Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-02-15
SYNOPSIS.

CHAPTER 1.-THE crown prince of IL
sonia, Ferdinand William Otto, ten years
old. taken by his aunt to the opera. tires
4 II the singing and slips away to the park
md there makes the acquaintance OF
Bobby Thorpe. a little American boy.
CHAPTER II-Returning to the palace
IT night the crown prince finds everything
IN an uproar as n result of the search for
/ nm. The chancellor inpresses on the old
ing. the boys grandfather. who is very
N, the need for better protection OF the
| own prince and suggests that the friend
nip of the neighboring king of Karnia
| sr cefnented by giving the Princess He'd
e. in marriage to him. The old king
! anally agrees.
| CHAPTER III-TIedwig herself. who
loves Milky Larisch, 0tto's aid de camp,
and Lariseh are upset by the kings de-
| cision.
| CHAPTER Iv--Countess Loschek, lady
Kari Of Karnla, is jealous Of iHedwig. She
| 3lots to start revolt in Livonia by send
| Ing q code letter to Karl telling him of
onditions in the country. Peter Nlburg.
trayed by a fellow clerk. Herman Spier
| CHAPTER y--Niburg is robbed OF the
| 1issive and q dummy letter substituted;
aptain Larisch, unaware Of the substi-
| luton, holds up Karrs chauffeur and se-
cures the envelope.
Continued from yesterday
The concierge would promise any
| thing and did. Haeckel listened, and
knew the offer of liberty was a lie.
But there was something about the
story of the letter itself That bore the
hall marks Of truth.
"You see,' finished Black Humbert
cunpingly, "she-this lady Of the court
lis plotting with some one, or SO we
suspect. If it IS only liaison-!'
He spread his hands. IF, as is pos
sible she betrays us to Karnia, that
we should find out. It is not" he
added, among our plans that Karnia
should know too much Of US"
The brandy was still WORKING, but
| rhe spy's mind was clear. He asked
| for pencil, and set to work. After
all, If there was a spy Of Karls in the
! palace, ii were well to know it. He
sried complicated methods first, to find
that the body of the letter. after ALL
was simple enough. BY reading every
tenth word, he got 4 consistent mes
sage, save that certain supplies, over
which the concierge had rallied, Were
special code words for certain regi-
ments. These he could rot declpher.
"Whoever was to receive this" he
said ut last "would have been in
possession Of complete data of the
army, equipment and all, and the Local
tion of various regiments. Probably
you and your band Of murderers have
| that already"
The concierge nodded, no whit ruff
fled "And for whom was it intended?v
Il cannot say. The address is fic-
titious of course"
Black Humbert scowled. "Sow he
said. "You tell us only part r
"There Is nothing else to tell. Save,
as I have written here, the writer
ends: Il must see you at once. Let me
know where"
| The brandy was getting in its work
well by that time. He was feeling
strong, his own man again, and reck-
less. But he was cunning, too. He
yawned. "And in return for all this,
what?" he demanded. Il have done
you service, friend cut-throat."
The concierge stuffed letter and
translation into his pocket. "What
would you have, short Of liberty.
"Air, for one thing" He stood up
and stretched again. God, how strong
he feltl "If you would open that ac-
cursed window for an hour--the place
reelSs."
| Humbert was in high good humor in
spite of his protests. In his pocket he
| held the key to favor, aye, to a plan
which he meant to lay before the COM
mittee of ten, a plan breath-taking in
its audacity and yet potential of sue
cess. He went to the window and put
his great shoulder against it.
Instantly Haeckel overturned the
candle and, picking up the chair,
| hurled it at Herman Spier. He heard
| the clerk go down as he leaped for
| the door. Herman had not locked it.
! He was in the passage before the con-
cIerge had stumbled past The bed
! Haeckel ran as he had never run
before. The last fight now, with the
concierge well behind, and liberty two
/ seconds away.
He flung himself against the doors
to the street. But they were fastened
by a. chain, and the key was not in the
! lock.
He crumpled up in heap as the
concierge fell on him with fists like
fails.
i Some time later, old Adelbert heard
sound in the corridor, and peered
out. Humbert, assisted by the ledger,
Spier, was carrying to the attic what
appeared to be an old mattress, rolled
up and covered with rags. In the
morning. outside the door, there was a
darkish stain, however, which might
have been blood.
=
4 AT nine o'clock the next morning
the chancellor visited the crown prince.
Il He came without ceremony. Lately he
u had been coming often. IIe liked to
come In quietly, and sit for an hour
In the school room, saying nothing.
Prince Ferdinand William Otto found