THE PRINCE OF GRAUSTARK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15849, 20 February 1915, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE PRINCE OF GRAUSTARK.

By GEORGE BARR McCUTCHEON, Whor of "Brewster's Millions." " Xedra," "The Daughter of Anderson Crow," "The Man From Brcdney's." The Butterfly Man." '' A. Fool and His Money," etc.

(COI'YKIGnT.) (HAPTKR XI .1 ' intimied. i' Vor'RF. ncM. my dear," exclaimed Oaf- 1 m an excited whimper .is she burst in upon her fair companion. who | was" villi,' 0.-ffep and toast ill her par- > lour. Tl» e more or less resuscitated Mario . wa / W a.itini to d.. up her mistress's hair, | •nd the voi'iu lad, lu-m-lf was alluringly ■ Naming In *1 ;te ••{ the fact that it was j ~ot already "done up. "lie is tin*— | «—he i." «!nt von think. j "Heed h<v.\. vs. you haven't -one and' ' • I, .i-..'• 1 • ■ ■ cried the un a »lim i none • . , ..I hand "bnltmcr *" itn a piece of toast hall j way to .< r hp-'. ' '• Cvii? an.l done it . | ••You iiiiv: i Won blabbing. have I y How em vusa v that to me " Ami I j put to I* trust, <i V Am Iso weak , I and—" ~ , , v ■ ' "Don't itv, vi.u <>].} <U\r r»M'ciw trie. , I Put no'.' 1.-11 nit —»ib-' ilite'y-. just what; 1 you've bre-: up to !)•".'1 mind Marie. ; I "she is - "re:, a. >he < .in always hold aer I tongue ' • , , ■ " Wei!, l" v '' he,-11 t ilkim* with him. 1 that's a" lin sure lie is the prince. No | ordinary ai.d<> could he a> sweet and agree--1 able and su.it.y as—" ; • "Stop'" cried M is- Guile, with a | pretty vciie. patting the tips of her ■ I fingers to he: «■>..;> alter putting the piece i 1 c toa- .'.t > ii. " uio.itii. "One would | think v■ v. were a sentimental old maid! instead of a ■ old li .ode.l, experiinccil. | maud.at -c niari •ed woman. "You f. r_ t that I am a widow, my , dear. B,v:.ic,. it disgusting tor or., to speak with 'i.-.'s mom a full of buttered 1 toast- It- " ! ff "Oh, lew ! used to loathe you when ! I you kept forever ding dunging amo about ' the wav 1 ate when 1 was almost- starving. i | ere von never a hungry little kid'.' Did ! 1 you never lick jam and honey off your j I lingers, cud- — . ; | Many and many a time, confessed ; f Mrs. Gaston, beaming once more, and ■ I lacing a gentle, loving hand on the girl's ; 1 fDouider. Miss Guile dropped her head , 1 ever until her check rented on the caress- : I ing hand, and munched toast, with blissful , 1 abandon. ~ ! I "Now tell me what you've been up to, : I she said, and Mr?. Gaston repeated every , ! word of the conversation she had had with 1 ! R. Schmidt, proving absolutely nothing, i | but stoutly maintaining that her intuition ; i was completely to be depended upon. "And. oil." she whispered in conclu- . | 6 ; on _ " wouldn't it he perfectly wonderful ■ | if vou two should tall in love with each j i other " ... I " Don't be silly !" _ j "But you have said that if he should I I fall in love with you for yourself, and not i I because " j " 1 have also said that I will not marry I I anv man —prince, duke, king, count, or I anything else—unless lam in love with j | him. Doa't. overlook that, please." I " Rut he is really very nice. 1 should j 1 think voti could fail in love with him. I | Just think how it would please your ! I 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 " "Ycu must admit that, —that Mr. j Schmidt is handsome, charming, bright,—" i " I admit nothing." said Miss Guile 1 resolutely, and ordered Marie to dress her hair as carefully as possible. " Take ' as long as you like. Marie. I shall not j go or. deck for hours."" " I—l told him you would be up goon." stammered the poor, man-hating ex--1 governess. "You did?" said Miss Guile, with what was supposed to be a deadly look in her eyes. "Wei 1 , he inquired." said the other. "Anything else?" domineered the § beauty. "I "forgot to mention one thing. He i 1 did ask me if your name was really "You did'" said Miss Guile, with what "55 supposed to be a deadly look in. her eyes. "Wei 1 , he inquired." said the other. " Anything else ?" domineered the beauty. "I forgot to mention one thing. He did ask me if your name was really Bedelia." " And what did you tell him?" cried the girl, in sudden agitation. "1 managed to tell him that it was," j said Mrs. Gaston stiffly. f "Good!" cried Miss Guile, vastly re- | lieves, «-nd not at all troubled over the I blight that had been put upon a very 1 worthv lady's conscience. I she appeared on deck long after- ! wards, she found every chair occupied. A 1 warm sun, a far-from-turbulect sea, and a I refreshing breeze had brought about a mari vellous transformation. Everyone was I happy, everyone had come back from the | grave to gloat over the grim reaper's fa - I ure to do bis worst, although in certain I cases he had been importuned to do it J without hesitation. \ She made several brisk rounds of the \ deck : then, feeling that people were fol- * lowing her with their admiringly, to 1 be sure, but what of that—she abandoned jj the pleasant exercise and sought the s"clu- ! sion of the sunless corner where her chair I was. stationed. The ship s daily news- > paper was just off the press, and many j of the loungers were reading the brief | telegraphic news from the capitals of the | world. I During her stroll she passed several j groups of men and women who were 3 lightly, rvf-n scornfully, emploved in disig cussing an articie of news which bad to I do with Mr. Blither- and the Prince of Graustark. Filled with an acute curiB osity, she procured r, :opv of the paper if from u. steward, and was glancing at the 3 headlines as she made her way into her I corner. Double-leaded type appeared over the rumoured engagement of Mis 3 Maud i Applegate Blithers, the beautiful and accomplished daughter of the great capitalist, and Robin. Prince of Graustark. A queer little smile played about her lips as she foided the paper for future perusal. Turning the corner of the deck building, she almost collided with It. Schmidt, who stood leaning against lie wall, scanning the little newspaper -vith eyes that were blind to everytiiinc; e' "C. "Oh!" she, gaspeu. "I'm sorry," he exclaimed, crumpling the paper in his hand as he backed away, flushing. " Stupid of me. Good morning." "Good morning. Mr Schmidt. Tt. was lot your fault. I should have looked where I was goin-j. ' Stop. look, and listen,' as they say at the railway crossing- ' 4 ' 'Danger' is one of the commonest S 'gns, Miss Guile. It lurks everywhere, especially around corners. I see you have a I* 4 ? 61 aears M'ss Blithers and the prince are. to lie married after all." "Yes; it is quite apparent that the Blithers family intends to have a title at anv cost," <he said, and her eyes flashed. , '"Would you like to take a few turns, -Masa Guile?" ho inquired, a trace of nervousness in his manner. " 1 think I can tike yon safely over the hurdles and around the bunkers." He indicated the ou-ftretched legs a ' on the promenadedeck, and the immovable groups of charterers along the rail. . Before deciding, she shot an investigat--1B b'anoe into the corner. Mrs. Gaston Waa not only there, but- was engaged in conversation with the grey-moustached r"®™ in a nearby chair. It required ut half a glance to show that Mr. Totten ~a s unmistakably interested in something ~ voluble lady had jast said to him. -i». rt thank you, Mr. Schmidt," said i 6 ? Guile hastily, and then hurried over Em a , a^r ' a distinct cloud on her j: ootn brow. Robin, considering himself smißgj i whirled and went his wav, a flush spreading over his face. Rhrf m f U^es frown deepened when her raS appearance at Mrs. Gaston's side j at lady to look up with a guilty t break off in the middle of a jv, t ' a t had begum with " InterMr T ™ arria l? es > as a rule, are— Oh !" ' gotten arose and bowed with courtly Sr U) the new arrival on the scene. « appeared to be immensely relieved, tjij ' 'ovely morning, Miss Guile," he Wit. *v ? stooped to arrange her rug. *' 1 ■ ibv rnrf t you were not at all disturbed ®y yesterday's blow." tea a * ae J 115 ? telling Mr. Totter, that you II Bcie ei sailor," said Mrs. Gaston, fei* 01 appeal in her voice. "He says i iaUm' liv»r-; 6clunidt > is also a good <; *' * Jsa %it perfectly wonderful I"

.. . C j 11 ,, see an ything wonderful about it-, said Miss Guile, fixing the ex-Kover-iH'ss wutli a look that seared. We were speaking of this rumoured engagement of the Prince of Graustark and - el -u hat s the name?" He glanced at ni> newspaper. " Miss Blithers, of course. 1 inquired of .Mrs.— Gaston if she hapi liens, to know the young lady. She reineinbcrs seeing her frequently as a very small child." J In 1 axis, said Mrs. Gaston. "One couldn t very well help seeing her. you Know. She was the only child of the gloat Mi. Blithers, whose name was on everyone's lips at the—" Miss Guile interrupted. "It. would be like the great Mr. Blithers to buy this toy prince for his daughteras a family pai\ thing or human lap dog, or something of lie sort, wouldn't it?" Mr. lot-ten betrayed no emotion save amusement. Miss Guile was watching thiough half-closed eyes. There was a iioiiieable stiffening of the prim figure of Mrs. Gaston. I ve no doubt Mr. Blithers can afford I to buy the most expensive of toys for his only . liild. \ou Americans go in for the luxuries of life. What could be more extravagant than the purchase of a royal lap-doc;? Ihe only drawback 1 can sugirest is that the prince might turn out to be a cur, and then where would Mr. I'd hers be?" It i< more to the point to ask whore Miss Blithers would be. Mr. Totten." said Miss Guile, with a. smile that caused the tune old warrior to afterwards declare to Park thai he never had seen a lovelier 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. 1 see. ' said Miss Guile, aJter a moment. "He wouldn't sleep with one eye open. i see." " The tap of luxury is an enviable rest- ; ing-place. 1 know of no prince who would | despise it." • ' But a wife is sometimes a thins; to be ; I despised." said she. | " Guile true." said Mr. Totten. " I've j 1 no doubt that the Pi in. o of Graustark will • .despise his wife, and for that reason will j be unite content to close both eyes and j . let her go on searching for her heart's j I desire." j " She would be his princess. Could he j | afford to allow his love of luxury to co as I : far as that " Quite as justifiably, I should say, as ! : Mr. blithers when he delivers his' only 'child into—into bondage." " You were about to use another term." ; " I was, but 1 thought in time. Miss ; Guile." 1 " Bouillon at last." cried the agitated | duenna, and peremptorily summoned one ;of the tray-bearing stewards. "I am i famished " i Evidently Mr. Totten did not care for his mid-morning refreshment, for, with the ; most louitly of smiles, he arose and left 'them to their bouillon. 1 "Here lomes Mr. Schmidt," whispered I Mrs. Gaston excitedly, a few moments later, and at once made a movement indicative of hasty departure. i " Sit still.' said Miss Guile Deremptoiily. ! 11. Schmidt again passed them by withi out. so much as a glance in their direction, j I here was a very sweet smile on Miss j Guile's lips as she closed her eves and I lay back in her chair. Once, twice, thrice, i even as many as six times R. Schmidt | strode rapsdlv by their corner, his head I high and his face aglow. j At last a queer little pucker appeared I on the serene brow of the far from drowsv . young lady whose eyes peeped through ; halt-closed lids. Suddenly she threw off ' her rug and with a brief remark to her companion arose and went to her cabin. Mrs. Gaston followed, not from choice but because the brief remark was in the form , of a command. j Soon afterward. R. Schmidt who had | been joined by Dank, threw himself into . his chair with a great sigh of fatigue and i said : " 'Gad, I've walked a hundred miles j since breakfast. Have you a match?" j " Hobbs has made a very curious disI covery," said the young lieutenant, proj ducing his matchbox. There was a per- , turbed look in his eyes. j "If Hobbs isn't careful he'll discover i a new continent one of these days. He is always discovering something." said Robin, puffing away at his pipe. I " But this is really interesting. It seems j that he was in the hold when Miss Guile's I 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 tli- m are marked with a large red B. J What do you make of it ? "' | " Hobbs may be mistaken in the maid, ! Dank. It is likely that they are not Miss i Guile's trunks, at all." " He appears to be absolutely sure of his ground. He heard the maid mention Miss Guile's name when she directed the men to get one of the trunks out of the pile. That's what attracted his attention. He confided to me that you are interested in the young lady, and therefore 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 Robin irritably. " He is getting to be a dreadful nuisance. Always nosing around, trying to—" "But after nil. sir. you'll have to admit that he has made a puzzling discovery. 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. She doesn't look like an adventuress." R. Schmidt rewarded this remark with ! a cold stare. " Would you mind telling me what she does look like. Dank? " he inquired severely. The lieutenant flushed- "I have not had the same opportunity for observation that you've enjoyed, sir, but I should • say, off-hand, that she looks like a verydangerous young person." "Do you mean to imply that she is—er —not altogether what one would call right ? 1 ' 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 pet at, Dank? " demanded Robin abruptly. " I'm trying to get to the bottom of Miss Guile's guile, if it please your r>»val highness," said the lieutenant coolly. " It is hard to connect the 13 and the G, vou know." " But why should we deny her a. privilege that we are enjoying, all three 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 of them could be the right one, even if we were acute enough to includfj 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 favourite, 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 one to attach herself to the unrecognised 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- I've encountered musichall favourites and I can assure you she isn't one of them. And as for your statement that she attached herself to me, vou were never so mistaken in your life." I give you my word, she doesn't care a hang whether I'm on the ship or clinging to a lifo preserver out there in the middle of the Atlantic. I have reason to know, Dank." "So be it," said Dank, but with doubt in his eyes. " You ought to know. I've never spoken to her, —" " She thinks you are a dreadfully attractive chap, Dank," said Robin " mischievously. " She said so only yesterday." (To be continued oa Saturday &«xt.)