Omaha daily bee., 1914-04-26
TE1ePRINUo
@AlNTAM
By
GEORGE BARR MdCUTCHEON
Author of BEVERLY of GRACSTARK.
BREWSTERS MILLIONS, Etc.
Illustrations by r F. Schahelitz
Illustrations by r. F. Schahelitz.

/~skA> Roof shortly after luncheon; Mr.
NAHNN Blithers, dismayed, arrived at Bther-
~ M r8 wood quarter of an hour later. He
NM'-/E had had his way with Robin, who
%TJ< after all, was coming to dinner that
evening with Count Quinnox. The
Prince, after few words in private with the Count
changed his mind and accepted Mr.. Blthers' invita-
ton with liveliness that was mistaken for eager
ness by that gentleman, who had made very short
work Of subduing Mrs. King when she tried to tell
nm that her own dinner party would be ruined if
the principal guest defauled. He was gloating over
his victory up to the instant he reached his own
lodge gates There dismay sat patiently waiting for
him in the shape of messenger from the local tele-
graph office in the village below He had seen Mr.
Bhthers approaching in the distance and, with an
astuteness that argued well for his future success
IN life, calmly sat down to wait instead of pedaling
hls decreplt bicycle up the long slope to the villa
lie delivered a telegram and kindly vouchsafed
the information that it from New York
Mr.. Bhthers experienced queer sinking of the
heart as he gazed at the envelope Something
warned him that if he opened it in the presence of
the messenger he would say something that young
boy ought not to hear
"lts from Maud" said the obliging boy, beaming
good-nature 1t cost him quarter, that bit of gen
tty, for Mr. Blithers at once said something that
messenger boy ought to hear, and ordered Jackson
TO go ahead
TT WAS from Maud and it said: "I shall stay in
town few days longer. 1t is delightfully."- cool
here. Dear old Miranda is at the Ritz with me and
we are having a fine spree. Don't worry about
money. ! find | have a staggering balance in the
bank The cashier showed me where | had made a
mistake in subtraction of an even ten thousand. |
was amazed to find what big difference a little
figure makes. Have made no definite plans but will
write mother tonight. Please give my love to the
Prince. Have you today's TOWn Truth? Or
worse has he seen it Your loving daughter Maud"
The butler it was apOpleXy, but the
chauffeur, out of wide experience, announced be-
hind his hand that he would be all right the instant
the words ceased to stick in his throat And he was
right Mr.. BlitheTs WdS all right. Not even the
chauffeur had seen him when he was more So
n little later on, after he had cooled off to a quite
considerable extent, Mr. Blithers lighted cigar and
sat down in the hall outside his wifes bedchamber
door. She was having her beauty nap Not even he
possessed the temerity to break in upon that He
sat and listened for the first sound that would ndi-
cate the appeasement of beauty, occasionally hitch
ing his chair trfe nearer to the door in his agony
of impaience BY the time jackson returned from
the village with word that copy of Toun Truth
was not to be had until the next day, he was so
close to the door that if any had happened to
stick hat pin through the keyhoe at precisely the
right instant it would have punctured his left ear
with appalling results.
"What are going to do about it ~ he demanded
three minutes after entering the chamber His wife
she had failed to arise when he burst in upon her
with the telegram in his hand
"Oh, the foolish child" she moaned "If she only
knew how adorable he is she wouldn't be acting in
this perfectly absurd manner Every girl who was