The Prince of Graustark

the shape of a steady downpour, and the decks were almost deserted, save for the few who huddled in the unexposed nooks where the sweep and swish of the rain failed to penetrate. There was

e to a dreamer? Then came one bell a

whispering, the one with a little perplexed frown on her brow, the other with distinct signs of annoyance in her face. The girl was not more than twenty, her companion qui

if not the actual recovery quite out of the question. The older woman was on the point of poking the sleeper with the toe of her shoe, being a matter-of-fact sort of person, when the girl

immediately befell him. He completely lost his head. If one had suddenly asked what had become of it, he couldn't have told, not for the life of him. For that matter, he couldn't have put his finger, so to speak, on any part

faintest trace of embarrassment,-indeed, with some as

r rug and came to his feet, bl

his awkwardness rewarded by an extremely sw

er that I am quite sure was

aguely, and at once began

tion. Then she jerked the rug away and three pairs of eyes examined the place where R. S

e to rest on the name-card at the top of the chair. "This happens to be my ch

ere at luncheon, dear. What right has he to sell our c

each cheek. "It was engaged two days ago. I have been occupying it since-but it

miserable mistake. These deck stewards are always messing things up.

iminating evidence," said she coolly. "We shall find it among the lost, strayed and stolen

a nature that was usually most gentle.

so. We thereby manage t

hair, you seize my

. I expected to find R. Schmidt a fat, old German with very bad manners. Instead, you are neither fat, old, nor dis

impatient foot. "Really my dear, we were quite wit

me he gave and I informed him it meant nothing to me. I am very sorry, Mr. S

lways longed to be in a position where I could have my own way. I am sure

he office for the let

ed behind the chai

to recover the missive, but she was quick to forestall him. With a little gasp she pounced upon it and, like

her adroitly concealing the postmark with her thumb. It was addressed t

d be quits in every particular

u have already had my card thrust upon you, so everything is quite regular. And now it

anion, "this is quite irregular. I may sa

good for evil," interrupted the girl gaily. "Please enq

"fetch and carry." Moreover, she was extremely cool about it, as one who exacts much of young men in serge suits and outing-caps. He found himself wondering what she wou

h, I say, steward! One moment, here." A deck steward approa

and beamed joyously up

above the door, away from the draft-see, in the corner, ha, ha! Yes! Two by side. The very best. Miss Gu

the corner, standing at right angles to the long row that lined the deck, the foot rests poi

eward. This is much better. So sorry, Mr. Schmidt,

lantly, "now that I've got an undisputed claim to it. I intend to sta

ok from her companion served as a check, and she became at once the coolly indifferent creature who e

g to be horrid," he remarked. "Are you not going to sit

"I am going to my room,-if I can find it. No doubt it al

to thank you for disco

e flushed as he drew himself up and stepped aside to allow her to pass. For an instant t

Miss Guile," said he. Far from being vexed, she favour

the uneasy lady-who was old eno

stantly, moved by a livelier curiosity than he ever had felt before. Conscious of a certain feeling of stealth, he scrutinised the cards in the backs of the two chairs. The steward was collecting the discarded ste

America! Shades of Venus! Can there be such a thing on earth as a prettier girl than this one? Can nature have performed the impossible? Is America so full

Guile. After completely circling the deck once he decided that he did not need the exercise after all. His walk had not benefitted him in the least. She had gone to her room. He returned to his chair, conscious of having been defeated bu

up when he clumsily slid into his chair and threw the rug over his legs-dreadfully long, uninteresting l

r by means of a bright green veil; he had had a glimpse of staunch tan walking-shoes. He found himself wondering how he had missed her in the turn about the deck, and how she could have ensconced hers

r a lapse of five or six minutes, and so surprising was the

to get back so qui

mething like alarm in her lovely eyes, as of o

n," she said, rat

le that never failed to work its charm. To his surprise, a shy smile grew in her eyes, and her warm re

oyed by the author of this book," she said

eerfully. "May I inquire

interested. It i

," said he stiffly. "My father was an Ame

passenger list a momen

in Vienna. I

partly lowered. "Isn't that the passenger list

l pardon a natural curiosity? I wanted

ok at it,

"It isn't necessary

ppen to know a Miss Bl

ectively. "Blithers? Th

rs? What is

e very good-looking.

ng me if I know her,

out her lately. She is

the great

he exclaimed. "Perfect ro

odl

rince of-of-Oh, some insignificant little place over in Europe. There are such a lot of queer little duchies and pr

retly annoyed. "It was the talk of the town, that bal

t when you say it. Naturally on

. But to resume; I supposed every one in New York

ht be, Mr. Schmidt, with all th

I am told that, in spite of them, s

e interest in the t

ented gracefully,

isn't

she is the prettie

t, when you admit yo

Miss Guile," said he, and was filled with delight

eagerness in her voice. "I am so glad." She scramb

ing to have so

s moving away without so much as a nod or smile for him. Indeed, she appeared to have dismissed him fro

n and sat with her back to the table occupied by R. Schmidt and his friends. He had to be content with a view of the most exquisite back and shoulders that good fortune had ever allowed him to

t swept the decks with a merciless lash in its grip and whipped into submission all who vaingloriously sought to defy its chill dominion. Not rain, but spray from huge, swashing billows, clouded the decks, biting and c

ered spots, or sought even less heroic means of surrender by tumbling into bed with the considerate help of unsmiling stewards. The great ship went up and the great ship came down: when up so high that the sky seemed to be startlingly near and down so horribly low that the bottom of the ocean was even nearer. And it

icular crisis. A genial sailor-man and an equally ungenial deck swabber advised him, in totally different styles of address, to stay below if he knew what was good for him, only to be tha

o find her there in weather like this, but-well, he looked and that is the end to the argument. The going was extremely treacherous and unpleasant he was free to confess to the g

r admired poor Dank for ordering him out of his cabin, with a perfectly astounding oath as a climax to the command. Moreover, he thought considerably better of the faithful Hobbs for an amazing exposition of human equality in the matter of a pair of boots that he desired to wear that morning but which happened to be stowed away in a cabin trunk. He told Hobbs to go to the devil and Hobbs

urther advised the sailor-man, clinging to the rail

olutely. "I don't like th

a bit of air

quite

, strappin' sort of a chap, sir. 'Elp yourself.

A half-dozen unoccupied chairs were cluttered about, having been abandoned by persons who over-es

sation of pleasure. Here was a perfect exemplification of that much-abused thing known as circumstantial evidence. She contemplated coming on