Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1910-04-20
! R(JXTON.
. mA
King
Copyright. 1909. by George
Barr McCutche0n
Copyright. 1909, by Dodd.
Mead a Company
CHAPTER II.
MEETING OF. THE CABINET,

venerable Count Halfont. The Duke
of Perse, for years resident~of st. Pc
tersburg and financier of high stand
ing. had returned to Edelweiss soon
after the distressing death of the late
Princess Yetive G@d her American. hus
band. and to him was intrusted the
treasury portfolio.
The financing of the great railroad !
project by which Edelweiss was to be
connected with the Siberian line in the
north fell to his lot at Il time when no
one else could have saved the little
government from heavy losses or even
bankruptcy.
The opening of this narrative finds
the ministry preparing to float a new
100000 gavvo issue of bonds for con-
struction and equipment purposes.
Agents Of the government were ready
to 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
BILE up these extremely fine securities.
This seemingly extraordinary exclu-
sion of Russian and German bidders
was the result of vigorous objections
raised by an utter outsider, the Ameri-
can, John Tullis, long time friend and
companion of Grenfall Lorry, consort
to the late princess.
TulliS was a strange man in many
particulars. He was under forty years
of age, but even at that rather imma-
ture time of life he had come to be
recognized as q shrewd. successful
financial power in his home city, New
York. At the very zenith of his pow
er he suddenly and with quiXotic dis
regard for consequences gave up his
own business and came to Graustark
for residence, following a promise
made to Grenfall Lorry when the lat
ter lay dying in little inn near Brus-
sells.
They had been lifelong friends. Tul-
lis jestingly called himself the little
princes "mOrganatic godfather" For
two years he had been a constant resi-
dent of Graustark.
His wide awake, resourceful BRAIN
attuned by nature to the difficulties Of
administration, lent itself capably to
the solving of many knotty financial
puzzles; the ministry was never lOath
to call on him for advice and seldom
disposed to disregard it. An outsider,
he never offered a suggestion or plan
unasked. To this single qualification
he owed much Of the popularity and
esteem in which he was held by the
classes and the masses. Socially he
was great favorite. He enjoyed the
freedom Of the most exclusive homes
in Edelweiss.
There was but one man connected
with the government to whom the pop
ularity and influence of John Tullis
proved distasteful. That man was the
Duke of Perse. On more than one
occasion the cabinet had chosen to be
guided by the sagacity Of John Tullis
in preference TO following the lines
laid down by the astute minister of
finance The decision to offer the new
bond issue in London and Paris was
due to the earnest. forceful argument
Of John Tulls--Outside the cabinet
chamber. to be sure. This was but
one instance in which the plan of the
treasurer was overridden. He resent
ed the plain though delicate influence
Of the former Wall street man. Tullis
had made it plain to the ministry thai
Graustark could not afford to place it
self in debt to the Russians. into whose
hands sooner or later the destinies o.
the railroad might be expected to fall
The wise men of Graustark saw hi
point without force of argument ant
voted down in the parliament tn
dukes proposition to place the loan IL
ST. Petersburg and Berlin. For thi
particular act of trespass upon tn
dukes official preserves he won tn
hatred Of the worthy treasurer and hi
no inconsiderable- following among tn
deputies.
But John Tullis was not in Edel
weiss for the purpose of meddlin
with state affairs. He was there be
cause he elected to stand mentor t
the son of his lifelong friend, eve
though that son was prince of tn
blood and controlled by the will O
three regents chosen by his own sui
jects.
To say that the tiny prince love
his big, broad shouldered, rudy cheel
ed, adoring mentor would be putin
it too gently; he idolized him. Tulli
was father, mother and big brothe
to the little fellow in Knockers.
One woman in Graustark was IL
source of never ending and constant
increasing interest to this stalwa
companion to the prince. That woms
was, alas, the wife of another ma
Moreover, she was the daughter
the Duke of Perse.
The young and witty Countess
Marlanx came often to Edelweiss. 81
was a favorite at the castle, notwit
standing the unhealthy record of b
ancient and discredited husband, Il