Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1912-01-12

u0ou, pul, weary Vi rullng, wishing to
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cretly withdrawn to the monastery of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 time among the silent Trap
plst monks? What if she were shown
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 bidding?"
She might I answered.
She would" the king answered. eft
! is the only way and, my dear Adams,
since none can 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
| | rose. II will do this, sir" I an
| swered. TT is better that one woman
| should be deceived than that Europe
should be plunged into a frightful
! war"
IT congratulate you upon your de-
cision," said his majesty heartily.
Can you start immediately"
"By the night boat from Harwich,' %
I answered.
Nevertheless, I 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 filed me with dis
| 5uotS SOI l. SOuA0 hOG buC 1CNO3AAAO
that, as on 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 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 I walked straight
| to the palace and presented my Gre
| dentials I found NJ. 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.
Il know your plan," he said. II
| 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. 1t
| is in very truth 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 I should only be pre-
cipitating the war that all anticipate"
"And the populace?" I asked.
Devoted to her, of course. The
| natural romantic tendency of the
mob" He smiled bitterly as he spoke
Tomorrow at noon I have reason to
%10 fcnr
| march to the palace and acclaim her
regent for her little son. | 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, went out to investigate. 1t 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
CGnU1ng anu UGSCSAOAAS NAAS Aa0SAAA
cent staircase were men in the blue
and gold uniforms of the Baroness
Vaughan, wearing broad sashes or
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 / was musing, wondering how
I should pass the guards, an unexpect-
ed incident occurred. / saw a hand
some woman 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!" / heard her cry 1t IS
useless. useless. They have hearts OF
stone. of beasts, not men.
III II Chn