The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1915-09-16

| CouAu luTHlSn Her-6no wrote simple
address: For the King, at the Roya
Palace, to be delivered at twelve mid
night promptly"
In fault of better messenger. Kilt,
telephoned now to the bureau of tele
graphs and asked for a reliable mes
senger. When presently he came sh,
entrusted this missive to him will
express instructions that he shoult
leave it in the hands of some chosen
servant of the king who would b,
sure to deliver it at the hour of mid
night Of that very day.
The man listened respectfully, tool
the missive. and started for the door
Passing, he almost ran against a gen
tleman in the hall, and dropped his en-
velope as he did SO.
| your PARDON" exclaimed the gen
tleman, raising his hat. and himself
picked up the envelope. The messen
ger did not notice his fingers quickly
closing upon 1t, feeling it here and
there as he presented 1t to the bearer
Relieved now of this care, and sat.
1sfled that her plan would provide fol-
the safety Of this priced possession
for that night at feasibility passed
on to other matters.
Ut what use, after all, was half this
coin. while the Count Frederick still
retained the other half-taken from
her by force, by violence?
She stood for time, her fingers at
ner lips, engaged in thought. Il am
going direct to Count Frederick him.
SELF and ask him for the other half
OF the coin. He knows the king has
given me his half-perhaps he will re-
lent and let me match the kings half
OF the Gretzhoffen COIN"
With her to think was to act. A
nalf hour later. ready robed for the
street, she was in her car and on her
way to the palace of Count Frederick
Ihey knew her at the counts palace
now-or thought they knew her-and
SO no questions were asked when she
applied at the door Pending the COM
ing OF the count, who was at home. as
she learned. she was shown to a re-
ception room close to the entry door.
AS she sat here, she heard footsteps
approaching, heard voices in CONVEX
sation. She knew that Count Freder-
lex was there, but not alone.
Kitty listened shamelessly-for now
indeed all was fair in war for her in
case like this.
She heard Count Frederick address
his companion as my Lord Minister"
and again as "Danislaw," SO knew that
it was none other than the prime min
lister of Gretzhoffen with whom he
was conversing.
My friend" she heard a hard, in
cisive voice declare, this ball tonight
is the crowning mistake of the entire
year. 1t may mean the ruin of Gretz-
hoffen. l tell you, Count Frederick,
revolution is in the air. The people
are demanding the answer to all their
sufferings, to their poverty, their
anxieties. That answer, If we do not
use every means to change it, surely
will be written red!"
But what plan do you propose, my
lord minister? What can l do?"
"One thing. Let me be blunt and
brief-have the king sober tonight! l
shame to say those words-but those
are my words to you. Have our mon
arch-whom we reverence-sober to-
night! If the people see him drunken,
if they find him careless, Indifferent,
In times like -pouf!-revolution
tell you, and the answer written with
the pen of blood"
Count Frederick apparently paused
at this. There was a hint of some
thing suppressed in his voice when at
length he did reply.
my lord minister, I'll see the king!"
Kitty thought that now they clasped
hands. She heard the prime minister
departing, each giving the other for
NAL words of courtesy.
Now she heard Frederick calling to
his servants,
"Rubinoff, Franko-any of you ras.
cals-well, you, Rubinoff Go at once
to the apartments of the Count Sachio
and ask him if he will join me at
once"
Kitty, still trembling in suppressed
excitement, waited yet longer before
declaring herself. She heard Freder-
lex pacing up and down in the room,
muttering to himself-heard also after
an interminable interval the footsteps
of another in the hall-heard Freder-
lex greet him.
All Sachio, you are welcome in
deed. We have news for you, my
friend-news that may go well with
our plans"
Command me, my dear Frederick
i ask you, my dear Sachio, to do
an easy, pleasant and interesting task
1t is no more than to go this after
noon, to win in some fashion into the
presence of King Michael the Second, |
our beloved monarch-whom we both
then and there. by
what means shall seem most expedi- /
ent, to induce him to drink more wine !
than ever he did in one day in his lille"
Count Sachio laughed loud and long. |
For what purpose, my good Fred
erick?' he inquired at length.
For plain and definite purpose.