The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-03-09

could furnish her-she wrote a 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 bureau of tele-
graphs and asked for a 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 it 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 gen.
tleman in the hall, and dropped his en-
velope as he did so.
Your PARDON" exclaimed the gen.
tleman, raising his hat; and himself
picked up the envelope. The messen-
ger did not notice his fingers quickly
closing upon it, feeling it here and
there as he presented it to the bearer
| Relieved now Of this care, and sat
isfied that her plan would provide for
the safety of this priced possession
on to other matters
OF what use, after all, was half this
coin, while the Count Frederick still
retained the other half-takac from
her by force, by violence?
She stood for a time, her fingers at
her lips, engaged in thought. u 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 Gretzhoffen 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
1 ing of the count, who was at home, as
she learned, she was shown to re-
ceptiOn room close to the entry door.
AS she sat here, sh9 heard footsteps
approaching, heard voices in CONVEX
sation. She knew that Count Freder-
lex was there, but not alone.
Kitty listened shamelessly-for now
:. indeed all was fail in war for her IN
case like this.
= She heard Count Frederick address
his companion as My Lord Minister,
:. and again as "DaIislaw,' so knew that
it was none other than the prime min
= lister of GretzhCffen with whom he
was conversing.
| my friend" she heard hard, in
cisive voice declare, this ball tonigh
is the GROWING mistake of the entire
year. 1t may mean the ruin Of Gretz
\ hoffen. l tell you, Count Frederick
revolution is in the air. The peopl
are demanding the answer to all thei
sufferings, to their poverty, thei
anxieties. That answer, if we do no
use every means to change it, sur,l
81 will be written red!"
81 But what plan do you propose, m
s. lord minister? What can I do?'
81 "One thing Let NE be blunt an
brief-have the king sober tonight!
shame to say those words-but thos
are my words to you. Have our MOI
arch-whom we reverence-sober tt
Il night, If the people see him drunken
81 in times like this-pouf!-
#l I tell you, and the answer written wit
g the pen of blood
M Count Frederick apparently pause
# at this. There was a hint of som
thing suppressed in his voice when
8 length he did reply.
my lord minister, I'll see the king
Kitty thought that now they claspe
Y hands. She heard the prime minist
departing, each giving the other fe
III NAL words of courtesy.
Now she heard Frederick calling
Tot his servants.
he "Rubinoff, Franko-any of you re
cals-well, you, Rubinoff. Go at on
At to the apartments of the Count Sach
es- and ask him if he will join me
ion once"
Kitty, still trembling in suppress
sal, excitement, waited yet longer befo
est declaring herself. She heard Fred
ler- lex pacing up and down in the roo
es- muttering to himself-heard also aft
,ar. an interminable interval the footste
of another in the hall-heard Fred
lex greet him.
"Ah, Sachio, you are welcome
deed. We have news for you,
# a friend-news that may go we'll w
,uld our plans"
at Command me, my dear Frederic
ices 81 ask you, my dear Sachio, to
ECU an easy, pleasant and interesting ia
1t is no more than to go this aft
reat noon, to win in some fashion into
her presence of King Michael the Seco
ion, our beloved monarch-whom we b.
her reverence!-and then and there,
q. what means shall seem most expe
now ent, to induce him to drink more W
and than ever he did in one day in his lii
had Count Sachio laughed loud and 10
line For what purpose, my good Fl
her erick?' he inquired at length.
For plain and definite purpo
lay Listen AS you know, l have had
hich eyes on the throne of Gretzhoffen 81
not the death of the old king. That thr
how is rightfully mine, and will be M
d be This land is full of discomfort
your own, yonder. The people G
hich plain. They are on the very verge
safe revolution at this moment. This 81