Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 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, discusses with his wife the possibilities of marrying off 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 Qulnnox, 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 and gently hints at $20,000,000 his daughter will get. when she marries the right man. Banners suddenly refuse to handle me loan, Count Quinnox and King arrange a meeting with piithers. 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 Robin’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 better 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 baggage is marked with a B, In Paris she £S met by a young nian.

Blithers promises to consider the loan. His wife, prepares a ball for the Prince and Maud, who suddenly balks at the affair and doesn’t attend. Meeting the prince put for a stroll, Blithers chats on matrimony. Robin says he is not for sale, but agrees to meet Maud when lie learns she is opposed to het parents’ wishes. Maud again evades the prince, who reports he must leave for Graustark at once. Maud writes she is off for Europe on the Jupiter with an aged companion, tier father schemes to get them both on the same ship. CHAPTER XIV. The Hand of the Law, THE prince called an attendant and ordered him to find Miss Guile’s footman at once. When he returned to the table she was again reading the note. “It is really quite thrilling, isn’t it?” she said, and there was still a quaver of indignation in her voice. “Are you not mystified?” “Not in the least,” said he promptly, and drew a chair up clofee beside hers. “It’s as plain as day. Your father has found xmX, 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 detective concern have been employed since yesterday in watching the movements of your companion, for the purpose of safeguarding her against good looking young men, I suspect. I have it from the most reliable of sources that her father engaged the services of these men almost simultaneously with the date of our sailing from New York. It may interest #ou 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 from your faithful friend, who likewise is not far away.” “I should have anticipated this, Mr. Schmidt,” she said ruefully. “It is 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 any enterprising person who made it his business to steal me. There is no limit to the ransom he could demand.” “You alarm me,” he declared. “No doubt these worthy guardians look upon me as a kidnaper. I am inclined to shiver.” “ ‘All’s well that ends well,’ ” quoth she, pulling on her gloves. “I shall restore you safely to the bosom of the Ritz, and that will be the end of it.” “I almost wish that some one would kidnap you, Miss-Guile. It would afford me the greatest pleasure in the world to snatch' you from their clutches. Y r our father would be saved paying the ransom, but I should have to be adequately rewarded. I fancy, however, that he wouldn’t mind paying the reward I should hold out for.” “I am quite sure he would give you anything ypu 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 refused to meet his. “Curiosity almost makes me wish that I might be kidnaped. I should then 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—l prefer to find it out in my own way, Mr. Schmidt,” she stammered hurriedly. Her confusion was immensely gratifying to him. There is no telling what might have happened to the Prince of Graustark at that moment if an obsequious attendant had not intervened with the earthly information that the car was waiting.

The car shot across the bridge and was speeding on its way toward the Bois when Robin ventured a glance behind. Through the little window in the back of the car he saw a big, swift moving automobile not more than a quarter of a mile in the 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 the seat and peered back along the road. “There they are!” she cried. She threw the veil back over her hat as she resumed her seat in the corner. Her eyes were fairly dancing with excitement. The warm red lips were parted and she was breathing quickly. Suddenly she laid her hand over her heart as if to check its lively thumping. “Isn’t it splendid? We are being pursued—actually chased by the manhunters of? Paris! Oh, I was never so happy in my life. Isn’t it great?” “It is glorious!” he cried exultantly. “Shall I tell the chauffeur to hit it up a bit? Let’s make it a real chase?”

“Yes, do! We’ll see if we can give them the slip; isn’t that what you call It?” Robin gave hurried directions through the speaking tube to the attentive footman. Miss Guile then took command of the flight. She called out the instructions to the driver, and her knowledge of the intricate routes through the park stood them well in hand. It was soon quite clear to the pursued that the car containing their followers had been successfully eluded. For some time there had been a worried look in the prince’s eyes. Once he undertook to remonstrate with his fair companion. “My dear Miss Guile, we’ll land in jail if we keep up this hair raisingspeed. There wouldn’t be any fun in that, you know." "Pooh! I’m not afraid of the police. They—wby, what’s the matter? Oh, goodness!” r ■ The car had come to. a somewhat abrupt stop. Two policemen, dismounted from their bicycles, formed an insurmountable obstruction. They were almost in the shade of the Trocaderq.

“Do not be alarmed,” whispered Robin to the fast paling girl, into whose eyes the most abject misery had leaped at the sight of the two officers. The polite officers came up to the window with their little notebooks. “I regret, m'sieur, that we shall be obliged to conduct yourself and mademoiselle to the office of a magistrate, finder the new regulations set forth In the order of last May, motorists may be given a hearing at once. I regret to add that m'sieur has been exceeding the speed limit. A complaint came in but a few minutes ago from the Porte de la Muette, and we have been ordered to intercept the car. You may follow us to the office of the magistrate, m’sieur. It will soon be oyer, mademoiselle.”

In a very few minutes the procession arrived at a low, formidable looking building on a narrow side street. The cavalcade of policeman dismounted and stood at attention while mademoiselle and monsieur got down from the car and followed a polite person in uniform through the doors. An instant later they were ushered into a fair sized r.oom on the left of the hall, where they were commanded to sit down. A lot of chairs stood about the room, filling it to the farthest corners, while at the extreme end was the judge’s bench. “I’d like to have a word in private with the magistrate,” said the Prince of Graustark to one of the attendants. “Impossible!” he said, lifting his eyebrows in an expression of extreme amazement. “It is impos”— A sharp

rapping on the judge’s desk reduced the remainder of the sentence to a delicate whisper—“ible, m’sieur.” “Will you conduct me to a telephone booth?” whispered Miss Guile tearfully. A thunderous pounding on the bench interrupted her. “Attend!” came in a sharp, uncompromising voice from the bench. “What is the delay? This is no time to think. All that should have been done before. Step forward. Sergeant, see that the prisoners step forward.” Robin slipped his arm through Miss Guile’s, expecting her to droop heavily upon it for support. To his surprise she drew herself up, disengaged herself and walked straight up to the bench, without fear or hesitation.

“Will you be so kind as to raise your veil, madam?” spake the court. She promptly obeyed. He leaned forward with sudden interest. The prosecutor blinked and abruptly overcame the habitual inclination to appear bored. Such ravishing beauty had never before found its way into that little courtroom.

“State your name, mademoiselle,” said the prosecutor. Miss Guile lowered her head for an instant. Robin could see that her lip was quivering. “My name is—oh, is there no way to avoid the publicity”—she sighed miserably—“the publicity that”— “I regret, mademoiselle, that there is no alternative”— began the judge, to be interrupted by the banging of the courtroom door. He looked up, glaring at the offender with ominous eyes. The polite attendant from the outer corridor was advancing in great haste. He was not only in

“My name is -oh, is there no way to avoid publication” she sighed.