The Washington times., 1909-10-19
CHAPTER II.
A MEETING OF THE CABINE

~ porous condition. Its affairs
were under the control Of an
able mi4istry. headed by the venerable
Count HalfOnt. The duke of Perse. for
years a resident OF St Petersburg, and
a unanCier Of high standing had re-
turned to Edelweiss soon after the dis
tressing death OF the late Princess Yet
i've and her American husband, and 10
him was intrusted the treasury port
IoilO. dc at once proceeded 10 endedf
himself TO the common people by the
advocacy of a lower rate of taxation
This meant the reduction OF the standing
army. He secured new and advantage
Gus treaties with old and historic Toes
putting Graustarks financial credit upon
a high footing in the European capitals.
The people smugly regarded themselves
as safe In the hands OF the misery but
honest old financler. If he accomplish
many things by way Of office to en-
nance his own particular fortune no
one looked askance, cor he hdd made no
effort TO blind or deceive his people. OF
his honesty there could be no question
OF his financial operations, IL is enough
70 say that the people were Satl8ned 10
have their affairs linked with his.
The financing of the great railroad
project by which EdelWeiss was to be
connected with the Siberian line in the
north fell 20 his lot at a time when
no one else could have saved the little
government from heavy losses or even
bankruptcy. The new line tTsVeEsed
the country from SerTOs, capital Of
canyons Of GraustaI-k. across AXphain' S
broad steppeS and lOWlands, TO a point
st which Russia stood ready to begin
a connecting branch for junction with
her great line to the Pacific. All told,
II was a stupeudOus undertaking for a
small government 10 finance; it is we'll
znOwn that GraustaFk owns and con-
trolS her public utility institutions. Ine
road, now about half completed, was
10 he nearly 200 miles in length. fully
twO-Thirds of which was on GrauStark
territory. The prepOndeTance If cost
of construction fell upon that principal
.ty. DaWSbergen and AXphatn escaping
With comparatively small obligations
owing 10 the fact that they had few
mountains 10 contend with. As d matter
Of fact the Dawsbergen and AEphain
ends OF the railroad were now virtually
built and waiting for the completion on
the extension work in the Graustark
highlands.
The opening of this narrative finds
the ministry preparing 20 float new
I'VE million gavvO issue OF bonds Tor
construction and equipment purposes.
Agents Of the government We're ready
10 depart for London and Paris to take
up the matter with the great banking
houses ST Petersburg and Berlin were
not to be given the opportunity to COB
hle up these extremely fine securities.
This seemingly extraordinary exclusion
OF Russian and German bidders was the
result Of vigorous objections raised By
an utter outsider, the American, John
Tullis. lone time friend and companion
princess.
Tullis was a strange man I'm many
particulars. He was under forty years
Of age, but even al that rather i'm
mature time Of life he had come TO be
recognized as a shrewd, successful fuau-
ctal power in his home city, New York.
At the very zenith of his power he sud-
denly. and with Qu1xotic disregard for
consequences. gave up his own business
and came 70 Graustark for residence,
following a promise made to Grenfall
Lorry when the latter lay dying in q
little inn near Brussels
They had been lifelong friends Tul-
lis Jestingiy called himself the little
prince s 'Inorganatlc godfather. For
Two years he had been constant resi-
dent of Ciraustarlt, living conteutedly,
even indOlently, In the picturesque old
castle, has rooms JUS across the cor
rldor from those occupied by the little
prince. To this small but important bit
Of royalty he was Uncle Jack in-1hat
capacity he was the most beloved and
at the same time the most abused gem
tleman IN all Graustark. As many as
ten times q week he was signaIly ban
ished from the domain by the loving.
headstrOng little ruler. only TO be re-
called with grave dignity and a few
tears when he went SO far as 10 talk
Of packing his "dUds'' ia obedience 10
the edict
John TulIis. strong character though
he was, found this lazy, dolce far niente
life much 10 his liking He WAS de-
voted to the boy, he was interested in
the life at this tiny court The days
Of public and court mourning for the
lamented princess and her husband
wearing away after an established
period. he found himself eagerly deIving
into the gayeties that followed. Life at
The castle and In the homes Of the no.
bility provided a new and sharp con-
tTast 10 the busy, sOUdid existence he
had known at home il was ike a fine
wholesome. endless dream 70 him. He
drtfted on the Joyous, smiling tide Of
Measure that swept EdeiWeiss with its
careless waves night and day. Clever
handsome sincere in his attitude Of
loyalty toward these people Of the top
most east, he was not long In becoming
q popular idol
His Wide-aWalIe. TesOurceful brain, at
tuned by nature TO the difficulties Of adj
ministrations lent atseif capabIy 20 the
solving Of many knotty financial puz-
zles: the ministry was never 10th 20 call
on him for advice and seldom disposed
10 disregard H. An outsider, he never
offered a suggestion or plan uuasked.
To this single qualification he owned
much Of The popularity and esteem IN
The masses. Socially he was great
favorite- He enjoyed the freedom OF
the most exclusive homes iu EdeIWeisg
lie had enjoyed the distinction of more
than one informal visit 10 old Princess
Nolga, Of AXphains just across the Dor
der, 20 say nothing OF shooting eXpedi-
tons with young Prince Dantan, Of
DawsberEen. whose American vile. for
uaeriy Miss Calhoun, or Washington,
was a friend OF long standing.
John Tuliis was, beyond question, the
most conspicuous and the most ad-
mired man in EdelWeisS In these serene
days OF membership to the adOred Prince
Robin
There was bat one man connected
with the government 70 whom his Dopu-
larity and his influence proved dis
tasteful. That man was the Duke Of
Perse. On more than one occasion Tho
cabinet had chosen 10 be guided by the
sagacify Of John Tullis IN preference 10
following the lines laid down By the
astute minister OF finance. The de-
cision % offer the new bond issue ina
London and Paris was due 20 the earn
est. forceful argument Of John Tullis-
outside the cabinet chamber TO be sure.
This WAS but one instance in which the
plan Of the treasurer was OVerrfdden.
He resented the plain though delicate
influence OF the former Wall Street man.
Tuilis had made il plain to the ministry
that Graustarik could not AFFORD 20 place
itself IN debt to the Russians, into whose
hands, sooner or later, the destinies of
the railroad might be expected 10 fall
The wise men Of Graustark saw his
point without force Of argument. and
voted down, IN the parliament the
dukes proposition to place the loan in
ST. Petersburg and Berlin. For this par