The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1918-04-10
CHAPTER v.
The Right to Live and Love.

nunciata lighted cigarette, and
glanced across the table at Hedwig.
Hedwig had been very silent during
the meal. She had replied civilly
when spoken to, but that was ALL Her
mother, who had caught the countess
trick Of narrowing her eyes, inspected
her from under lowered lids.
"Well? she said. "Are you still
sulky?"
81? Not at all, mother" Her head
went up, and she confronted her
mother squarely.
II should like to inquire, If I may"
observed the archduchess, "just how
you have spent the day. This morn
ming, for instancef
Hedwig shrugged her shoulders, but
her color rose.
II rode"
"Where?"
"At the riding school, with Otto"
"Only with OttoT
"Captain Larisch was there"
"f course! Then you have prac-
tically spent the day with himr'
II have spent most of the day with
Otto"
"This devotion to Otto-it Is new,
I think. You were eager to get out
of the nursery. Now, 1t appears, you
must fly back to schoOlroom teas and
other absurdities. l should like to
know why"
II think Otto is lonely, mother"
Thn In Of har
sudden moods of irritation. Hedwlg's
remark about Otto's loneliness, the
second that day, struck home. In her
anger she forgot her refusal to the
chancellor.
81 have something to say that will
put an end to this sentimental nom
sense of yours, Hedwig. / should for
bid your seeing this boy, this young
Larisch, If l felt 1t necessary. l do
not. You would probably see him
anyhow, for that matter" She rose,
and threw her bolt out of clear sky.
at is unnecessary to remind you not
to make fool of yourself. But 1t
may not be out of place to say that
your grandfather has certain plans for
you that will take your mind away
from this-this silly boy, soon enough"
Hedwig had risen, and was stand
Ing very white, with her hands on
the table. "What plans, mOther?"
"He will tell you"
= "Not-I am not to be marriedT
The Archduchess Annunciata was
not all hard. She could never forgive
her children their father. But they
were her children, and Hedwig was
all that she was not, gentle and round
and young. Suddenly something al
most like regret stirred In her.
'Don't look like that, child" she
said. at is not settled. And, after
all, one marriage or anOther-what
difference does 1t make? Men are
men. II one does not care, it makes
the things they do unimportant."
"But surely" Hedwig gasped,
"surely I shall be consulted?"
Annunciata shook her head. They
had all risen. AS for Olga Loschek,
she was very still, but her eyes
burned.
Mother, you cannot look back, and
and remember your own life, and al
low me to be wretched. You can
notw
Hedwig began to cry.
The archduchess hated tears, and
her softer moments were only mo-
ments. "Dry your eyes, and don't be
silly" she said cOldly. "You have al
ways known that something Of the
sort was inevitable"
She moved toward the door. The
two Processes and her lady In wait
ing remained still until she had left
the table. Then they fell in behind |
the stuffy boudoir, for coffee. But
Hilda slipped her arm around her sis !
ter's waist, and the touch comforted |
Hedwig.
"He may be very NICE" Hilda volun-
teered cautiously. "Perhaps 1t is Karl. /
I am quite mad about Karl, myself" /
Hedwig however, was beyond listen
ing. She went slowly to window, |
and stood gazing out. Looming against
the skyline. in the very center of the
place, was the heroic figure Of her dead
grandmother. She fell to wondering !
about these royal women who had pre- !
coded. Her mother. frankly unhappy ,
in her marriage, permanently embit- |
tered; her grandmother. Hedwig had
never seen the king young. She could
not picture him as a lover. To her
he was fine and lonely figure. But
romantic? Had he ever been roman,
tic?
She slipped out onto the balcony
and closed the curtains behind her.
AS her eyes grew accustomed to the
darkness she saw that there was some
one below, under the trees. Her heart
beat rapidly. In a moment she was
certain. 1t was Milky down there,
Milky. gazing up at her as child may
look ut star. With a quick gesture
Hedwig drew the curtain back. A
thin raw of liRht fell on her on her |