The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1914-01-10

o CLOCK Ill were BalHereu III luo
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, Il 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 a prank ended diff
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
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 a madwoman,
and suddenly, brushing him aside,
broke through the crowd, gained the
passage outside, and ran down the
corridor, sobbing violently. Paul
turned to Won Grobelaar.
81 think that is the last we shall see
of Mademoiselle." he said.
"Why?" asked the minister quickly.
The crowd had dispersed outside the
door, whittier they had been attracted
by the Princess Clothilde's behavior,
and they stared after her curiously.
The little princess was resentfully
complying with the admonitions of
the head nurse concerning retiring
time. Paul led Won Grobelaar to the
harpsichord and showed him the new
wire. ,
"I didn't understand" said Won
Grobelaar, looking at Paul with the
vague air of one absorbed in some
abstract cogitation. do you know"
he continued, that the sight Of her
little highness there made me feel
like an old fool? When l think how
many such princesses have grown up
to be men and women ="
4 beg your pardon" said Paul. Did
you notice that wire?"
81 - what which wire? Well,
what of it,"
II was here last night when the
palace was asleep"
Then, sir, you were grossly remiss
III yOul dulgs 1Ou ohOuAA hoNO AZ
NAMED in your room"
Possibly" answered Paul drily,
But the fact remains that that wire
runs out of the harpsichord and
through that statue and into my
room?"
What"
Won Grobelaar turned on him a face
yellow with fear. He tottered and
seemed about to fall.
81 didn't hear you, my friend. You
spoke about some wire?" Il,
"That wire," repeated Paul indul
gently, connects with the chiffoniel
in her majesty's -"
my Cod" yelled the minister, ant
he dashed for the door. Along thu
corridor he an, Paul h%urrying aftel
him. But, agile as he was, Paul coult
not catch the old minister until HI
came upon him at the door of his owl
apartment. Won Grobelaar did no
seem to notice him. With one SWEEP
of the hand he consigned the chit
2 fonier cover to tho floor, with Paul
hair-brushes, keys, collar-box and val
q ious small articles of baggage. HI
I pressed q thumb-nail to the polished
surface and tapped once. The We
neered top slid back, disclosing al
ivory button on which was printed
q in tiny type, Groningen.
q He stared at it and turned on Pan
a like a mailman.
1T is all gone!" he yelled. "Ho
land is Observation-Disclosures unde
the waves. That button connects wit
s the military defense works beside tn
dykes. A touch blows Hollands bu
e warks against the sea to pieces an
g submerges the land, with five millio
living men and women. The quee'
and I, alone of all Holland, kne'
d where the secret lay. That butte
Q was to be touched when Holland
y foes were at the gates of the Hague
n l knew they meant to blow up tn
n dykes, but never dreamed they knee
d the secret" He shook his fist in Paul
IL face. you have killed five millio
n men and women, murderer" b
screamed. You were not put here t
guard the Princess Juliana. You wer
n put here to prevent anyone enterin
IF and touching that button. / couldn
r. reveal the secret to you. l though
IL you would be true to your trust. Go
d almighty, they found the secret an
T. connected the wires below. And he
It majesty-Ah, God, / car almost hei