Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1918-01-31
.ll.a..
nHist'
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CHAPTER II.
Disqraced.

AL eiEht CLOCK tnat n the
Crown Prince Ferdinand William Otto
approached the palace through the
public square. He approached 1t
slowly, for two reasons. First, he did
not want to 90 back. Second, he was
rather frightened. He had an idea
that they would be disagreeable.
There seemed to be n great deal CO.
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.
TIe vas very dirty. His august face
was streaied with SCOT, and his au-
gust hands likewise. His small derby
hat n 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 1t off and
rolled 1t UP. He decided. us he waited
in the square, to put 1t IN again.
Miss Braithwaite was very peculiar
about collars.
Came a lull in the line Of carriages.
Prince Ferdinand william Otto took
a long breath and started forward.
AS he advanced he stuck his bands
in his pockets and staggered a trlhe.
1t 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 n
great many Of them. And Just as he
had made up his mind to take the
plunge, 80 to speak, a part Of his own
regiment Of cnvalry anne ont from the
court yard with a laundering Of hoofs,
wheeled ut the street, and clattered
off.
l
Very unusual. all Of It.
The Crown Prince Ferdinand Otto
felt 10 his pocket for his handkerchief,
nnd. mOistening n 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
forgo! to bring his musket to salute.
He crossed himself instead. And
something strained around the other
sentry's lower Jaw suddenly relaxed
into q smile as his royal highness
drew a hand from Its refuge and IA.
luted. He glanced at one, then at the
other. rather sheeplshly, hesltated be.
tween them. clapped hts Int on more
securely, ond marched In.
"Thc young rascal" said the sec.
ond sentry to himself. And by turn
Ing his head slightly--for q sentry
learns to see. oil around like a horse
without twisting his ncck-hc 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 Hraithwalte
he would have known. that relief FOL