Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-02-26


Maud before you can say Jack Rab-
Bit
Think so? Is she good looking?"
Well | would consider her to be E
very good looking girl"
"Blonde?"
"Mixed. Light brown hair and very
dark eyes and lashes. A little taller
than l. more graceful and a splendid
horsewoman. I've seen her riding"
"Astride?"
mo. I've seen her in a ball gown
too. Most mel think she's stunning"
We'll, let's have game of billiards"
said be, dismissing Maud in way that
would have caused the proud Mr.. Blith-
ers to reel with indignation.
A little later on, at the billiard
table, Mrs. King remarked. apropos
of nothing and quite out of a clear
sky, so to speak:
"And she'll do anything her parents
command her to do; that's the worst
of it. If they order her to marry
ale she'll do it. That's the, way she's
/ been brought up, I'm afraid
! The next day Count Quinnox and
| King returned from the city, coming
up in a pi ivate car with Mr.. Blithers
| himself.
! "Ill have Maud drive me over this
afternoon" said Mr.. Blithers as they
parted at the station.
NI,,,J diI 5ri1 him
! that afternoon. The pride, joy and
j hope of the Blithers family fatty re-
| fused to be a party to any such ar
rangemert and set out for horse
hack ride in direction that took her
as far away from Red Roof as pos
sible.
I whats come over the girl" de-
manded Mr.. Blthers, completely non
plussed. "She's never acted like this
before. Lou
"Some silly notion about being
made a laughing stock, l gather"
said his wife "Heaven knows I've
talked to l,er till I'm utterly worn
out She says she wont be bullied
into even meeting the prince, much
less marrying him. I've never known
her to be so pigheaded. Usually l
can make her see things in sensible
way She would have married the
duke, I'm sure. tiff you hadn't put
stop to it on account of his so called
habits She
We'll, it's turned out for the best
hasn't it? Isn't prince better than a
duke"
You've said all that before, VIII.
morning to talk the ball over with
Mrs. King. And what do you think
happened"
She wouldn't go?"
Worse than that She wouldn't let
me go. Now, things are coming to a
pretty pass when
Never mind. I'll talk to her." said
NJ. Blithers somewhat bleakly despite
his confident front. she loves her
old dad. can do anything at all with
her"
I, She's on a frightfully high horse
lately" sighed Mrs. Blithers fretfully
Tit can't be that young Scoville
can it?''
IF thought it was Fd-Id"- There
is no telling what Mr.. Blithers would
have done to young Scoville at the mo,
ment, for he couldn't think of any.
thing dire enough to inflict upon the
suspected meddler.
"In any event it's dreadfully upset.
ting to me. Will. She-she won't lis.
ten to anything. And here's some
thing else-she declares she won't
Estay here fortthe ball on Friday night u
Mr.. Blithers had her repeat it and
then almost missed the chair In sit
ting down. he was SO PERCEPTIONS
about it.
Wont stay for her own ball?" he
beloved
"She says it isn't her ball." lamented
his wife
IF it isn't hers, in the name of sense
| whose is it,"
ASK her, not me-" fiared Mrs Blith
ers. And don't glare at me like that. >
See here, Lou, I've got things fixed
so that the Prince of Groostuck can't
very well do anything but ask Maud
to-
That's just IT," she exclaimed
Maud sees through the whole ar
rangement, VIII. She said last night
that she wouldn't be at all surprised il
you offered TO assume Graustark's debt
to Russia in order to-
That's just what I've done, old girl. >
Said he in triumph. III have 'em
sewed up so tight by next week that
they can't move without asking me to
loc"en the strings. And you can tell
Maud once more for me that I'll get
this prince for her if
"But she doesn't want him."
"She doesn't know what she
wants" he roared. "Where is she
going on the day of Abe BALI"
"To New York"
"By CAD. Tll-Ill see about that"
ne grated. "Ill see that she doesn't
cave the grounds if I have 70 put
guards at every gate. She's got to be
reasonable. What does she think I'm
putting sixteen millions into the
Grasstork treasury for? She's got to
stay here for the ball. Why, it would
be crime for her to-but what's the
use OF talking about 1t? She'll be
here. and she'll lead the grand march
with the prince. I've got it ALL
"Well, you'll have to talk to her.
I've done all that / can do. She
swears she won't marry a man she's
never seen"