THE LIEUTENANT RECEIVES ORDERS
The next day brought not only an agreeable change in the weather but a
most surprising alteration in the manner of Mrs. Gaston, whose attitude
toward R. Schmidt and his friends had been anything but amicable up to
the hour of Miss Guile's discovery. The excellent lady, recovering very
quickly from her indisposition became positively polite to the hitherto
repugnant Mr. Schmidt. She melted so abruptly and so completely that
the young man was vaguely troubled. He began to wonder if his incognito
had been pierced, so to speak.
It was not reasonable to suppose that Miss Guile was personally
responsible for this startling transition from the inimical to the
gracious on the part of her companion; the indifference of Miss Guile
herself was sufficient proof to the contrary. Therefore, when Mrs.
Gaston nosed him out shortly after breakfast and began to talk about
the beautiful day in a manner so thoroughly respectful that it savoured
of servility, he was taken-aback, flabbergasted. She seemed to be on
the point of dropping her knee every time she spoke to him, and there
was an unmistakable tremor of excitement in her voice even when she
confided to him that she adored the ocean when it was calm. He forbore
asking when Miss Guile might be expected to appear on deck for her
constitutional but she volunteered the information, which was neither
vague nor yet definite. In fact, she said that Miss Guile would be up
soon, and soon is a word that has a double meaning when applied to the
movements of capricious womanhood. It may mean ten minutes and it may
mean an hour and a half.
Mrs. Gaston's severely critical eyes were no longer severe, albeit they
were critical. She took him in from head to foot with the eye of an
appraiser, and the more she took him in the more she melted, until at
last in order to keep from completely dissolving, she said good-bye to
him and hurried off to find Miss Guile.
Now it is necessary to relate that Miss Guile had been particularly
firm in her commands to Mrs. Gaston. She literally had stood the
excellent lady up in a corner and lectured her for an hour on the
wisdom of silence. In the first place, Mrs. Gaston was given to
understand that she was not to breathe it to a soul that R. Schmidt was
not R. Schmidt, and she was not to betray to him by word or sign that
he was suspected of being the Prince of Graustark. Moreover, the
exacting Miss Guile laid great stress upon another command: R. Schmidt
was never to know that she was _not_ Miss Guile, but some one else
altogether.
"You're right, my dear," exclaimed Mrs. Gaston in an excited whisper as
she burst in upon her fair companion, who was having coffee and toast
in her parlour. The more or less resuscitated Marie was waiting to do
up her mistress's hair, and the young lady herself was alluringly
charming in spite of the fact that it was not already "done up." "He is
the--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--just
what you've been up to. Don't mind Marie. She is French. She can always
hold her tongue."
"Well, I've been talking with him, that's all. I'm sure he is the
Prince. No ordinary male could be as sweet and agreeable and sunny as--"
"Stop!" cried Miss Guile, with a pretty moue, putting the tips of her
fingers to her ears after putting the piece of toast into her mouth.
"One would think you were a sentimental old maid instead of a
cold-blooded, experienced, man-hating married woman."
"You forget that I am a widow, my dear. Besides, it is disgusting for
one 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 me
about the way I ate when I was almost starving. Were you never a hungry
little kid? Did you never lick jam and honey off your fingers and--"
"Many and many a time," confessed Mrs. Gaston, beaming once more and
laying a gentle, loving hand on the girl's shoulder. Miss Guile dropped
her head over until her cheek rested on the caressing hand, and munched
toast with blissful abandon.
"Now tell me what you've been up to," she said, and Mrs. Gaston
repeated every word of the conversation she had had with R. Schmidt,
proving absolutely nothing but stoutly maintaining that her intuition
was completely to be depended upon.
"And, oh," she whispered in conclusion, "wouldn't it be perfectly
wonderful 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 yourself
and 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 overlook
that, please."
"But he is really very nice. I should think you _could_ fall in love
with him. Just think how it would please your father and mother. Just
think--"
"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 to
dress 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-hating
ex-governess.
"You did?" said Miss Guile, with what was supposed to be a deadly look
in 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 really
Bedelia."
"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 over
the blight that had been put upon a very worthy lady's conscience.
When she appeared on deck long afterward, she found every chair
occupied. A warm sun, a far from turbulent sea, and a refreshing breeze
had brought about a marvellous transformation. Every one was happy,
every one had come back from the grave to gloat over the grim reaper's
failure to do his worst, although in certain cases he had been
importuned to do it without hesitation.
She made several brisk rounds of the deck; then, feeling that people
were following her with their eyes,--admiringly, to be sure, but what
of that?--she abandoned the pleasant exercise and sought the seclusion
of the sunless corner where her chair was stationed. The ship's daily
newspaper was just off the press and many of the loungers were reading
the brief telegraphic news from the capitals of the world.
During her stroll she passed several groups of men and women who were
lightly, even scornfully employed in discussing an article of news
which had to do with Mr. Blithers and the Prince of Graustark. Filled
with an acute curiosity, she procured a copy of the paper from a
steward, and was glancing at the head lines as she made her way into
her corner. Double-leaded type appeared over the rumoured engagment of
Miss Maud Applegate Blithers, the beautiful and accomplished daughter
of the great capitalist, and Robin, Prince of Graustark. A queer little
smile 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 little
newspaper with eyes that were blind to everything else.
"Oh!" she gasped.
"I'm sorry," he exclaimed, crumpling the paper in his hand as he backed
away, flushing. "Stupid of me. Good morning."
"Good morning, Mr. Schmidt. It wasn't your fault. I should have looked
where I was going. 'Stop, look and listen,' as they say at the railway
crossing."
"'Danger' is one of the commonest signs, Miss Guile. It lurks
everywhere, especially around corners. I see you have a paper. It
appears that Miss Blithers and the Prince are to be married after all."
"Yes; it is quite apparent that the Blithers family intends to have a
title at any cost," she said, and her eyes flashed.
"Would you like to take a few turns, Miss Guile?" he inquired, a trace
of nervousness in his manner. "I think I can take you safely over the
hurdles and around the bunkers." He indicated the outstretched legs
along the promenade deck and the immovable groups of chatterers along
the rail.
Before deciding, she shot an investigating glance into the corner. Mrs.
Gaston was not only there but was engaged in conversation with the
grey-moustached gentleman in a near-by chair. It required but half a
glance to show that Mr. Totten was unmistakably interested in something
the voluble lady had just said to him.
"No, thank you, Mr. Schmidt," said Miss Guile hastily, and then hurried
over to her chair, a distinct cloud on her smooth brow. Robin,
considering himself dismissed, whirled and went his way, a dark flush
spreading over his face. Never, in all his life, had he been quite so
out of patience with the world as on this bright, sunny morning.
Miss Guile's frown deepened when her abrupt appearance at Mrs. Gaston's
side caused that lady to look up with a guilty start and to break off
in the middle of a sentence that had begun with: "International
marriages, as a rule, are--Oh!"
Mr. Totten arose and bowed with courtly grace to the new arrival on the
scene. He appeared to be immensely relieved.
"A lovely morning, Miss Guile," he said as he stooped to arrange her
rug. "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," said
Mrs. 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 the
ex-governess with a look that seared.
"We were speaking of this rumoured engagement of the Prince of
Graustark and--er--what's the name?" He glanced at his newspaper. "Miss
Blithers, of course. I enquired of Mrs.--er--Gaston if she happens to
know the young lady. She remembers seeing her frequently as a very
small 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 name
was on every one's lips at the--"
Miss Guile interrupted. "It would be like the great Mr. Blithers to buy
this toy prince for his daughter--as a family plaything or human
lap-dog, or something of the sort, wouldn't it?"
Mr. Totten betrayed no emotion save amusement. Miss Guile was watching
through half-closed eyes. There was a noticeable stiffening of the prim
figure of Mrs. Gaston.
"I've no doubt Mr. Blithers can afford to buy the most expensive of
toys 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 be
a 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 old
warrior to afterwards declare to Dank that he never had seen a lovelier
girl in all his life.
"Ah, but we spoke of the Prince as a lap-dog or a cur, Miss Guile, not
as a watch-dog," said he.
"I see," said Miss Guile, after a moment. "He wouldn't sleep with one
eye open. I see."
"The lap of luxury is an enviable resting-place. I know of no prince
who 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 of
Graustark will despise his wife, and for that reason will be quite
content to close both eyes and let her go on searching for her heart's
desire."
"She would be his Princess. Could he afford to allow his love of luxury
to go as far as that?"
"Quite as justifiably, I should say, as Mr. Blithers when he delivers
his 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 to
the 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?" ventured
Miss 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 and
proceeded to read it with considerable avidity. Miss Guile smiled to
herself and purposely avoided the shocked look in Mrs. Gaston's eyes.
"Bouillon at last," cried the agitated duenna, and peremptorily
summoned 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 their
bouillon.
"Here comes Mr. Schmidt," whispered Mrs. Gaston excitedly, a few
moments later, and at once made a movement indicative of hasty
departure.
"Sit still," said Miss Guile peremptorily.
R. Schmidt again passed them by without so much as a glance in their
direction. There was a very sweet smile on Miss Guile's lips as she
closed her eyes and lay back in her chair. Once, twice, thrice, even as
many as six times R. Schmidt strode rapidly by their corner, his head
high and his face aglow.
At last a queer little pucker appeared on the serene brow of the far
from drowsy young lady whose eyes peeped through half closed lids.
Suddenly she threw off her rug and with a brief remark to her companion
arose and went to her cabin. Mrs. Gaston followed, not from choice but
because the brief remark was in the form of a command.
Soon afterward, R. Schmidt who had been joined by Dank, threw himself
into 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 these
days. He is always discovering something," said Robin, puffing away at
his pipe.
"But this is really interesting. It seems that he was in the hold when
Miss 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 there
are at least half-a-dozen trunks there belonging to the young lady and
that 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 are
not Miss Guile's trunks, at all."
"He appears to be absolutely sure of his ground. He heard the maid
mention Miss Guile's name when she directed the men to get one of the
trunks out of the pile. That's what attracted his attention. He
confided to me that you are interested in the young lady, and therefore
it 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 Robin
irritably. "He is getting to be a dreadful nuisance. Always nosing
around, trying to--"
"But after all, sir, you'll have to admit that he has made a puzzling
discovery. 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 her
sailing under a false name. She doesn't look like an adventuress."
R. Schmidt rewarded this remark with a cold stare. "Would you mind
telling me what she does look like, Dank?" he enquired severely.
The lieutenant flushed. "I have not had the same opportunity for
observation that you've enjoyed, sir, but I should say, off-hand, that
she looks like a very dangerous young person."
"Do you mean to imply that she is--er--not altogether what one would
call right?"
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 please
your royal highness," said the lieutenant coolly. "It is hard to
connect the B and the G, you know."
"But why should we deny her a privilege that we are enjoying, all three
of 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 them
could be the right one, even if we were acute enough to include it in
our list of guesses. She may have an imperative reason for not
disclosing her identity. For instance, she may be running away to get
married."
"That's possible," agreed Robin.
"But not probable. She may be a popular music-hall favourite, or one of
those peculiarly clever creatures known as the American newspaper
woman, against whom we have been warned. Don't you regard it as rather
significant that of all the people on this ship she should be one to
attach herself to the unrecognised Prince of Graustark? Put two and two
together, 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't
one 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, she
doesn't care a hang whether I'm on the ship or clinging to a life
preserver out there in the middle of the Atlantic. I have reason to
know, 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 Robin
mischievously. "She said so only yesterday."
Dank gave his prince a disgusted look, and smoked on in silence. His
dignity 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. "Let
her make use of all the letters in the alphabet if it pleases her. What
is 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. "Simple
deduction, Dank. Don't bother your head about her any longer. What we
know 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 the
lieutenant on the shoulder. "Let's think of the real peril,--Maud
Applegate Blithers." He held up the ship's paper for Dank to see and
then sat back to enjoy his companion's rage.
An hour later Dank and Count Quinnox might have been seen seated side
by side on the edge of a skylight at the tip-top of the ship's
structure, engaged in the closest conversation. There was a troubled
look in the old man's eyes and the light of adventure in those of his
junior. The sum and substance of their discussion may be given in a
brief sentence: Something would have to be done to prevent Robin from
falling in love with the fascinating Miss Guile.
"He is young enough and stubborn enough to make a fool of himself over
her," the Count had said. "I wouldn't blame him, 'pon my soul I
wouldn'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've
nothing to lose. So far as she is concerned, you are quite as well
worth while as the fellow known as R. Schmidt. There's no reason why
you shouldn't make the remainder of the passage pleasant for her, and
at the same time enjoy yourself at nobody's expense."
"They know by instinct, confound 'em," lamented Dank; "they know the
real article, and you can't fool 'em. She knows that he is the high
muck-a-muck in this party and she won't even look at me, you take my
word 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--a
nobody, perhaps an adventuress,--at this stage of the game. I much
prefer the impossible Miss Blithers, Dank, to this captivating unknown.
At least we know who and what she is, and what she represents. But we
owe it to our country and to Dawsbergen to see that he doesn't do
anything--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.