The Elbert County tribune., 1918-10-25
By Mary
Roberts Rinehart

met the council in session. and had
had, because of their growing alarm.
rather his own way with them.
But although he had pointed to the
kings condition and theirs-as an
argument for immediate marriage-he
failed. The thing would be done, but
properly and In good time. Karl left
them in bad temper, well concealed,
and had the pleasure Of being Kissed
through the streets.
But he comforted himself with the
thought of Hedwig. He had taken her
in his arms before he left, and she had
made no resistance. She had even. in
view of all that was at stake, made a
desperate effort to return his kiss, and
found herself trembling afterward.
In two weeks he was to return to
her, and he whispered that to her.
On the day after the dinner party
Otto went to a hospital with Miss
Braithwaite 1t was the custom of the
palace to send the flowers from its
spectacular functions to the hospitals,
and the crown prince delighted in
these errands.
So they went, escorted by the func-
tionaries of the hospital, past the mill
tary wards, where soldiers in shabby
uniforms sat on benches In the spring
sunshine, to the general wards beyond.
The crown prince was almost hidden
behind the armful he carried. Miss
Braithwaite had all she could hold.
A convalescent patient, in slippers
many sizes too large for him, wheeled
the remainder in barrow, and almost
upset the barrow in his excitement.
Through long corridors into wards
fresh scrubbed against his arrival,
with white counterpanes exactly
square, and patients forbidden to move
and disturb the geometrical exactness
of the beds, went Prince Ferdinand
William Otto. AT each bed he stopped,
selected n flower, and held it out.
Some there were who reached out, and
took it with a smile. Others lay still,
and saw neither boy nor blossom.
"They sleep, highness," the nurse
would say.
but their eyes are open."
"They are very weary, and resting"
III SUCH CdSeS NE pluCtu Inc uOWe eI
on the pillow. and went on.
One such, however, lying with va
cant eyes fixed on the ceiling, turned
and glanced at the boy, and into his
empty gaze crept a faint intelligence.
1t was not much. He seemed to ques-
ton with his eyes. That was all. AS
the little procession moved on, how
ever he raised himself on his elbow.
"Who was thatT'
The ward, which might have been
interested, was busy keeping its COW
ers straight and in following the pro-
gress of the party. For the man had
not spoken before.
1.-THE crown prince"
The sick man lay back and closed
his eyes. Soon he slept. His comrade
in the next bed beckoned to a sister.
"He has spoken" he said. Either
he RECEIVERS, or-he dies"
But Haeckel did not die. He lived
to do his part in the coming crisis,
to prove that even the great hands of
Black Humbert on his throat were
not SO strong as his own young spirit !;
lived, indeed. to confront the terrorist
as one risen from the dead. But that
day he lay and slept, by curious irony
the flower from Karl's banquet in a
cup of water beside him.
On the day before the carnival, He'd
wig had visitor, none other than the
Countess Loschek. Hedwig, all her
color gone now. her high spirit crushed,
her heart torn into fragments and
naafIu distributed hot
had most of it, the crown prince, and
the old king. Hedwig, having given
her permission to come, greeted her
politely but without enthusiasm.
"Highness!" said the countess sur
veying her, "may speak to you frank
ly"
"Please do" Hedwig replied.
Everybody does, anyhow. Especially
when it Is something disagreeable."
Olga Loschek watched her warily.
She knew the family as only the out
slider could know it; knew that He'd
wig, who would have disclaimed the
fact, was like her mother in some
things, notably in disposition to be
mild until a certain moment, submis-
sive, even acquiescent, and then sud-
denly to become, as it were, royalty
and grow cold. naughty. But IL He'd
wig was driven in those days, SO was
the countess, desperate and driven to
desperate methods.
Il am presuming, highness, on your
mothers kindness to me, and your
own"
swell. go on" said Hedwig resign
ediy. But the next words brought her
up in her chair.
Are you going to allow your life
to be ruined?" was what the countess
said.
Careful! Hedwig had thrown up her