The Breckenridge news., 1916-04-19
CHAPTER xI.
The Lieutenant Receives orders

or, but a most surprising aitera-
tion in the manner of Mrs. Gas.
ton, whose attitude toward r. Schmid
and his friends had been anything but
amicabIo up to the hour OF Miss
Guilc's discovery The excellent lady,
recovering very quickly from her in.
disposition. became positively polite to
the hitherto rcpugnant Nj Schmidt
She melted so abruptly and so com.
pletcly that the young man was
vaguely troubled. He began to won
der if his incognito had been pierced,
so TO speak.
He forbore asking when Miss Guile
might be expected to appear on deck
for her constitutional, but she volun-
teered the information, which was
neither vague nor yet definite. In
fact, she said that Miss Guile would
be up soon.
Now it is necessary to relate that
Miss Guile had been particularly firm
in her commands to Mrs. CASTOR. In
the first place, Mrs. CASTOR was given
to understand that she was not to
breathe it to soul that r. Schmidt
was not r. Schmidt, and she was not
to betray to him by word or sign that
he was suspected of being the Prince
of Graustark. Moreover, the eXacting
Miss Guile laid great stress upon an
other command r. Schmidt was
never to know that she was not Miss
Guile, but some one else altogether.
you're right, my DEAR" exclaimed
Mrs. CASTOR in an excited whisper as
she burst in upon her fair companion,
who was having coffee and toast in
her parlor Marie, the maid. was
waiting to do up her mistress hair,
and the young lady herself was allur-
ingly charming in spite of the fact
that it was not already done up"
"He is the-er-he is just what you
think"
Good heavens, you haven't gone
and done it, have you?" cried the girl.
slim hand halting with piece OF
toast halfway to her lips.
Gone and done it?"
You haven't been blabbing, have
you?"
How can you say that to me? Am
/ not to be trusted? Am / so weak
and
Don't cry, you old dear! Forgive
me. But now tell me-absolutely-
Just what you've been up to-" and Mrs.
CASTOR repeated every word of the
conversation she had had with r.
Schmidt, proving absolutely nothing,
but stoutly maintaining that her in
tuition was completely to be depended
upon.
"And, OH" she whispered in conclu-
sion, wouldn't it be perfectly wonder
full if you two should fall in love with
each other
Don't be silly"
But you have said that if he should
fall in love with you for yourself and
not bccause"-
81 have also said that | will not
marry any man-prince, duke, king,
count or anything else--unless | am
in love with him. Don't overlook that.
please"
But he is really very nice. | should
think you could fall in love with him.
Just think how it would please your
: father and mother. Just think"-
81 won't be bullied."
Am / bullying your in amazement.
mo, but father tries to bully me,
and you know it,"
When she appeared on deck long
afterward she found every chair oc-
4 g..
bulent sea and a refreshing breeze
had brought about a marvellous trans
formation.
She made several brisk rounds OF
the dcC', then, feeling that people
were following her with their eyes
admiringly, to be sure, but what Of
that?-she abandoned the pleasant ex-
ercise and sought the seclusion of the
sunless corner where her chair was
stationed. The ships daily newspaper
was just off the press, and many of
the loungers were reading the brief
telegraphic news from the capitals of
the world. She procured copy of
the paper from a steward and was
glancing at the headlines as she made
her way into her corner. Double
loaded type appeared over the rumor-
ed engagement of Miss Maud Apple
gate Blithers. the beautiful and ac-
complished daughter of the great capi-
talist. and Robin. prince of Grau-
stark. A queer little smile played
about her lips as she folded the paper
for future perusal. Turning the cor.
ners of the deck building. she almost
collided with II. Schmidt. who stood
leaning against the wall. scanning the
little newspaper with eyes that were
blind to everything else.
"Oh!" she gasped.
I'm sorry," he exclaimed. crumpling