tartling news that William W. Blithers had volunteered to take care of the loan out of his own private means! Quinnox was cabling the Prime Minister for advice and would

his mind that there could be anything sinister i

for in the shape of indemnity; a first lien mortgage for 12 years on all properties owned and controlled by the government and the deposit of all bonds held by the people with the understanding that the interest would be paid to them regularly, less a small per cent as commission. His protection would be complete,-for the people of Graustark owned fully four-fifths of the bonds issued by the government for

til it was determined whether the people were willing to deposit their bonds, a condition which was hardly worth while worrying about in view of the fact that they had already signified their readiness to present them for security in the original proposit

and their guests received invitations to a ball at Blitherwood on the ensuing Friday, but four days off. While Mrs. King an

enteenth. We want so much to have the Prince and his friends with us. Mr. Blithers has taken a great fancy to

. The Prince is planning to leave for Washi

for the short notice. It's the way we do everything-on a minute's notice. I think they're jollier if one doesn't go through the agony of a month's preparation, don't you? Nearly every one has wired acceptance, so we're sure to have a lot of nice people. Loads of girls,-you know the ones I mean,-and Mr. Blithers is trying to arrange a sparring match between those two great prizefighters,-you know the ones, Mrs. King,-

e I don'

you that Mr. Blithers is afraid they won't come up for

y," said

he Prince receiving with us. He

fully jolly, Mrs. Blith

g par

ng to the Prince. He jus

does h

thing. He was ask

as any friends he would like to have i

you! I'll

t let him go

. Blithers. It is awfully

I shall be so glad if you will suggest anything that can help us to make

eadfully

nse

to-morrow night and on Thursday w

to Blitherwood? We'd be delig

nage it. They-well, you s

ust to talk things over a little-what's that, Maud? I beg your pardon, Mrs. King. Ahem! Well, I'll call

to be invited to the ball. Prince Robin rolled on a couch and roared with delight. Lieutenant Dank, as became an officer of the Ro

fore her wrath. "Good Lord, Aunt Loraine, I simply cannot go up there and stand in line like a freak in a side show for all the ladies a

ape so easily as all that. If you're not very, very careful they'll hav

hat's th

estio

zily. "Well, it may be

for, Auntie.

silly

very sense of the term," said he

uty and yours may

not an

her to be a very g

ond

lashes. A little taller than I, more graceful an

tri

ball gown, too. Most m

dismissing Maud in a way that would have caused

Mrs. King remarked, apropos of nothing a

r parents command her to d

alking about? I

le, she'll do it. That's the way

ing M

g, she hasn't a chance in the w

. Mark up six

you see h

ll wait," said

eturned from the city, coming up in a

is afternoon," said Mr. Blithers

hers family flatly refused to be a party of any such arrangement, and set out for a

r. Blithers, completely non-plused. "Sh

ys she won't be bullied into even meeting the Prince, much less marrying him. I've never known her to be so pig-headed. Usually I can make her se

the best, hasn't it? Isn't

o run down with me this morning to talk the ball o

ouldn'

t let me go. Now, things are

, somewhat bleakly despite his confident front. "

y," sighed Mrs. Blithers fretfully. "It-

s would have done to young Scoville, at the moment, for he couldn't

he won't listen to anything. And here's something else: She

hen almost missed the chair in sittin

r her own ball

't her ball," la

, in the name of

had nothing but glares since you went away. I thought I was doing the very nic

together all right, but what good is it going to do us, if Maud's going to act like this? See here, Lo

ement, Will. She said last night that she wouldn't be at all surpris

up so tight by next week that they can't move without asking me to loosen the str

doesn't w

she wants!" he roared

tart off on Ka

the day o

New

be reasonable. What does she think I'm putting sixteen millions into the Grasstork treasury for? She's got to stay here for the ball. Why, it wo

e done all that I can do. She swears s

l apologise to me for all the nasty things she's been saying about me." For a moment it looked as though Mr. Blithers would dissolv

e said you were a

asn't quite sure, but somehow it

aintest idea," s

ge of her bringing up. If she uses a word that

to lend all that money t

or a moment and then nodded hi

about it?" she demanded with d

rvour and instantly felt very much relieved. In fact, the sensation of relief was so pleasant that he repeated it two or three times and then had to explain to a near by gar

and be quick abou

ed the head groom, to

l celerity with which he was saddled and bridled. If there could be such a thing as a horse looking shocked, that

ling down his trousers legs, which had a tendency to hitch up in what seemed to them a most exasperating disregard for form. To their certain knowledge, Mr. Blith

quarters of an hour ago. She refus

at he did not overtake his daughter until she had been at home for half an hour, but he was gracious enough to admit to himself that he h

later while he was feverishly engag

d knot. "I want her to go with me in fifteen minutes. Told 'em I would bring her over to play tennis. Tell her to put on tennis

they were all motoring over to the Grandby Tavern

moment he was speechless. No one ha

concluded resolutely. "I can motor to Grandby Tavern, too, can't I?

emphatically. "And Mau

isn't

an't you leave th

lar," he warned her, and it w

got through calling himself a fool, so perhaps she was more or less justified. Moreover, at that particular moment she undertook to assist him with his necktie. Her soft, cool

sense," he mur

ibly by a very helpful screwing up of his lower lip. He said nothing, preferring to let her think that the most important thing in the world just then was

he said, readjusting the tie with man

said. "Can you wa

he graciously. "Ask Maud

nking perhaps matters wouldn't be so bad. Among other things, he thought it would be a good idea not to motor in the direction of Grandby Tavern. A

er car, attended by a merry company of conspirators whose sole object was to k