The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1918-03-13
CHAPTER u.
Disqraced.

slowly, for two reasons. First, he did
not want to go back. Second, he was
rather frightened. He had an idea
that they would be disagreeable.
There seemed to be a great deal GO
Ing on at the palace. Carriages were
rolling in under the stone archway
and, having discharged their contents,
mostly gentlemen In uniform, were
moving Off with a laundering of hoofs
that reached from the vaulted roof of
the entrance. All the lights were on
In the wing where his grandfather,
the king, lived alone. AS his grand
father hated lights. and went to bed
early, Prince Ferdinand William Otto
was slightly puzzled.
He was very dirty. His august face
was streaked with SCOT, and his au-
gust hands likewise. His small derby
hat was carefully placed on the very
back Of his head at the angle of the
American boys cap. AS his collar had
scratched his neck, he had, at Bob
by's suggestion, taken it off and
rolled it up. He decided, as he waited
In the square, to put 1t on agaih.
Miss Braithwaite was very peculiar
about collars.
Came lull in the line of carriages.
Prince Ferdinand William Otto took
long breath and started forward.
As he advanced he stuck his hands
in his pockets and staggered trifle.
It was, as nearly as possible, an ex-
act imitation of Bobby Thorpe's walk.
And to keep up his courage, he quoted
that young gentleman's farewell
speech to himself: "What d. you
care? They won't eat you, will they?"
Prince Ferdinand William Otto stood
In the shadows and glanced across.
The sentries stood like wooden men,
but something was wrong in the court
yard inside. The guards were all
standing, and there seemed to be a
great many Of them. And just as he
had made up his mind to take the
plunge, so to speak, part of his own
regiment of cavalry came out from the
court yard with laundering of hoOfs,
wheeled at the street, and clattered
off.
Very unusual, all of 1t.
The Crown Prince Ferdinand Otto
elt in his pocket for his handkerchief,
and, moistening a corner with his
tongue, wiped his face. Then he wiped
his shoes. Then, with his hands in
his trousers pockets, he sauntered in
to the light.
The two sentries made no sign
when they saw Ferdinand William
Otto approaching. But one Of them
forgot to bring his musket to salute.
He crossed himself instead. And
something strained around the other
sentry's lower jaw suddenly relaxed
into a smile as his royal highness
drew q hand from its refuge and sa-
Iuted. He glanced at one, then at the
otheA rather sheepishly, hesitated be-
tween them, clapped his hat on more
securely, and marched in.
"The young rascal" said the sec
ond sentry to himself. And by turn
ing his head slightly-for a sentry
learns to see all around like horse,
without twisting his neck-he watched
the runaway into the palace.
Prince Ferdinand William Otto went
up the stone staircase. Here and
there he passed guards who stared and
saluted. Had he not been obsessed
with the vision of Miss Braithwaite,
he would have known that relief fol-
lowed In his wake. Messengers clat-
tered down the staircase to the court
yard. Other messengers, breathless
and eager, flew to that lighted wing
where the council sat, and where the
old king. propped up in bed, waited
and fought terror.
His eyes, weary with many years of
ruling, of disappointments and bitter
ness, roved the room. They came to
rest at last on the photograph of a
young man, which stood on his bed
side table.
He was q very young man. In q uni
form. He was boyish, and smiling.
There was a dog beside him, and Its
head was on his knee. Wherever one
stood In the room. the eyes Of the
photograph gazed at one. The king
knew this. and because he was quite
old. and because there were few peo-
pie to whom king dares to speak his
inmost thoughts, he frequently spoke
to the photograph. The older he
grew, the more he felt, sometimes, as
though II knew what he said.
"If they've got him." he said now
to the picture. ut is out of my hands
and into yours, my boy"
Much of his life had been spent in
. waiting In waiting for son, in wait
ing for that son to grow to be a man,
In waiting while that son In his turn
loved and married and begot a man.
child, In waiting. when that son had
died violent death. for the time when
his tired hands could relinquish the
scepter to his grandchild.
Quite suddenly the door opened