Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1900-05-17

blow, smiled most meaningly.
I thanked them and asked to be ini-
tiated.
"You can keep a secret?" asked Nor
Inner.
assured him that l could. This
seemed to satisfy them. and Mortimer
asked me to come to their apartments.
They had three connecting rooms in
the hotel, and they bowed me into the
first, following and locking the door.
Don't be surprised at our furniture"
said Mortimer, turning on the electric
lights, which always seemed to me to
be out Of place in tropical islands.
found myself surrounded by kings
and queens and princes and princesses.
They stared at me from all the walls
John, Edward, James. Charles. Cath
crime, Mary. Elizabeth-through tn.
numbers from one up, like the houses
In street.
Merely a little fad Of ours" said Con-
way, pointing at the pictures Royal
folks they, but most Of 'em dead and
gone. Want to get used to their COM
pany. Nothing like habit to put one at
ease in loftiest station"
Hughes mixed another vigorous drink
for us. and soon afterward no.
that the royal pictures had doubled In
number, but ! wol d not allow the cir
cumstances to divert my attention just
then from the matter in hand. They
produced cigars, and we began to
smoke. The others looked toward
Mortimer as if he were to be spokes-
man, and the American took his time.
He blew up rings of smoke and watched
them until they dissipated themselves
against the ceiling. Presently he asked
me if would give my sacred word Of
honor as gentleman to keep secret all
that he might say to me. I assured
him would. He began to blow up the
rings Of smoke again, and l would
have grown impatient, but l was con-
vinced that Charles l of England and
Catherine the Great of Russia were
trying to firt with each other from
wall to wall, and my eyes would rest
upon them.
Noulu you lIhC W UC u hiuS hOl
timer suddenly asked me.
Il don't know" l replied, sur
prised at his question. "Give me time
to think about it,"
was looking just then at Charles
and remembered his fate. felt Of my
head doubtfully.
at doesn't matter" said Mortimer
briefly, ''for we don't mean for you to
have a throne. Conway already has a
double mortgage on that place. But If
you stood by US like hero we might
make you a prince"
"Or duke at any rate" said Hughes.
"You know Pm to be prince"
l thought Hughes was becoming a
little jealous Of me, and l determined
to give him more cause.
"If / can't be a prince" l said, 81
won't be anything. If I'm to join your
party, won't be the lowest in rank"
"Don'tquarrelover questions Of prec-
edence," said Conway. ITS bad
form. Both Of you shall be princes as
sure as I'm to sit on throne"
He spoke with great emphasis, and
Charles l seemed to wink at me from
the wall. asked again to be initiated,
for as yet l had merely the vaguest
sort Of notion Of their plans.
Its short and sweet" said Conway.
81 mean to be king of Hawaii, Nor
timers to be prime minister, and
Hughes is to be commander in chief Of
the army. All arranged. We're tired
of being commoners and propose to cut
the old life double quick"
"And pretty little kingdom it will
be, and not so very little either" said
Mortimer-"as big as Massachusetts or
Wales and nearly as big as Holland or
Belgium, quite enough for a small
crowd Of good fellows. Is there any
particular place that you want?"
l had several things in mind, but
thought it best not to be too hasty, as
Charles l, with the prOdigious ruffieS
around his throat. continually bobbed
up before me.
81 can wait bit on that" l said.
But you seem to dispose Of the whole
thing in easy fashion. How are you to
become king, Mr.. Conway"
"By the easiest and most gentleman
ly Of all devices-by marriage" said
Mortimer, speaking for Conway. "Cpn-
way is handsome fellow, with dignity
and grace. Don't blush, Conway. It's
true, and I merely mention it in order
toexplain myself. Though commoner
in England. he has the royal blood Of
the Normans in his veins, and no one is
more fit to be king. The queen Of
Hawaii has no children. The heir to
the throne is a very young girl going to
school in Germany. Conway will 60
over there, marry her and become
king, and we will be the chief props Of
his throne. 1t will all be peaceful.
There will be no revolution. Could
there be a finer plot for crown"
"The plots all right" said, "but Pm
not so sure Of the execution"
1--WE haven't a doubt" replied Nor
timer. Its by great deeds that men
become great. We've arranged all, and
1t can't possibly go wrong, can it,