Putnam patriot., 1910-10-14
GOOSE


 .rf of his shoulders.
 .Ah. this little world of ours, The mistakes and futile schemes We make upan itt,, The chancellor dailied with his quill pen. "It was q cynical move If fate that your majesty should see the goose girl first"
 .Enough~ cried the king vehement Iy. Let us have no more rerrospec- tion. if you please. Moreover, shall be obliged to you if you will summon at once the carriage which is to take us to the frontier The situation has been amicably and satisfactorily ex- plained. l see no reason why We should be detained any longer"
 Nor l." added Prince Ludwig. "I nm rather weary of these tatters. l should even like a bath"
 The three of them were immediately attracted by a singular noise in the corridor. The door swung in violently. crashing against the wall and shiver- ing into atoms the Venetian mirror The king. the prince and the chancellor were instantly upon their feet. The king clutched the back of his chair with a grip of iron. Gretchen? Her highness7 What was Gretchen doing here? An. could he have flown!
 The duke came in first. and be wait ed till the others were inside. Then he shut the door with lesser violence and rushed over to the chancellor.
 "Herbeck. you viliainr'
 The chancellor stared at the gypsy. at yon Arnsberg. at Grumbach.
 "Herbeck. you black scoundrelw cried the duke Gan you realize how difficult it is not 10 take you by the throat and strangie you here and new:''
 He is mad.' said Herbeck. braeing himself against the desk.
 "Yes. am mad. but it is the sane madness of a terribly wronged man. Come here. you gypsy,.' The duke seized Herbeck's hand and pressed it down fiercely on the desk. Look at that and tell me if It Is not the hand of Judas"
 ..That is the hand. highness," said the gypsy without hesitation.
 The duke flung the hand aside. As he did so something snapped in Her beck's brain. though at that instant he was not conscious of 1t.
 Tt was you-you. It was your hand that wrecked my iife-yours. An. Is there such villainy? Are such men born and do they live? My wife dead. my own heart broken, Arnsberg ruin- ed and disgraced. And these two chil- dren, which is mine? Villain. what have you to say? What was your pur- poser
 How many years. thought Herbeck. had he been preparing for this mo, nent? How long had he been steeling his heart against this very scene? Flu tile dream. He drew himself together with q supreme effort. He would face this hour as he had always planned to face it. Found out. He looked at his finger. touched 1t with an impersonal curiosity. He had forgotten all about such possibility. A little finger To have stopped the wheel of so great scheme. Irony.
 Your highness.. he said. his voice soft and strangely clear, T have been waiting for this hour. So I am found out, How little we know what God intends"
 You speak of God? You blaspheme"
 Bear with me for a space. I shall not hold you long"
 But why? What have l done to you that you should wreck all hold dear?'
 Herbeck fumbled with his collar. "1 have practically governed this country for sixteen years. In that time have made it prosperous and happy. l have given you a substantial treasury. have made you an army. have brought peace where you would have brought war. To my people God will witness that I have done my duty as l saw it. One day l fell the victim of a mad dream. And to think that l almost wont''
 And I?' said Hildegarde. her hands clinched and pressed against her bos- om. What have you done to me, who am innocent of any wrong? What have you done to mel"
 You. my child? I have wronged you greatest of all. The wrong nave done to you is irreparable. An, have not my arms hungered for the touch or you. my heart ached for the longing of you? To see you day after day. always humble before you. always glad to kiss the back of your hand. Have I not lived in hell. your high ness:" turning to the duke.
 What am !. and who am IF whis- pered Hildegarde, her heart almost ceasing to beat.
 'I am your fathers
 The Grand Duke of Ehrenstein be- held the chancellor with that phase ei astonishment which leaves the mino uncIouded. What project. what mind to conceive it. to perfect It down to so small detail as jewellers marx in the gold of the locket! And a httie finger to betray 1t. In a flash ne saw yividly alI this man had undergone day by day, unfaitering. unhesitanf. forgetting nothing. remembering every thing but the one insignificant Item which was to overthrow him.
 Prince Ludwig took o6 bis hat Her beck. you are a great politician
 No, prince replied Herbeck witn neffable sadness. Had been grest politician should have succeeded An. give this to my merit: self never en- tered into this dream It vas aii oone