Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1916-05-18


She added no signature. but on he
envelope-the best the Hotel RitI
could furnish her-she wrote . simple
address: For the King. at the Royal
Palace. to be delivered at twelve mid.
night promptly"
In fault Of better messenger, Kitty
telephoned now to the buresu OF tele-
graphs and asked for q reliable mes.
senger. When presently he came she
entrusted this missive to him with
express instructions that he should
leave It in the hands Of some chosen
servant Of the king who would be
sure to deliver 1t at the hour Of mid.
night Of that very day.
The man listened respectfully, took
the missive. and started for the door.
Passing. he almost ran against q gen.
tleman in the hall, and dropped his en-.
velore as he did so.
Your PARDON" exclaimed the ger.
tleman. raising his hat; and himself
picked up the envelope. The messen.
ger did not notice his fingers quickly
closing upon 1t. feeling it here and
there as he presented 1t to the bearer.
Relieved now Of this care, and sat.
isfied that her plan would provide for
the safety Of this priced possession
for that night at least-kitty passed
on to other matters.
or what use. after all. was half this
coin, while the Count Frederick still
retained the other half-taken from
her by force, by violence?
She stood for a time, her fingers at
her lips. engaged in thought. Il am
going direct to Count Frederick him.
self and ask him for the other half
of the coin. He knows the king has
given me his half-perhaps he will re-
lent and let me match the kings half
Of the Gretzhofen coin"
With her to think was to act. A
half hour later. ready robed for the
street. she was in her car and on her
way to the palace of Count Frederick
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, as
she learned, she was shown to q 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 vas there, but not alone.
Kitty listened shamelessly-for now
indeed all was fair in war for her in
cas- like this.
She heard Count Frederick address
his companion as MY Lord Minister"
and again as "Danislaw." so knew that
1t was none other than the prime min.
lister of Gretzhofen with whom he
was conversing.
MY friend" she heard a hard, in.
cisive voice declare. this ball tonight
is the GROWING mistake of the entire
year. 1t may mean the ruin of Gretz-
hoffen. tell you. Count Frederick.
revolution is in the air. The people
are demanding the answer to all their
su%ferings, to their poverty, their
anxieties. That answer, If 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 l do?"
"One thing. Let me be blunt and
brief-have the king sober tonight! l
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,
I: they find him careless, Indifferent,
in times like Observation-Disclosures.
I tell you, and the answer written with
the pen of blood"
Count Frederick apparently paused
at this. There was a hint Of some
thing suppressed in his voice when at
length he did reply.
my lord minister. I'll see the kipg!"
Kitty thought that now they clasped
hands. She heard the prime minister
departing, each giving the other for
NAL words of courtesy.
Now she heard Frederick calling to
his servants.
"Rubinof, Franko-any Of you ras-
cals-well. you, Rubinoff. Go at once
to the apartments of the Count Sachio
ana 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,
muttering to himself-heard also after
an interminable 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 60 we'll with
u plans"
Command me. my dear Frederick"
:" ask you, my dear Sachio, to do
an easy, pleasant and interesting task.
1t Is no more than to 60 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 n day in his life."
Count Sachio 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. I 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 CON-.
plain. They are on the very verge Of
revolution at this moment. This great