The Elk Mountain pilot., 1918-10-17

the dominant voice. Ths boy out ID
the way, the prospect of tha
Princess Hedwig On the throue, Q few
demagogues in the public svuarss-it
would be the end"
The king leaned back and closed his
eysa His thin, archsd nose looked
pinched. His faes was gray.
AN this" he said, means what I
10 make the boy . prisoner, to cut
on his few pleasures. and even then,
at any time"
"Yes. ars." said MsttlicA dogsedly.
AT any t1ms."
All through the palace psop,s were
sleeplng. Prince Ferdinand william
Otto was aaleep. and riding aeain TIE
little car In the land Of delight %
that. turning q corner sharply, ~ al
most fell out Of bed.
On the other do Of tbe city TIE
little American boy was asleep also.
At that enact time he was being
tucked up By IN entirely smcisnt and
pladd-eyed American 11othsr. who felt
under his hsad 10 - that hls ear was
not. turned forward NJ hked closs-
ntdng e4rA.
Nobody. naturally. va tuching up
Prince Fsrdinand william Otto. or
attending to his ears. But Of coursA
there were sentries outsids his door,
and q valet dc chambre to b rung
for. and q number Of embroidered
eagles scattered about on the curtains
and things, and q country surrounding
him which would one day be his, un-
less
AT any time." said General Nett
Itch. and was grimly Silent.
"Wenr' inquired The king, after q
time. "You have something 10 ssug-
gest, I take It"
"sirs." As began. 1T u said that q
chancellor should have but ous pas
sion. his king. I have two, my king
and my country"
The king nodded gravely. He knew
both passions, relied On both. And
found them both q bit troublssome At
timesi
sOnes. some years ago. ars, I came
to you with q plan. The Princess
Hedwig was Q child thea, and his late
royal highness was-stfn with N.
For that, and for othsr reasons. your
majesty refused to listsa. But things
have changed. Bstwssn - and rsvo-
luton there stand only the frail life
Of q boy and an army none too large,
and already. perhaps. affected There
IL much discontent and The oGspeing
of diacontant n annFehY~
The king snaried. But Nsttiich had
taken his courage In his hands, and
went on. Their nslshbor and hsred-
itary foe was Karnia. Gould they
any loaser afford the snmlty Of Kar-
MAI One cause of discomfort was the
expense Of the army, and Of the forti-
ncations along the Karnian border. II
Karnia were allied with them, there
would be no need Of % great an army.
They had the mineral wealth, and
Karnia the seaports. The old dream
Of the empire. Of q railway to the sea.
would be realised.
He pleaded well. The idea was not
new. To place the little King Otto
* On ths throne and keep him there
In the face q oppositioa would re-
auire support from outside. Karnia
would furnish this support. For q
price.
Ths price was the Princess He'd
wig.
'.That = NJ plea, sire," Nettiich
finished. sKArl ef Karnia 70 anxious
to marry, and looks this way. To al
lay discomfort and growing insurrec-
tion, to insure the boys safety and his
throne. to beat our swords into plough
shares"-hefe he caught The kings
scowl, and added--to . certain ex-
tent and to make ~ q commercial
~ well az q military nation, surely.
sire. 1t gains much for us, and loses
~ nothing"
But our independenesi said the
king souriy.
However; h did not dismiss the
idea. The fright Of the afternoon had
weakened him, and II Nsttlich were
right the royalist party would need
outside help to maintain the throne.
"KarniaI" he said. The lion ana
the lamb. with the lamb ins(6e the
lioni And in the meantime the boy
"He should b watched always."
'He has Lussin." Count Lussin was
the crown princes aide Dc camp.
He needs q man. SIRE" observed
the chancellor rather tartiy.
The king cleared h3S throat THIS
younSster he u - fond Of. yoang
LArisch. woold ~ please you bettseT
be asked. with irooic daference.
"A good bog, DIRE. You may Foea1l
that his motAeg@ He stspped.