went to the polo grounds. Returning in time to dress, he dined at the hotel, after which he visited a near-by theater, and completed a pleasant and strenuous day at one of those friendly restaurants where the music is continuous and the waiters are apt to burst into song in the intervals of their other duties.
A second attempt to find Smith next morning failed, as the first had done. The staff of the News were out of bed and at work ridiculously early, and when John called up the office between eleven and twelve o’clock—nature’s breakfast-hour—Smith was again down East, observing the movements of those who were about to strike or who had already struck.
It hardly seemed worth while starting to lay the bed plates of his fortune till he had consulted the expert. What would Rockefeller have done? He would, John felt certain, have gone to the ball-game.
He imitated the great financier.
It was while he was smoking a cigar after dinner that night, musing on the fortunes of the day’s game and, in particular, on the almost criminal imbecility of the umpire, that he was dreamily aware that he was being “paged.” A small boy in uniform was meandering through the room, chanting his name.
“Gent wants five minutes wit’ you,” announced the boy, intercepted. “Hasn’t got no card. Business, he says.”
This disposed of the idea that Rupert Smith had discovered his retreat. John was puzzled. He could not think of another person in New York who knew of his presence at the Astor. But it was the unknown that he was in search of, and he decided to see the mysterious stranger.
“Send him along,” he said.
The boy disappeared, and presently John observed him threading his way back among the tables, followed by a young man of extraordinary gravity of countenance, who was looking about him with an intent gaze through a pair of gold-rimmed spectacles.
John got up to meet him.
“My name is Maude,” he said. “Won’t you sit down? Have you had dinner?”
“Thank you, yes,” said the spectacled young man.
“You’ll have a cigar and coffee, then?”
“Thank you, yes.”
The young man remained silent until the waiter had filled his cup.
“My name is Crump,” he said. “I am Mr. Benjamin Scobell’s private secretary.”
“Yes?” said John. “Snug job?”
The other seemed to miss something in his voice.
“You have heard of Mr. Scobell?” he asked.
“Not to my knowledge,” said John.
“Ah! you have lost touch very much with Mervo, of course.”
John stared.
“Mervo?”
It sounded like some patent medicine.
“I have been instructed,” said Mr. Crump solemnly, “to inform Your Highness that the Republic has been dissolved, and that your subjects offer you the throne of your ancestors.”
John leaned back in his chair, and looked at the speaker in dumb amazement. The thought flashed across him that Mr. Crump had been perfectly correct in saying that he had dined.
His attitude appeared to astound Mr. Crump. He goggled through his spectacles at John, who was reminded of some rare fish.
“You are John Maude? You said you were.”
“I’m John Maude right enough. We’re solid on that point.”
“And your mother was the only sister of Mr. Andrew Westley?”
“You’re right there, too.”
“Then there is no mistake. I say the Republic—” He paused, as if struck with an idea. “Don’t you know?” he said. “Your father—”
John became suddenly interested.
“If you’ve got anything to tell me about my father, go right ahead. You’ll be the only man I’ve ever met who has said a word about him. Who the deuce was he, anyway?”
Mr. Crump’s face cleared.
“I understand. I had not expected this. You have been kept in ignorance. Your father, Mr. Maude, was the late Prince Charles of Mervo.”
It was not easy to astonish John, but this announcement did so. He dropped his cigar in a shower of gray ash on to his trousers, and retrieved it almost mechanically, his wide-open eyes fixed on the other’s face.
“What!” he cried.
Mr. Crump nodded gravely.
“You are Prince John of Mervo, and I am here—” he got into his stride as he reached the familiar phrase—”to
