Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1908-07-31

3 better not 10 mention III" word lIls
/ take I'm glad You ar" here. for now
/ yon can learn from me my Intentions
toward that lady"
Intentions, did YOU say, your males
! ~: | fear grow hard of hearing
AZ least You Will never grow slow
Of understanding ! GiI speak Of my
Intentions toward Mis~ Mowhray."
You would give the lady some mag
nidccnt estate, some splendid aclnowl-
! edgincnt''-
"Whethcr splendid or not would be
matter of opinion" laughed the en-
pcror Il shall offer her present Of
myself
The old man had been sitting with
his chin sunk into his short neck, peer
Ing out from under his brOws In way
he had, but he lifted his head sudden
ly. with look in his eyes like that Of
an animal who scents danger from an
unexpected quarter.
"Your majesty" he exclaimed, you
are your fathers son, you are Rhae-
tan. and your standard Of honor
Il bope to marry Miss Mowbray,"
Leopold cut him short
The chancellOr's jaw dropped, and he
grew pale. II had dreamed of nothing
as bad rs this" he blurted out, with
no thought or wish to sugar the truth.
II feared a young mans rashness. 1
dreaded scandal. But, forgive me. your
majesty. For you a morganatic mar
rtage would be Madness
"a morganatic marriage I did think
Of ut first but on second thoughts I
saw it would be ungrateful."
"Ah, yes, to the country which ex.
poets SO much Of you"
mo, to the woman who has the
right to all or nothing. will make her
empress of Rhaetia"
With a cry the chancellor sprang up.
His eyes glared like the eyes Of n bull
who receives the death stroke. His
working lips and the hollow sound in
his throat alarmed the emperor.
mo, your majesty, nor he painted.
But I say yes" Leopold answered.
and let no man give me ray. I've
thought 1t all out. I will make her q
countess first. Then she shall be made
my empress"
Your majesty, 1t is not possible"
Take care. chancellor"
"She has been deceiving you. She
has neither the birth. the position nor
the name she claims to have, and 1
can prove it."
you are mad. Won BreItstein," the
emperor flung at him. THAT can be
your only excuse for such words"
Il am not mad, but am old and
wise, your majesty. Today you have
made me feel that I am very old.
Punish me as you Will for my frank
ness. My work for you and yours Is
nearly done. Cheerfully will I sub
init to my dismissal If only this last
effort in your service may save the
ship Of state from wreck. would
not make an accusation which I could
not prove. And can prove that the
two English ladies who have been
staying at Schloss Lyndalberg are not
the persons they pretend to be-"
"Who has been lying to you?" cried
Leopold. who held between clinched
aands the temper he vowed not to lose
with this old man.
ITO me, no one. To your majesty, to
society IN Kronburg, two adventures
es have lied"
The emperor caught his breath. IF
Jon were a young man I would kill
~ for that" he said.
know you would. As 1t is. my
n Is yours. But before you take II.
~ Gods sake, for your fathers sake,
hear me Outv'
Leopold did not speak for moment,
hit stared at the vanishing landscape.
which he saw through a red haze
Very WELL" he said at last; II will
hear you, because fear nothing you
| can say"
when heard Of your-majesty's ad-
niration for a certain lady," the chan
eellor began quickly lest the emperor
should change his mind. II looked for
| her name and her mothers in Burke's
| Peerage. There I found Lady Now
bray, widow Of q dead bnron Of that
| ilk. mother Of son still a child and
of one daughter. young woman with
many names and twenty-eight years.
This surprised me, as the Miss
Mowbray l had seen at the birthday
ball looked no more than eighteen
and. l was told. confessed to twenty.
The Mowbrays. learned by little
further research IN Burke, were dis
family connected by marriage with the
family Of Baumenburg-D rippe This
seemed an odd coincidence In the cir
cumstances. But. acting as duty babe
me act, wired to two persons-Baron
Won Sark. your majesty's ambassador
to Great Britain. ard the crown prince
Of Hungada, the @brother Of Princess
Virginia"
what did,you'teaegraph asked the
emperor iciU.
Nothing compromising to'your maj
esty, you may well believe. l inquired
| OF AdalbeEt II he had English rela.
lions. Lady Mowsbray and daughter,
| Helen, travelling in Rhaetia, and beg
ged that II SO he would describe their
appearance by telegram. To Won Sark
said that particulars by wire concern
/
daughter, Helen, would put me under
| personal obligation. Both these mes.
sages sent or night before last. Yes
terday received Adalbert's answer
this morning Won Sark's. They are
here" And the chancellor tapped the
breast Of his gray coat "Will your
| majesty read them?'
| IF you wish." replied Leopold at his
haughtiest and coolest.
The old man unbuttoned his coat and
produced a coroneted pockethook, a
souvenir of friendship OIL his lAst birth.
daytfrom the emperor. Leopold saw II
and remembered, as the chancellor
hoped he would.
Here are the telegrains. your maj
esty," he said. "The frs one is from
the crown prince Of Hunsnria"
Have no idea where Lady Mowbray
! and daughter are travelling. NAV he