The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-02-25
 THE FRINGE OF= =GRAUSTARK= 5 By George Barr MCCu utCheOn= Copyright 1914, Dodo.
Copyright, 1914 by Dodo Mead and Company.



 (Continued.)
 ssThe integrity of the cabinet is not to be questioned, MT. B1ithers. Its members have never failed Graustark in any,
 sT beg your pardon, prince. 9 said MT. Blfthers firmly, ttbut certainly suspect that they failed her when. they contracted tbis debt to. Russia You will forgive he for saying it,. but 1t was the most asinine bit of short sightedness I've @ver heard Of. My office boys could have seen farther than YoQ- honorable ministers. What you nee6 in Groostock is little more good American blood. If you are gO- ing to cope with the world you've got to tackle the job with brains and not with that idiotie thing called faith- Where's no such thing these days as charity among men, good will and all that nonsense. Now, you've got a, splendid start, in the right direction. prince. You've got American blood in your veins, and that means q good deal. Take my advice and increase the proportion In couple of gener- Mtions you'll have something to brag about. Beget sons that will think and act. Weed out the thin blood
  something that is thick and red. It. will be the making of your
 s1 suppose you arc advising me to marry an American woman. MT. Blith- ers.'' said Robin dryty.
 Mir. BIithers directed a calculating squint into the treetops. 'I am simply looking ahead for my own protection, prince" said he.
 ~ ou may rest assured, MT. Blithers, that shall marry to please myself and no one e1se,', said Robin. regard ing him with co1dness that for an in stant affected the millionaire uncom fortabIy.
 ssWe11," said MT. Blithers after a mo- ment of hard thinking, cit may inter est you to know that I married for love-"
 'It does interest me- said Robin. T am glad that you did"
 sI was a/ comparatively poor man when I married. The girl married was well off in her own right. She had brains as well We worked to gether to lay the foundation forl a. well, for the fortune we now possess, 8 fortune, may add. that is to go, every dollar of it. to my daughter It repre- sents nearly $500, ,0OO, 900. The great
 
 comparison to that vast estate. My daughter will one day be the richest woman in the wor1dj
 ffWhy are yeut taking the pains to en- tighten me as to your daughters fu- ture, Mr. B1ithers ?'
 Because I regard you as a sensible young man, prince
 Thank you. And I suppose you re- gard your daughter as sensible young womang'' ~CertainIys' exploded MT. Blithers. well, 1t seems to me she wtu be capable of taking care of her fortune great deal more successfully than you imagine, Mr. Blithers She will doubt less marry an excellent chap who has the capacity to increase her fortune rather thsn to let it stand at figure thA@ some day may be surpassed by the possession of an ambitious king" There was fine irony in the princes tone, but nc trace of offeasiveness. shade more purple than before and not from the violence of exercise. He was having some difficulty in controlling his temper. What manner of fool was this fellow who could sheer at $500.- 0O0,0O0f He managed to choke back something that rose to his lips and very politely remarked: h ''I am sure you will like her, prince. If do say it myself. she is as hand some as they grow.
 tsSc have been to1d.''
 ssYou will see her tonight.''
 ''Really, Mir Blithers, I cannot''--
 seFI fix 1t with Mrs. King, Don't you worry" v
 e'May be pardoned for observing that Mre. King. greatly as love her, is not invested with the power to govern my actions?" said Robin haughtily.
 "And may I be pardened for sug- gest1ng that it IS your duty to your people to completely understand this loan of mine before you agree to ac- cept ft?" said Mir. B1ithers, com pressing his lips.
 Forgive me. MT. B1ithers, but it is not altogether improbable that Graustark may secure the money elsewhere
 s1t is not only improbable, but in- possible said Mir. Blithers fatly.
 s1mpossibIe7 7''
 Absolutely" said the millionaire. so significantly that Robin would have been a dolt not to grasp the sit uation- Nothing could have been clearer than the fact that MT. B1ith- CTS believed it to be in his power ,tc block any effort Graustark might make in other directions to secure the much needed money