Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-08-29

I u &<@Vfy ley ner father and the
~ ambassador talked 20 the
IN Il accompaniment or the
( N\ shower that drove IN
+ great sheets against the house Shir-
i ley was wholly uncomfortable over the
+ turn OF affairs. The am bassador would
not leave until the storm abated. and
meanwhile Armitage must remain
/ where he was. II by any chance be
1 should be discovered in the house. no
ordinary excuses would explain away
his presence. and as she pondered the
matter u was Armitage's plight. his
Injuries and the dangers that beset
him, that was uppermost in her mind
The embarrassment that lay in tho ar
fair for herself n Arrnitage should be
. found concealed in the house troubled
her little. Her heart beat wildly as She
realized this. and the look I'm hls eyes
and the quick pain that twitched his
( face at the door haunted her.
The two men were talking OF the
new order OF things in Vienna.
The trouble is" said the ambassa-
f dor, that Austria Hungary IS not
nation, but what Metternich called
/ italy-a geographical expression. Where
there are SO many loose ends strong
. grasp IS necessary 20 hold them To-
gether"
And a weak hand" suggested judge
Claiborne. might easily lose OF scat
ter them"
: Precisely. And n man OK character
and spirit could topple down the card
house tomorrow, pick out what ne liked
aRd create FOR himself a new ediace-
and stronger one. I speak frankly
Van Stroebcl is out OF the way. the
new omperor-king ls a weakllng. and II
be should die tonight or tomorrow
The ambassador lifted his hands ana
snapped his fingers.
Yes. After him, whatTr
After him his scoundrelly cousin
Francis, and then a stronger than Won
Sroebel might easily fail 70 hold tho
disjecta membra OF the empire to
cetler."
But there arc shadows on tho
screen" remarked Judge Claiborne.
. There was Kari, the mad prince"
"Humph! There was some red blood
In him, but he was impossible. He
had a taint OF democracy. treason. re-
beulou."
Judge Claiborne laughed
Il don't Ike the combination OF
terms. II treason and rebellion are
. synonyms OF democracy, we Americans
/ are In danger"
mo; you are mirscle-thst IS the
only explanation replied Marhof.
But a man Ike Karl-what II ne
were 70 reappear in the world. A lit
tle democracy might solve your prob
lem"
'NO, thank God. he IS out OF the
wayl Ho was sane enough 20 take
himself or and die"
"BOt his ghost walks. Not a year
ago we heard OF him, and he had a
son who chose his fathers exile. What
} II Charles Louis, who IS without heirs.
should die and Karl or his SOM
In the providence OF God they are
dead Impostors gain little brief no
toriey 10y pretending 20 be the lost
Karl or his son Frederick Augustus.
I bat Won Stroebel satisfied himself that
Kari was dead. 1 am quite sure OF IL.
/ YOU know dear Stroobel had a genius
i for gaining information"
/ Il have heard as much" and Shirley
and the baron smiled az Judge Clai-
T borne's tone.
The storm was diminishing, and Shlr-
ley grew more tranquil. Soon tho am
bassador would leave and she would
+ send Armitage away, but the mention
( OF StrOebel's name rang oddly IN her
ears. aud the curious way In which
Arrrn -
into her life awoke new and anxious
questions.
Count Won Suoebel was not dem
ocrat, az any rate" she said He be-
isved IN the divine right and all that"
$50 do I, Miss Claiborne. It's all
, we've got 20 stand on"
But suppose n democratic prince
were 70 fall heir TO one OF the Euro
: pean thrones, insist on giving his crown
TO the poor and taking his oath in a
frock coat upsetting the old order en-
tirely'-
HE would be fool. and the people
would drag him to the block In
week" declared the baron vigorously.
They pursued the subject IN lighter
vein few minutes longer; then the
baron rose. Judge Claiborne summon
ed the waiting carriage from the sta
bic, and the baron drove home.
Il ought to work for an hour on that
Danish claims matter" remarked the
Judge. glancing toward his curtaIned
den.
''You VIII do nothing OF the kind.
Night work Is not permitted in the val
ley"
Thank you. hoped you would say
that, Shirley. / believe I am tired.
and now II you Will find a magazine
for me I'll go 10 bed Ring for Thorn
as to close the house."
Il have few notes to write They'll
| take only minute. and III write them
here"
She heard her fathers door close, lis
tened 10 be quite sure that the house
was quiet and threw back the curtains.
Armitage stepped out into the library.
You must gol You must goP' she
whispered with deem tensitv