Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-07-07

another bottle apiece
and We'll all be heroes" he cried. MAR.
kart. you go home to your mammal"
Though given in no friendly way,
this advice was wise beneath its meta
phor. But Markart did not at once
obey it. He had no more authority
than power to interfere. Mistitch was
his senior officer, and he had no spe.
cial orders to act, but he followed the
three in fascinated interest and with
the hope that very brief proof of his
freedom would content the captain.
Out from the barracks the three march
ed. The sentry at the gate presented
arms, but tried to bar their progress
With guffaw and mighty push Mis-.
itch sent him sprawling. "The com.
mandant wants us. you foolr' he cried
and the three were in the square.
What the devil will come of this
business?' thought Markart as he fol.
lowed them over the little bridge which
spanned the canal and thence to the
door of the Golden Lion. Behind them
still, he passed the seats on the pave
ment and entered the great saloon. As
Mistitch and his companions came in
three-fourths of the company sprang to
their feet and returned the salute OF
the newcomers. So strongly military
In composition was the company-of
ficers on one side Of six feet high
glass screen which cut the room in
two, sergeants and their interiors on
the other. A moments silence sue.
ceeded the salute. Then q young Off
Ger cried. 1.-THE king has interfered? ~
1t did not occur to anybody that the
commandant might have changed his
mind and reversed his decree. Fol
good or evil, they knew him too we'll t.
think of that.
1.-THE king interfered?" Mistitch echo.
ed in his sonorous, rolling, thick voice
mo. We've interfered ourselves and
walked out! Does any one object?"
He glared challenge around. There
were officers present of superior rank
They drank their beer or Wine discreet
~. The juniors broke into ringing
cheer. 1t was taken up and echoed
back from behind the glass screen. to
which hundred faces were in an In
slant glued, over which here and there
the head Of some soldier more than
common tall suddenly projected.
IA table here!' cried NIistitch "And
champagne! Quick! Sit down, my
boysv,
A strange silence followed the i'm
pulsive cheers. Men were thinking
Cheers first. thoughts afterward, was
the order in Slavna as in many Other
cities. Now they recognized the nature
of this thing, the Hateful change fron
sullen obedience to open defiance. Was
1t only a drunken frolic-or. besides
that. was it summons to each man tc
choose his side? Choosing his side
might well mean stalking his life. Mis-.
itch rose from his chair. glass in hand
Long life to the lingr' he shouted
That's loyal, isn't it? Aye, immortal
life!
The cheers broke out again, mingled
with laughter. A voice cried, lizard OIL
his heir, Captain Herculesm
aye" Mistitch roared back. Hard
as he is on us, my friend!"
Another burst of cheering, and again
that conscience sinitten silence.
Markart had found seat near the
door and good way from the redoubt
able Mistitch and his companions. He
looked at his watch. TWAS nearly 10
In half an hour General Stenovics
would be leaving the palace, and it was
meet that he should know of all this as
Soon as possible. Markart made up his
mind that he would slip away soon, but
still the interest of the scene, the fasci.
nation of this prelude-such it seemed
to him-held his steps bound.