The Owosso times., 1908-10-16


NS shower that drove in
great sheets against the house. Shir-
ley was wholly uncomfortable over the
turn Of affairs. The ambassador would
not leave until the storm abated, and
meanwhile Armitage must remain
where he was. II by any chance he
should be discovered In the house, no
ordinary excuses would explain away
his presence, and as she pondered the
matter 1t was Armitage's plight, his
injuries and the dangers that beset
him, that was uppermost in her mind.
The embarrassment that lay In the af-
fair for herself II Armitage should be
found concealed in the house troubled
her little. Her heart beat wildly as she
realized this, and the look in his 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-
dor, that Austria Hungary is not a
nation, but what Metternich called
ftaly-a geographical expression. Where
there are so many loose ends a strong
grasp is necessary to hold them to-
gether."
"And weak hand" suggested Judge
Claiborne, might easily lose or scat
ter them"
Precisely. And a man Of character
and spirit could topple down the card
house tomorrow, pick out what he liked
and create for himself a new edifice-
and a stronger one l speak frankly.
Van Stroebel is out of the way, the
new emperor-king is weakling, and If
Ire should die tonight or tomorrow
The ambassador lifted his hands and
snapped his fingers.
"Yes. After him, what?"
"IAfter him his scoundrelly cousin
Francis, and then a stronger than Won
Stroebel might easily fail to hold the
disjecta membra Of the empire to-
gether."
"But there are shadows on the
SCREEN" remarked Judge Claiborne.
'"There was Karl, the mad prince"
"Humph! There was some red blood
in him, but he was impossible. He
had taint Of democracy, treason, re-
bellion."
Judge Claiborne laughed.
81 don't like the combination Of
terms. If treason and rebellion are
synonyms Of democracy, we Americans
are in dangerP
mo; you are miracle-that is the
only explanation, replied Marhof.
"But man like Karl-what If he
were to reappear in the world! A lit
tie democracy might solve your prob
lem"
mo, thank God, he is out Of the
way! He was sane enough to take
himself off and die"
'But his ghost walks. Not q year
ago we heard of him, and he had a
son who chose his fathers exile. What
If 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
toriety by pretending to be the lost
Karl or his son Frederick Augustus,
but Won Stroebel satisfied himself that
Karl was dead. am quite sure of it.
You know dear Stroebel had a genius
for gaining information"
81 have heard as much" and Shirley
and the baron smiled at Judge Clai-
borne's tone.
The storm was diminishing, and Shir-
ley grew more tranquil. Soon the am
bassador would leave and she would
send Armitage away, but the mention
of Stroebel's name rang oddly in her
ears, and the curious way in which
Armitage and Chauvenet had come
into her life awoke new and anxious
questions.
Count Won Stroebel was not a DEM
ocrat, at any rate" she said. "He be-
lieved in the divine right and all that"
$50 do /, Miss Claiborne. It's all
we've got to stand on"
but suppose democratic prince
were to 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 a few minutes longer; then the
baron rose. Judge Claiborne summon
ed the waiting carriage from the sta
BILE, and the baron drove home.
II ought to work for an hour on that
Danish claims natter" remarked the
Judge, glancing toward his curtained
den.
"You will 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 IL you will find a magazine
Tor me I'll go to bed. Ring for Thom-
as to close the house."
II have o few notes to write. They'll