The Dermott news., 1918-04-04

tablished. After that, he is unim-
portant."
The countess, still pale, looked at
him scornfully. You do my intelli-
gence small honor"
"Where peaceful methods will avail,
our methods are peaceful. madame"
at was, then, in peace that you MUIR
dered Prince Hubert?"
"The errors of the past are past
Then. with new sternness; make
no mistake. Whether through your
agency or another, countess, when the
cathedral bell rouses the city to the
kings death, and the people wait in
the place for their new king to come
out on the balcony, he will not come
The countess was not entirely bad
Standing swaying and white-faced be-
fore the tribunal. she saw suddenly
the golden head of the little crown
prince. saw him smiling as he had
smiled that day In the sunlight, saw
him troubled and forlon as he had
been when. that very evening. he had
left them to go to his lonely rooms.
Perhaps she reached the biggest mo-
ment OF her life then. when she folded
her arms and stared proudly at the
shrouded figures before her.
II Will not do IT," she said.
But Number Seven remained impas-
sive. "A new idea, countess :" he said
suavely. II can understand that your
heart recoils. But this thing is in
evitable. as l have said Whether you
or another-but perhaps with time to
think you may come TO another con-
clusion. We make no threats. Our
position is. however. one of RESPONSE
billy. We are compelled TO place the
future OF the republic before every
other consideration"
THAT is threat"
I'VE remember both our friends and
our enemies, madame. And we have
only friends and enemies. There is no
middle course. If you would like time
to think II over"
How much timer" She clutched at
the words.
women vary" said Number Seven
mockingly. Some determine quickly.
Others"
May | have q month";"
During which the king may diet
Alas, madame, II Is now you who do
US too little honorl''
"A week." begged the countess
desperately.
The leader glanced along the line.
One head after another nodded slow
~.
"A week 1t is. madame. Comrade
Fivei"
The one who had brought her came
forward with the bandage.
AT the end of one week, madame.
tiacre will, as tonight, be waiting
in the Street of the Wise Virgins"
And these papers?"
ION the day the republic of Ii
vonia is established. madame, they Will
be returned to YOU
He bowed, and returned to his chair
Save for the movements of the man
who placed the handaGe over her eyes,
room.
Prince Ferdinand William Otto was
supremacy happy. Three quite delight
full things had happened. First. Mix
ky had returned. He said he felt per
fectly we'll, but the crown prince
thought he looked as though he had
been III. and glanced frequently at
Nikky's cigarette during the riding
hour. Second. Hedwig did not come
TO the riding lesson, and he had Nix
Ky To himself Third, he, Prince
Ferdinand William Otto, was on the
eve of birthday.
This last, however, was not unmixed
happiness. For the one day the
sentence OF exile was 10 be removed
50 that he might lunch with the king.
and he was 10 have strawberry jam
with his tea, some that Miss Braith-
waite's sister had sent from England.
But to offset all this. he was to re-
ceive n delegation of citizens.
Hedwig was not at the riding
school that morning. This relieved
Prince Ferdinand William Otto, whose
fish. but Milky himself had unaccounf-
ably lost his high spirit of the MORN
ing. He played, of course, as he al
ways did. And even taught the crown
prince how 10 hang over the edge OF
his saddle. while his horse was canter-
ing, so that bullets would not strike
him.
They rode and frolicked, yelled
bit, got two ponies and whacked polo
ball over the tan bark. until the
crown prince was sweating royalty and
was gloriousiy flushed.
IL don't know when l have been so
happy" he said, dragging out his hand
kerchief and hopping his face. TITS
a great deal pleasanter without He'd
wig, isn't 1T"
While they played, overhead the
great hearse was ready at last. Its
woodwork shone. Its gold crosses
cleaned. No fieck of dust disturbed
it's austere magnificence.
Tho tpan on1 tho how xvho hoA hna,