The Ely miner., 1915-11-19

which had lasted till dawn, that l 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 addressed him.
Il will do my best to gain you a
| hearing" l said, reluctantly, because
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 mel"
THAT is, of course, possibility to
| be reckoned WITH" l answered, with a
| touch of irony which missed its mark.
But consider, Herr Won Behring, that
if you appear at the palace gates and
| demand an audience you will certainly
| be treated as a madman. 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 gaped 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 Hungary,
seeing that the dual monarchy was
disintegrating, had planned to convert
it into a triple monarchy, by the in
cIusion of a vast Slav confederation,
including Bosnia, Croatia and Servia.
In this plan he was assisted by his
talented wife, formerly Sophie Chotek,
maid-of-honor, now duchess of Ho-
henberg. The marriage was a NOR
ganatic 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 had
the aged emperor's ear and was bent
on destroying the Serb-Croatian ele-
ment instead of utilizing it as prop
for the empire.
"You see, my friend" l said, when
had set out the situation, your re-
appearance on the scene will not be
the simple matter that you antici-
! pate"
mo-" said the woman at the door,
speaking for the first time.
Her voice seemed to arouse the
archduke from a reverie. Suddenly
he pulled from his finger gold ring,
set with a splendid emerald
"My friend" he said to me, II shall
do as you advise. Then take this
ring and deliver it, with my address,
| to my cousin, Archduke Franz
/ Ferdinand. 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
Montenuovo, requesting my presence
at a reception to be given that eve
ming at the palace,
That simplified matters. Undoubt-
edly the archdul-e would be there, and
should have the opportunity of de-
| livering the ring to him. Still, / did
not like being mixed up in this bust
ness. l would have evaded it by any
legitimate means, though l was inter
ested in the unique situation. 1t is
not often that dead heir comes back
to oust his successor.
The reception was one of those
grand affairs of ceremony in which
the Austrian court delights. His
majesty appeared for few moments,
walking among the guests to exchange
few words with the notables. could
not restrain sense of intense pity
to see that venerable figure, bowed
| with years and sorrows, upon whose
shoulders rested so great a care, who
knew that his death must be the sig.
nal for the breakup of his vast realm
When he had withdrawn a buzz OF
conversation arose, and | found my.
self accosted by little friend of mine
one of the court ladies whose name
need not give. Suffice it that I had
reason to know could trust her, and
she to confide in me.
She was deeply agitated, she held
my arm tightly, and her eyes were
fixed upon the end of the room.
Following her glance as sudden
cessation of talk became manifest,
saw the heir apparent making his
ceremonial journey about the great
salon, while the guests drew up along
the walls. Upon the archduke's arm
his wife, the duchess of Hohenberg
had placed her hand, and they were
making the tour together
There was no mistaking the signifi
canoe of that action. 1t was a chal
lenge to the world, defiance of al
morganatic restrictions. The heir ap
parent was claiming the equality o
his wife. None dared defy him with
in those walls Yet saw looks o
nurderous hatred in the eyes of th'
grandes DANES as they curtsied Low
J before the couple. saw Princes
} Lichtenberg, whcse family antedate
J that of the emperor himself glare dag
gers at the duchess and hesitate be
fore bending her knees. And as the.
J passed the heads behind them wer
craned forward. the faces distc... .S. -:
scrowls of malignity. Then we. toe