Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1914-02-21
copyright. 1918. by W. c. Chapman


shall dispose of Leopold, for the nonce,
in the cjsteru at the back OF his bed
room. Yes. ! looked over the ground
last night after left you The Tran
-yIyauIan plumbing arrangements are
primitive
Then from pocket he pulled a
square. red beard and put II on.
glanced at the picture; the resem-
blauce was amazing. And now knew
that nothing | could say or do would
restrain my companion from his
prank So I fell in with it perforce.
Now here's the plan, Summers" he
-afa. when he had gained my reluc-
tant acguiescence. At the palace
have already established my status as
ri detective. sent by the king OF Hoch
Harm-ra4t who is LeOpold's brother,
TO look after his interests You know
j was one. a more or less important
parsonage at the petty European
courts. and these roles come very
easy fo nae. Besides I knew the kings
Handwriting. and Leopold recognized
... signature on my credentials, or
Thought he did tie is desperately
nervous and afraid of assassination to-
morrow. So l have arranged TO take
up my station tonight, with my conf
dental assistant. at his bedroom door,
while in an ante-room, there will be
stationed six Transylvauian officers
and six OF his Germans, whose mutual
hatred may be reckoned on TO prevent
any conspiracy against him and. Incl
dentally. to divert attention from US.
Now then:
AT o'clock in the morning we
enter to robe him-he won't trust his
own people for that. he's so afraid of
a pouiard thrust At the heralds ar
rive at the palace with his coach. At
10 We reach the cathedral At II the
gorgeous, million-and-a-half dollar
crown is placed on Leopolds head
lie throws off his black robe, appears
i'm an his glory, and marches down the
aisle behind his guards and gets into
his coach, to drive back TO the palace
amid the cries of a mob thirstiug for
MS blood. summers an lHl7 WINE
Leopold, bound and gagged. VIII be
balancing himself ON up-Joe I'D the CTS
tern at the back 90 his bedroom 10
keep his head above the water. I shall
march down the aisle Win my crown
on-buJ ] shall not drive 10 the pal
ace. overcome Win terror SuaH al
dress the mob. plead lof my He, aDal-
cate, and drive To the railroad station
to take train for Vienna. They j see
that / get into the train. But IN the
excitement they won't be thinking OF
the crown. mat "Nl go INTO pocket
which l have had specially construct
ed IN me most Foldmlnous porioA Oh
my royal robes, winch were made Tor
me III Vienna
SaSpou with amazemeuJ ire man
detailed tins scheme as though he
were piahhHS some simple detaA OF
business. And the plan was perfect
down TO every detail None knew the
KING. only the unexpected could pre-
vent success. And Nlkolal had
planned II all IN Vienna, before he
even spoke 10 me or pennsylvania!
Let me mere lnterpose TO say that
not even Nlkolal mind could nave
imagined the denouement which trus-
trated h1m
Shortly before midnight we were
installed IN the princes ante-room.
NlkoIal was in the complete attire
which Leopold was to wear on the
morrow, concealed beneath long
oVercoat. In his pocket was the red
beard. We found the six Germans and
SIX IransyiYanians scowiing at one an
other from opposite sides of the room.
Beyond, behind closed door, Leopold
was sleeping, dreaming OF his king
snip.
The officers, who had been instruct
ed as to our advent, saluted us briefly
and would nave paid no further atten-
hon TO US, but Nlkoial, who seemed
10 speak every language perfectly, at
once launched hto a panegyric OF
Leopold 5 Efrtues. tie spoke In Ger
man, which the Transylvanians did
not understand. Ihey could perceive,
however, the drlft OF MS speech, and
their scoWls grew deadly. II looks
could nave devoured, Nlkola would
nave disappeared. The Germans be-
came more and more enthusiastic,
and, welcoming Nikolai as a brother,
n L