The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1912-01-11

retrieve his soul with his Maker and
do penance for his atrocities before
the end, he had secretly abdicated, Sc
cretly withdrawn to the monastery of
st. Anselm, near the sand dunes of
Ostend, where he frequently spent
days at a time among the silent Trap
pist monks? What if she were shown
a letter in his writing, bidding her fol-
low him there? Would she leave at
once, leave the palace, her son, his
claims, at her husbands b;dding?"
"She might" I answered.
"She would" the king answered. "It
is the only way and, my dear Adams,
since none a be trusted in the pal
ace at Brussels, the task has fallen
upon you. Here is the letter." He
handed it to me. "This is an alleged
communication from King Leopold to
the Baroness Vaughan, written from
the monastery of st. Anselm. It di.
reefs her to proceed there instantly,
states that he was smuggled thither
out of the palace, has abdicated, and
wishes to spend his last years with
her. Upon receipt of this she will
leave the palace, relinquishing her
claims, and before she can return the
gates will have been locked against
her and the Count of Flanders will sit
upon the Belgian throne"
I rose. Il will do this, sir" I an
swered. "It is better that one woman
should be deceived than that Europe
should be plunged into a frightful
war"
II congratulate you upon your de-
cision," said his majesty heartily.
Can you start Immediately"
"By the night boat from Harwich,"
I answered.
Nevertheless, l am free to confess
that it was the least pleasant of all
the missions which I had undertaken.
To play ones part among monarchs
and statesmen of Europe is one thing;
it is quite another to lie to and de-
ceive a woman, especially one who
has just left the bedside of her dying
husband. The cruel and heartless
scheme which had been %concocted op.
pressed me and filled me with dis
gust; yet I could not but recognize
that, as on a more historic occasion, it
was necessary that one should suffer
for the sake of the people.
My sole papers were the letter
which had been forged and a very
brief card of Identification, addressed
to M. Vanderpoel, the secretary of the
Count Of Flanders, or, as he was now
called, King Albert of Belgium. Upon
arriving at Brussels l walked straight
to the palace and presented my Gre
dentials. I found M. Vanderpoel to be
at his wits end. When we were in
stalled in his handsome apartments on
the ground floor he placed the situa-
ton before me.
IT know your plan," he said. IT
hope it will succeed. You are the only
person who can induce that woman to
leave. King Albert has refused to set
foot in the palace while she is here,
and she is in possession of the two
upper floors and all the right wing. It
is in very truth a house divided
against itself. Huysmans and Van
Keek, the Socialist leaders, are in and
out all day; the sentries refuse to
obey my orders; if I called in troops
to remove her l should only be pre-
cipitating the war that all anticipate"
"And the populace?" 1 asked.
Devoted to her, of course. The
natural romantic tendency of the
mob" He smiled bitterly as he spoke.
Tomorrow at moo I have reason to
know that half the garrison will
march to the palace and acclaim her
regent for her little son. L tell you,
Captain Adams, unles we can get her
away all will be lost"
Apartments had been assigned to
me on the ground floor, and. having
dined and changed my travelling at
tire, I went out to investigate. It was,
indeed, one of the most singular stu
atoms that I had ever encountered. |
The new kings authority, centered
entirely In that of M. Vanderpoel, was
actually confined to the left wing and |
center Of the ground floor. Here at |
tendants in brown and silver livery |
kept watch on all who entered or went
out. But on the right wing, and as
cending and descending the magnfh-
cent staircase we're men in the blue |
and gold uniforms of the Baroness
Vaughan, wearing broad sashes OF
black in memory of the departed mon
arch. Clearly the first thing to be
done was to obtain an interview with
the baroness and present my letter.
While I was musing, wondering how
I should pass the guards, an unexpect-
ed incident occurred. 1 saw a. hand
some in early middle life,
robed in intense black, descend the
staircase, sobbing spasmodically and
pressing a black-edged handkerchief
to her eyes. AS she passed down.
oblivious Of the sentries and attend
ants, who stood at the salute, a
younger woman ran down and at
tempted to induce her to return.
"Madame!" I heard her cry. 1T is
useless, useless. They have hearts of
stone, of beasts, not men,"
The woman In black shook herself
free and passed onward. Suddenly I
felt a hand pressed upon my .chest.
eft IA fnrhidSon IN nocc tho horr;or