The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-03-01

THE PRINCE OF
=GRAUSTARK X
By George Barr McCutcheon=
Copyright, 1914, by Dodo, Nfead and Company.

fContinued.)
'fEven that will be something Sor
me to look forward to, Miss Guile, -
said he. Far from being vexed, she
Nfavored him with a faint smile Of
was it wonder or admiration?
- Then she moved away followed by
the uneasy 1ady-who was old enough
to be her mother and wasn't.
81 Robin remained standing for a mo-
ment. looking after her, and some
how he felt that his dream was rot
yet endad. She turned the corner of
the deck building and was lost to
sight. He sat down, only to arise al
most instantly. moved by a Ifvelier
curiosity than he ever had felt be-
fore. Conscious of certain feeling
the backs of the two chairs. The
steward was collecting the discarded
steamer rugs farther down the deck,
ard the few passengers who occupied
chairs appeared to be snoozing-al1 of
which he took in with his first ap-
praising glance. <tMiss Guile" and
ssMrs. CASTOR" were the names he
read.
"Americans," he unused. ttYoung
lady and chapefon. that's it. A real
American beauty! And Blithers loud
" boasts that his daughter is the
prettaest girl in America! Shades OF
Venusi Can there be such a thing on
earth as a prettier girl than this
one? Can nature have performed the
Impossible? Is America SO full of
lovely girls that this one must take
eond place to daughter Of tBlith-
3? I wonder if she knows the i'm
eria1 Maud. I'll make it point to
Inquire
Moved by a -sudden restlessness. he
decided that be was in need of exer-
else. After completely circling the
deck once he decided that he did not
need the exercise after all. His walk
had not benefted him in the least.
He returned to his chair. As he turn
ed into the dry, snug corner he came
to an abrupt stop and stared. Miss
Guile was sitting in her chair, neatly
incased in mummy-like sheath of
gray; that covered her slim body to
the waist. aas
d She was "a lite alone in her nook,
and read1ng An astonishing fntrep-
1dity induced him toAsreak to her aft
er a lapse of five or six minutes, and
so surprising was the impulse that he
b1urted out his question without pre-
ambIe.
GLOW did you manage to get back
80 quickly?' he inquired
She looked up, and for an instant
there was something like alarm in
her lovely eyes, as of one caught in
the Tyerpetration of guilty act.
ct beg your pardon" she said.
rather indistinctly.
"I was away less than eight min
ntes. " he declared, and she was con-
fronted by a wonderfully frank smile
that never failed to work its charm.
To his surprise, a shy smile grew in
her eyes, and her warm red lips
twitched uncertainty. He had expect
ed a cold rebuff. seYou must have
dropped through the awning?''
your imagination Is superior to that
employed by the author of this book"
she said, "and shat is saying a good
deal Fss - =.
schmidt he supplied cheerful1y.
.salany INQUIRE what 8pok you are
ssYou would not be Interested. It is
by an American"
s1 have read great many Ameri-
can novels said he stiny. "My
father was an American. Awfully
jolly books, most of them ;"
81 looked you UP in the passenger
list moment ago." she said coolly.
seYour home is in Vienna. like
Vienna
He was locking rather intently at
the book, now partly lowered. t1sn't
that the passenger list you have con-
eea1ed In that book 20 he demanded.
a1t is" she replied promptly. fcYou
viii pardon q natural curiosity? I
wanteds to see whether you were from
New York
sslHay look at it, p1ease?"
She closed the book. cit isn't neces-
Bary. am from New York
"By the way. do you happen to
know Miss Bltthers-Maud B1ith-
ers?"
Miss Guile frowned ref1ectively.
ssBItthers? The name is a familiar