Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1914-01-29

he had learned one thing during his
experiences with the League the most
trivial matters often prove the orig
ms of weightiest actions. He read
the piece through. note by note, and.
at the end, found himself entirely baf-
fled. The only effect of the change of
key was that it involved the occasion
al striking Of F sharp, which, in the
key of c would, of course, never be
played.
This suggested to Paul a new line
Of investigation. He bent over the
keyboard and examined the recurring
F sharps minutely. They were of
black ivory. Paul tapped them soft
ly forbearing to press them lest the
sound should bring someone into the
museum. They seemed exactly like
the other black notes as he ran his
eye upon the keyboard. One had a
small chip or erosion on its surface
toward the bottom Of the block 1t
might have been designed to give
some signal. But his reason revolted
at this pettifogging. 1t told him that
this was an ordinary piano, in no wise
different from others of that primitive
type; undoubtedly he was playing the
fool in the museum at midnight. He
rose to 60 to his apartment. Some
thing made him sit down again. Some
thing in him rose up in intense warn
ing. Something bright caught his at
tention. He gasped with excitement
The open string Of the instrument
when communicated with this par.
ticular note was not rusted, as were
the rest. but bright metallic, and new.
He ran his eye all over its shining sur
face. He followed its course under
the veneered casing. Then he saw
that 1t ran down on the other side of
the instrument and into the body Of
the Statue Of Justice.
In an instant Paul was at the base
of the statue, upon his hands and
knees. He saw that the wire ran
straight through the wood, and, spring
ing to his feet he commenced eau
tiously to Chamber up the wheel Of the
state carriage until, standing upon the
COdCIuldll UOA, lie COulu SEE DSlWctu
the ceiling and the statues upstretch-
ed finger. His suspicious were veri-
fed the wire ran into the ceiling i'm
mediately beneath the chiffonier in his
own room above.
If Paul had prayed to meet no one
upon that journey he prayed more
earnestly now on his return. Every
moment he expected to encounter Clo-
thilde upon the stairway. 1t seemed
incredible that fortune should have
permitted him to make his discovery
without arousing her suspicious. When
he reached his own apartment again
he was trembling so that he could
scarcely stand. and it was not until
he had reganed his self-control in
some measure that he was able to
make the rest of his examination. A
very short Investigation showed him
that the wire passed through the floor
and into the body of the chiffonier.
But there it apparently ended. Paul
pulled out every drawer, inspected
every inch Of the old piece Of furni-
ture with scrupulous care, In vain. At
last he was compelled to acknowl
edge himself defeated. The wire end
ed somewhere In the wood but unless
he could break the chiffonier into
minute pieces he could discover moth
ing further.
Morning dawned after what seemed
an eternity. Breakfast was served
to Paul in his room About ten o'clock
Won Grobelaar made his appearance
and invited Paul to accompany the
child princess and himself upon
morning stroll.
So the day wore away. At six
o'clock all were gathered in the
queens boudoir to await the expected
telephone message from the ambas-
sador at Berlin.
At six-thirty the telephone rang with
a sudden shrillness that started all
and set them upon their feet. From
his chair the old minister arose. He
walked slowly toward the instrument
slowly, not because he was the less
anxious but because he was the more
fearful. He listened; then, after a
moment, he hung up the receiver.
"MademoiselIe and Gentlemen" he
said, II have the honor to announce
to you her majesty has ratified the
treaty and left Berlin ten minutes ago,
accompanied by his royal highness the
prince consort,"
For a full half minute nobody spoke.
Then Clothilde came forward.
"Mynheer -" she began.
"Gentlemen," said Won Grobelaar,
Her royal highness intends to cele-
brate the joyful news by playing the
national anthem upon the harpsichord
of William of Orange"
They trooped down the grand stair
way, the Princess Juliana In the lead,
whooping exultantly as she raced
along.
There was not one wrong note. The
princess played with no bad execution
and her fingers instinctively felt for
and found each separate key And
what had begun as prank ended dif-
ferently, for the setting of the scene
wrought itself upon the imagination OF
all present, so that each eye was moist
even Won Grobelaar's, and at the
end he was swallowing hard. Paul
saw Clothilde turn her head away; he
touched her lightly upon the shoulder
and she started violently.
"You taught her all this yourself%
he asked.
She stared at him like madwoman,
and suddenly, brushing him aside
broke through the crowd, gained the
passage outside and ran down the
corridor, sobbing violently Paul
turped tn Won GrObelaar