Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1908-04-23

rev hours ago..
even then I knew that when the
real test should be applied your maj
esty's cool head would triumph over
the hot impulse of youth But, see,
we're passing through the village Of
Inseleden, fast asleep already, every
window dark. In six or seven minutes
at this speed we shall be at the lodge.
The emperor laughed shortly add
another seven minutes to your first
seven and we shall be out Of the lodge
again, with Chancellor Won Breitstein
sadder and a wiser man than he
went in"
Weakness was once more the part
for the old man to play. and. raising
his hands, palm upward, in a gesture
of generous indulgence for his young
sovereign, he denied himself the pleas
ure of retort
The hunting lodge in the wood, now
the property of the chancellor's ac-
commodating young friend had until
recently belonged to a Rhaetian semi
royal prince who had been compelled
by lack of sympathy among his cred
ltors to sell something and had prompt
ly sold the thing he cared for least.
The present owner was a keen sports
man and, though he came seldom to
the place, had spent a good deal of
money in repairing the quaint rustic
house.
Years had passed since the emperor
had done more than pass the lodge
gates, and now the outlines of the low
rambling structure looked strange to
him silhouetted against a spangled
sky. He was glad of this, for he had
spent some joyous days here as boy,
and he wished to separate the old i'm
pressions and the new.
Two tall chimneys stood up like the
pricked ears of some alert crouching
animal The path to the lodge cleaned
white and straight in the darkness as
parting In the rough black hair OF a
giant. The trees whispered gossip tc
each other in the wind, and it seemed
to Leopold that they were evil things
telling lies and slandering his love.
He hated them and their rustling,
which once he had loved; he hated
| the yellow eyes of the animal with the
pricked ears, glittering eyes which
were lighted windows; he hated the
young prince who owned the place,
and he would have hated the chan
cellor more than all had not the old
man limped as he walked up the path,
showing how heavy was the burden OF
his years as he had never shown it to
his emperor before.
The path led to a hooded entrance,
and, ascending the two stone steps, the
chancellor lifted the mailed glove
which did duty as a knocker. Twice
he brought 1t down on the oak panel
underneath, and the sound of metal
shifting against wood went echoing
through the house with an effect OF
emptiness and desolation.
Nobody came to answer the sum
mons, and Leopold smiled In the dark
| ness. He thought 1t likely that even
the prince was not at home. A prac-
teal joke had been played on the
| chancellor.
Again the mailed fist struck the pan
ell. An echo alone replied. Count voT
Breltstein began to be alarmed for tn
success of his plan. He thanked The
night which hid from the keen eyes c
the emperor-cypical now, no doubt
the telltale vein beating hard In hi:
| forehead.
Don't you think, chancellor. that
after all, you'd better try to take me
1 to some more probable as well as more
suitable place to look for Miss Now
bray?' he suggested, with a drawl in
tended to be as aggravatlng as it actu-
| ally was. There doesn't appear to be
any one about. Even the caretakers
are out counting perhaps"
"But listen, your majesty" said Won
| Breitstein when he knocked again.
Leopold dill listen and heard the ring
of a heel on a floor of stone or marble.