The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1918-04-04
CHAPTER V.-contInued.


NE
Mother. you cannot look back, and
.-and remember your own life, and al
low me to be wretched. You can
notl"
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 princesses and her lady in wait
ing remained still until she had left
the table. Thep they fell In behind
her, and the little procession moved to
the stuffy boudoir, for coffee. But
Hilda slipped her arm around her SIS
ter's waist, and the touch comforted
uedwig..
"He Jay be very NICE" Hilda volun-
teeredl lutiously. "Perhaps 1t Is Karl.
am lite mad about Karl, myself"
- Hed-y, however. was beyond listen
ing. le 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-
ceded. 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 q lover. To her
he was a fine and lonely figure. But
romanticf Had he ever been roman,
tic7
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 at a star. With quick gesture
Hedwig drew the curtain back. A
thin ray of light fell on her.. on her
slim bare arms, on her light draperies
on her young face. He had wanted
to see her, and he should see her. Then
she dropped the curtain. and twisted
her hands together lest, in spite OF
her, they reach out toward him.
Did she fancy 1t, or did the figure
salute herr Then came the quick ring
of heels on the old stone pavement
She knew his footsteps, even as she
knew every vibrant, eager infection OF
his voice.. He went away, across thu
square, like one who, having bent his
knee to a saint, turns back to the busl'
ness Of the world.
In the boudoir the archduchess had
picked up some knitting to soothe hel
tangled nerves. "You may play now
Hilda," she said.
Annunciata dozed, and Hi]da played
softly. The countess opportunity had
come. She put down the dreary EN-
broidery with which she filled the
drearier evenings, and moved to the
window. Sha walked quietly, like 9
cat.
Her first words to Hedwig were
those Of Peter Niburg as he linked
arms with his enemy and started down
the street. "A fine night, highness.'
she said.
Hedwig raised her eyes to the stars
ut is very lovely"
"A night to spend out-of-doors, in
stead of being shut up" Sht
finished her sentence with q shrug Of
the shoulders.
Hedwig was not fond of the count
ess. She did not know why. The
truth being, Of course. that between
them lay the barrier Of her own In
nocence. When the countess arm
touched hers, she drew aside.
Tonight" said the lady In waiting
dreamily, II should like to be In Z
motor, speeding over mountain roads
come from the mountains, you know
And ! miss them"
Hedwig moved, a little impatiently
but as the countess went on, she lis
tened. After all, Milky, too, came
from the mountains. And because She
was sorry for the countess, who wal
homesick, and perhaps because Jus
then she had to speak to some one
she turned to her nt last with the thint
that filled her mind.
'Thls marriage" she said bitterly
rs It talked aboutf Am the onl,
one In the palace who has not known
about it2"
mo. highness. l had heard nothing
OF course. there are always rumors.'
"As to the other. the matter m,