The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-05-24
CHAPTER xII-continued.

IL
But long after Milky had gone he sa
In the darkness. He felt old and tiret
and hypocrite. The boy would no
forget, as he himself had not forgot
ten.
Peter Niburg was shot at dawn the
next morning. He went, coward, Il
his death, held between two guards
and crying piteously. But he died
brave man. Not once in the long hours
of his Interrogation had be betrayed
the name of the Countess Loschek.
The Crown Prince Ferdinand VIII
liam Otto of Livonia was having q
birthday. Now, birthday for a crown
prince of Livonis is not matter OF a
cake with candles on it, and having
his ears pulled, once for each year ana
an extra one to grow on. Nor OF
holiday from lessons, and picnic in
spTtng woods. Nor party. with chill
drsn frolicking and scratching the best
furniture.
n the first place, he was wakened
al dawn and taken to early service IN
tie chapel, solemn function, with the
cturt assembled and slightly sleepy.
ghe crown prince, who was trying TO
Iaok his additional dignity of years,
rat and stood as erect as possible, and
yawned only once.
At eleven O'Clock came word that the
king was too ill to have him TO
luncheon, but that he would see him
for a few moments that afternoon
Prince Ferdinand William Otto, who
was diagramming the sentence, "Abra-
ham Lincoln freed the slaves in Amer
ica,'' and doing it wrong, looked up in
dismay.
"I'd like to know what's the use of
having birthday" he declared re-
belliously.
The king did not approve OF birth
day gifts. So there were no gifts.
None, that is, until the riding hour
came, and Milky, subverter of all dis
cipline. He had brought a fig lady,
wrapped in paper.
Its quite fresh" he said, as they
walked together across the place.
"I'll give it to you when we get to the
riding school. l saw the woman my
self take it out of her basket. so 1t
has no germs on it."
That afternoon, attired in his uni
form of the guards. the crown prince
received the delegation of citizens in
the great audience chamber of the pal
ace, solitary little figure, standing
on the red carpet before the dais at
the end. The chancellor stood near
the boy, resplendent In his dress uni
form, a blue ribbon across his shirt
front, over which Mathilde had taken
hours. He was the Mettlich of the
public eye now, hard of features, i'm
passive, infiexible.
He had staged the affair well. The
crown prince, standing alone, so small,
SO appealing, against his magnificent
background, was picture to touch the
hardest. Not for-nothing had Mettlich |
studied the people, read their essential
their answer to any appeal |
10 the heart. These men were men OF !
family. Surely no father of a son
could see that lonely child and not
,ffer him loyalty.
With the same wisdom, he had given
he boy small instruction, and no
speech of thanks. 'Iet him say what
ZONES into his head" Mettlich had
.easoned. ct will at least be
spontaneous and boyish."
The first formalities over, and the
,rown prince having shaken hands
line times, the spokesman stepped for
ward. He had brought long, written
peech, which had already been given
O the newspapers. But after mo-
aent's hesitation he folded it up.
"Your royal highness," he said, look
ng down, Il have here long speech,
mt all that it contains I can say BRIEF
'. 1t is your birthday, highness. We
ONE, representing many others, to pre-
ent to you our congratulations and
he love Of your people. 1t is our
ope"-he paused. Emotion ana e1-
itement were getting the better OF
im-"our hope, highness, that you
iii have many happy years. 10 1ur-
her that hope, we are here To-Day 70
ay that we, representing all classes
re your most loyal subjects. We have
ought for his majesty the King, ana
{ necessary we will fight Tor you.
Ie glanced beyond the child at the
ouncil. and his tone was strong ana
But today we are here,
.ot to speak OF war, but to present
: .,<,, 3,,,v ros, 0rnfuJatiOnS our de- !