The Red Cloud chief. [volume] (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923, 1916-08-03

not lit to rule. lie is not your king.
But signed hcreunto is the name and
the seal, unnistakaJle. done in my
blood and his, Of your king. Michael
the First. ard IF 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.
In the name of God. amen, Mi.
chael, Rex"
Fellow this signature of Michael
the Good" said the measured voice
of Count Frederick, there is another
observation-disclosures the Second Rex.
Gentlemen, there are two signatures
to these scripts, and there are two
seals"
A sigh OF wonder, almost Of constcr-
| nation. came from those assembled
The only protest was from the hud
died object in the farther corner Of
the room. whore still remained Mi
| chael, the drunken.
What then. the guard" he
shrieked Treason to me--after him,
men! This pretondcr-what is 1t that
he says? What proof has he?--what
| proof"
This proof. SIR" said Count Fred.
erick, coldly. and approached to him
the broad page Of the parchment
sheet.
Michael gazed stupidity at what he
saw, uncomprchendng Others gazed
| also. and at first could make nothing
OF what was there. Count Frederick
went on:
| Il recall now. as I see this page"
said he. this writing Of the king, my
fathcr-you hear me. gontlcmen-my
father!
Il recall that I saw him place be.
meath the great seal, that other seal
done in his own blood. | saw him
Draw the blood from his own arm and
put his thumb in it. ard place 1t here,
thus sealing this document with the
unmistakable seattle one alone
which cannot show a mistaken den-
tity.
| And here, gentlemen, beneath that
other line Of signature. which you
have heard and seen, there is another,
a smaller, q very small seal Of SINH.
lar sort! 1t is the print CT human
thumb-the thumb of boy, of baby
| "a baby then, a man now-who re.
calls that scene vaguely. Ard here
is the proof, Gentlemen. recall now,
IL was my father made this mark: but
1t was his great hands which took my
little one and dipped my thumb in the
blood which he drew from my arm,
and set 1t here below that name which
he has written, Michael the Second.
Gentlemen. who then is your
king?"
Even yet they could net grasp the
full significance Of what they heard,
and again the voice OF Count Fredcr-
lex resumed:
Go, now, gentlemen. send out your
agents quickly. Bring here those men
Of science skilled in the reading of
such things as these. II was Bertillon
who developed that science Of infalli-
BILE Identification. 1t was he who
showed that each man carries with
him, In his person, from his cradle to
his grave, that unmistakable seal
which Identifies him infallibly.
Now bring here your men OF sci
ence. Here Is my hand as God made
1t. and as my father held It in his sc
many years ago. Small then-larsel
and stronger how! God grant 1t b;
strong enough today to do what my
father did, and do it well. And may m,
mind have justice and liberty before
1t always. as those things were before
his.
Gentlemen, you know the histor,
OF this kingdom as we'll as l. 70,
know the long regency following tn
Gretzhoffen war. You know why tina
regency was established. Rumor wa
that King Michael died like a king
In his own bed. The truth was other
wise. He was murdered here In tn
vault below by the men of his owl
foster brother.
|, III that be true-and as God Is m
,, witness. believe 1t to be true-the
| Wo WCii Sucoo WulCu OOy wa
brought up under the regent to TAX
. the place of a king. That was not my
. self-others. relatives Of mine, roare
= me. as you know, until am what 20
J, know. And yonder man-this drunke
waster-not even the son Of lawfl
J. wedlock. never the son of a queen
that man, he was the one accepted q
your king! Treason. you say-wh.
3 there was treason to every human b,
0 ing who lived en- Gretzhoffen sol
u when that pretender took the throne
"As for you. sir!" and he steppc
over to lay on iron hand on the shou
der OF the covering man who san
back upon his seat. your day is don
" I do not say you were party to tn
Q Il only say. you must go. For III
E. rest. the parliament OF our realm sha
= formally decide"
o His steellike grip half lifted Micha
o from his place. thrust him towar
n through. the door-and instantly II