Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-05-22

WSll ASpl, uut tO luOoS lO WuOlu uc
 spoke at all Natcheff spoke openly.
 The kings life hung on a thread, which
 the least accident might break. With
 perfect quiet and tranquility he might
 live year, possibly two years. Any
 shock or overstrain would precipitate
 the end. Countess Ellenburg and her
 confidential friends knew this, the king
 knew it himself, and Lepage, his valet,
 knew it. There the possession of the
 secret stopped.
 The king was gay and courageous.
 Courage, at least, ha had never lacked.
 He seemed almost indifferent The best
 years were over, he said, and why not
 an end? An end swift, without pain.
 without waiting! There was much to
 be said for it. Lepage agreed with his
 master and told him so in his usual
 blunt fashion. They agreed together
 not to cry about it, and the king went
 fishing still. But the time w;s short.
 and he pushed on his one great idea
 with a zeal and an earnestness foreign
 to his earlier habit. He would see his
 son married or at least betrothed be- fore he died. He would see the great marriage in train. the marriage which
 was to establish forever the rank and prestige of the house of Stefanovitch. The Prince of Slavna must set forth on
 his travels, seeking a wife. The king even designated princess of most un- questionable exaltedness as the first object of his sons attentions or pur- suit. With an unusual peremptoriness and an unusual independence he sent Stenovics orders to communicate his wishes directly to the prince. Stenovics received the royal memorandum on the day on which Lieutenant Rastatz re- turned to Slavna with the fruits of his observation at volseni in his hand.
 At first sight the kings commands were totally at variance with the in terests of the Ellenburg coterie and with the progress of their great plan. They did not want the house of Stefano- witch strengthened and glorifed in the person of it's present heir apparent But the matter was more complicated than first glance showed. There were the guns to be considered as well and the gunners training at Volseni. These would be sources of strength and pres tige to the prince, not less valuable, more tangible, than even great match. And now the prince was on the spot. Send him on his travels, The time was short. When the short time ended he might be far away. Finally he might go and yet take nothing by his jour ney. The exalted princess would be hard to win. The kings family pride might defeat itself by making him pitch his hopes and his claims too high.
 On the whole, the matter was difi- cult The three chief conspirators showed their conviction of this in their characteristic ways. Countess Ellen burg became more pious than ever; General Stenovics more silent. at least more prone to restrict his conversation to grunts; Colonel Stafnitz more gay and interested in life. He, too, was fishing and in his favorite waters, and he had hopes of big rise.
 There was one contingency impossi- ble to overlook. In spite of his fathers orders the prince might refuse to go. A knowledge of the state of the kings health would afford him a very strong excuse, a suspicion of the plans of the coterie an overpowering motive. The king himself had foreseen the former danger and feared its effect on his dominant hopes. By his express com mand the prince was kept in ignorance. He had been amply treasured by Dr. Natchef. On the latter point the CO., terie had. they fiattered themselves, nothing to fear. On what ground. then, could the prince justify a refusal? Ills gunners? That would be unwarrant- able. The king would not accept the plea. Did Rastatz's report suggest any other ground for refusal? If 1t did 1t was one which to the kings mind would seem more unwsrrantable stin.
 There is no big game without it's risk: but after full consideration, Stenovics and Stafnitz decided that the kings wishes were in their interest and should be communicated to the prince without delay. They had more chances for them than against them. If their game had Its dangers-well, the time might be very short.
 Tn aara made a practice of shutting herself up in her private rooms for as much as two additional hours every day. She told the king that she sought a quiet time for meditation and prayer. King Alexis shrugged his shoulders. Medi- tatiOn wouldn't help matters. and. in face of pr. Natcheff-s diagnosis of the condition Of his heart. he must confess to a serious doubt even about prayer. He had outlived his love for the count ess. but to the end he found in her a source of whimsical amusement. divin- | ing If not her ambitions at least her understanding how these re- grets. when they became very acute. had to be met by an access of psety. they would be acute now in view of Natcheffs diagnosis. He 1. thanked her for her concern and bade !. Der by all means @ and pray.
 What was the stuf of her prayers- 1 the stuT behind the vords7 No doubt 1 she prayed for her husbands life. No ] doubt she prayed for her sons well be- l Ing very likely she even prayed that {. he might not be led into temptation or ! To do anthfng wrong bT her love for 1