inquired the austerelady, regarding the top of his head with an illy-directed lorgnon. 

They were entering the long, low dining-room. Mr. Blithers resentedthe scrutiny: It was lofty and yet stooping. She seemed to be lookingdown upon him at right angles, due no doubt to her superior heightand to the fact that she had taken his arm. 

"We have, " said he, "but not definitely. She is likely to pop in onus at any moment, and then again she's likely not to. My daughter isa very uncertain person, Lady Simpson. I never seem to be able to putmy finger upon her. "

"Have you ever tried putting the whole hand upon her?" inquired herladyship, and Mr. Blithers stared straight ahead, incapable ofreplying. 

He waited until they were seated at the table and then remarked: "Iam sorry you got splashed, Lady Simpson. You'd think they might keepthe approach to a place like this free of mud and water. "

"Oh, I daresay the gown can be cleaned, Mr. Blithers, " she said. "Iam quite ready to discard it, in any event, so it really doesn'tmatter. "

"My dear, " said he to his wife, raising his voice so that diners atnearby tables could not help hearing what he said, "I forgot to tellyou that we are expected to dine with the Prince at the Castle. " Thenhe wondered if any one in the room understood English. 

"When?" she inquired. 

"Very shortly, " said he, and she was puzzled for a moment by thestony glare he gave her. 

Lord Simpson took this opportunity to mention that he had takenreservations for the return of himself and wife to Vienna on the nextday but one. 

"We shall catch the Orient Express on Friday and be in London byMonday, " he said. "Our work here is completed. Everything is in ship-shape. Jenkins will remain, of course, to attend to the minordetails, such as going over the securities and--"

"Don't you like that caviare?" asked Mr. Blithers with some asperity. 

"It has a peculiar taste, " said Lord Simpson. 

"Best I've ever tasted, " said Mr. Blithers, spreading a bun thickly. Pericault's cousins were fingering the champagne glasses. "We've gotsherry coming first, " said he. 

"Everything satisfactory, M'sieur Blithers?" inquired the _maitred'hotel_ softly, ingratiatingly, into his left ear. 

"Absolutely, " said Mr. Blithers with precision. "You needn't hurrythings. We've got the whole evening ahead of us. "

Lady Simpson shivered slightly. The Pericault cousins brightened up. There was still a chance that the "dowagers" would retire early fromthe scene of festivity. 

"By the way, " said Simpson, "how long do you purpose remaining inEdelweiss, Blithers?"

For the first time, the capitalist faltered. He was almost ready toadmit that his enterprise had failed in one vital respect. Themorning's experience in the Council Chamber had shaken his confidenceconsiderably. 

"I don't know, Simpson, " said he. "It is possible that we may leavesoon. "

"Before the Prince's dinner?" inquired Lady Simpson, again regardinghis bald spot through the lorg-non. 

"Depends on what my daughter has to say when she gets here, " said healmost gruffly. "If she wants to stay for a while, we will remain. Idon't mind saying that I have a curious longing for Wall Street. I amat home there and--well, by George, I'm like a fish out of waterhere. "

His wife looked up quickly, but did not speak. 

"I am a business man, Lady Simpson, not a philanderer. I'd like totake this town by the neck and shake some real enterprise into it, but what can you do when everybody is willing to sit down and lettradition look after 'em? I've put a lot of money into Grosstock andI'd like to see the country prosper. Still I'm not worried over myinvestment. It is as good as gold. "

"Perfectly safe, " said Lord Simpson. 

"Absolutely, " said the secondary London lawyer. 

Pericault's comment was in French and not intended to be brief, butas Mr. Blithers was no longer interested, the privilege of completinghis remarks was not accorded him. He did say _Mon dieu_ underhis breath, however, in the middle of his employer's next sentence. 

"As I said before, everything depends on whether my daughter wants toremain. If she says she wants to stay, that settles the point so faras I am concerned. If she says she doesn't want to stay, we'll--well, that will settle it also. I say, waiter, can't you hurry the fishalong?"

"Certainly, sir. I understood M'sieur to say that there was nohurry--"

"Well, pour the champagne anyway. I think we need it. "

Two hours later, Mr. Blithers looked at his watch again. The partywas quite gay: at least fifty percent disorderly. 

"That train has been in for an hour, " said the host. "I guess Mauddidn't come. I left word for the hotel to call me up if she arrived--I say, waiter, has there been a telephone message for me?"

"No, M'sieur. We have kept a boy near the telephone all evening, M'sieur. No message. "

"I also told 'em to send up any telegram that might come, " heinformed his wife, who merely lifted her eyebrows. They had beenlowered perceptibly in consequence of the ebullience of Pericault'scousins. 

The vivacious young women were attracting a great deal of attentionto their table. Smart diners in the immediate neighbourhood appearedto be a trifle shocked. Three dignified looking gentlemen, seatednear the door, got up and left the room. 

"We really must be going, " said Mrs. Blithers nervously, who had beenwatching the three men for some time with something akin to dismay inher soul. She had the sickening notion that they were members of theCabinet--lords of the realm. 

"All right, " said Mr. Blithers, "Call the cars up, waiter. Stillraining?"

"Yes, M'sieur. At this season of the year--"

"Call the cars. Let's have your bill. "

Pericault's cousins were reluctant to go. In fact, they protestedshrilly that it was silly to break up such a successful party at suchan unseemly hour. 

"Never mind, " whispered Pericault softly, and winked. 

"I'll leave 'em in your care, Pericault, " said Mr. Blithers grimly. "They are _your_ cousins, you know. "

"Trust me implicitly. Monsieur, " said Pericault, bowing very deeply. Then he said good-night to Mrs. Blithers and Lady Simpson. Thesecondary London lawyer did the same. 

Out in the wide, brilliantly lighted foyer, a few late-stayers werewaiting for their conveyances to be announced. As the four departingmembers of the Blithers party grouped themselves near the big doors, impatient to be off, a brass-buttoned boy came up and delivered atelegram to the host. 

He was on the point of tearing open the envelope when his eyes fellupon two people who had just entered the hall from without, a man andwoman clad in raincoats. At the same instant the former saw Mr. Blithers. Clutching his companion's arm he directed her attention tothe millionaire. 

"Now for it, Bedelia, " he whispered excitedly. 

Bedelia gazed calmly at Mr. Blithers and Mr. Blithers gazed blanklyat the Prince of Graustark. Then the great financier bowed verydeeply and called out:

"Good evening, Prince!"

He received no response to his polite greeting, for the Prince wasstaring at Bedelia as if stupefied. The millionaire's face was veryred with mortification as he turned it away. 

"He--he doesn't recognise you, " gasped Robin in amazement. 

"Who?" she asked, her eyes searching the room with an eager, inquiring look. 

"Your father, " he said. 

She gave him a ravishing, delighted smile. 

"Oh, it is so wonderful, Robin. I have fooled you completely. Thatman isn't my father. "

"That's Mr. Blithers or I am as blind as a bat, " he exclaimed. 

"Is it, indeed? The one reading the telegram, with his eyes stickingout of his head?"

Robin's head was swimming. "Good heaven, Bedelia, what are you--"

"Ah!" she cried, with a little shriek of joy. "See! There he is!"

One of the three distinguished men who had been remarked by Mrs. Blithers now separated himself from his companions and approached thecouple. He was a tall, handsome man of fifty. Although his approachwas swift and eager, there was in his face the signs of wrath thatstill struggled against joy. 

She turned quickly, laid her hand upon the Prince's rigid arm, andsaid softly:

"My father is the Prince of Dawsbergen, dear. "

 * * * * *

A crumpled telegram dropped from Mr. Blithers' palsied hand to thefloor as he turned a white, despairing face upon his wife. The brass-buttoned boy picked it up and handed it to Mrs. Blithers. It was fromMaud. 

"We were married in Vienna today. After all I think I shall not careto see Graustark. Channie is a dear. I have promised him that youwill take him into the business as a partner. We are at the Bristol. 

 "Maud. "

THE END