The Dermott news., 1918-05-09

When. that night, he fell asleep. it was still clusped in his old hand, and there was Il look of grim tenderness on the face on the pillow, turned toward his dead sons picture.
 .
 Troubled times now, with the carni- val only a day or two off and the shop windows guy with banners; with the committee of ten in almost constant session. ana Olga LoSchek summoned before it, to be told of the passage. and the thing she was to do; with the old king very close to the open door. and IIedWig being fitted for her bridal robe and for somber black at one fitting.
 Troubled times. indeed. The city was smoldering and from some strange source had come new rumor. Nothing less than that the royalists, headed by the chancellor, deSpairing of crowning the boy prince, would, on the kings death. make away with him, thus putting Hedwig on the throne HedwE. queen of karnia perhaps al- ready by secret marriage.
 The city, which adored the boy, was Seething. The rumor had originated with Olga Loschek, who had given 1t to the committee us q useful weapon. Thus would she have her revenge on those of the palace. and at the same time secure her own safety. Revenge, indeed, for she knew the way of such rumorS, how they fly from house to house. street to street How the in- nocent, proclaiming their innocence, look even the more guilty.
 When she had placed the scheme be- fore the committee of ten, had seen the eagerness with which they grasped it-"in this way" she had said, in her scornful, ineiSive tones, "the onus of the boy is not on you, but on them. Even those who have no sympathy with your movement will burn at such rumor. The better the citizen. the more lover of home and order. the more outraged he will be. Every man in the city with Il child of his own will rise against the palace
 Madame" the leader had said. you should be of the committed"
 But she had ignored the speech con- temptuously, and gone on to other things.
 Now everything was arranged. Black Humbert had put his niece to work on carnival dress for n small boy. and had stayed her curiosity by hint that it was for the American lad
 "Thcy are comfortable tenants" he had said. Not lavish. perhaps. as rich Americans should he, but orderly. and pleasant The boy has good man. nerS. It would be we'll to please him."
 So the niece, sewing in the back room. watched Bobby in and out, with pleasant mysteries in her eyes.
 Now and then, m the evenings, when the Americans were away, and Bobby was snug in bed. with Tucker on the tiny feather comfort at his feet, the Fraulein would come down stairs and sit In Black Humbert's s room. At such times the niece would be sent on an errand. and the two would talk. The niece. who, although she had no lover. was on the lookout for love. suspected romance of the middle-aged, and smiled in the half darkness of the street: smiled with a touch of malice, as one who has pierced the armor of the fortress, and knows its weakness.
 But it was not love that Humbert and the Fraulein talked.
 Herman Spier was busy in those days and making plans. Thus, day ny l day, he dincd in the restaurant where the little Marie. now weary of her husband, sat in idle intervals behind the cashiers desk. and watched the grass in the place emerge from it's winter hiding place. When she turned her eyes to the room. frequently she encountered those of Herman Spler, pale yet burning, fixed on her. And at | last, one day when her husband lay i lame with sciatiea. she left the desk and paused by Hermans table.
 You come frequently now" she obs i served. "lt is that you like us here, i or that you have risen in the shopT
 Il have left the shop" said Herman. 1 staring at her. Flesh, in n moderate amount. suited her we'll. He liked | plump women. They were, if you please, an armful. And I come to see you"
 Left the shopl" Marie exclaimed. And Peter Niburg-he has left also2 l never see him."
 "No," said Herman noncommittally.
 He Is i'll. perhapsf'
 "He is dead" said Herman, devour- ing her with his eyes.
 Dead :" She put hand to her | plump side.
 Aye. Shot as spy" He took an- other piece of the excellent pigeon pie. Marie. meantime, lost all her looks, grew pasty white.
 "of the-the terrorists?" she de- handed, in a whisper.
 'Terrorists! No. Of Karnia. He was no patriot"
 So the little Marie went back to her desk, and to her staring out over the