The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1916-05-17
going back to his buoyant boyhood

gong BACK 10 his buOyant bOyhOod
days for an adequate expression.
What wonder you are, Loul Say.
but won't II make a wonderful home
for you and me to spend a peaceful
old age in when we get ready to lay
aside tho
lie stopped short, for she had arisen
and was standing over him with Il
quivering forefnger leveled at his
nose.
"You may walk in where angels
fear to tread. but you will walk
alone. VIII Blithers. | shall not be
with you. and you may as well UNI
derstand IL now. I've told you hun
dred times that money isn't every
thing. and it is as cheap as dirt when
you put il alongside of tradition.
honor, pride and loyalty. Those
Graustarkians would take you by the
nape of the neck and march you out
of their castle so quick that your
head would swim. You may be able
20 buy their prince for Maudie to ex-
hibit around the country. but you
tan't buy the intelligence of the peo-
pie. The people of Graustark must
have an opportunity to see and be-
come acquainted with Maud before
the marriage is definitely arranged.
I will not have my daughter cast into
a den of lions, Will-for that is what
it may amount to. The people will
adore her, they will welcome her
with open arms if they are given the
chance. But they will have none Of
her if she is forced upon them in the
way you propose"
T'll-Tll think it over" said Mr..
Blithers, "but there's nothing on
earth that can alter my determine
tion to make Maud the Princess Of
Groostork. That's settled"
"Graustark, Will"
"Well, whatever it is" said he, and
departed.
He thought hard until half-past /,
and then went to the wireless office,
where he wrote out a message in
cipher and directed the operator to
Offices in Paris. 1t would be the height
of folly to offer Scoville money, and
it would be even worse to inspire the
temporary Imprisonment of the youth.
But there was a splendid alterna-
tive. He could manage to have his
own daughter Acknowledgment in
cluded-and held for ransom!
The more he thought of it the bet
ter it seemed to him, and so he sent
cipher message that was destined to
throw his Paris managers into state
of agitation that cannot possibly be
measured by words. In brief. he in
structed them to engage few peace
able, trustworthy and positively re-
spectacle conference.-the was particu-
larly exacting on the score of gentil-
ity-with orders to abduct the young
lady and hold her in restraint until
he arrived and arranged for her lib
Grafton. They were to do the deed
without making any fuss about it.
but at the same time they were to do
it effectually.
He had the foresight to suggest that
the job should be undertaken by the
very detective agency he had employ
ed to shadow young Scoville and also
to keep an eye on Maud.
Late that evening he had a reply
from his Paris managers. They in
quired If he was responsible for the
message they had received. 1t was
ticklish job, and they wanted to be
sure the message was genuine. He
wired back that he was the sender
and to go ahead. The next morning
they notified him that his instruc-
lions would be carried out as expedi-
tiously as possible.
About IL o'clock the next day an
incomprehensibly long message be-
gan to rattle out of the air. He con-
tanned himself in patience, for the
matter Of half an hour or so longer,
and then, as the clatter continued
without cessation, he got up and
made his way to the door of the OPP
orators Office.
"What is it? The history of Eng
land?" he demanded sarcastically.
Message for you, Mr.. Blithers. It's
d long one, and l had hard time
picking it up"
There were four sheets of writing
at some outlandish price per word, but
what cared he? His eyes almost start
ed from his head as he took in the
name at the bottom of the message.
1t was MAUD"
He took the precaution to read it be-
fore handing it over to his wife, to
whom it was addressed in conjunc-
ton with himself 1t was from Paris
and ran thus:
Dear Father and Mother-In reply to
your esteemed favor of the 18th, or pos
sibly the goth, l beg TO inform you that j
arrived safely in Paris as per schedule
Regarding the voyage, it was delightful
We had one or two rough days. The rest
of the time It was perfectly heavenly. ]
met two or three interesting and amusing
people on board. and they made the time
pass most agreeably. | think l wired you
that l had a glimpse of certain person
on my arrival in Paris 1 was met at the
station by friends and taken at once to
the small. exclusive hotel where they are
stopping for the summer. 1t is so small
and exclusive that I'm sure you have
never heard Of 1t. / may as well tell you
that / have seen Channie-you know who