The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-06-02

obey his voice when he spoke thus.
1t is strange and wonderful-it is
1ncredible!' said the prime minister.
Count Frederick caught in turn the
parchment in his own hands In turn
his own face showed amaze, astonish-
melt-his own strong hands shook
Your majesty" said ne, smiling at
length as he turned toward the COVER
ing figure in the corner Of the room,
u shall call you that for the last
time!"
What do you mean?" demanded Mi
chael with one last show of resent
ment. summoning such resolution as
he could to his own bloated face.
What do you macpherson, in the
presence of the, king?"
not treason, for you are not our
king
A sudden heavy silence fell upon all
IN that room. 1t was long before the
solemn tones Of Count Frederick went
On.
These, said he, ARE the imperial
scripts of Michael the First OF Gretz-
hoffen. They were buried with his
treasures. In some part, they govern
the disposition OF those treasures. You
hear IL this the voice Of our King. and
that must be our governing power
hereafter"
What IS it, tnen?" at length ex-
claimed the prime minister "Has there
been mistake-you say Michael here
is not our king-who then is our
king?"
Your excellency," said Count Fred
erick slowly, as he turned toward him,
yourself, these noblemen OF Gretz-
hoHen, the council of minister's the
parliament OF the realm all these
shall at length perhaps bear out my
statement which ] make now !, Gay.
self ederick-am the King"
At these words they made 10 an
sUer
Listen. gentlemen,' said he, gently,
al last. GIea, things have happened
to Us III Cur realm. We shall this day
save our t1llEdoIn AS believe, / an
your king. accept that station sol
emmy, and here 1 have The proof--ii
may not &c doubted tEat ultimately iJs
standardization vii De comp latc-by
the parliament, By tha people them
seiTas-Dy I'll cur ccuTts-py ycu1
Toice unanimous, as doubt not, yal
/ nopl9men Of this Kingdom.
Shall then read2"
fi9 turned from one to another ana
the lips of none spoke audibly the con
sent which their eyes gave him. He
Fread:
In the name of God, AmenI /, Nj
chael of Gretzhofen, by the grace o.
God, king, leave this script with tbs
treasures of the kingdom which have
concealed herewith beneath the floor
! of the torture chamber. With them
; place the secret governing the own.
ership of the treasures Of this king
dom. That secret is known only to
myself and my bodyguard, who mas
been faithful man-Boris Roleau
For now these many months l have
been cCgnizant Of dangers at the hands
OF my own foster brother Stanislaw
Should he be successful in what l con
celVe to be his plans, my life may for,
felt, but not the treasures themselves
1t was my pleasure to have made
medal or a coin which should be the
token Of this secret. When my body.
guard, Boris Roleau, a faithful man,
with myself planned the burial of these
! treasures, l gave him the indenture.
the half of a certain coin or medal
which l caused to be made and in.
scrlbed, as record Of the hiding place
OF that which we were about to con.
: ceal. Upon the face Of that medal OF
coin this inscription was written:
; Sub acknowledgements vergentis-
cruclat1 eDerietur-thesar.
us-Regis Graetisj ovensis
so shall be preserved the secret OF
the hiding place of that which is the
peoples. Somewhere there shall exist
even though I shall die, this record
Half OF it have given into the charge
OF the man whom have known to be
faithful. At my death he is to take
beth halves and guard them we'll
Should l be slain, as well may be
IN these troublous and treacherous
times in which l live, my wish and
command is that my son be known as
Mlchae1 the Second, and that he shall
Jake IRON ne the rule Of this kingdom
IN his day, and the administration of
these properties OF the kingdom.
1T is my wish and command. NV
nope and my prayer, that he shall gov
ern wisely with justice to all. firmly
and with wisdom
There nay be long regency be-
fore ny son shall reach the age of ma.
tur1ty. There is another, older than
himself, the son Of my foster brother
hot OF royal blood, but the bastard
OF serving woman-Frederick he is
called. It may be within the purpose
OF ny foster brother that that boy
shall be brought up as the king. in
case l, myself, should fall. Let that
never happen! He is of no royaI
blood. He is not fit to rule. He is moi
your King. But signed hereunto IS the
name and the seal unmistakable. done
II ray blood and his, of your king
Michael the First, and of your future
king, Michael the Second, my son He
is as yet too young fully to know the
gravity OF these presents. But by this
sign you shall know your ruler, shall
these presents come to you, well be-
loved.
no Of