Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-22
nrY story nnAns
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barrier OF her own innocencs. Hsdw>0
could not have put this into words,
would not indeed, II she could. Bue 4
when the Countess's arm touched hefps
she drew aside. fN,
Tonight" said the lady IN waiting
dreamily, u should like to be In motor,
speeding over mountain roads. come ,
from the molmtains. you know. And
miss them" tt
Hedwig said nothing she wished te
be alone with her trouble.
In my home, at this time OF the
year" the Countess went on, still softly,
they are driving the cattle up into the
mountains for the summer At night
one hears them gong--a bell far on up
the mountain-side. and sometimes on4
sees the light of lantern"
Hedwig moved, a little impatiently
but as the Countess went on, she lis
tened.
oLGA'S PLAN
After all, Milky, too, came from the
mountains She saw It all--the great.
herds moving with deliberate eagerness
already sniffing the green slopes above.
and the star of the distant lantern. She
could even hear the thin note OF the bell.
And because she was sorry for the
Countess, who was homesick, and per- =
haps because just then she had TO speak
to some one, she turned " her at last
with the thing that filled her mind.
This marriage" she said bitterly.
rs IL talked about? Am j the only
one In the palace who has not known
about it?'
mo, Highness. I had heard nothing"
But you knew about it?'
"only what heard tonight OF course
there are always rumors.
10 har m
mother referred to-" Hedwig held her
head very high. "I-she was unjust. Am
| never to have any friends?"
The Countess turned and. separating
the curtains. surveyed the room within
Annunciata was asleep, and beyond,
Hilda was playing dreamily. and very
softly as behooves one whose bedtime
is long past When the Countess drop
ped the curtain, she turned abruptly TO
Hedwig.
"Friends. Highness? One may have
friends, OF course. 1t is not friendship
they fear"
What them
"a lover" said the Countess softly.
ut is impossible to see Captain Larsen
in your presence, and not realize-
GO on"
And not realize. Highness, that he is
in love with YOU"
How silly -. SaIu tne frihoose AAe"'
wig, with glowing eyes. e
But, Highness :" implored the Count
ess. A"If only you would use little
cauum open defiance is its own ae-
feat"
.I AM not ashamed Of what / do"
said Hedwig hotly.
Ashamed OF course not, But things
that are harmless in others, In your
position-you are young. You should
have friends, gayety. l am" she smiled
grimly in the darkness, mot so old my
self but that can understand"
! who told my mother that ] was hav-
| ing tea with-with Prince Ottog'
"These things get about. Where
there is no gossip. there are plenty to
! invent IT, And-pardon, Highness--
frankness. openness, are not always un-
derstoCd."
Hedwig stood still. The old city was
preparing for sleep. In the Place a.
! few lovers loitered. standing close, and
the faint tinkling of a bell told of the
| blessed sacrament being carried through
! the streets 10 somo bedside of the dying
Soon the priest came into view, walking
rapidly. with his skirts Tapping around
his legs. Before him parched a boy,
/ ringing bell and carrying lighted
lamp The priest bent his steps through
| the Place. and the lovers kneeled as he
| nassed hv. The Princess Hedwig SVw~0r
her head,
II seemed TO her all at once that the
world was full of wretchedness and
death, and of separation. which might
| he worse than death. The lamp. pass
! ing behind trees, shone out fitfully. The
bell tinkled--l thin. silvery sound that
made her heart ache.
81 wish | could help you. Iiighness."I
said the Countess II should like to see.
you happy But happiness does NOS
come of itself We must fight for IT,"
Eight? What chance have ! to
fght?" Hedwig asked scornfully.
"One thing. of course. I could do"
pursued the Countess ION those days
| when you wish TO have tea with-his
Royal Highness. / could arrange, per-
| hlps, to let you know II any member or
the family intended going to his apart
/ ments."
II was a moment before Hedwig conn
pretended The she turned TO her
| haughtily. when ] wish to have tea
/ with my cousin" she said coldly, 7
shall do il openly Countess"
/ She left the balcony abruptly. aban-
| doning the Countess TO solitary fury, the
greater because triumph had seemed SO
! near. lone, Sne went reu anu WHitc,
bit her lips, behaved according to all the
/ ,ime-honored traditions. And even
/ swore--in polite, lady-in-waitinK
fashion, TO be sure-to get even.
Royalties, as she knew we'll, were
difficult to manage. They would 60
along perfectly well. and act like human
beings, and rage and fuss and grieve.
and even weep. And then, quite unex-
pectedy. the royal streak would show.
But royalties in love were rather rare
In her experience. Love was, generally
speaking, not royal attribute. Appa
emily 1t required new set of rules.
Altogether. the Countess Loschek
worked herself TO quite a fury as II her
motives had been purely altruistic, and
not selfish and wicked.
That night, while the Prince Ferdi-
nand william Otto hugged the woolen
dog in his sleep; while the Duchess
| Hilda in front OF her dressing table, was
hlving her hair brushed; while Milky
roamed the streets and saw nothing but
a vision of a girl On a balcony. a girl
who was lost to him, although she had
never been anything else, Hedwig on
her knees at the prie-dieu in her dress
ing room followed the example of the
| Chancellor, who, too had felt himself In
| 4 tight corner, as one may say, ana
was growing tired of putting his trust
in princes. SO Hedwig prayed for many
things for the softening of hard hearts |;
for Nikky's love; and, perhaps trihis
tardily for the welfare and recovery OF
her grandfather. the King. But mostly
she prayed for happiness, for a bit OF
light and warmth in her gray days