The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1916-04-26

Il don't DelieVe word OF IL, said
the prince promptly. you've been
dreaming, old chap"
THAT letter b isn't dream, is III"
mo. Il isn't" said Robin, and in.
stantly sat up in bed. his face reg
serious. IF she should turn out to
be Miss Blithers. I've cooked my goose
to a crisp. Good Lord when | think
OF some of the things | said to hei
about the Blithers family But wait!
If she is Miss Bithers do you suppose
she'd sit calmly by and hear the FAM.
~ ridiculed? No, sir! She would
have taken my head off like flash"
i 81 suppose you'll see nothing more
OF her. your highness," remarked
Dank. a sly hope struggling in his
breast
You'd better put it the other way.
She'll see nothing more of me-" lugu.
briously.
81 mean to say. sir. you can't go OH
with it. can you?"
"If there is really anything to go on
with, Dank, I'll go on with it, believe
me-"
The lieutenant stared. But If she
should be Miss Blithers, what then?"
1T might simplify matters tremend-
ously," said Robin, but not at all con-
fdently.
Later on, while they were breakfast
ing in Robins sitting room, Hobbs
brought in the morning newspapers.
L.. % mil,
and jabbed his forefinger upon a glar-
ing headline,
"'Miss Blithers Denies Report.
Signed Statement Mysteriously Re
ceived. American Heiress Not to Wed
Prince of Graustark.' Shall | read the
harticle, sir?"
Robin snatched up the paper and
read aloud for himself
The following card appeared at the
head of the column and was supple
mented by a complete resume of the
Blithers Graustark middle:
Miss Blithers desire to correct an
erroneous report that has appeared in
the newspap rs. She is not engaged
to be marie to the Prince of Grau-
stark, nor is there even the remotest
probability that such will ever be the
case. Miss Blithers regrets that she
has not the honor of Prince Robins
acquaintance, and the prince has spe-
officially stated in the public prints
that he does not know her by sight.
The statements of the two persons
most vitality affected by this disturb
ing rumor should be taken as final.
have been caused by the malicious and
utterly groundless report" The name
of Maud Applegate Blithers was ap-
pended to 49, statement, and it was
dated Paris, aug. 20.
1t appears that the signed statement
was left in the counting room of the
various newspapers by a heavily veil
ed lady at an hour agreed upon as
about 10 o'clock" There was abso-
lutely no clue to the identity of this
woman.
well, she appears to be here" said
three journals and stared at Dank as
If expecting hope from that most I'M
reliable source.
II suppose you will now admit that
| am right about the letter B." said
Dank sullenly.
when see Miss Guile | shall ask
point blank if she is Maud Apologize,
Dank. and if she says she isn't I'll take
her word for it," said Robin.
And if she says she is?"
well" said the prince ruefully. ''Tll
still take her word for it."
"And them"
Then l shall be equally frank and
tell her that | am Robin of Graustark
That will put us all square again, and
we'll see what comes of it in the end"
The day was warm and clear, and
Paris was cleaning. Robin stretched
his long legs in brisk walk across
the Place Vendome and up the Rue
de la Paix to the boulevard. Here he
hesitated and then retraced his steps
slowly down the street of diamonds,
for he suspected Miss Guile of being
interested in things that were costly.
Suddenly inspired, he made his way
to the Place de la Concorde and set
tied himself on one of the seats near
the entrance to the Champs Elysees.
A man came up and took seat beside
him
Good morning, Mr.. Schmidt" said
the newcomer, and Robin somewhat
grufIly demanded what the deuce he
meant by following him. IL have some
interesting news" said Baron Gourou
quietly.
From home" asked Robin care
lessly.
Indirectly. 1t comes through Ber-
lin. Our special agent there wires me
that the Offices of Mr.. Blithers in that
city have received instructions from
him to send engineers to Edelweiss
for the purpose of estimating the cost
of remsdeling and rebuilding the cas-
tle-in other words, to restore it to it's
condition prior to the Marlanx rebel
lion fifteen years ago."
There was "a tantalizinp cmiIa on tho