The Glasgow courier., 1916-09-08

OHtueTS lnat morning, eVl0ently Just
before the sailing of the fast French
steamer on which he and his wife were
crossing to Havre. 1t was directed to
August Totten and read as follows:
Tell our young friend to qualify state
nlent to press at once. Announce recon-
slderatiOn of hasty denial and admit en-
gagement. This IS imperative. | am not
IN mood for trifling. Have wired Paris
papers that engagement is settled Have
also wired daughter. The sooner We get
together on this the better Wait for my
arrival in Paris w e.
There is still another delectable
communication for you, Robin" said
the count. 1t was directed to R.
Schmidt. and took the liberty of
opening it, as authorized. Read it,"
This was one of the ordinary "petits
bleu," dropped into the pneumatic tube
letter box at 2:3O that afternoon,
shortly before Robin ventured forth on
his interesting expedition in quest of
tea. and it's contents were very crisp
and to the point:
Pay no attention to any word you may
have received from my father. He cables
a ridiculous command to me which shall
'Siioie' II you nave received similar
message l inplore you to disregard it al
together Let's give each other fight
ing chance. MAUD BLITHERS
Mr.. Blithers received a marconi-
gram from the Jupiter when the ship
was three days out from New York.
1t was terse. but sufficient
Have Just had glimpse of Prince
Charming. He is very good looking. Love
to mother MAUD.
He had barely settled into a state of
complete satisfaction with himself
over the successful inauguration of a
shrewd campaign to get the better of
the recalcitrant Maud and the incom
prehensible Robin when he was
thrown into panic by the discovery
that young Chandler Scoville had
sailed for Europe two days ahead Of
Maud and her elderly companion.
Newspaper reporters in New York
camped on the trail of Mr.. Blithers.
He very obligingly admitted that
there was something in the report
that his daughter was to marry the
| Prince of Graustark, although he
| couldn't say anything definite at the
time. 1t wouldn't be fair to the par
ties concerned, he explained. Then
came the disgusting denials in Paris
| by his daughter and the ungrateful
! prince. This was too much. He
couldn't understand such unfilial be-
| haviour on the part of one. and he
certainly couldn't forgive the ingrat-
itude of the other.
| Instead of waiting until Saturday to
sail, he changed ships and left New
York on Friday, thereby gaining
nothing by the move except relief
from the newspapers, for it appears
that he gave up a five day boat for
one that could not do it under six.
"There will be something doing in
Europe the day l land there, Lou,
he said to his wife as they stood on
erty glide swiftly back toward Man
haitian Island. I've got all the
strings working smoothly. We've
got Groostock where it can't peep
any louder than a freshly Matched
chicken. and We'll soon bring Maud
to her senses. By the way, did tel
you that I've ordered some Dutch ar
chitects from Berlin to gS"-
"The Dutch are from Holland" she
said wearily.
Ito go over to Growstock and give
me complete estimate on repairing
and remodeling the royal castle?
lare say We'll have to do good dea