Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-02-21

| So-you could anord 1t-than 10 put
him in with people with whom he
can't assimilatef"
Ned looked at the speaker through
q pair of honest eyes that bespake in
/ dignanr disagreement, but he was too
much of a gentleman TO reprove a
/ guest on his own yacht, so without
word he arose and walked away.
{ The incident was repeated among
/ the party, but it did not improve Mr..
/ Schmitt's position with them jot.
What had they to do with the repay
/ ment of their hosts obligations? Be
cause an ordinary fellow-a German at
! that-who had probab bly, come over in
/ the steerage had helped Ned out of
I scrape was that any reason why he
! should infiict the man on them?
| Meanwhile Mr.. Sehmitt and Miss
/ Ten Brock chatted in the German Ian
| guage. the latter deriving much bene-
| fit therefrOm. She discovered that
whatever station he might have occu-
| pied in his own country he was very
| intelligent But education in Germany
! is breathed in with the air Miss Ten
| Brock told some of the party that
| Mr. Schmitt knew enough to have been
!
/ country. The information had no eff
feet whatever. Had he discovered an
! antitoxin for the disease most fatal to
mankind and given it TO the world
| free the fact would not be a reason
why they should make a companion to
him.
The days passed, during which the
yacht skirted the coast southwark and
returned to New York. 1t was agreed
that the trip had been an enjoyable
one. though the unanimity of the par
ty had been somewhat broken in upon
by the presence Of at least one person
who had no place in it. In parting
with his guests Ned told them that
he had made a mistake in trying to
introduce a foreign element among
them, but that he hoped to make
amends very soon. He wished them
all to dine with him in New York, and
they might assure themselves that
there would be no one present they
would not wish to meet.
The dinner came off at Van Amster-
dams residence, and every member of
the yachting party was present except
Miss Ten Brock. Her cousin invited
her. but she declined. When the guests
were assembled and went into the din
ing room it was noticed at once that
the chair next the host on his right
was vacant. Several courses had been
served, and the guest for whom the
chair was intended did not appear.
who's to be on your right?" asked
one
Count Ludwig Won Gehrenstein,"
said Ned
why is he not here?"
"He is in Washington. He went
yesterday to pay his respects to the
president. You know, he is on the stan
of Emperor William-I mean his per-
sonal staff-one of his aids-de-camp.
He'll be with US before we finish"
The company looked at one another
with congratulatory glances that they
were to be honored at meeting so dis
tinguished a person. The conversation
turned upon the count. and Ned told
them something about him. There was
royal blood in his veins. he being a
connection of the empress. He was
also one of the richest men in Ger
many. This added a stimulus to the
excitement, and when the women were
told that he was unmarried each wo-
man present began to cherish faint
hope that she might snare him while
exposed to the armies Of spinsters in
America.
Ten o'clock came, but not the count.
Another hour passed, and still the lion
to be of the evening had not arrived.
Van Amsterdam directed a butler to
telephone to the station and ask when
the train from Washington would ar
rive The answer came that it was
lust in. 1t would still be at least an
hour before the count could get into
evening dress and appear.
Telephone to him to come in travel
ing costume" suggested one of the Ia
dies.
mot l." replied the host. 81 know
him too well for that. On all formal
occasions he is a great stickler for eti-
quette, especially his dress"
So they were obliged to wait.
At a quarter past IL the dining room
door was opened, and a butler an
nounced:
His serene transparency Count Lud-
wig Won Gehrenstein"
And. Immediately attired in even
ing dress. there entered no less per-
sonage than Carl Schmitt.
"Stungr said one of the men to his
next neighbor.
mot at ALL" replied the other.
Count Gehrenstein is in America.
That / know. And Ned Van Amster-
dam would never introduce another in
his stead"
The count formally greeted the as
sembled company. There was no need
for presentation since he had spent
ten days in the same yacht with them.
Some Of them tried to laugh of the
mistake they had made. but the count
ignored the subject Some left the
table at once, indignant with their
host for having taken them yachting
with an incognito celebrity. The count
maintained his reserve till the last per-
son had gone. then. Shaping Ned on
the back. said loosely:
America is a ferry OFT country.
mine poy."