The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1912-02-01

"Will your majesty deign to ride this
a~fternoon?"
And suddenly the car looked up.
Who art thou?" he asked in excel
lent English.
Your physician, sir" I answered.
At these words he fell to trembling
violently.
." will not ride" he cried. 1T is a
plot to murder me. I have no physi-
clan. He is an assassin. Help met"
The fiunkies fell back and the blue
lined sedan chair began to bob up and
down dismally in their midst. 1 saw
soldiers without crane their heads
forward to peer into the apartment.
Then a little man came limping in and,
catching sight of me, cried in an affect.
ed voice:
Nicolas! Nicolas. mon souveraine!
GU est-ce qu' on fait, done, avec ce
monsieur-ci?" ("What is this man do
ing here?") 1t was Philippe, the char
latan. "Seize him." he cried In Rus
sian. I understood ~instinctively. Il
am his doctor!" l shouted in German.
But without regarding M cries the
funkies rushed at me and seized me;
for several moments the cars cham
Der was a confused medley of shouts
and scuffling; then l was outside,
trussed and pinioned and helpless.
From within I heard the cars shrill
tones in German:
Il will not ride. l will not ride. I
dreamed that you had put an assassin
in the coach with me-"
Suddenly the outer door was flung
open violently, and a big, blackboard
ed man flew into the room as though
propelled from a c%atapult and, with a
succession of running leaps, dashed
into the presence Of the car, heaving
the attendant servitors aside like nine
pins. 1t was the Grand Duke Alexis.
Following him, all a-glitter with orders,
came a man in uniform whom 1 rightly
surmised to be General Kaulbars. The
general stopped to regard Ile as I lay
PROSTATE upon the floor. But inside l
heard the grand duke roaring at his
sovereign in his strong bass.
What the DEVILS this?" he cried, in
English. won't drive, Nick? l say
you shall drive. It's good for you to
drive. You shall drive to hell If l
command it. Curse you. Nick, are you
going to make me lose my temper?"
The car must have sprung at him,
for a violent fight followed. Somebody
shut the door of the apartment with a
bang. l heard a table overturned and
the cars voice shouting shrilly in
Russian. The guards sprang forward,
threateningly, but Kaulbars, standing
over me, shouted to them in v~olleying
Russian. Sullenly they withdrew. And
all at once the door opened and the
sedan chair came out. Inside, the car
lay, trussed and bound and gagged,
only his eyes shining with futile malev.
olence. Inc grand duke followed,
flushed but smiling.
Il said thou shouldst ride, Nicholas -
he cried. "Take him to his carriage,
Philippe" he added, as the dapper
~Frenchman came mincing out. He saw
me and stopped, while the cortege
went on through the apartment
and along the corridor. Who the devil
is this?" he demanded.
"Just what l wished to know" said
Kaulbars. Speak up, fellow" he con-
tinued in English.
II am his majesty's physician" I an
swered boldly. why, these soldiers
saw me enter in his company" M
Kaulbars translated and the soldiers
! apparently confirmed my statement.
Then why are you not with his ma
iesty?" the grand duke demanded.
Because in his fit of madness he
refused to drive, and told his fnnkies
to seize me-or it was Phil-that little
Frenchman," I cried angrily. Il tried
to make him drive-as you did"
But I succeeded" said the grand
duke, motioning to the men to unite
me. When I had regained my feet he
continued amiably: ..
Herr Doctor, is it still your desire
that his majesty go driving?"
1T u.s." I answered.
Then, If I release you, you will
doubtless gladly ride after his coach
and see that he does not take too much
air?" he asked.
Besides" said Kauibars, Though
the equery who attends him has orders
to unbind him should the violence sub
side, he may fear to lay hands upon
his sovereign. Will you not accept ten
thousand apologies, Herr Doctor, and
ride after your illustrious patient?"
"And see that he returns before the
night air chills him." added the grand
duke.
Would I? Let me but set yes upon
the cars coach and l would warrant
that the autocrat should not return be-
fore the following evening. Rather
would l urge on the horses into the
depths of the forest of Finland. For,
should he return, in his condition of
mind, l knew well that he would be
completely docile toward the grand
duke, and that Germany would triumph
thereby.