Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1907-06-07

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with a sudden indisposition which
made it impossible for him to come to
the station, but he craved leave to
await his majesty at the cathedral. l
expressed. my concern, accepted the
marshafs excuses very suavely and
received the compliments of large
number of distinguished personages.
No one betrayed the least suspicion,
and felt my nerve returning and the
agitated beating of my heart subsid-
ing. But Fritz was still pale, and his
hand shook like a leaf as he extended
1t to the marshal.
Presently we formed procession and
took our way to the door of the station.
Here mounted my horse, the marshal
holding my stirrup. The civil dignita-
ries went off to their carriages, and
started to ride through the streets
with the marshal on my right and
Sapt. who, as my chief aid-de-camp,
was entitled to the place on my left, The
city of Strelsau is partly old and partly
new. Spacious modern boulevards and
residential quarters surround and en-
brace the narrow, tortuous and pictur-
esoue streets of the original town. In
the outer circles the upper classes live,
in the inner the shops are situated, and
behind their prosperous fronts lie hid
den populous but wretched lanes and
alleys filed with poverty stricken,
turbulent and Gin large measure) GRIM
inal class. These social and local divi-
sions correspondent, as knew from
Sapts information, to another division
more important to ME. The new town
was for the king, but to the old town
Michael of Strelsau was hope, a
hero and darling.
The scene was very brilliant as we
passed along the Grand boulevard and
on to the great square where the royal
palace stood. Here was in the midst
of my devoted adherents. Every house
was hung with red and bedecked with
flags and notices. The streets were
lined with raised seats on each side,
and 1 passed along, bowling this way
and that, under shower OF cheers.
blessings and waving handkerchiefs.
The balconies were full of gayly dress
ed ladies, who clapped their hands and
curtsied and throw their brightest
glances at me. A torrent of red roses
fell on me. One bloom lodged In my
horses name, and l took 1t and stuck
it in my coat. The marshal smiled
grimly. / had stolen some glances at
his face, but he was too impassiye to
show me whether his sympathies were
with me or not.
"The red rose for the Elphbergs,
MARSHAL" said 1 gayly, and he nodded.
1 have written "gayly," and strange
word it must seem. But the. truth Is
That was drunk with excitement. AT
that moment 1 belieyed-I almost be-
lieved-that l was in very truth the
king, and with look Of laughing tri-
umph / raised my eyes to the beauty
laden balconies, and then / started.
For, looking down on me, with her
handsome face and proud smile, was
the lady who had been my fellow
traveller, Antoinette de Mauban, and l
saw Ter also start, and her lips moved,
and she leaned forward and gazed at
me. And 1, collecting myself, met her
eyes full and square, while again felt
my revolver. Suppose she had cried
aloud, "Thats not the king"
Well, we went by, and then the mar
shall. turning round in his saddle,
waved his hand, and the cuirassiers
closed round us, SO that the crowd
could not come near me. We were
leaving my quarters and entering
Duke Michaeps, and this action of the
marshars showed me more clearly
than words what the state of feeling
in the town must be. But If Fate
made me a king the least I could do
was to play the part handsomely.
"Why this change in our order, mar
shalY' said /.
The marshal bit his white mustache.
1T is more prudent, SIRE" he MUIR
INJURED.
I drew rein.
"Let those in front ride on" said I,
'till they are fifty yards ahead. But
do you, marshal, and Colonel Sapt ana
my friends wait here till have ridden
fifty yards. And see that no one Is
nearer to me. l will have my people
see that their king trusts them"
Sapt laid his hand on my arm.
shook him off. The marshal hesitated.
"Am 1 not UNDERSTOOD" said |, and,
biting his mustache again, he gave the
orders. I saw old Sapt smiling into his
beard, but he shook his head at me. Ii
I had been killed in open day in the
streets of Strelsau Sapt's position
would have been difficult one.
Perhaps l ought to say that was
dressed all in white, except my boots.
wore a silver helmet with gilt Orna-
ments, and the broad ribbon of the
Rose looked well across my chest. l
should be paying poor compliment to
the king If did not set modesty aside
and admit that l made very fine fig-
ure. So the people thought, for, when
I, riding alone, entered the dingy,
sparsely decorated, somber streets of
the old town there was first murmur,
then a cheer and q woman, from
window above a cookshop, cried the
old local saying:
IF he's red, he's rigbtp' Whereat /
laughed and took off my helmet that
she might see that 1 was Of the right
color, and they cheered me again at
that.
1t was m9re interesting riding thus
alone, for heard the comments Of the
crowd.