The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-06-09
CHAPTER xxl-continued.

1t was noon before the workers saw
him again. They came out of the dark
hull for a cold luncheon, and were
joined by the emperor, WHO sat silent
ly through the meal. Again they re-
sumed work, and this time 1t was
dusk when they emerged. There be-
fore them was a camp fire, and stu
diously broiling trout, caught with and
prepared by his own hands, was the
kaiser. On huge pieces of birch bark
before the Goals he had spread his
catch, and with boys jubilation
laughed at their surprise. His
national philosophy had conquered.
and the sovereign had become dem
ocrat in truth. As boy he recounted
his adventures of the day, and as a
tired boy he went to rest. The next
day was given up to the rife. and
hunting such as he had never dreamed
OF having was before him. Indeed. he
had turned camp hunter, and with
success. So ended the second day, and
SO passed many others.
And each day brought him nearer to
those round him, each night brought
him better rest, and every hour added
to the broadening of his serenity. He
was now merely a man among men,
playing his part in his own way. en-
joying it. and finding the worries Of
empire dropping away in this spot
where all his crown of rulership
availed him nothing. What was the
need to fret when his hands were
tied? Why not dismiss it all from
his mind? The great federation would
pass on and on long after his bones
had gone to dust. Here in these Ca
madam woods, which he had never
dared hope to invade. was life such as
he had dreamed of, freedom such as
all formality. Here were men who
were learning to love him for himself,
and for whom he was forming an at
lection that would last him to the end
Strange as it seemed, the cloud
which had disturbed him on the night
of the accident had taken another
form. Then 1t had been because he
was to be detained for an indefinite
time. Now 1t was because the deten-
ton was to be 50 short, and he saw
with regret that the time for his de-
parture was nearly at hand. He fore
saw the reluctance with which he
would enter that craft of the air and
hear its metal door close him in for |
homeward fight, but as a prison door
shutting him out forever from the for
ests and hills. the pools and brooks.
which he had learned to love- Only
now and then, as he tramped beside |
some stream or followed some game
trail cut through the fallen leaves by
countless caribou, he would smile iron /
ically at the amazement and alarm |
which must have been caused by his |
absence, not only in his own empire, |
but in the United States where were |
those who had caused his disappear |
ance.
And in both surmises he was cor. |
rect; but the distress In the American |
republic was perhaps the most keen.
Not since the beginning of hostilities |
had the president. and his associates |
suffered such grave apprehensions as
when 1t became known to a certainty
that Brockton's endeavor had met |
with accident or disaster.
On the first day when the expedition
failed to return from its voyage Of |
no undue alarm was &C.
it being considered entirely
possible that 1t had been compelled to
return directly to the key to avoid
Another "a hours of
silence caused comment; but again 1t
was regarded as tepable that q barrier
in the first quest had required q Sec
ond trip. The third day passed with
anxious expectations but no news.
The fourth. however. was a memoir
able one: for then 1t became known to
the entire civilized world that the
heads Of a nation had been abducted,
and the situation in Washington grew
almost unbearable.
In response to an urgent message to
the plant. ''Old Bill Roberts, Norma,
and Bevins appeared on the fifth
night, utilizing the new radioplane for
their visit. The gravity of the con-
which followed was intense;
but the faith of the inventor in his