The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-02-25

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 the villa.
 He delivered telegram and kindly vouchsafed the information that 1t was from New York
 MT. Blithers 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 young boy ought not to hear.
 feIt's from Maud,'' said the obliging boy, beaming good nature. It cost him a quarter, that bit of gentility, for MT. B1ithers at once said some thing thatf9 messenger boy ought to hear and ordered Jackson to go ahead. It was from Maud, and it said:
 I shall stay in town a few days longer. It is delightfully."- cool here Dear old Miranda is at the Ritz with me, and we are having a fine spree. Don't worry about money. I find have staggering balance in the bank. The cashier showed me where had made mistake in sub traction of even ten thousand. I was amazed to find what big difference a
 
 mite plans, but will write mother tonight Please give my love to the prince Have you seen today Town Truth? Or, worse, has he seen it Your loving daughter,
 MAUD.
 A little later on, after he had cooled of to a quite considerable extent, MT. Blithers lighted cigar and sat down in the hall outside his wife's bedchann- Der door. She was having her beauty nap. Not even he possessed the te- merity to break in upon that. He sat and listened for the first sound that would indicate the appeasement of beAuty, occasionally hitching his chair trife nearer to the door in the agony of impatience. By the time Jackson returned from the village with word that copy of Town Truth was not to be had until the next day he was so close to the door that if any one had happened to stick hatpin through the keyhole at precisely the right instant it would have punctured his left ear with appalling results.
 What are we going to do about it ?" he demanded three minutes after en- 9tering the chamber. His wife was prostrate on the luxurious couch from which she had failed to arise when he burst in upon her with the telegram in his hand.
 'fOh, the foolish child!'' she moaned. eff she only knew how adorable he is she wouldn't be acting in this perfect Iy absurd manner. Every girl who was here last night is mad1y in love with him. Why must Maud be so obsti- nate?''
 MT. B1ithers was very careful not to mention his roadside experience with the prince, and you may be sure that he said nothing about his proposition to the young man. He merely de c1ared, with a vast bitterness in his soul, that the prince was coming to dinner. But what the deuce was the use?
 "She ought to be soundly- spoken to-" said he, breaking the sentence with hasty gulp. Now, Lou, there's just one thing to do. must go to New York on the midnight train and get her. That woman was all right as tutor, but hanged if I like to see daughter of mine traipsing around New York with a schoolteacher. She
 competence. She is not in active em- ployment, Will. You forget that she is one of the Van Valkens.''
 
 old families again. Why is it that so blamed many of your fine old blue stockings are hunting jobs'-
 ttNow, don't be vulgar, Wi1ls" she cut in. "Maud is quite safe with Mi randa, and you know it perfectly well, so don't talk like that. think it would be a fearful mistake for you to go to New York. She would never forgive you and, what is more to the point, she wouldn't budge a step if you tried to bully her into coming home with you. You know it quite as we'll as de.''
 Maud's continued absence was ex- p1ained to Prince Robin that evening, not by the volcanic MT. .gBlithers, but by his practiced and adroit better half, who had no compunction in ascribing it to the alarming condi- l -tion of very dear friend in New York-one of the Van Valkens, you know.
 "Maud is so tender hearted, so loyal, so really sweet about her friends, that nothing in the world could have induced her to leave this | dear friend, don't you know
 tsI aE1 extremely sorry not to have met your daughter" said Robin, very i politely. i s'Ch, but she will be here in a day or two, prinde.''
 "Unfortunately we are leaving to- morrow, Mrs. B1ithers.'' tTomorrow?sf Eaurmured Mrs BHth- | CTS. azhGs4