The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-01-24

'sT'LL GIVE YOU A HUNDRED DOLLARS
 FOR IT." barons, to say nothing of the feminine concomitants to these excellent gen. tleInen?
 One dingy little shop in the square interested him. It was directly op- posite the Royal cafe, with American bar attached, and the contents of it's grimy little windows presented pc culiarly fascinating interest to him. They were packed with weapons and firearms of ancient design. Once he ventured inside the little shop. Find ing DO attendant, he put aside his sud denly formed impulse to purchase a mighty broadsword.
 On several occasions he had seen grim, sharp featured old man in the doorway of the shop, but it was not until after he had missed the Thurs day train that he made up his mind to accost him and to have the broad sword at any price. With this object in view, he inserted his tall frame into the narrow doorway, calling out lustily for attention.
 "What is it?" demanded a sharp, an gry voice at his elbow. He found him. self looking into the wiZened, parch- ment-like face of the little old man. | '"That broad Say, you speak Eng fish, don't youY'
 Certainly" snapped the old man. "Why shouldn't I? I can't afford an interpreter. You'll find plenty of Eng fish used here in Edelweiss since the Americans and British came. They won't learn our language, so we must learn theirs.'
 "What's the price of that old sword you have in the window?'
 'Three hundred gavvos." sWhat's that in dollars?" "Four hundred and twenty. It is genuine, sir, and 300 years old. Old Prince Boris carried it. It's most rare."
 'T'll give you hundred dollars for it, Mr.-er"-he looked at the sign on the open door-"Mr. Spantz."
 "T don't want your money. Good day"
 Truxton King felt his chin in per- plexity. ''Tt's too much. I can't af, ford it," he said, disappointment in bis eyes.
 q have ~1ern blades of my own make. sir, much cheaper and quite as good" ventured the excellent Me. Spantz.
 "You make 'em?'' in surprise
 The old man strengthened his bent figure with sudden pride. "I am ar morer to the crown, sir. My blades are used by the nobility-not by the army, I am happy to say.''
 "I say, Herr Spantz, or monsieur, I'd like to have good long chat with you. What do you say to mug of that ex- Business seems to be little dull. Can't you-er-lock up"
 Spantz looked at him keenly.
 "May ask what brings you to Edel. weiss?' he asked abruptly.
 "I don't mind telling you, MT. Spantz that Pm here because I'm somewhat of fool. False hopes led me astray I came here looking for romance-for adventure"
 "I see," cackled Spantz, his eyes twinkling with mirth. You thought you could capture wild and beautiful pr1ncesses here just as you pleased eh? Let me tell you, young man, only one American-only one foreigner, in fact-has accomplished that miracle MT. Lorry came here ten years ago and won the fairest flower Graustark ever produced-the beautiful Yetive- but he was the only one."
 ''No. Im not looking for princesses I've seen hundreds of lem in all parts of the world"
 ''You should see Prince Robin," went on the armorer
 'I've heard of nothing but him, my good MT. Spantz. He's seven years old, and he looks like his mother. and he's got a jeweled sword and all that sort of thing. I daresay he's nice little chap. Got American blood ir him, you see.'
 The old man retired to the rear ot the shop and called out to some one upstairs. A woman's voice answered
 My niece will keep shop, sir, while I .-m out" Spantz explained. | Thou paucad sY,oo,, fT,o 1oo,, r,r,%i1 fI,