Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-02-26
CHAP En- VT.
The Prince and Mr.. Bllthers.


A NY one who imagines that Mr..
"a Blithers accepted Maud's defec-
"a ton as a final disposition of the
cause he had set his heart upon
is very much mistaken in his man.
1t was nuisance getting rid of it,
that was all, and he wanted it to be
completely out of sight when he re-
turned from Red Roof. If vestige of
the ruins remained some would hear
from him. That was understood. And
when Maud came home on the STA
she would not find him asleep, not by
long shot.
Half way to Red Roof he espied a
man walking briskly along the road
ahead Of him. To be perfectly accu-
rate, he was walking in the middle Of
the road, and his back was toward
the swift moving, almost noiseless
Packard.
"Blow the horn for the dam fool"
said Mr.. Blithers to the chauffeur. A
moment later the pedestrian leaped
nimbly aside and the car shot past,
the dying wall of the siren dwindling
away in the whirr of the wheels
Look where you're going!" shouted
Mr.. Blithers from the tonneau, as if
the walker had come near to run
ming him down instead Of the other
way around "Whoa. Stop 'er, jack
SOM" he called to the driver. He had
recognized the pedestrian.
The car came to a stop with grind
ing brakes, and at the same time the
pedestrian halted a hundred yards
away.
Back up" commanded Mr.. Blith-
ers in some haste, for the prince
seemed to be on the point of desert
ing the highway for the wood that
lined it. "Morning. prince!" he
shouted, waving his hat vigorously.
want lift?"
"No. I'll walk If you don't mind.
Out for bit of exercise, you know.
Thank you just the same"
"Where are you bound for?" asked
Mr.. Blithers.
~ don't know. l ramble where my
fancy leads me-"
81 guess I'll get out and stroll along
with you. God knows l need more eX-
ercise than l get. Is it agreeable? ?"
He was on the ground by this time.
Without waiting for an answer, he
directed Jackson to run on to Red
Roof and wait for him.
81 shall be charmed" said Robin, a
twinkle in the tail of his eye. can
eight or ten mile jaunt will do you a
world of good. I'm sure. Shall we ex-
plore this little road up the mountain
and then drop down to Red Roof? l
don't believe it can be more than five
or six miles,
Capital said Mr.. Blithers with
enthusiasm He happened to know
that it was "short cut" to Red Roof
and less than a mile as the crow flies.
True. there was something of an
ascent ahead of them. but there was
also corresponding descent at the
other end. Besides, he was confident
he could keep up with the long leg
ged youngster by the paradoxical
process of holding back. The prince,
having suggested the route, couldn't
very well be arbitrary in traversing
it. Mr.. Blithers regarded the sugges-
ton as an invitation.
They struck off into the narrow
woodland road, not precisely side by
side, but somewhat after the fashion
Of horseback rider and his groom,
or, more strictly speaking, as a
knight and his vassal. Robin started
off SO briskly that Mr. Blithers fell
behind a few PAGES and had to exert
himself considerably to keep from los
ing more ground as they took the
first steep rise. The road was full of
ruts and cross ruts and Uttered with
powders that had ambled down the
mountain side in the spring moving.
To save his life, Mr. Blithers couldn't
keep to a straight course. He went
from rut to rut and from rock to rock
with the fidelity of a magnetized
atom, seldom putting his foot where
he meant to put it and never by any
chance achieving a steady stride. He
would take one long. purposeful step
and then a couple of short "feelers,
progressing very much as man
tramps over newly plowed field.
AT the top of the rise Robin consid
erately slackened his pace, and the
chubby gentleman drew alongside
somewhat out of breath. but AS cheer
full as a cricket.
Going too fast for you. Mr.. Blith
ers?' inquired Robin.
Not at ALL" said Mr.. Blithers. by
the way. prince" he went on, cunning
ly Selling the young mans arm and
thereby. putting check on his speed
for the time being at least. 81 want &c
explain my daughters unfortunate alb
sence last night. You must have
thought it very strange Naturally IL
was unavoidable. The poor girl is
really quite heartbroken. | was par
ucularly anxious for you and Maud &c