Jasper County Democrat, Volume 18, Number 101, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 March 1916 — THE PRINCE OF GRAUSTARK [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE PRINCE OF GRAUSTARK

By GEORGE BARR M’CUTCHEON

Author of “Graustark,” “Beverly of Graustark,” Etc. Copyright, 1914, by Dodd, Mead and Company

SYNOPSIS Mr. Blithers, multimillionaire, discusee* with his wife the possibilities of marrying off his daughter, Maud Applegate, to the Prince of Graustark, who la visiting Mr. and Mrs. Truxton King in America in anticipation of getting some one to take up the loan Russia holds. A Mr. Scoville is attentive to Maud. Prince Robin is accompanied by Count Quinnox, minister of war; Lieutenant Dank and Hobbs, the valet. The prince had balked at a matrimonial alliance with the Princess of Dawsbergen, both of them Wishing to choose for themselves. Mr. Blithers visits the Kings uninvited. CHAPTER IV. The Loan Is Blocked. MR. BLITHERS reached home in high spirits. His wife was asleep,' but he awoke her without ceremony “I say, Lou. wake up! Got some news for you. We’ll have a prince in the 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 be jovially. “In a day or two I’ll throw the hook in and you’ll see what I land. He’s as good as caught right now. but we’ll let him nibble awhile before we jerk. And. say, he’s a corker, Lou. Finest young fellow I’ve seen in many a dav. He”“You don’t mean to say that you—you actually said anything to him about—about—oh, my God, Will, J<Vt tell me that you were crazy enough 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 Cue work in a case like this. Sow the right kind of seeds and you’ll get results every time. I merely dropped a few hints, that’s all —and in the right direction, believe me. Count Equinox will do the rest. I’ll bet iny bead we’ll have this prince running after Maud so”— She faced him once more and angrily. “Listen to me," she said. "I’ve had a talk with Maud. She has gone to

bed with a splitting headache, and I’m not surprised. Don’t you suppose the poor child has a particle of pride? She guessed at once just what you had gone over there for, and she cried her eyes out Now she declares she will never be 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 about like a bull in a china shop. You might at least have waited until the poor child had an opportunity to see the man before rushing in with your talk about money. She”— “She’ll like him all right," said ho confidently. “She will refuse even to meet him If she hears of your silly blunder tonight” 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 her think I sat around like a gump and never said a word to anybody. We can”— “But she’ll pin you down. Will, and you know you can’t lie with a straight face.” “Maybe—maybe I’d better run down to New York for a few days," he mat

tered unhappily. “You can square it better than i pan.” “In other words, 1 can lie with a straight face.” she said ironically. "1 never thought she’d balk like this,” said be, ignoring the remark. “I fancy you’d better go to New York,’’ she said mercilessly. Sure enough, Mr. Blithers was off for New York soon after daybreak the next morning, and with him went a mighty determination to justify himself before the week was over. His wily brain was (working as it had never worked before. Two days later Count Quinnox received a message from New York bearing the distressing information that the two private banking institutions on which he had been depending for aid in the hour of trouble had decided that it would be impossible for them to make the loan under consideration. Vastly disturbed. Count Quinnox took the first train to New York, accompanied by Truxton King, who wa3 confident that outside influences had been brought to bear upon the situation, influences inimical to Graustark. Both were of the opinion that Russia had somethinguto do with it. “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 a power in the financial world that his word is almost law when it comes to the big deals.” All the way down to the city Count Quinnox was thoughtful, even preoccupied. They were nearing the terminal when he leaned over and, laying his hand on King’s knee, said after a long interval of silence between them:

“I suppose you know that Graustark has not given up hope that Prince Robin may soon espouse the daughter of our neighbor, Dawsbergen.” King gave him a queer look. “By Jove, that’s odd! I was thinking of that very thing when you spoke.” "The union would be of no profit to qs in a pecuniary way, my friend,” explained tbe count. ‘ w Still it is most desirable for other reasons. Dawsbergen is not a rich country, nor are its people progressive. Tbe reigning bouse, however, is au old one and rich in traditions. Money, my dear King, is not everything in this world. There are some things it cannot buy. It is singularly ineffective when opposed to an honest sentiment. Even though tbe young princess were to come to Grailstark without a farthing she would still be hailed with the wildest acclaim. We are a race of blood worshipers, if I may put it in that way. She represents a force that has dominated our instincts for a great many centuries, and we are bound band and foot, heart and soul, by the so called fetters of imperialism. We are fierce men, but we bend the knee and we wear the yoke because the sword of destiny is in the hand thatdrives us. To day we are ruled by a prince whose j sire was not of the royal blood. Our I prince assumes an attitude of independence that we find di lion It to over*

come. He Is prepared to defy an old precedent in support of a new one. In other words, he points out the unmistakably happy union of bis own mother, the late Princess Yetive, and the American Lorry, and it is something we cannot go behind. He declares that his mother set an example that he may emulate without prejudice to his couatry if he is allowed a free hand in chocsing his mate. “But we people of Graustark cannot look with complaisance on the possible result of his search for a sharer of the throue. Traditions must be upheld—or we die. True, the crown princess of Dawsbergen has American blood in her veins, but her sire is a prince royal. Her mother, as you know, was an American girl. She who sits on tbe throne with Robin must be a princess by birth or the grip on the sword of destiny is weakened and the dynasty falters.”

They had not been in New York city an hour before they discovered that William W. Dlithers was the man to whom they would have to appeal if they expected to gain a fresh hearing with the banks. The agents were in a dismal state pf mind. The deal had been blocked no later than the afternoon of the day before and at a time when everything appeared to be going along most swimmingly. Blithers was the man to see. He and he alone could bring pressure to bear on the directorates that might result in a reconsideration of the surprising verdict. Something had happened during the day to alter the friendly attitude of the banks. They were now politely reluctant, as one of the agents expressed it. which really meant that opposition to the loan had appeared from some unexpected source as a sort of eleventh hour obstacle. The heads of the two banks had as much as said that negotiations were at on end. that was the long and short of it. It really didn’t matter what was back of their sudden change of front, the fact still remained that the transaction was as ‘‘dead as a door nail" unless it could be revived by the magnetic touch of a man like Blithers “What can have happened to cause them to change their minds so abruptly?’’ cried the perplexed count. “Surely our prime minister and the cabinet have left nothing undone to convince them of Graustark’s Integrity and”— “Pardon me. count,” interrupted one of the brokers. “Shall I try to make an appointment for you with Mr. Blithers? I hear he Is in town for a few days.” 1 Count QulnnoX looked to Truxton King for inspiration, and that gentleman favored him with a singularly dispiriting nod of the head. The old Graostarldan cleared his throat and

rather stiffly announced that he would receive Mr. Blithers if he would call on him at the Ritz that afternoon. “What!” exclaimed both agents, half starting from their chairs in amazement. The count stared hard at them. “You may say that 1 will be iu at 4.” "He’ll tell you to go to—ahem!” Tbe speaker coughed just iu time. “B!ithers isn t in the habit of going out of his way to —to oblige anybody. He wouldn't do it for tbe emperor of Germany.” “But,” said tbe count, with a frosty smile, “I am not tbe emperor of Germany." “Better let me make an appointment for you to see him at bis office, it's just around the corner." There was a pleading note iu tbe speaker's voice. “You might save your face, Calvert, by saying that the count will be pleased to bare him take tea with him at tbe Ritz.” suggested King. “Tea!" exclaimed Calvert scornfully. "Blithers doesn't drink tbe stuff." “It’s a figure of speech," said King patiently. “All right; I’ll telephone.” said tbe other dubiously. He came back a few minutes later with a triumphant look in his eye. “Blithers says to tell Count Quiunox he’ll see him tomorrow morning at half past Bat bis office. Sorry he’s engaged this afternoon.” “But did you say 1 wanted him to have tea with us?” demanded the count, au angry flush leaping to bis cheek.

"I did. I’m merely repeating what be said in reply. Half past 8, at his office, count. Those were his words.” "It is the most brazen exhibition of insolence I’ve ever"-- began the count furiously, but checked himself with an effort. “I —I hope you did not say that I would come, sir!" “Yes; it’s the only way"— "Well, he good enough to call him up again and say to him that I’ll—l'll see him blanked before I’ll come to his office tomorrow at 8:30 or at any other hour.” And with that the count got up and 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 an idea iu my head that Blithers will be at the Ritz at 4.” “Do you imagine, sir. that I will receive him?” “Certainly, Are you not a diplomat?” asked King. “I am a minister of war," said the count, arid his scowl , was an indication of absolute proficiency iu the science. "And, what's more.” went on King reflectively, "it wouldn't in the least surprise me if Blithers is the man behind the directors iu this sudden move of the banks.” “My dear King, he displayed the keenest interest and sympathy tbe other night at your bouse. He"— “Of course I may be wrong." admitted King, but his brow was clouded. Shortly after luncheon that day Mrs. Blithers received a telegram from her husband. It merely stated that he was going up to have lea with the count at 4 o’clock and not to worry, as things were shaping themselves nicely. (To be continued.)

“He Informed me that her dot would be twenty millions.”