River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1918-05-23

seeing that she still did not compre-
bend, he explained, swiftly. He stood,
as many man has stood before, be-
tween love and loyalty to his king,
and he was a soldier. He had no
choice.
It was terrible to him to see the
light die out of her eyes. But even
as he told her of the dangers that
comprised the child and possibly 9th
ers of the family, he saw that they
touched her remotely, if at all.
All she said, when Milky finished,
was: II might have known it. OF
course they would get me, as they did
the others" But a moment later she
rose and threw out her arms. "HOw
skillful they are! They knew about
it. 1t is all a part Of the plot. They
made you promise never to desert
Otto, so that their arrangements need
not be interfered with. Oh, know
them, better than you do. They are
all cruel. 1t is the blood"
That evening the Princess Hedwig
went unannounced to her grandfather's
apartment, and demanded to be al
lowed to enter.
A gentleman in waiting bowed deep
ly, but stood before the door. your
highness must pardon my reminding
your highness," he said firmly, "that
no one may enter his majesty's pres
ence without permission"
"Then go in,'' said Hedwig, in a
white rage, "and get the permission"
The gentleman in waiting went in,
very deliberately, because his dignity
was outraged. The moment he had
gone, however, Hedwig flung the door
open, and followed, standing, figure
of tragic defiance, inside the heavy
curtains of the kings bedroom.
'There is no use saying you won't
see me, grandfather. For here l am.
They eyed each other, the one, it
must be told, a trifie uneasily, the
other desperately. Then into the
kings eyes came a flash of admiration,
and just a CLEAN of amusement.
$50 I perceive" he said. "COme
here, Hedwig."
A sister Of charity was standing by
the kings bed. She had cared for
him through many illnesses. In the
intervals she retired to her cloister and
read holy books and sewed for the
poor.
The sister went out, her black habit
dragging, but she did not sew. Some
time later she heard bitter crying in
the royal bed chamber, and the kings
tones, soothing now and very sad.
''There is higher duty than happi-
ness" he said. "There are greater
things than love. And one day you
will know this"
When she went in Hedwig had gone,
and the old king, lying in his bed, was
looking at the portrait of his dead
son.
= =
The following morning the Countess
Loschek left for a holiday. She had
the choice of but two alternatives, to
do as she had been commanded, for 1t
amounted to that, or to die. The COM
mittee would not kill her, in case she
failed them. 1t would be unnecessary.
Enough that they place the letter and
the code in the hands of the author
tiles, by some anonymous means. Well
enough she knew the chancellor's in
flexible anger, and the Archduchess
Annunciata's cold rage. They would
sweep her away with a gesture, and
she would die the death of all traitors.
A week! Time had been when a
week Of the dragging days at the pal
ace had seemed eternity. Now the
hours flew. The gold clock on her
dressing table, a gift from the arch
duchess, marked them with flying
hands.
During the afternoon came pack
age, rather unskillfully tied with gilt
cord Opening it, the countess dis
closed a glove box of wood, with a de-
sign of rather shaky violets burnt into
the cover. Inside was a note:
I am very sorry you are sick. This is
to put your gloves in when you travel.
Please excuse the work. / have done it
in a hurry.
FERDINAND WILLIAM OTTO.
Suddenly the countess laughed, chok-
ing hysterical laughter that alarmed
Minna; horrible laughter, which left
her paler than ever, and gasping.
The old castle of the Loscheks
looked grim and inhospitable when she
reached it that night. Built during the
years when the unbeliever overran
southern Europe, it stood in a COM
handing position over valley, and a
steep, walled road led up to it.
But, it's ancient glory and good re-
pute departed, it's garrison gone, it's
drawbridge and moat things of the
past, it's very hangings and furnish
ings moldering from long neglect, it
hung over the valley, past menace,
an empty threat.
To this dreary refuge the countess
hads fled. She wanted the silence of
its still rooms in which to. think.
Wretched herself, it's Indebtedness
called her. AS the carriage which had
hI-oY,Cht ber from tha railway turned