Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1916-04-27

ne auulllLeu.
"My name is Bedelia," she said,
with absolute sincerity. "Me mither
Is Irish, dye seer"
"By jove, it's worth lot of trouble
to get you to smile like that" he
cried admiringly. at is the first real
ly honest smile you've displayed. If
you knew how it improves you you'd
be doing 1t all Of the time"
At this juncture the miserable
Hobbs hove into sight. not figurative-
ly, but literally. He came surging
across the deck in a mad dash from
one haven to another. or. more accu-
rately, from post to post
II beg your pardon. sir" he gasped.
finally steadying himself on wide
spread legs. "There is a wireless for
Mr.. Totten. sir. but when took 1t to
i'm he said to fetch 1t to you, being
unable to hold up is head"
Robin read it through. and at the
end whistled softly.
"Take 1t to Mr.. Totten. Hobbs. and
see If 1t will not serve to make him
hold up his head little"
every good. sir. hope 1t will.
Wouldn't 1t be wise for me to han
nounce who 1t is from, sir. to sort of
prepare him for
"He knows who 1t is from. Hobbs.
so you needn't worry. 1t is from
home, If 1t will interest you, Hobbs"
Thank you, sir; it does interest
me. / thought 1t might be from Mr..
Blithers."
Robins scowl sent him scuttling
away a great deal more rigidly than
when he came.
"Idiot!" muttered the young man,
still scowling.
There was silence between the two
for a few seconds. Then she spoke
disinterestedly:
ais II from the Mr. Blithers who
has the millions and the daughter
who wants to marry primer"
"Merely q business transaction,
Miss Guile" he said absently. He
was thinking of Romano's message.
$50 II would appear"
ri beg pardon? was-er-think-
ing
at was of no consequence, Mr..
Schmidt" she said airily.
He picked up the thread once more.
GAS a matter of fact, I've heard 1t
said that Miss Blithers refused to
marry the prince"
ais 1t possible?" with fine irony.
ais he such dreadful person as all
that?"
"Tm sure I don't know" murmur-
ed Robin uncomfortably. "He may
be no more dreadful than she"
"Well, / hope she doesn't marry
him." said Miss Guile.
$50 do l." said R. Schmidt. and
their eyes met. After a moment she
looked away. her first surrender to
the mysterious something that lay
deep in his.
Suddenly, and without reason, she
appeared to be bored. AS matter OF
fact, she hid an incipient yawn be-
hind her small gloved hand.
Il think l shall go to my room.
Will you kindly unwrap me, Mr..
Schmidt"
He promptly obeyed. and then as
sisted her to her feet, steadying her
against the roll of the vessel.
al shall pray for continuous rough
weather" he announced, with as gal
liant a bow as could be made under
the circumstances.
"Thank you" she said, and he was
pleased to take 1t that she was not
thanking him for a physical service.
A few minutes later he was in his
own room. and she was in hers, and
the promenade deck was as barEpn as
the desert of Sahara
He found Count Quinnox stretched
out upon his bed. attended not only
by Hobbs, but also the terminated |
Dank. The crumpled message lay on
the floor.
'T'm glad you waited awhile" said
the young lieutenant. getting up |
from the trunk on which he had been |
sitting. "If you had come any sooner
you would have heard words at only |
for a soldier to hear. II really was
quite appalling"
"He's better now" said Hobbs, |
more respectfully than was his wont
It was evident that he had sustained
quite a shock.
well, what do you think Of it,"
demanded the prince. pointing to the
message.
"Of all the COMPOUNDED impI-
dcnce"- began the count healthily,
and then uttered mighty groan Of
Impotence. It was clear that he could
not do justice to the occasion.
Robin picked up the Marconigram
and calmly smoothed out the GRIN
kles. Then he read it aloud. very
slowly and with extreme disgust in
his fine young face. It was lengthy
communication from Baron Romano,
the prime minister In Edelweiss:
Preliminary agreement signed before
hearing Blithers had bought London.