THE PRINCE AND BETTY by P. G. WODEHOUSE [American edition] 1912 CONTENTS CHAPTER I THE CABLE FROM MERVO II MERVO AND ITS OWNER III JOHN IV VIVE LE ROI V MR. SCOBELL HAS ANOTHER IDEA VI YOUNG ADAM CUPID VII MR. SCOBELL IS FRANK VIII AN ULTIMATUM FROM THE THRONE IX MERVO CHANGES ITS CONSTITUTION X MRS. OAKLEY XI A LETTER OP INTRODUCTION XII "PEACEFUL MOMENTS" XIII BETTY MAKES A FRIEND XIV A CHANGE OF POLICY XV THE HONEYED WORD XVI TWO VISITORS TO THE OFFICE XVII THE MAN AT THE ASTOR XVIII THE HIGHFIELD XIX THE FIRST BATTLE XX BETTY AT LARGE XXI CHANGES IN THE STAFF XXII A GATHERING OF CAT SPECIALISTS XXIII THE RETIREMENT OF SMITH XXIV THE CAMPAIGN QUICKENS XXV CORNERED XXVI JOURNEY'S END XXVII A LEMON XXVIII THE FINAL ATTEMPT XXIX A REPRESENTATIVE GATHERING XXX CONCLUSION THE PRINCE AND BETTY CHAPTER I THE CABLE FROM MERVO A pretty girl in a blue dress came out of the house, and began to walk slowly across the terrace to where Elsa Keith sat with Marvin Rossiter in the shade of the big sycamore. Elsa and Marvin had become engaged some few days before, and were generally to be found at this time sitting together in some shaded spot in the grounds of the Keith's Long Island home. "What's troubling Betty, I wonder," said Elsa. "She looks worried." Marvin turned his head. "Is that your friend, Miss Silver?" "That's Betty. We were at college together. I want you to like Betty." "Then I will. When did she arrive?" "Last night. She's here for a month. What's the matter, Betty? This is Marvin. I want you to like Marvin." Betty Silver smiled. Her face, in repose, was rather wistful, but it lighted up when she smiled, and an unsuspected dimple came into being on her chin. "Of course I shall," she said. Her big gray eyes seemed to search Marvin's for an instant and Marvin had, almost subconsciously, a comfortable feeling that he had been tested and found worthy. "What were you scowling at so ferociously, Betty?" asked Elsa. "Was I scowling? I hope you didn't think it was at you. Oh, Elsa, I'm miserable! I shall have to leave this heavenly place." "Betty!" "At once. And I was meaning to have the most lovely time. See what has come!" She held out some flimsy sheets of paper. "A cable!" said Elsa. "Great Scott! it looks like the scenario of a four-act play," said Marvin. "That's not all one cable, surely? Whoever sent it must be a millionaire." "He is. It's from my stepfather. Read it out, Elsa. I want Mr. Rossiter to hear it. He may be able to tell me where Mervo is. Did you ever hear of Mervo, Mr. Rossiter?" "Never. What is it?" "It's a place where my stepfather is, and where I've got to go. I do call it hard. Go on, Elsa." Elsa, who had been skimming the document with raised eyebrows, now read it out in its spacious entirety.