The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1915-08-20

stirring days. He has planned this
| great ball in order that you might see
the equaminity of his own soul In
these events, so difficult alike for a
king and his people to endure. There
fore, remain loyal to your king, whom
l represent before you. The ballroom
soon will be cleared. Let the streets
also be cleared. Go to your homes.
Wait, and depend on us who have your
true welfare at heart"
There surged up to him now the
ngures of more than one man, some in
uniform, from places in the throng. in
the street. What is it-what is wrong
why do we not have the order to
march on the palace?" they demanded
eagerly.
AIS wrong" whispered the Count
them. Fer some reason, best known
to himself, the king is not drunk to-
night, but sober. His people are not
turned against him-on the contrary,
they seem to respect him more than
they have done for months-there
would be division among them if we
started new revolt now.
Here, take this gold, my friends"
he added, and stripped himself of
some considerable sums he had
brought with him. ''It is all I have
Give it to those who need it most.
Take them away from here-let them
go to the drinking places. See that
these places are filled now, and that
the toast shall be Long live King
Michaeli''
I'VE may net yet cry Long live King
Frederick"
The nobleman shook his head. mot
yet" said he. "They still shall cry
Long live King Michael That will
do for the time at least"
Count Frederick: returned through
the great entryway and rejoined King
Michael where he stood Your ma
jesty," said he, your people are re-
turning to their homes"
Frederick, my friend, my savior!"
The weak king. his features working, |
grasped the hands of the stronger |
man. You tell me they will dis |
perse?"
Even now they do so, your ma
jesty."
Kitty, by this time somewhat for
gotten in the kings vacillating mind,
stood locking from one 10 the other
of these two. AS she read the situa-
ton, it carried something of defeat
to her. An instant ago she herself
had dominated the scene. Otherwise
now; for Count Frederick gave her
a somewhat sarcastic smile. 1t was
the time of his triumph and of her
'Mademoiselle is distrait?" said he.
She is not dancing-she will return
to her hotel, perhaps? What can one
do for mademoiselle?
Kitty turned toward him calmly.
IF I might ask one of you gentle
men to secure my car for me?" Count
Frederick smiled and bowed as he
turned away.
But Kitty was not so soon to leave
The great salon of the palace that
hight. She passed toward the entrance
slowly, caught in the crush and confu-
sion of others who were crowding out
n the fiasco of the much-vaunted
black and white ball. For the time,
she found herself in the shelter of
great column, where she was willing |
enough to pause. AS she halted here
he heard voices just behind heroine
leep voice, which it seemed to her
he had surely heard before.
1T is a pity that the affair did not |
ome off tonight, your excellency," she
leard another whisper hoarsely. 1--WE
AVE everything in our own hands
low. l have all the plans of the forti-
lcations, the maps of the avenues, the
pecifications for each street crossing. /
he army of Grahoffen to march +,
through this ramshackle city as it /,
iked."
"Yes!" broke in the deep voice ,
7hich haunted Kitty's memory, 81 sup
ose SO; but what would we do if 4;
70 could not pay our troops the next I
ay? How much better off than Gretz- =
often would then be our own case? 6
10, Frederick is right in his main !
Ian. The throne alone is worth moth +
lg-it is worthless in mis- kingdom r
r in our kingdom, or in any other .
poverty-stricken kingship is no bust /
ess for any man. Why have you not
diagram of the treasures burial I,
laceAwith that, now, the matter q
ould be somewhat different tonight" 4
"Hush!" she heard the ether voice g
hisper. Apparently warned, at least, O
y their suspicious, they moved away, t,
Though Kitty shifted her own posi- s.
on SO that her presence was not ii
nown. d
Was it Count Sachio's voice she had
eard-was he, the kings friend, "
cunt Frederick's friend, the worst r;
aitor of all, and was he also plot d.
ng for the restoration of the two W
st bits of Gretzhoffen coin? k
(Which way should she turn now? te
0 Frederick? Impossible. To Mi tt
lael? Equally impossible. ia
The two men whose talk she had M
'erheard passed now from behind ia