The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1918-05-23

remain with the crown prince" Then,
seeing that she still did not compre-
hend. he explained. swiftly. He stood,
as many a man has stood before. be-
tween love and loyalty to his king,
and he was soldier. He had no
choice.
II was terrible to him to see the
light die out Of her eyes. But even
as he told her of the dangers that
compassed the child and possibly 9TH
ers Of the family, he saw that they
touched her remotely, II ut oil.
| All she said. when Milky finished,
was: II might have known 1t. OF
course they would get me, as they did
the Others" But n moment later she
rose and threw out her arms. "How
skillful they arel They knew about
1t. It is all 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 grandfathers
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. 1t
must be told, trifle uneasily, the
other desperately. Then into the
kings eyes came flash of admiration,
and Just a CLEAN of amusement.
$50 l 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 king q
tones. soothing now and very sad.
"There is a 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 ut the portrait Of his dead
son.
The following morning the Countess
Loschek left for holiday. She had
the choice of but two alternatives, to
do as she had been commanded, for Il
amounted to that, or to die. The con.
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. We'll
enough she knew the chancellor's In
flexible anger. and the Archduchess
Annunciata's cold rage. They would
sweep her away with gesture. and
she would die the death Of all traitors
A weekl Time had been when Q
week of the dragging days ut the pal
ace had seemed eternity. Now thu
hours flew. The gold clock on hel
dressing table. a gift from the arch
duchess, marked them with fyini
hands.
During the afternoon came a pack
age. rather unsklllfully tied with gill
cord. Opening 1t, the countess dis
closed glove box of wood, with a de
sign of rather shaky violets burnt into
the cover. Inside was a note:
am very sorry you are sick. This Il
to put your gloves In when you travel
Please excuse the work. I have done &
In q hurry.
FERDINAND WILLIAM OTTO.
Suddenly the countess laughed. chok
Ing hysterical laughter that alarmed
Minna; horrible laughter. which lef
her paler than ever, and gasping.
The old castle of the Loschek,
looked grim and inhospitable when sh'
reached 1t that night. Built during tn,
years when the unbeliever overrar
southern Europe. It stood in com
manding position over valley, and q
steep. walled road led up to 1t.
But. Its ancient glory and good re
pute departed. Its garrison gone, 1t,
drawbridge and moat things Of thu
past. its very hangings and furnish
ings moldering from long neglect, II
J hung over the valley, past menace
: an empty threat.
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