The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1918-07-11

spring. For Milky knew the temper
Of the people, knew It us did Mathilde |
gossiping In the market, and even bet
ter; knew that crisis was approach
ing, and that on this small boy In his
charge hung that crisis.
So Milky trusted In his own right
arm and In nothing else. The very
size of the palace, Its unused rooms,
its long and rambling corridors, its
rambling wings and ancient turrets,
was against Its safety.
Since the demonstration against
Karl, the riding school hour had been
given up. There were no drives In the
park. The illness Of the king furnished
sufficient excuse, but the truth was
that the royal family was practically
best, ged. ~ 1t knew not what.
Milky, summoned to the chancellor's
house that morning. had been told the
facts, and had stood, rather still and
tense. while Mettlich recounted them.
"Our very precautions are our dan
GER" said the chancellor. "And the
king" He stopped and sat, tapping
his fingers on the arm Of his chair.
"And the king. sir"
almost ut the end. A day or two"
Karl, with Hedwig In his thoughts.
had returned to mobilize his army not
far from the border for the spring
maneuvers, and at a meeting Of the
kings council the matter Of mobiliza-
ton in Livonia was seriously consid-
cred.
Fat Frtese favored It, and made an
impassioned speech, with sweat thick
on his heavy face.
81 am not cowardly," he finished.
~ fear nothing for myself or for
those belonging to me. But the duty
Of this council Is to preserve the throne
for the crown prince, at any cost. And.
| IL we cannot trust the army, In what
can we trust7"
"In God" said the chancellor grim
ly.
In the end nothing was done. Mobll-
Izatlon might precipitate the crisis and
there was always the fear that the
army, in parts. was itself disloyal.
The king, meanwhile, lay dying, Doc
tor Weiderman In constant attendance,
other physicians coming and going.
His apartments were silent. Rugs
covered the corridors. that no football
disturb his quiet hours. The nursing
sisters attended him, one by his bed
side, one always on her knees at the
priedieu In the small room beyond. He
wanted little-now and then sip Of
water. the cooled juice of fruit. In
jections Of stimulants, given by Doctor
Weiderman himself, had Scared his
old arms with purplish marks, and
as the hours went on.
He rarely slept, but lay inert and not
unhappy. Annunciata came. and was
at last stricken by conscience to q
prayer at his bedside. On one of her
last visits that was. She got up to
find his eyes fixed on her.
Father, can you hear mel"
"Yes."
IL have been a bad daughter to
you. am sorry. 1t Is late now to
tell you, but l am sorry. Can I dc
anything"
"Otto," he said, with difficulty.
"You want to see him2"
NO"
She knew what he meant by that
He would have the boy remember hin
as he had seen him last.
"You are anxious about himT
"Very-anxious."
"Listen, father" she said, stooplni
over him. 81 have been hard and cold
Perhaps you will grant that l have
had two reasons for 1t. But am go
Ing to do better. I will take care OF
him and l will do all can to mak'
him happy. I promise"
Perhaps II was relief. Perhaps ever
then the thought of Annunciata's tar
dy and certain-to-be bungling effort
to make Ferdinand William Otto happ.
amused him. He smiled family.
Milky received a note from Hedwii
late that afternoon. 1t was yer,
brief:
roof beyond Hubsrt's old rooms, for ali
HEDWI0.
Milky, who In oil his incurious youn
life had never thought of the roof o
the palace, save as a necessary shelte
from the weather. q thing Of tiles an
cutters. vastly large, looked rathe
astounded.
"The roof" he said, surveying tn
!. note. And fell to thinking, such mi1
{ ture Of rapture and despeir as Onl
twenty-three. and hopeless, can know
Somehow or other he got throug
the intervening hours. and before min
he was on his way. He had the ru
Of the palace. Of course. No one nc
!. ticed him as he made his way towar
8 the empty suite which 30 recently ha
. housed its royal visitor.
: Hedwig. In a soft white wrap owe
. her dinner dress. was at the balui
trade. very dignined fairy, q
. though her heart thumped disgrac'