Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1916-10-17

the next day at your Office In the city.
Pray have no uneasiness, sir. It shall
be as you wish. By the way, under
stood that your solicitor-your lawyer.
I should say-was to be here this
evening. II had occurred to me that
he might draw up the statement, II
M1s. Blithers viii forgive us In our
haste
He couldn't get here" said Mr..
Blithers and no more. BE was think
ing too intently Of something more i'm
portant. Whats turned upr
Turned up, Mr.. Blithersf"
"Yes-in Groostock. What's taking
you OF In such a hurryT
'~The prince has been away for near
ly six months" said the count as II
that explained everything.
WAS 1t necessary to cable for him
to come homer" persisted the fnan.
cier.
"Graustark and Dawsbergen are en-
deavoring to form an alliance, Mr..
Blithers, and Prince Robins presence
at the capitol is very much to be de-
sired in connection with the project"
What kind of an alliancew
The count looked bored. "An alli-
ance prescribed for the general TN
provement of the two races. should
say, Mr.. Blithers." He smiled. 1T
would in no way impair the credit of
Graustark, however. It Is what you
might really describe as q family BE-
cret, If you will pardon my fippancy."
The butler announced dinner.
wait for couple of days, prince,
and I'll send you down to New York
by special train." said Mr. Blithers.
The prince resolutely declared he
would be obliged to take the first
available steamer.
I'VE shall go down tomorrow" he
said. and even Mr.. Blithers subsided.
He looked to his wife In desperation.
She failed him for the first time In her
Life. Her eyes we're absolutely mes
sageless.
Til go down with you," he said, and
then gave his wife look Of defiance.
The next morning brought Maud's
letter to her mother. It said:
Dearest Mother IL inclose the cutting
from Town Truth. You may see for your
self what q sickening thing It Is. The
whole world knows by this time that the
ball was a joke-a horrible Joke. Every
body knows that you are trying to hand
me over to Prince Robin neatly wrapped
up In banknotes. And everybody knows
that he Is laughing at US, and he isn't
alone In his mirth either. What must the
Truxton Kings think Of US? I can't bear
the thought Of meeting that pretty, clever
woman face to face know I should die
Of modification, for. Of course. she must
believe that am dying to marry anything
on earth that has a title and pair OF
legs. Somehow, I don't blame you and
dad. You really love me- know, and you
want to give me the best that the world
affords. But why, oh why, can't you let
me choose for myself? I don't object 10
having title, but do object to having q
husband that don't want and who GER
tainly could not by any chance want me.
You think that am in love with Channte
6coville. Well I'm not. am very fond
Of him, that's all, and II 1t came TO q
pinch would marry him In preference to
any prince on the globe. Today / met
couple Of girls who were at the ball.
They told me that the prince is adorable.
They are really quite mad about him. and
one Of them had the nerve to ask what It
was going to cost dad to hnd him. Town
1z l1 o. tAx, yyoft1
Well you may just tell dad that I'll help
him to practice economy. He needn't pay
q nickel for my husband-when get him.
so, dearest mother. am going abroad to
forget Miranda is going with me, and
we sail next Saturday on the Jupiter,
think. We haven't got our suit, but Mr..
Bliss says be Is sure he can arrange It for
me- II we can't get one on the Jupiter
wen take some other boat that Is just as
inoonspicuous. You see, want 10 go on
q ship that isn't likely to be packed With
people I know, for 1t is my intention to
travel incog, az they say in the books.
know dad will be perfectly furious. but
I'm going or die one or the other. Now.
II won't do q bit Of good to try to stop me.
dearest. The best thing for you and dad to
DO Is to come down at once and say good
by to me, but you are not to go TO the
steamerl Never! Please, please come, for
! love you both and do 30 want You to
love me. Come tomorrow and kiss your
horr1d, horrid, disappointing, loathsome
daughter-end forgive her too.
Mr.. Blithers was equal to the occa-
sion. He slapped his knee with re-
sounding force and uttered an ejacu-
lation that caused his wife to stare at
him as If the very worst had happened.
He was a chuckling lunatic!
'Tmmensel" he exclaimed. I'm
mense!"
In heavens name, what are you
saying. Willf"
'Great Scott, can't you sect He
goes abroad. she goes abroad. Seer
Same ship. See what meant Moth
ing could be finer. They
"But I do not want my child to 90
abroad" walled the unhappy mother.
II cannot bear
STUFF and nonsense! Brace upl
Grasp the romance. Both Of 'em sail
ing under assumed names. They see
each other on deck. Mutual attrac-
ton. Love at first sight Both OF EN-
Money no object There you are.
Leave 1t to me-"
Maud Is not the kind Of girl to take
up with stranger on board
Don't glare at me like that! Love
finds the way, 1t doesn't matter what
kind Of girl she is. But listen to me,
Lou. we've got to be mighty careful
that Maud doesn't suspect that we're
putting up a job on her. She'd balk
at the gang plank, and that would be
the end Of 1t. She must not know that
he Is on board. Now. here's the idea,"
and he talked on In a strangely sub
dued voice for fifteen minutes, his en-
thusiasm mounting to such heights
that she was fairly lifted to the sew.
enth heaven he produced. and. for
once in her life, she actually submitted
to his bumptious argument without 90
much as single protesting word.
The down train at 2:17 p. m. had
on board most distinguished group
Of passengers, according to the Pull
man conductor, whose skillful conniv-
L. L. - n