The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-03-08

Robin enigmatically. And now, what
 comes next?'
 Read this one. It is from MT. B1ith-
 CTS. I'll guarantee that you do not
 take this one so complacently.'
 He was right in his surmise. Robin
 ran his eye swiftly over the cablegram
 and then started up from his chair
 with a muttered imprecation.
 "Sh!" cautioned the count-and just
 in time, for the young man was on the
 point of enlarging upon his original eff fort. "Calm yourself, Bobby, my lad"
 F'You needn't caution me-" murmured | the prince. "If had the tongue of 8
 pirate couldn't begin to do justice to l chis," and he slapped his hand re- i soundingly upon the crumpled mes
 sage from William W. Blithers.
 The message had been sent by MT. l B1ithers that morning, evidently just before the sailing of the fast French steamer on which he and his wife were l crossing to Havre. It was directed to 1 August Totten and read as follows: Tell our young friend to qualify state n1ent to press at once. Announce recon 1 sideratfon of nasty denial and admit en- gagement. This is imperative. am not | in mood for trihing. 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. B. tNThere is still another delectable communication for you, Robin," said the count. It was directed to R. Schmidt, and I took the liberty of opening it, as authorized. Read 4t!"
 This was one of the ordinary ''petits bzeu.'' dropped into the pneumatic tube letter box at 2:30 that afternoon, shortly Before Robin ventured forth on his interesting expedition in quest of tea, aud it's contents were very crisp and to the point:
 Pay 10 attention to any word you may have received from my father. He cables 9 ridiculous command to me which shall ignore If you have received similar message inaplore you to disregard it all together. Let's. give each other a fight ing chance. MAUD BLITHERS.
 MT. Blithers received a marconi- gram from the Jupiter when the ship was three days out from New York. It was terse, but sufficient.
 Have just had a glimpse of Prince to mother. MAUD.
 He had barely settled into a state of complete satisfaction with himself over the sueoassful inauguration of 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 MT. B1ithers. He very obligingly admitted that there was something in the report that his daughter was to marry the Prince of GIRustark. although he couldn't say anything definite at the time. It wouldn't be fair to the par ties concerned, he explained. Then came the disgusting denials in Paris by his daughter and the ungratefuI prince. This was too much. He couldn't understand such unflIial be- haviour on the part of cne, 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 cn Friday, thereby gaining nothing by the move except relief from the newspapers, for 1t appears that he gave up i've day boc-E for one that could not do it under six.
 ssThere will be something doing in Europe the day I land there, Lou,'' he said to his wife as they stood on deck and watched the statue of Lib erty glide swiftly back toward Man haitian Island ssI'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 I tell you that I've ordered some Dutch ar chitects from Berlin to go''-
 ssThe Dutch are from Hol1and,'' she said weariIy.
 ito go over to Growstock and give me complete estimate on repairing and remodeling the royal castle? dare say we'll have to do good deal