The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1918-05-01

sent your being Of the ruling familyi
Why not let things be as they are?"
1--WE were very friendly" said Ferdi-
nand William Otto In small voice.
Il don't think IL would make any diff
ference"
But the seed was sown In the fertile
ground of his young mind, to bear
quick fruit.
II was the crown prince who saw
Bobby first. He was standing on a
bench, peering over the shoulders of
the crowd. Prince Ferdinand william
Otto saw him, and bent forward.
There he is !" he said, in tense tone.
"There on the"
"Sit up straight," commanded Miss
Braithwaite.
"AIay / just wave once? /"
"Ottol" said Miss Braithwaite, In a
terrible voice.
But a dreadful thing was happening.
Bobby was looking directly at him,
and making no sign. His mouth was
n trife open, but that was all. Otto
had momentary glimpse Of him, Of
the small cap set far back, of the white
sweater, of two coolly critical eyes.
Then the crowd closed up, and the
carriage moved on.
Prince Ferdinand william Otto sat
back in his seat, very pale. Clearly
Bobby was through with him. First
Milky had forgotten him, and now the
American boy had learned his unfor-
tunate position as one of the detested
order, and would have none of him.
"You see," said Miss Braithwaite,
with an air of relief, "he did not know
you"
Upon the box the man beside Beppo
kept his hand on the revolver. The
carriage turned back toward the
palace.
Late that afternoon the chancellor
had visitor. Old Mathilde, his
servant and housekeeper, showed some
curiosity but little excitement over 1t.
She was, in fact, family resentful.
The chancellor had eaten little all day,
and now, when she had an omelet
really to turn smoking out of the pan,
must come the Princess Hedwig on
foot like the common people, and de-
mand to see him.
The chancellor was in his old smok-
ing coat and slippers. He made an
effort to don his tunic, but Hedwig,
on Mathilde's heels, caught him in the
act. And, after glance at her face,
he relinquished the idea, bowed over
her hand, and drew up a chair for
her.
And that was how the chancellor of
the kingdom learned that Captain Lar
isch, aide-de-camp to his royal high
ness the crown prince, had disap-
peared.
81 am afraid it is serious" she said,
watching him with wide, terrified eyes.
81 know more than you think do. I
we hear things, even in the palace"
Irony here, but unconscious. 81 know
that there is trouble. And it is not
like Captain Larisch to desert his
post"
"A boyish escapade, highness," said
the chancellor. But, in the twilight,
he gripped hard at the arms of his
chair. "He will turn up, very much
ashamed of himself, tonight or tomor-
row."
"That is what you want to believe.
You know better"
He leaned back in his chair and con-
sidered her from under his heavy
brows. Milky gone, perhaps to join
the others who, one by one, had felt
the steel of the terrorists. And this
girl, on whom so much hung, sitting
there, figure of young tragedy.
"Highness," he said at last, IF the
worst has happened-and that l do
not believe-it will be because there
Is trouble, as you have said. Sooner
or later, we who love our country
must make sacrifices for it. Most of
all, those in high places will be called
upon. And among them you may be
asked to help"
81? What can / dO?" But she
knew, and the chancellor saw that she
knew. N.si
ut is Karl, then?"
1T may be King Karl, Hedwig."
Hedwig rose, and the chancellor got
heavily to his feet She was fighting
for calmness, and she succeeded very
well. After all, If Milky were gone,
what did it matter? Only
"There are so many of you," she
said, rather pitifully. sand you are
all so powerful. And against you there
is only-me."
"Why against us, highness2"
Because" said Hedwig-"because I
care for some one else, and | shall care
for him all the rest of my life, even If
he never comes back. You may marry
me to whom you please, but / shall go
on caring. l shall never forget And
shall make Karl the worst wife in
the world, because hate him."
She opened the door and went out
without ceremony, because she was
hard driven and on the edge of tears.