Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 May 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, discusse* with his wife the possibilities of marryin* •ft his daughter, Maud Applegate, to the Prince of Graustark, who is 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. Mr. Blithers discusses the Russian loan ana gently hints at $20,000,000 his daughter will get when she marries the right man. Banners suddenly refuse to handle tne i loan. Count Quinnox and King arrange a meeting with Blithers. King suspects him ; of blocking the deal. The prince as Mr. Schmidt sails on the Jupiter. Blithers buys $20,000,000 of Graustark bonds. A young lady disputes Rob- : in s right to a table and deck chair. He learns she is Miss Guile of New York, and her aged companion Mrs. Gaston. He soon becomes Tjetter acquainted with Miss Guile. Her given name is Bedelia, she tells him. She tells Mrs. Gaston that she suspects he is the Prince of Graustark. Mrs. Gaston changes her manner toward him. Hobbs discovers Miss Guile’s bag- , gage is marked with a B. in Paris she is met by a young man. Blithers promises to consider the loan, j His wife prepares a ball for the Prince j and Maud, who suddenly balks at the as- | fair and doesn’t attend. Meeting the prince out for a stroll, Blith- ' ers chats on matrimony. Robin says he is not for Sale, but agrees to meet Maud j when he learns she is opposed to her parents’ wishes. Maud again evades the prince, who reports lie must leave for Graustark at j once. Maud writes she is off for Europe on the Jupiter with an aged companion, i juer father schemes to get th-m both on the same ship. CHAPTER XI. The Lieutenant Receives Orders. THE next day brought not only an agreeable change in the weath- j er, but a most surprising altera- ' t ion in the manner of Mrs. Gas- j ton, whose attitude toward R. Schmidt and his friends had been anything but ; amicable up to the hour of Misj Guile’s discovery. The excellent lady i recovering very quickly from her in ! disposition, became positively polite t£ ! the hitherto repugnant Mr. Schmidt, ! She melted so abruptly and so com j pletely that the young man wac j vaguely troubled. He began to wonder if his incognito had been pierced. ! so to speak. He forbore asking when Miss Guile might be expected to appear on deck j for her constitutional, but she volun- j teered the information, which was I neither vague nor yet definite. In fact, she said that Miss Qjftjjie would be up soon. Now It is necessary to relate that Miss Guile had been particularly firm in her commands to Mrs. Gaston. In the first place, Mrs. Gaston was given to understand that she was not to breathe it to a soul that R. Schmidt j was not R. Schmidt, and she was not to betray to him by word or sign that i he was suspected of being the Prince of Graustark. Moreover, the exacting Miss Guile laid great stress upon another command —R. Schmidt was never to know that she was not Miss Guile, but some one else altogether. ‘‘You’re right, my dear,” exclaimed

Mrs. Gaston in an excited whisper as she burst in upon her fair companion, who was having coffee and toast in her parlor. Marie, the maid, was waiting to do up her mistress’ hair, and the young lady herself was alluringly 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 the girl; a slim hand halting with a piece of toast halfway 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 weak and"— ■ “Don’t cry, you old dear! Forgive me. . But now tell me—absolutely—just what you’ve been up to,” and Mrs. Gaston repeated every word of the conversation she had had with R. Schmidt, proving absolutely nothing, but stoutly maintaining that her intuition was completely to be depended upon. “And, oh,” she whispered in conclusion, “wouldn’t it be perfectly wonderful 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 for yourself 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 overlook that, please.” “But he is really very nice. I should think you could fall in love with him. Just think how it would please-your father and mother. Just think” — “1 won’t be bullied!” “Am I bullying you?” in amazement. “No, but father tries to bully me, and you know it.” When she appeared on deck long afterward she found every chair occupied. A warm sun, a far from turbulent sea and a refreshing breeze had brought about a maVvelous transformation. She made several brisk rounds of the deck, then, feeling that people were following her with their eyes—admiringly, to be sure, but what of that ?—She abandoned the pleasant exercise and sought the seclusion of the sunless corner where her chair was stationed. The ship’s daily newspaper was just off the press, and many of the loungers were reading the brief telegraphic news from the; capitals of the world. She procured a copy of the paper from a steward and was glancing at the headlines as she made her way into her corner. Double leaded type appeared*over the rumored engagement of Miss Maud Applegate Blithers* the beautiful and accomplished daughter of the great capitalist, and Robin, prince of G ranstark. A queer little smile played about her lips as She folded the paper for future perusal. Turning the corners of the deck building, she almost collided with R. Schmidt, who stood leaning against the wall, scanning the little newspaper with eyes that were blind to everything else. “Oh!” she gasped, “I’m sorfy,” he exclaimed, crumpling the paper in his hand as he backed away, flushing. “Stupid of me. Good morning.” “Good morning, Mr. Schmidt. It Wasn’t your fault. I should have looked where I was going. 1 see you have a paper. It appears that Miss Blithers and the prince are to be married after all.” “Yes, it is quite apparent that the Blithers family wants a title at any cost." he said. Her eyes flashed with amusement at his reply. “Would you like to take a few turns around the deck, Miss Guile?” he inquired, a trace of nervousness in his manner. Before deciding she shot an investigating glance into the corner. Mrs. Gaston was not only there, hut was engaged in conversat the gray must ached gent leman in a nearby chair. It required but half a glance to show that Mr. Totten was unmistakably interested in something the voluble lady had just said to him. “No, thank you, Mr. Schmidt,” said Miss Guile hastily, and then hurried v r ” ’ ° her chair :) rijutinrt cloud on

4 her smooth brow. Robin, considering himself dismissed, whirled and went his way, dark flush spreading over his face. Never in all his life had he been quite out of patience with the x’orld as on this bright, sunny morning. “Here comes Mr. Schmidt,” whispered Mrs. Gaston excitedly a few moments later and at once made a movement indicative of hasty departure. “Sit still,” said Miss Guile peremptorily. R. Schmidt again passed them by without so much as a glance in their direction. There was a very sweet smile on Miss Guile’s lips as she closed her eyes and lay back in her chair. Once, twice, thrice, even as many as six times R. Schmidt strode rapidly by their corner, his head high and his face aglow. At last a queer little pucker appeared on the serene brow of the far from drowsy young lady whose eyes peeped through half closed lids. Suddenly she threw off her rug with a brief remark to her companion, arose and went to her cabin. Mrs. Gaston followed, not from choice, but because the brief remark formed a command. Soon afterward R. Schmidt, who had been joined by Dank, threw himself into his chair with a great sigh of fatigue and said: “ ’Gad, I’ve walked a hundred miles since breakfast. Have you a match?” “Hobbs has made a very curious discovery,” said the young lieutenant, producing his matchbox. There was, a perturbed look in his eyes. “If Hobbs isn’t careful he’ll discover a new continent one of these days. He is always discovering something,” said Robin, puffing away at his pipe. “But this is really interesting. It seemK that he was in the hold when Miss Guile’s maid came down to get into one of her mistress’s trunks. Now, the first letter in Guile is G, isn’t it? Well, Hobbs says there are at least half a dozen trunks there belonging to the young lady and that all of them are marked with a large red B. What do you make of it ?” The prince had stopped puffing at his pipe. “Really, you know, Dank, I ought to dismiss Hobbs,” said Robin irritably. “He is getting to be a dreadful nuisance. Always nosing around trying to”— “But, aft<-r all. sir, you’ll have to admit tlvat he‘has made a puzzling dis-

coyery. 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 her sailing under a false name.” “Have you a theory?” “There are many that we could advance, but, of course, only one of them could be the right one, even if we were acute enough to include it in our list of guesses. She may have an imperative reason for not disclosing her identity. For instance, she may be running away to get married.” "That’s possible,” agreed Robin. “But not probable. She may be a popular music hall favorite or one of those peculiarly clever creatures known as the American newspaper woman; against whom we have been warned. Don’t you regard it as rather significant that of all the people on this ship she should be the one to attach herself to the unrecognized Prince of Graustark? Put two 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.” 1 "So be it,” said Dank, but with doubt in his eyes. “You ought to know. I’ve never spoken to her, so”— “She thinks you are a dreadfully attractive chap, Dank," said Robin mischievously. “She said so only yesterday.” Dank gave his prince a disgusted look and smoked on in silence. His dignity was ruffled. “Come, old fellow, let’s forget Mis*

Guile,” cried Robin, slapping the lietb tenant on the hot ~ r Let’s think of the'- i :ii peril--M iid Applegate Blithers;" He held tip the ship’s paper lor Dank . • back to t ;;.!»> his companion's rage. Aii hour ; : t r Dahl: and Count Quinnox might have b< • n - . n seated side by side on th ■ edge of a skylight at the tiptop iof the ship’s structure engaged in the closest conversation. “He is young enough and stubborn enough to make a fooi of himself over her,” the count had said. "I wouldn’t blame him, ’pon lm soul I wouWn't. She is very at tract ive-e-ahem! You must be his safeguard, Dank, Go in and do as I suggest. You are a good looking chap and you’ve nothing to lose. r So.‘far .as, she is concerned you are quite 'as well worth while as the fellow known as R. Schmidt. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t make the remainder of the passage pleasant for her add at the same time enjoy yourself at .nobody’s t \;..*nse” “Is it a command, sir?” “It is.” “Very well, sir. I shall do my b<"=t.” Five days later as the Jupiter was' discharging passengers at Plymouth Count Quinnox and Lieutenant Dank stood well forward on th ; promenade deck watching the operations. : The younger man was moody and distrait, an unusual condition for him, but one that had been noticeably recurrent during the past two or three days. Something had gone,wrong with him, and it was something that he felt in duty bound to lay, before his superior, the grim old minister of war and hereditary chief of the castle guard. Occasionally his somber gaze shifted to a spot farther down the deck, where a young man and woman leaned upon the rail and surveyed the scene of activity below. “What is on vour mind, Dan?” asked the count abruptly. "Out with It." “Pretty mess I’ve made of the business,” lamented Dank surlily. “Putting myself up as a contender against a like Robin and dreaming that I could win out, even for a minute! Good Lord, what an ass I am! Why, we’ve only made it worse, count. We’ve touched him with the spur of rivalry, and what could be more calamitous than that? From being a rather matter of fact, indifferent observer, he becomes a bewildering cavalier bent on conquest at any cost. I am swept aside as if I were a parcel of rags. For two days 1 stood between him and the Incomparable Miss Guile. Then he suddenly arouses himself. My cake is dough. I am nobody. The beautiful Miss Guile has bewitched our prince, and my labor is not only lost, but I myself am lost. Mon dieu!” The count stared at him in perplexity for a moment. Then a look of surprise 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”— “Why not?” broke in Dank fiercely. “Why should it appear incredible to you? Is she not the most entrancing creature in all the world? Is she not the most appealing, the most adorable, most feminine of all her sex V The”—The count stopped him with a sharp gesture. A look of real concern appeared 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 a worse case.” “We must put an end to thi3 fond 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 is of the same mind. All Graustark can’t stop him, nor old man Blithers either. Besides, he says 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 two hours ago. He is determined to spend a couple of weeks at Interlaken." “Interlaken?” “Yes. Miss Guile expects to stop there for a fortnight after leaving Paris.” ' "l tttUSt remonstrate with Robin—at

once,” declared the old man. "He Is needed in Graustark. He must be made to realize the importance of”— “1 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 of all of us.” “’Pen my soul!” was all that the poor minister of war, an adept in strategy, was able to exclaim. I For some unaccountable reason Miss OuilP and her companion preferred to travel alone to Paris. They had a • private compartment, over which a re- ( spectful, but adamantine, conductor , exercised an authority that irritated R. Schmidt beyond expression. The rest { of the train was crowded to its ca-| pacity, and here was desirable space ! going to waste in the section occu- J pied bv the selfish Miss Guile. He couldn’t understand it in her. Was it, [ after all, to be put down as a simple j steamer encounter? Was she delib- I erately snubbing him, now tjfat they i were on land? it was not until the boat train was nearing the environs of Paris that Ilcbbs threw some light over the situation, with the result that it instantly became darker than ever before. It appears that Miss Guile was met at the landing by a very good looking young man who not only escorted her to tb" train, but actually entered it with her and was even now enjoying the luxury of a private compartment i as well as the contents of a large i luncheon hamper, to say nothing of an j uninterrupted view of something far more inspiring than the scenery.

(To l)e continued.;

“I should say because her name begins with a B,” said Robin.