CHAPTER XI
THE LIEUTENANT RECEIVES ORDERS
The next day brought not only an agreeable change in the weather but amost surprising alteration in the manner of Mrs. Gaston, whose attitudetoward R. Schmidt and his friends had been anything but amicable up tothe hour of Miss Guile's discovery. The excellent lady, recovering veryquickly from her indisposition became positively polite to the hithertorepugnant Mr. Schmidt. She melted so abruptly and so completely thatthe young man was vaguely troubled. He began to wonder if his incognitohad been pierced, so to speak.
It was not reasonable to suppose that Miss Guile was personallyresponsible for this startling transition from the inimical to thegracious on the part of her companion; the indifference of Miss Guileherself was sufficient proof to the contrary. Therefore, when Mrs.Gaston nosed him out shortly after breakfast and began to talk aboutthe beautiful day in a manner so thoroughly respectful that it savouredof servility, he was taken-aback, flabbergasted. She seemed to be onthe point of dropping her knee every time she spoke to him, and therewas an unmistakable tremor of excitement in her voice even when sheconfided to him that she adored the ocean when it was calm. He forboreasking when Miss Guile might be expected to appear on deck for herconstitutional but she volunteered the information, which was neithervague nor yet definite. In fact, she said that Miss Guile would be upsoon, and soon is a word that has a double meaning when applied to themovements of capricious womanhood. It may mean ten minutes and it maymean an hour and a half.
Mrs. Gaston's severely critical eyes were no longer severe, albeit theywere critical. She took him in from head to foot with the eye of anappraiser, and the more she took him in the more she melted, until atlast in order to keep from completely dissolving, she said good-bye tohim and hurried off to find Miss Guile.
Now it is necessary to relate that Miss Guile had been particularlyfirm in her commands to Mrs. Gaston. She literally had stood theexcellent lady up in a corner and lectured her for an hour on thewisdom of silence. In the first place, Mrs. Gaston was given tounderstand that she was not to breathe it to a soul that R. Schmidt wasnot R. Schmidt, and she was not to betray to him by word or sign thathe was suspected of being the Prince of Graustark. Moreover, theexacting Miss Guile laid great stress upon another command: R. Schmidtwas never to know that she was _not_ Miss Guile, but some one elsealtogether.
"You're right, my dear," exclaimed Mrs. Gaston in an excited whisper asshe burst in upon her fair companion, who was having coffee and toastin her parlour. The more or less resuscitated Marie was waiting to doup her mistress's hair, and the young lady herself was alluringlycharming in spite of the fact that it was not already "done up." "He isthe--er--he is just what you think."
"Good heavens, you haven't gone and done it, have you," cried the girl,a slim hand halting with a piece of toast half way to her lips.
"Gone and done it?"
"You haven't been blabbing, have you?"
"How can you say that to me? Am I not to be trusted? Am I so weak and--"
"Don't cry, you old dear! Forgive me. But now tell me--absolutely--justwhat you've been up to. Don't mind Marie. She is French. She can alwayshold her tongue."
"Well, I've been talking with him, that's all. I'm sure he is thePrince. No ordinary male could be as sweet and agreeable and sunny as--"
"Stop!" cried Miss Guile, with a pretty moue, putting the tips of herfingers to her ears after putting the piece of toast into her mouth."One would think you were a sentimental old maid instead of acold-blooded, experienced, man-hating married woman."
"You forget that I am a widow, my dear. Besides, it is disgusting forone to speak with one's mouth full of buttered toast. It--"
"Oh, how I used to loathe you when you kept forever ding-donging at meabout the way I ate when I was almost starving. Were you never a hungrylittle kid? Did you never lick jam and honey off your fingers and--"
"Many and many a time," confessed Mrs. Gaston, beaming once more andlaying a gentle, loving hand on the girl's shoulder. Miss Guile droppedher head over until her cheek rested on the caressing hand, and munchedtoast with blissful abandon.
"Now tell me what you've been up to," she said, and Mrs. Gastonrepeated every word of the conversation she had had with R. Schmidt,proving absolutely nothing but stoutly maintaining that her intuitionwas completely to be depended upon.
"And, oh," she whispered in conclusion, "wouldn't it be perfectlywonderful if you two should fall in love with each other--"
"Don't be silly!"
"But you have said that if he should fall in love with you for yourselfand not because--"
"I have also said that I will not marry any man, prince, duke, king,count or anything else unless I am in love with him. Don't overlookthat, please."
"But he is really very nice. I should think you _could_ fall in lovewith him. Just think how it would please your father and mother. Justthink--"
"I won't be bullied!"
"Am I bullying you?" in amazement.
"No; but father tries to bully me, and you know it."
"You must admit that the--this Mr. Schmidt is handsome, charming,bright--"
"I admit nothing," said Miss Guile resolutely, and ordered Marie todress her hair as carefully as possible. "Take as long as you like,Marie. I shall not go on deck for hours."
"I--I told him you would be up soon," stammered the poor, man-hatingex-governess.
"You did?" said Miss Guile, with what was supposed to be a deadly lookin her eyes.
"Well, he enquired," said the other.
"Anything else?" domineered the beauty.
"I forgot to mention one thing. He _did_ ask me if your name was reallyBedelia."
"And what did you tell him?" cried the girl, in sudden agitation.
"I managed to tell him that it was," said Mrs. Gaston stiffly.
"Good!" cried Miss Guile, vastly relieved, and not at all troubled overthe blight that had been put upon a very worthy lady's conscience.
When she appeared on deck long afterward, she found every chairoccupied. A warm sun, a far from turbulent sea, and a refreshing breezehad brought about a marvellous transformation. Every one was happy,every one had come back from the grave to gloat over the grim reaper'sfailure to do his worst, although in certain cases he had beenimportuned to do it without hesitation.
She made several brisk rounds of the deck; then, feeling that peoplewere following her with their eyes,--admiringly, to be sure, but whatof that?--she abandoned the pleasant exercise and sought the seclusionof the sunless corner where her chair was stationed. The ship's dailynewspaper was just off the press and many of the loungers were readingthe brief telegraphic news from the capitals of the world.
During her stroll she passed several groups of men and women who werelightly, even scornfully employed in discussing an article of newswhich had to do with Mr. Blithers and the Prince of Graustark. Filledwith an acute curiosity, she procured a copy of the paper from asteward, and was glancing at the head lines as she made her way intoher corner. Double-leaded type appeared over the rumoured engagment ofMiss Maud Applegate Blithers, the beautiful and accomplished daughterof the great capitalist, and Robin, Prince of Graustark. A queer littlesmile played about her lips as she folded the paper for future perusal.Turning the earner of the deck-building she almost collided with R.Schmidt, who stood leaning against the wall, scanning the littlenewspaper with eyes that were blind to everything else.
"Oh!" she gasped.
"I'm sorry," he exclaimed, crumpling the paper in his hand as he backedaway, flushing. "Stupid of me. Good morning."
"Good morning, Mr. Schmidt. It wasn't your fault. I should have lookedwhere I was going. 'Stop, look and listen,' as they say at the railwaycrossing."
"'Danger' is one of the commonest signs, Miss Guile. It lurkseverywhere, especially around corners. I see you have a paper. Itappears that Miss Blithers and the Prince are to be married after all."
"Yes; it is quite apparent that the Blithers family intends to hav
e atitle at any cost," she said, and her eyes flashed.
"Would you like to take a few turns, Miss Guile?" he inquired, a traceof nervousness in his manner. "I think I can take you safely over thehurdles and around the bunkers." He indicated the outstretched legsalong the promenade deck and the immovable groups of chatterers alongthe rail.
Before deciding, she shot an investigating glance into the corner. Mrs.Gaston was not only there but was engaged in conversation with thegrey-moustached gentleman in a near-by chair. It required but half aglance to show that Mr. Totten was unmistakably interested in somethingthe voluble lady had just said to him.
"No, thank you, Mr. Schmidt," said Miss Guile hastily, and then hurriedover to her chair, a distinct cloud on her smooth brow. Robin,considering himself dismissed, whirled and went his way, a dark flushspreading over his face. Never, in all his life, had he been quite soout of patience with the world as on this bright, sunny morning.
Miss Guile's frown deepened when her abrupt appearance at Mrs. Gaston'sside caused that lady to look up with a guilty start and to break offin the middle of a sentence that had begun with: "Internationalmarriages, as a rule, are--Oh!"
Mr. Totten arose and bowed with courtly grace to the new arrival on thescene. He appeared to be immensely relieved.
"A lovely morning, Miss Guile," he said as he stooped to arrange herrug. "I hear that you were not at all disturbed by yesterday's blow."
"I was just telling Mr. Totten that you are a wonderful sailor," saidMrs. Gaston, a note of appeal in her voice. "He says his friend, Mr.Schmidt, is also a good sailor. Isn't it perfectly wonderful?"
"I can't see anything wonderful about it," said Miss Guile, fixing theex-governess with a look that seared.
"We were speaking of this rumoured engagement of the Prince ofGraustark and--er--what's the name?" He glanced at his newspaper. "MissBlithers, of course. I enquired of Mrs.--er--Gaston if she happens toknow the young lady. She remembers seeing her frequently as a verysmall child."
"In Paris," said Mrs. Gaston. "One couldn't very well help seeing her,you know. She was the only child of the great Mr. Blithers, whose namewas on every one's lips at the--"
Miss Guile interrupted. "It would be like the great Mr. Blithers to buythis toy prince for his daughter--as a family plaything or humanlap-dog, or something of the sort, wouldn't it?"
Mr. Totten betrayed no emotion save amusement. Miss Guile was watchingthrough half-closed eyes. There was a noticeable stiffening of the primfigure of Mrs. Gaston.
"I've no doubt Mr. Blithers can afford to buy the most expensive oftoys for his only child. You Americans go in for the luxuries of life.What could be more extravagant than the purchase of a royal lap-dog?The only drawback I can suggest is that the Prince might turn out to bea cur, and then where would Mr. Blithers be?"
"It is more to the point to ask where Miss Blithers would be, Mr.Totten," said Miss Guile, with a smile that caused the fierce oldwarrior to afterwards declare to Dank that he never had seen a loveliergirl in all his life.
"Ah, but we spoke of the Prince as a lap-dog or a cur, Miss Guile, notas a watch-dog," said he.
"I see," said Miss Guile, after a moment. "He wouldn't sleep with oneeye open. I see."
"The lap of luxury is an enviable resting-place. I know of no princewho would despise it."
"But a wife is sometimes a thing to be despised," said she.
"Quite true," said Mr. Totten. "I've no doubt that the Prince ofGraustark will despise his wife, and for that reason will be quitecontent to close both eyes and let her go on searching for her heart'sdesire."
"She would be his Princess. Could he afford to allow his love of luxuryto go as far as that?"
"Quite as justifiably, I should say, as Mr. Blithers when he delivershis only child into--into bondage."
"You were about to use another term."
"I was, but I thought in time, Miss Guile."
R. Schmidt sauntered briskly past at this juncture, looking neither tothe right nor left. They watched him until he disappeared down the deck.
"I think Mr. Schmidt is a perfectly delightful young man," said Mrs.Gaston, simply because she couldn't help it.
"You really think he will marry Miss Blithers, Mr. Totten?" venturedMiss Guile.
"He? Oh, I see--the Prince?" Mr. Totten came near to being no diplomat."How should I know, Miss Guile?"
"Of course! How _should_ you know?" she cried.
Mr. Totten found something to interest him in the printed sheet andproceeded to read it with considerable avidity. Miss Guile smiled toherself and purposely avoided the shocked look in Mrs. Gaston's eyes.
"Bouillon at last," cried the agitated duenna, and peremptorilysummoned one of the tray-bearing stewards. "I am famished."
Evidently Mr. Totten did not care for his mid-morning refreshment, for,with the most courtly of smiles, he arose and left them to theirbouillon.
"Here comes Mr. Schmidt," whispered Mrs. Gaston excitedly, a fewmoments later, and at once made a movement indicative of hastydeparture.
"Sit still," said Miss Guile peremptorily.
R. Schmidt again passed them by without so much as a glance in theirdirection. There was a very sweet smile on Miss Guile's lips as sheclosed her eyes and lay back in her chair. Once, twice, thrice, even asmany as six times R. Schmidt strode rapidly by their corner, his headhigh and his face aglow.
At last a queer little pucker appeared on the serene brow of the farfrom drowsy young lady whose eyes peeped through half closed lids.Suddenly she threw off her rug and with a brief remark to her companionarose and went to her cabin. Mrs. Gaston followed, not from choice butbecause the brief remark was in the form of a command.
Soon afterward, R. Schmidt who had been joined by Dank, threw himselfinto his chair with a great sigh of fatigue and said:
"'Gad, I've walked a hundred miles since breakfast. Have you a match?"
"Hobbs has made a very curious discovery," said the young lieutenant,producing his match-box. There was a perturbed look in his eyes.
"If Hobbs isn't careful he'll discover a new continent one of thesedays. He is always discovering something," said Robin, puffing away athis pipe.
"But this is really interesting. It seems that he was in the hold whenMiss Guile's maid came down to get into one of her mistress's trunks.Now, the first letter in Guile is G, isn't it? Well, Hobbs says thereare at least half-a-dozen trunks there belonging to the young lady andthat all of them are marked with a large red B. What do you make of it?"
The Prince had stopped puffing at his pipe.
"Hobbs may be mistaken in the maid. Dank. It is likely that they arenot Miss Guile's trunks, at all."
"He appears to be absolutely sure of his ground. He heard the maidmention Miss Guile's name when she directed the men to get one of thetrunks out of the pile. That's what attracted his attention. Heconfided to me that you are interested in the young lady, and thereforeit was quite natural for him to be similarly affected. 'Like master,like man,' d'ye see?"
"Really, you know, Dank, I ought to dismiss Hobbs," said Robinirritably. "He is getting to be a dreadful nuisance. Always nosingaround, trying to--"
"But after all, sir, you'll have to admit that he has made a puzzlingdiscovery. Why should her luggage be marked with a B?"
"I should say because her name begins with a B," said Robin shortly.
"In that case, it isn't Guile."
"Obviously." The young man was thinking very hard.
"And if it isn't Guile, there must be an excellent reason for hersailing under a false name. She doesn't look like an adventuress."
R. Schmidt rewarded this remark with a cold stare. "Would you mindtelling me what she does look like, Dank?" he enquired severely.
The lieutenant flushed. "I have not had the same opportunity forobservation that you've enjoyed, sir, but I should say, off-hand, thatshe looks like a very dangerous young person."
"Do you mean to imply that she is--er--not altogether what one wouldcall right?"<
br />
Dank grinned. "Don't you regard her as rather perilously beautiful?"
"Oh, I see. That's what you mean. I suppose you got _that_ from Hobbs,too."
"Not at all. I have an excellent pair of eyes."
"What are you trying to get at, Dank?" demanded Robin abruptly.
"I'm trying to get to the bottom of Miss Guile's guile, if it pleaseyour royal highness," said the lieutenant coolly. "It is hard toconnect the B and the G, you know."
"But why should we deny her a privilege that we are enjoying, all threeof us? Are we not in the same boat?"
"Literally and figuratively. That explains nothing, however."
"Have you a theory?"
"There are many that we could advance, but, of course, only one of themcould be the right one, even if we were acute enough to include it inour list of guesses. She may have an imperative reason for notdisclosing her identity. For instance, she may be running away to getmarried."
"That's possible," agreed Robin.
"But not probable. She may be a popular music-hall favourite, or one ofthose peculiarly clever creatures known as the American newspaperwoman, against whom we have been warned. Don't you regard it as rathersignificant that of all the people on this ship she should be one toattach herself to the unrecognised Prince of Graustark? Put two and twotogether, sir, and--"
"I find it singularly difficult to put one and one together, Dank,"said the Prince ruefully. "No; you are wrong in both of your guesses.I've encountered music-hall favourites and I can assure you she isn'tone of them. And as for your statement that she attached herself to me,you were never so mistaken in your life. I give you my word, shedoesn't care a hang whether I'm on the ship or clinging to a lifepreserver out there in the middle of the Atlantic. I have reason toknow, Dank."
"So be it," said Dank, but with doubt in his eyes. "You ought to know.I've never spoken to her, so--"
"She thinks you are a dreadfully attractive chap, Dank," said Robinmischievously. "She said so only yesterday."
Dank gave his prince a disgusted look, and smoked on in silence. Hisdignity was ruffled.
"Her Christian name is Bedelia," ventured Robin, after a pause.
"That doesn't get us anywhere," said Dank sourly.
"And her mother is Irish."
"Which accounts for those wonderful Irish blue eyes that--"
"So you've noticed them, eh?"
"Naturally."
"I consider them a very dark grey."
"I think we'd better get back to the luggage," said Dank hastily."Hobbs thinks that she--"
"Oh, Lord, Dank, don't tell me what Hobbs thinks," growled Robin. "Lether make use of all the letters in the alphabet if it pleases her. Whatis it to us? Moreover, she may be utilising a lot of borrowed trunks,who knows? Or B may have been her initial before she was divorced and--"
"Divorced?"
"--her maiden name restored," concluded Robin airily. "Simplededuction, Dank. Don't bother your head about her any longer. What weknow isn't going to hurt us, and what we don't know isn't--"
"Has it occurred to you that Russia may have set spies upon you--"
"Nonsense!"
"It isn't as preposterous as you--"
"Come, old fellow, let's forget Miss Guile," cried Robin, slapping thelieutenant on the shoulder. "Let's think of the real peril,--MaudApplegate Blithers." He held up the ship's paper for Dank to see andthen sat back to enjoy his companion's rage.
An hour later Dank and Count Quinnox might have been seen seated sideby side on the edge of a skylight at the tip-top of the ship'sstructure, engaged in the closest conversation. There was a troubledlook in the old man's eyes and the light of adventure in those of hisjunior. The sum and substance of their discussion may be given in abrief sentence: Something would have to be done to prevent Robin fromfalling in love with the fascinating Miss Guile.
"He is young enough and stubborn enough to make a fool of himself overher," the Count had said. "I wouldn't blame him, 'pon my soul Iwouldn't. She is very attractive--ahem! You must be his safeguard,Dank. Go in and do as I suggest. You are a good looking chap and you'venothing to lose. So far as she is concerned, you are quite as wellworth while as the fellow known as R. Schmidt. There's no reason whyyou shouldn't make the remainder of the passage pleasant for her, andat the same time enjoy yourself at nobody's expense."
"They know by instinct, confound 'em," lamented Dank; "they know thereal article, and you can't fool 'em. She knows that he is the highmuck-a-muck in this party and she won't even look at me, you take myword for it."
"At any rate, you can try, can't you?" said the Count impatiently.
"Is it a command, sir?"
"It is."
"Very well, sir. I shall do my best."
"We can't afford to have him losing his head over a pretty--er--anobody, perhaps an adventuress,--at this stage of the game. I muchprefer the impossible Miss Blithers, Dank, to this captivating unknown.At least we know who and what she is, and what she represents. But weowe it to our country and to Dawsbergen to see that he doesn't doanything--er--foolish. We have five days left of this voyage, Dank.They may be fatal days for him, if you do not come to the rescue."
"They may be fatal days for me," said Dank, looking out over the ocean.
The Prince of Graustark Page 11
