But they will have none of her if she is forced upon them in the way
you propose."
"I'll--I'll think it over," said Mr. Blithers, and then discovered
that his cigar had gone out. "I think I'll go on deck and smoke, Lou.
Makes it stuffy in here. We'll lunch in the restaurant at half-past
one, eh?"
"Think hard, Will," she recommended, with a smile.
"I'll do that," he said, "but there's nothing on earth that can alter
my determination to make Maud the Princess of Groostork.
_That's_ settled."
"Graustark, Will."
"Well, whatever it is," said he, and departed.
He did think hard, but not so much about a regal home for aged people
as about Channie Scoville who had now become a positive menace to all
of his well-ordered and costly plans. The principal subject for
thought just now was not Graustark but this conniving young gentleman
who stood ready to make a terrible mess of posterity. Mr. Blithers
was sufficiently fair-minded to concede that the fellow was good-
looking, well-bred and clever, just the sort of chap that any girl
might fall in love with like a shot.
Pages:
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341