The Winslow mail., 1914-10-17


but he made his plans never.
theless with infinite cunning.
Ihey must get the bombs away. There
must be a couple of atomic hay lorries;
the bombs could be hidden under the
hay. Pestovitch went and came, in
structing trusty servants, planning
and replanning. The king and the ex-
king dined together. and the ex-king
talked very pleasantly of number Of
subjects. All the while at the back Of
King Ferdinand Charles mind fretted
the mystery of his vanished aeroplane.
There came no news Of it's capture
and no news of its success. At any
moment all that power at the back of
his visitor might crumble away and
vanish.
1t was past midnight when the king
in a cloak and slouch hat that might
equally have served small farmer or
any respectable middle class man. slip
ped out from an inconspicuous service
gate on the eastward side of his pal
ace into the thickly wooded gardens
thoI olOpCo Ill q Sci lSS VI GClIdC OOW Ii
to the town. Pestovitch and his guard
valet Peter, both wrapped about in a
similar disguise, came out among the
laurels that bordered the pathway and
joined him. 1t was clear warm
night, but the stars seemed unusually
little and remote because of the aero
planes, each trailing a searchlight, that
drove hither aud thither across the
blue. One great beam had seemed to
rest on the king for a moment as he
came out Of the palace, then instantly
and reassuringly it had swept away.
But while they were still in the palace
gardens another found them and look
ed at them.
''They see u.s." cried the king.
"They make nothing of us" said Pes
tovitch.
The king glanced up and met a calm
round eye of light that seemed to
wink at him aud vanish, leaving him
blinded.
The three men went on their way
Near the little gate in the garden rail
ings that Pestovitch had caused to be
unlocked, the king paused under the
shadow Of an lick and looked back at
the palace. 1t was very high and mar
row, twentieth century rendering of
mediaevalism, mediaevalism in steel
and bronze and sham stone and opaque
glass. Against the sky it splashed a
confusion of pinnacles. High up in
the eastward wing were the windows
Of the apartments Of the ex-king Eg
bert. One of them was brightly Lit
now, and against the light a little
black figure stood very still and looked
out upon the night.
The king snared.
"He little knows how we slip through
his fingers" said Pestovitch
And as he spoke they saw the ex
king stretch out his arms slowly like
one who yawns, knuckle his eyes and
turn inward-no doubt to his bed
Down through the ancient winding
back streets of his capital hurried the
king, and at an appointed corner a
shabby atomi automobile waited for
the three. 1t was hackney carriage
of the lowest grade, with dinted metal
panels and Debated cushions. The
driver was one of the ordinary drivers
Of the capital, but beside him sat the
young secretary of Pestovitch, who
knew the way to the farm where the
bombs were hidden.
The automobile made it's way through
the narrow streets of the old town
which were still lit and uneasy-for
the feet of airships overhead had kept
the cafes open and people abroad
over the great new bridge, and SO by
struggling outskirts to the country
And all through his capital the king,
who hoped to outdO Caesar, sat back
and was very still, and no one spoke
And as they got out into the dark
country they became aware of the
searchlights wandering over the coun
tryside like the uneasy ghosts of giants
The king sat forward and looked at
these fitting whitenesses, and every
now and then peered up to see the
flying ships overhead.
81 don't like them" said the king.
Presently one of these patches of
moonlight came to rest about them
and seemed to be following their au
tomobile. The king drew back.
1.-THE things are confoundedly noise
less" said the king. ITS like being
stalked by lean white cats"
He peered again. THAT fellow Is
watching u.s." he said.
And then suddenly he gave way to
panic. "Pestovitch," he said, clutch
ing his minister's arm, they are watch
ing US. I'm not going through with
this. They are watching US. I'm 60
ing back"
Pestovitch demonstrated. "Tell him
to go back" said the king, and tried
to open the window. For a few mo-
ments there was a grim struggle in
the automobile; a gripping Of wrists
and a blow. 81 can't go through with
it." repeated the king. Il can't go
through with it."
But they'll hang u.s." said Pesto
witch.