The times-herald. [volume] (Burns, Harney County, Or.) 1896-1929, 1918-08-03

brought III carefully Dy Iepy, Dec"uS' |
of It's expcuslvencss They had cut
the cake with "Boby" on the top ana
The crown prince had eaten fur more
thnn wns good for him.
He sat, lingering The Lincoln penny
and feeling extremely full and very
contentcd.
Then, suddenly, from far off church
decp.toncd bell began to toll slow
ly.
Prince Ferdinand william Otto
caught It. st. Stcfnns he'll! He sal
up and listened. The sound was faint
one felt il rather Than heard II, but
the slow booming was uninistnkable
lie got up and pushed his chair back
Other bells had taken II up. nnd
now the whole city seemed alive win
bells--bells that swung sadly from side
10 side. as II they said over ANA over
"Alas, alas!"
Something like panic seized Fcrdi
nand william Otto. Some cnlaDit.
had happened Some one was-per'
hnps his grandfather
lie turned nm appealing face to Mrs
Thorpe. II must CO." he said. u d'
not wish TO appear rude. hut some
thing IL wrong. The bells"
Pepy had been listening, too. 1iei
brond face worked. "rhey mean ont
thing" she said slowly. II have henrd
Il said many times. When 81. Sicfhnf
tolls like .hnt. the king Is dead!
mo! No!" cried Ferdinand WI
liam Otto and ran mndiy out of the
door.
While the birthday supper was nj
Its height, In the bureau Of the con
cIerge sat old Adelbcrt, hcnvy ana
dcspairlng. That very dny had ht
learned to whnt usc the committee
would put the information he hrJ
given them, and his old heart was
dend within him. One may not bt
loyal for seventy years, and then ensi'y
become n traitor.
Then. nj seven o'clock, something
happened.
The conclergc's niece had gone
| leaving the supper ready cooked az
the back Of the stove. Old Adeiber'
sat nlone. and watched the red bhr'
| of the stove fade 10 black. by thai
! time Il WIS done and he was of tho
! damned. The crown prince, who wn'
! of nm ngc with the American lad M
stairs. the crown prince was In th'
hands of his enemies. He. old Adcl
bert. had done IL.
And now Il was forever too late
Terrible thoughts filed his mind. H'
could not live thus. yet he could MOI
die. The daughter must have the pen
sion. He must live. traitor. he OF
whose breast the king himself hn'
pinned decoration.
He wore his new uniform, In honol
OF the day. Suddenly he felt that III
could not wear II amy longer. He hat
no right TO any uniform. He who hn'
sold his country wns of no country.
He went slowly out and up the stair
case, dragging his wooden leg pain
fully from step to step. He heard TN
concierge come In below, his henv.
footsteps ra-eehOed through the build
Ing. Inside the door he called furi
ously TO his niece. Old Adelbert hear'
him strike n match 90 light the gas.
In his room he snt down on
straight chnir inside the door, AM
stirred ahead. Then, slowly and me
chnnically, he took of his new uni
form and d0nDed the old. one. I'll
would have put on civilian clothes, hn'
he possessed any. For by the deed
Of that day he had forfeited the righ
to the kings garb.
II was there that Black Humberl
hurrying up, found him. The cor
clcrge was livld. his massive FRAN
shook with excitement.
"Quick y he said, and swore n grea
oath. "To the shop Of the cobble
Heinz, and tell him this word. Her
In the building IN the boy"
"what boy?"
The concierge closed great han
on the veterans shoulder. "Who bu
the crown prince himself !" he said.
But l thought-how can he b
heref"
Here is he, In our very hands.
Is no time 10 ask questions
III he is here"
'TIe is with the Americans" hisse
the concierge, the veins ON his fore
head swollen with excitement. Nov
90, and quickly. ! shall watch. IA
that when have secured the lad.
shall take him there. Let nll he read,
An hour ng0." he said, raising hi
great fists on high, "and everythin
lost. Now--hurry, old wooden leg
Is great night"
"But--I cannot. Already hav
done too much. l am damned. ! hav
lost my soul. Win am soon TO de
"You will GO
And, at last, he went, hobbling dow
the staircase reclSlessly, because IN
, looming figure at the stairhead wa
listening. He reached the stree
There, only block away, was the col
; hloris ehon llghtp1 hut with tho dirt