Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-03-01

~ ~
IE(9 left Red Roof shortly after
w luncheon; Mr.. Blithers, dis
mayed, arrived at Blither.
wood g quarter of an hour later. He
had had his way with Robin, who,
after all. was coming to dinner that
evening with Count Quinnox. The
prince, after few words in private
with the count, changed his mind
and accepted Mr.. Blithers' invitation
with a liveliness that was mistaken
for eagerness by that gentleman.
who had made very short work of
subduing Mrs. King when she tried
to tell him that her own dinner party
would be ruined if the principal
guest defaulted He was gloating
over his victory up to the instant he
reached his own lodge gates. There
dismay sat patiently waiting for him
in the shape Of a messenger from the
local telegraph Office in the village
below. He had seen Mr.. Blithers ap-
preaching in the distance, and with
an astuteness that argued well for
his future success in life, calmly sat
down to wait instead of pedaling his
decrepit bicycle up the long slope to
thefvilla.
He delivered telegram and kindly
vouchsafed the information that it
was from New York.
Mr.. DIithers experienced a queer
sinking of the heart as he gazed at
the envelope. Something warned him
that if he opened it in the presence
of the messenger he would say some
thing that a young boy ought not to
hear.
ats from Maud" said the obliging
boy, beaming good nature. 1t cost
him a quarter, that bit Of gentility.
for Mr. Blithers at once said some
thing that a messenger boy ought to
hear and ordered Jackson to go
ahead. 1t was from Maud, and it said:
shall stay in town a few days longer.
II is delightfully."- cool here Dear old
Miranda is at the Ritz with me. and we
ere having fine spree. Don't worry
about money. / find l have staggering
balance in the bank. The cashier showed
me where ! had made a mistake in sub
traction OF an even ten thousand. l was
amazed to find what a big difference a
little figure makes. Have made no def
mite plans, but will write mother tonight
Please give my love TO the prince. Have
You seen todays Town Truth? Or, worse
has he seen il? Your loving daughter,
MAUD.
A little later on, after he had cooled
,Ff inr la ant Mr.
Blithers lighted a cigar and sat dowr
in the hall outside his wife's bedcham
Der door She was having her beaut!
nap. Not even he possessed the te
merity to break in upon that. He sa
and listened for the first sound tina
would indicate the APP easement o
beauty, occasionally hitching his chat,
trifle nearer to the door in the agon!
of Impotence. By the time Jackson
returned from the village with wore
that copy OF Town Truth was not t
be had until the next day he was 81
close 10 the door that if any one haC
happened TO stick a hatpin through tht
keyhole at precisely the right instan
il would have punctured his left ca
with appalling results.
what are We going to do about it?'
he demanded three minutes after en-
tering the chamber His wife wa!
PROSTATE on the luxurious couch from
which she had failed to arise when h
burst in upon her with the telegram il
his hand.
oh, the foolish child" she moaned
IF she only knew how adorable he i
she wouldn't be acting in this perfect
~ absurd manner Every girl who wa
here last night is nadly in love witt
him. Why must Maud be so obsti
nate?"
Mr. Blthers was very careful not t
mention his roadside experience wit
the prince, and you may be sure tina
he said nothing about his proposition
to the young man. He merely dc
clared, with a vast bitterness in hi
soul, that the prince was coming L
dinner. But what the deuce was tn
use?