The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1914-03-14
The Coronation
OF NikOLdi
An Audacious Hazard of NIkolai, Independent Agent, as
Related by His Lieutenant, Summers
BY H. M. EGBERT
tcopvrieht, 1918. By W. c. Chairman,
BY H. M. EGBERT

in a long, black gown to the ceremony,
and, at the precise moment ordained,
will cast 1t aside and reveal himself
in all the splendor of a king. BY the
way, here is a colored supplement of
him, to familiarize the people with
his face, Don't you think we should
be much alike If had a square red
beard like our beloved Leopold?'
1 glanced at the portrait, There was
indeed, a resemblance; had Nikolai
a beard 1t would have been striking.
And nobody knows him." said Mix
olaf, chuckling. He slapped his thigh,
as was his habit in moments of excite
ment. Summers" he said, Il am 60
ing to be crowned tomorrow. And we
shall dispose of Leopold, for the nonce,
in the cistern at the back of his bed
room. Yes, l looked over the ground
last night after l left you. The Tran
s%ylvanian plumbing arrangements are
primitive"
Then from a pocket he pulled a
square, red beard and put it on. l
glanced at the picture; the resem-
blance was amazing. And now knew
that nothing | could SAY or do would
restrain my companion from his
prank. So l fell in with it p~erforce.
Now here's the plan, Summers" he
said, when he had gained my reluc-
tant acQuiescence. AT the palace l
have already established my status as
a detective, sem by the king of Hoch
Darmstadt, who is Leopold's brother,
to look after his interests. You know
l was once a more or less important
parsonage at the petty European
courts, and these roles come very
easy to me. Besides, l knew the kings
handwriting, and Leopold recognized
the signature on my credentials, or
thought he did. He 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 Transylvanian officers
and six of his Germans, whose mutual
hatred nay be reckoned on to prevent
any conspiracy against him and, Incl.
| dentally, to divert attention from US.
Now then:
cat s 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 poniard thrust. At 9 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 Leopold's head.
He throws off his black robe, appears
in all 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 thirsting for
his blood. Summers, all this while,
Leopold, bound and gagged, will be
balancing himself on tip-toe in the els
tern at the back to his bedroom, to
keep his head above the water. l shall
march down the aisle with my crown
on-but l shall not drive to the pal
ace. Overcome with terror, l shall ad-
dress the mob, plead for my life, abdi-
cate, and drive to the railroad station
to take train for Vienna. They'll see
that l get into the train. But in the
excitement they won't be thinking of
the crown. That will go into a pocket
which I have had specially construct
ed in the most voluminous portion of
my royal robes, which were made for
me in Vienna"
l gasped with amazement. The man
detailed this scheme as though he
were planning some simple detail of
business. And the plan was perfect,
down to every detail. None knew the
king. Only the unexpected could pre-
vent success. And Nikolai had
planned it all in Vienna, before he
even spoke to me Of Pennsylvania!
Let me here interpose to say that
not even Nikolai's mind could have
imagined the denouement which frus-
trated him.
Shortly before midnight we were
installed in the princes ante-room.
Nikolai was in the complete attire
which Leopold was to wear on the
morrow, concealed beneath a long
overcoat. In his pocket was the red
beard. We found the six Germans and
six Transylvanians scowling at one a.
other from opposite sides of the room.
Beyond, behind a closed door, Leopold
was sleeping, dreaming of his king
ship.
The officers, who had been instruct
ed as to our advent, saluted US briefly
and would have paid no further atten-
ton to US, but Nikolai, who seemed
to speak every language perfectly, at
once launched into a panegyric OF
Leopold's virtues. He spoke in Ger
man, which the Transylvanians did
not understand. They could perceive
however, the drift Of his speech, and
their scowls grew deadly. If looks
could have devoured, Nikolai would
have disappeared. The Germans be
came more and more enthusiastic
and, welcoming Nikolai as a brother
opened a case of champagne. The
Transylvanians, not to be outdone
opened another and drank, ignoring
us with studied insolence.
Before long Nikolai made his mex
move. All were flushed with wine anC
! shouting loudly, regardless of theil
royal ward. They were in the good
} fellowship stage.