it were futile for her to attempt to deny. He was aware, quite as
much so as if he had heard the words, that she was now saying:

"Well, there is absolutely no use arguing with you, Will. Have it
your way if it pleases you."

Eying her with some uneasiness, he cautiously inserted his thumbs in
the armholes of his brocaded waistcoat, and proclaimed:

"As I said before, Lou, there isn't a foreign nobleman, from the
Emperor down, who is above grabbing a few million dollars. They're
all hard up, and what do they gain by marrying ladies of noble birth
if said ladies are the daughters of noblemen who are as hard up as
all the rest of 'em? Besides, hasn't Maud been presented at Court?
Didn't you see to that? How about that pearl necklace I gave her when
she was presented? Wasn't it the talk of the season? There wasn't a
Duke in England who didn't figure the cost of that necklace to within
a guinea or two. No girl ever had better advertising than--"

"We were speaking of Prince Robin," remarked his wife, with a slight
shudder. Mrs. Blithers came of better stock than her husband. His
gaucheries frequently set her teeth on edge. She was born in
Providence and sometimes mentioned the occurrence when particularly
desirous of squelching him, not unkindly perhaps but by way of making
him realise that their daughter had good blood in her veins. Mr.
Blithers had heard, in a round-about way, that he first saw the light
of day in Jersey City, although after he became famous Newark claimed
him. He did not bother about the matter.

"Well, he's like all the rest of them," said he, after a moment of