Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-02-19

said Mrs. King. "Or would you prefer
n more comfortable chair on the porch?
We
NO. thanks, III stay here X you
don't mind" said he hastily and drag
ged up the camp chair that Lieutenant
Dank had been occupying.
Fetch another chair. Lucas said
King to the servant. Ard another
glass Of lemonade for Miss FELTON,"
FELTON," queried Mr. Blthers. sit
ting down very carefully on the rather
fragile chair aud hitching up his white
flannel trousers ut the knees to reveal
a pair of purple socks, somewhat ele
mentary in tone.
I'VE know your daughter. Mr.. Rlith-
ers." said little Miss Nellie eagerly.
II was just trying to remember
I'VE live ac,0ss the road--over there
in the little white house with the fry
where I'd heard the name" pro-
ceeded Mr.. Blithers, still looking at the
prince. BY Jove, I should think my
daughter and the prince would make
a rafting good match. ! mean" be
added. with boisterous laugh, "a good
match at tennis Well have to get 'em
together some day. eh. up at Blither-
wood How long IS the prince to be
with you. Mrs King"
ITS rather uncertain. Mr.. Blithnrs."
said she and no more.
Mr.. Blithers famed himself in pa
thence for a moment or two. Then he
looked at his watch.
Getting along toward dinner time
up our way" he ventured Everybody
seemed rather intent on the game,
which was extremely one sided.
Good work. shouted King as Fan
ME FELTON, managed to return an easy
service.
,, Lieutenant Dank applauded vigor-
ously. Splendid" he cried out. Cap
italy placed'
"They speak remarkably good Eng
| lish. don't they?" said Mr.. Blithers in
an audible aside to Mrs. King.
! She smiled. "Officers in the Grau.
stark army are required to speak Eng
| fish, French and German. Mr. Bithers."
| Its a good idea" said he. Maud
! speaks French and Italian like a ma
tive. She was educated in Paris and
Rome. you know. Fact is. she's lived
abroad a great deal"
! rs she at home now. Mr.. Blithers?''
Depends on what you'd call home
Mrs. King We've got so many | dom
/ know just which is the real one. If
you mean Blitherwood. yes. she's
there. Course there's our town house
in Madison avenue. the place at New
port, one at Nice and one at Pasadena.
Cal. you know. and a little shack in
London. By the way. my wife says
you live quite near our place in New
/ York.
Eve live in Madison avenue. but it's
rather long street Mr.. Blithers. Just
where is your house?" she inquired
rather spitefully.
He looked astonished You surely
must know where the Blithers house
| is at
Game" shrieked Fannie FELTON,
tossing her racket in the air. victor.
They're through" said Mr.. Blthers
in tone Of relief. He shifted his legs
and put his hands on his knees. sug.
costing a readiness to arise on an In
stant's notice.
Shall we try another set:" called
out the prince.
Make it doubles" put in Lieutenant
Dank. and turned to Nellie Shall we
take them on?''
And doubles it was. much to the dis
gust of Mr. Blithers. He sat through
the nine games. manifesting an inter
est he was far from feeling.
To his utter Amusement at the con.
clusion of the game the four players
made dash for the house without
even so much as a glance in his direc
| ton. 1t was the prince who shouted
something that sounded like now fol
a shower as he raced up the terrace
followed by the other participants.
Mr.. Blithers said something violent
under his breath, but resoluteiy re
tanned his seat. 1t was King who
glanced shyly at his watch this time
and subsequently shot a questioning
look at his wife. She was frowning III
considerable perplexity and biting heI
firm. red lips. Count Quinnox coolly
arose and excused himself with the re
mark that he was Off to dress for din
ner. He also looked at his watch
which certainly was an act that one
would hardly have expected of a diplo
mat.
We'll, WELL" said Mr.. Blithers pro
foundly. Then he looked at his OWL
watch-and settled back in his chair
a somewhat logged compression about
his jaws. He was not the man to bt
thwarted. You certainly have q coy
little place here, King" he remarked
after moment or two.
I'VE like it, said King. twiddlins
his fingers behind his back. Humble
but homelike.''
Mrs. Blithers has been planning t
come over for SOM time. Mrs. King
| told her she oughtn't to put it off
be neighborly, don't you know. That.
me. I'm for being neighborly with my
neighbors. But women. they-well
you know how it is, Mrs. King. AL
ways something turning up to keeI
EN- from doing the things they wan
to do most. And Mrs. Blithers has sc
many sociable obli- I beg pardon?"
Il was just wondering II you would