Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-05-23

for calling young Count Alexis prince" | The kings brief. sharp words at the conference had been elaborated into a l reproof both longer and sterner than his majesty was wont to trouble him self to administer. He had been very strong on the utter folly of pu>ting such ideas into the boys head. Lepage was pretty clear that the idea had come from the boys head into his, but he said nothing more of that. The boy himself scolded Lepage, first for hav- ing been overheard, Gecond, and, as Le- | page guessed. after being scolded him. self very roundly, for usipg the offend ing title at all. Weekly Lepage bore this cross also indeed, with some amusement and certain touch of pity for young Alexis, who was not a prince and obviously could not make out why. In the books a kings sons were always princes. even though there were, as in 'those glorious days there often were, fifty or threescore of them.
 Then Countess Ellenburg scolded l him. The kings "It's absurdr' was ranking sorely in her mind. Her scold- ing was in her heaviest manner, very religious. She called Heaven to wit ness that never by word or deed had she done anything to give her boy such a notion. The days are gone by when Heaven makes overt present answer. Nothing happened. She roundly charg- ed Lepage with fostering the idea for his own purposes. He wanted t0 set the Prince of Slavna against his little brother, she supposed, and to curry fa' vor with the rising sun at the poor child's cost.
 She was very effective, but she an. gered Lepage almost beyond endur. ance. By disposition he was thorough. ly good natured if sardonic and impas- sive. He could not suffer the accusa. tion of having injured the pretty boy for his own ends. It was both odious and absurd. He snapped back smartly at her, T hope nobody will do more to put wrong ideas in his head than have done, Mime. la Comtesse." In a fury she drove him from the room, but she had started ever so slightly. Le. pages alert brain jumped at the sig. nal.
 Finally Stenovics himself had lee. ture for poor, much lectured Lepage. It was one of the miscalculations to which an overcautious cunning is prone. Stenovics was gentle and con. siderate. but be was very urgent-urg. ent above all that nothing should be said about the episode, neither about il nor about the other reprimands, Si. lence, silence, silence was his burden Lepage thought more and more. It is better to put up with gossip than to give the idea that the least gossip would be a serious offense. People EOS. sip without thinking. It's easy come and gone, easy speaking and easy for getting. but stringent injunctions moi to talk are apt to make men think References to the rising sun also may breed reflection in the satellites of a setting orb. Neither Countess Ellen burg nor General Stenovics had been as well advised as usual in this essen. tially trumpery matter.
 In short, nervousness had been be- trayed. Whence came it? What did Il mean? If 1t meant anything, could Le' page turn that thing to account? The kings favorite attendant was no favor ite with Countess Ellenburg. For Le page, too, the time might be very short! He would not injure the boy. as the angry mother had believed, or al least suggested, but, without question of that. there was no harm in mans looking out for himself, or if there were I.epage was clear in mixing that 1t preachers of such a highly exactinl gospel. E.. , Lepage concluded that he had some thing to sell. His wares were a sus picion and fact. Selling the suspicion wronged nobody. He would give nc warranty with it-caveat emptor. Sell , ing the fact was disobedience to the ] king, his master. "Disobedience, yes injury, mo-" said Lepage. with bit oi casuistry. Besides. the king, too. had scolded him.
 Moreover, the Prince of Slavna had always treated NJ. Emile Lepage witf distinguished consideration. The Bour bon blood. no doubt. stretched ou hands to la belle France in M. Lepage': person.
 Something to sell! Who was his buy CT? Whose interest could be won by his suspicion. whose friendship bough with his faetl The ultimate buyer wal ] plain enough. but Lepage could not g to Praslok. and he did not aI rove oI correspondence, especially wi Colone Stafnitz in practical controI of tn, household. He sought a So-betweer and a personal interview. At least hs could take a walk. The servants wer, not prisoners Even conspirators mus stop somewhere on pain of doing theil own cooking and the rest. At quarter past 8 in the evening. having given tn. ! king his dinner and made him comfort able for the next two hours, Lepage sal ] lied forth and took the road to Slavna , He was very carefully dressed. wore [ flower in his buttonhole and had drop ped a discreet hint about lady in con versation with his peers. If ladies of ten demand excuses they may furnish them too. Present seriousness invoked aid from bygone frivolity.
 At 10 o'clock he returned. still mos spruce and orderly and with a well sat