The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1915-11-25

W. G. Chapman)
blazing, and he smote his clenched
fist into the palm of his hand.
and now I am going back he
cried, land I shall force my uncle to
acknowledge me as his heir. II he
refuses l shall rally to myself a party
in the state and seize the govern
ment. I have abandoned my rights
too long. I know the world now, l
know the fallacy Of such sacrifice
as mine has been; above all, l know
what Austria needs"
He wanted me to accompany him
into the Schoenbrunn palace and
vouch for him to the aged emperor.
even though I explained to him that
1 had no longer any official standing.
It was not until we were within an
hours run Of Vienna, after a session
which had lasted till dawn, that sue
ceeded in getting him to listen to rea-
son. Often during our talk his wife
had come silently to the door and
listened to US, but she had never
spoken.
The archduke had assumed the name
of Won Behring, and it was by this
that 1 addressed him.
81 will do my best to gain you
hearing" I said, reluctantly, because
I did not wish to be mixed up with the
business. But this only on condition
that you follow my instructions. You
must take lodgings in Vienna and
wait till you hear from me-"
81 can trust nobody" he cried Wild
ly. Suppose you betray me-"
'That is, of course, possibility to
be reckoned WITH" l answered, with a
touch of irony which missed it's mark.
"But consider, Herr Won Behring, that
if you appear at the palace gates and
demand an audience you will certainly
be treated as mailman. And even
If you succeed in convincing anyone
that you are really the man you claim
to be, you will only bring down upon
yourself lifelong confinement or-as'
sassination."
He CAPPED at me. He had known
little of the internal politics Of Aus
tria, which was. in fact, in one OF
those crises that can only be solved
by death or organic reconstruction
through war.
The Archduke Franz Ferdinand,
heir to the throne, and the only far
seeing statesman in Austria-Hungary,
seeing that the dual monarchy was
disintegrating, had planned to convert
it into triple monarchy, by the IN
clusion Of a vast Slav confederation
including Bosnia, Croatia and Servla'
In this plan he was assisted by his
talented wife, formerly Sophie Chotek,
a maid-of-honor, now duchess or Ho-
henberg. The marriage was a NOR
eanatic one, the archduke had been
forced to withdraw all claim to his
children's succession, and his wife was
bitterly hated by the ladies OF ancient
family and the court Clique that hao
the aged emperor's ear and was bent
on destroying the Serb-Croatlan ele-
ment instead of utilizing it as a prop
for the empire.
This CLIQUE consisted of the old
nobility, of Count Forgach of the for
eign office, Prince Montenuovo, the
court chamberlain and his aide, Count
Paar; Baron Rauch, ban OF Croatia,
and others-a long list and powerful
one, and bent on thwartlng the arch-
dukes statesmanlike scheme by all
possible means, not the least potent
of which was the antagonism which
the court ladies felt toward his wife.
They could never forgive plain Sophie
Chotek for having risen to be the wife
Of the heir-apparent, and in spite OF
the morganatic nature Of the mar
rage, undoubtedly the future queen
OF Austria-Hungary.
"You see, my friend" I said, when
I had set out the situation, your re-
on the scene will not be
the simple matter that you anticl'
pate"
mo-" said the woman at the door,
for the first time.
Her voice seemed to arouse the
from a reverie. Suddenly
he pulled from his finger gold ring
set with splendid emerald.
"My friend" he said to me, Il shall
do as you advise. Then take this
ring and deliver it, with my address,
to my cousin, Archduke Franz
When we were young men
we exchanged rings and agreed that
either should come Immediately to the
others aid when the ring was shown
him."
A little later we ran into Vienna.
Having seen my strange companion
and his wife comfortably housed in de-
cent, but not sumptuous, quarters.
went to my own lodgings, where
found an invitation signed by Prince
requesting my presence
at a reception to be given that eve
ming at the palace.
That simplified matters. Undoubt-
edly the archduke would be there, and
I should have the opportunity OF de-
Iivering the ring to him. Still, did
not like being mixed up in this busi-
L. hxy