The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1915-12-03
49, '--S -
her by force, b violence?

! VI 'he GULL ne KNOWS the king mas
gwen me his half-perhaps he will re
lent and let me match the kings hall
of the Gretzhoffen coin"
They 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, az
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-fo now
indeed all was fair In wal for her In
case like this.
She heard Count Frede. lex address
his companion as my Lord Minister -
and again as "Danislaw," 30 knew that
1t was none other than the prime min
lister OF Gretzhoffen with whom he
was conversing.
My friend" she heard 4 hard, In
cisive voice declare, this ball tonight
is the GROWING mistake OF the entire
year. 1t may mean the ruin OF GretZ.
hotfen. 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, II 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 | do?"
One thing Let me be blunt and
brief-have the king sober tonight! |
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 this-pouf!
| tell you, and the answer written with
the pen Of blood"
Now she heard Frederick calling to
his servants.
"Rubinoff, Franko-any OF you ras-
cals-well, you, Rubinof 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,
myttering to himself-heard also after
an interminlble interval the footsteps
of another in the hall-heard Freder-
lex greet him.
"Ah, 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"
81 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
reverence!-and 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 life"
Count Sachlo laughed loud and long.
For what purpose, my good Fred
erick?" he inquired at length.
For a plain and definite purpose!
Listen. AS you know, have had my
eyes on the throne of Gretzhoffen since
the death of the old king That throne
is rightfully mine, and will be mine.
This land is full of discontent-like
your own, yonder. The people com
plain. They are on the very verge OF
revolution at this moment. This great
ball tonight-the thought of its ex.
pense has enraged our people. Now,
II tonight they see our beloved mon.
arch-whom we both reverence--in his
usual or more than his usual state OF
intoxication-then there's the match
to the powder mill. The revolution Is
begun. The explosion is made. 1t
will be too late, then. Their wrath
against the weak Michael-dissipat
ing, wasting their substance for them
will be unappeasable. For the rest
i have made my plans. My own regi-
ments will be faithful. The regiments
of the king are none too faithful The
banditti OF the desert are with us. To
morrow there will be a new king in
Gretzhoffen. and that king will be
Frederick the First"
Kitty slipped from the room The
hall was empty. An instant later she
was out of the great entry and passing
to her car.
At her hotel once more she hurried
to her room. Here was somewhat to
be done. She knew the plot now-all
was plain as to the intentions OF Fred
erick in regard to the kingdom Of
Gretzhotfen and to the monarch who
held the throne.
Your majesty" she wrote in her
rolling hand now, the young Ameri-
can so much honored by your gift
which is returned to your care at mid.
night tonight-has by chance learned
of plot to injure your majesty and to
injure the kingdom of Gretzhoffen as
well. Trust her to explain when op-
nortunitv shal come Meantime bova