Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-04-05

he 81 will supply you with better
one later on"
May I call him Rex?" she inquired
of her companion.
in moderation" said Mrs. CASTOR.
VERY well, then Rex, have changed
my mind. | shall not motor since you
insist upon risking your neck in pur-
suit of me. l shall go by train in the
morning. We will be in Vienna in
two days. There l shall say goodby
to you, for l am going to Graustark,
the new Blithers estate. Surely you
will not follow me there"
you are very much mistaken.
shall be there as soon as you and
shall stay just as long, provided Mr..
Blithers has no objections" said
Robin, with more calmness than he
had hoped to display in the face Of her
sudden thrust.
Mr.. William W. Blithers arrived in
Edelweiss, the capital of Graustark, on
the same day that the prince returned
from his tour of the world. AS a mat
ter of fact, he travelled by special train
and beat the prince home by the mat
ter of three hours. The procession Of
troops, headed by the Royal Castle
guard, it was announced, would pass
the historic Hotel Regengetz at in
the afternoon, so Mr.. Bithers had
front seats on the extension porch fac
ing the platz.
He had lost no time in his dash
across the continent In the first
place, his agents in Paris made it
quite clear to him that there was
/ likely to be "ructions" in Graustark
over the loan and the prospect of a
( plebeian princess being seated on the
the throne whether the people liked it
I or not, and in the second place Maud
/ Apologize had left a note on his desk
in the Paris Offices, coolly informing
him that she was likely to turn up in
Edelweiss almost as soon as he. She
added an annoying postscript. She
said she was curious to see what sort
Of a place it was that he had been
+ wasting his money on.
To say that he vas put out by
Maud's aggrayating behavior would
be stating the case with excessive
! gentleness. He was furious. He sent
( for the head Of the detective agency
and gave him a blowing UP that he
was never to forget. 1t appears that
the detectives had followed a false
lead and had been fooled by the wary
Maud in a most humiliating manner.
| They hadn't the remotest notion
| where she was and evinced great sur.
prise when informed in a voice loud
! enough to be heard a half block away
that she was on her way to Graustark
: Then he dragged Mrs. Blithers off
: to the Care de l'Este and took the eX.
press TO Vienna. He would see to the
/ loan first and to Maud afterward.
Going back a day or two, it becomes
( necessary to report that while in vi
emma the peTverse Bedelia played a
! shabby trick on the infatuated Robin
= She stole away from the Bristol in the
{ middle of the night and was halfway
/ to the Graustark frontier before he
was aware of her flight She left a
note for him in which she said
Forgive me for running away like this
I It is for the best. | must have a few days
! to myself. dear friend-days for sober re-
Election uninfuenced by the presence of q
I natural enemy to compOsure. And so l am
/ leaving you in this cowardly, graceless
fashion. Do not think Ill of me. l give
you my solemn promise that in a few days
I I shall let you know where | may be
found if you choose TO come to me. Ever
then 1 may not be fully convinced in my
own mind that our adventure has reached
its climax. You have said that you would
accompany me to Graustark. l am leav
ing tonight for that country, where l shall
remain in seclusion for few days before
acquainting you with my future plans 1
is not my intention to stop in Edelweis:
! at present. The newspapers proclaim q
I state of unrest there over the coming visit
! of Mr.. Blithers and the return of tht
prince, both Of whom are very much ir
the public eye Just now. / prefer the quie
! Of the country TO the excitement OF the
! city, so ! shall seek some remote village
! and give myself up to-shall l say prayer
full meditation? Believe me, dear Rex. t.
be YOUR most devoted though whimsical
| BEDELIA.