Iron County register., 1918-02-14
maid away with a sharp word, and
now she was pacing the floor.

maid away with a sharp word. and
now she was pacing the floor.
Hedwig, Of all people!
She hated her. She had always
hated her. For her youth, first; later.
when she saw how things were going.
for the accident that had made her a
granddaughter to the king.
And Karl!
Even this last June, when Karl had
made his looked-for visit to the sum
mer palace where the court had been
In residence, he had already had the
thing in mind. Even when his arms
had been about her, Olga Loschek, he
had been looking over her shoulder.
as 1t were, at Hedwig. He had had 1t
all In his wicked head. even then. For
Karl was wicked. She loathed him
while she loved him.
Hedwlg would marry Karl. She
might be troublesome. would indeed
almost certainly be troublesome.
Strangely enough, the countess hated
her the more for that. To value so
lightly the thing for which Olga
Loschek would have given her soul.
this In itself was hateful. But there
was more. The countess saw much
with her curiously wide, almost child.
ishly bland eyes; 1t was only now that
it occurred to her to turn what she
knew of Hedwig and Milky to account.
She stopped pacing the floor, and
sat down. Suppose Hedwig and Milky
Larisch went away together? He'd.
wig, she felt. would have the courage
even for that. That would stop things
But Hedwlg did not trust her. And
there was about Milky dog-like quail
ity of devotion, which warned hel
that. the deeper his love for Hedwig
the more unlikely he would be tt
bring her to disgrace. Milky might
be difficult.
She must try for Hedwlg's con
fldence! But Karl! How to react
him? Not with reproaches, not witt
anger. She knew her man well. tt
hold him of was the first thing. II
postpone the formal proposal, and galr
time. II the chancellor had been right
! and things were as bad rs they ap
peared, the kings death would precipi
tate a crisis. Might, indeed, overturr
the throne.
The king was very feeble. Thti
affair of yesterday had told on him
The gossip Of the court was that tn
day had seen change for the worse
His heart was centered on the crown
prince.
All, here was another viewpoint
Suppose the crown prince had no
come back? What would happen, witt
the king dead, and no king? Chaos
of course. A free hand to revolution
Hedwlg fighting for her throne, ant
inevitably losing It.
But that was further than she caret
to 60 Just then. She would finish Ger
tain work that she had set out to do
and then she was through. No longe
would dread and terror grip her in tn,
night hours.
But she would finish. Karl shoult
never say she had failed him. Sh'
had in her possession papers for whicl
he waited or pretended to wait: dat,
secured by means she did not care Il
remember; plans and figures CAREFUL.
compiled--a thousand deaths In one, /
they were found on her. She woul'
get them out Of her hands at once.
It was still but little after five. Sh
brought her papers together on he
small mahogany desk. from such hid
ing places as women know-the lining
Of perfumed sachets, the toes Of smal
slippers, the secret pocket In a muff
and having locked her doors, pu
them in order. Her hands wer
trembling, but she worked skillfull,
She was free until the dinner houl
but she had a great deal to do. Th
papers In order. she went to a pant
In the wall Of her dressing room. ant
sliding 1t aside, revealed the safe
which her Jewels were kept. Not thu
her jewels were very valuable, but tn
safe was there. and she used Il.
The countess took out a jewel.cas
cmrtied Il, lifted It's chamois cushion
aud took out a small book. Il was a
Indifferent hiding place, but long in
munity had made her careless. r.
fcrring to the book, she wrote lettt
in code. II was, to oil appearance
. a friendly letter referring to a famil
in her native town, and asking thi
the recipient sec that assistance
sent them before Thursday Of the 70
lowing week. The assistance WI
specified with much dctail-at her e.
pense to send 80 many blankets, I
many lonves Of bread, a long lii
Having finished, she destroyed,
J. burning, a number cf papers, watc