Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-05-04
NARY ROBERTS RINEaAR1
Copyright, 1917, The RidGway Company
All Fights Reserved



-
I1voluntarily the king glanced at
the photograph on the table.
"Forgive me, sire, If waken bitter
memories. But I fear"
"You fear!" said the king. "Since
when have you taken to fearing?"
Nevertheless" maintained General
Mettlich doggedly, II fear. This quiet
|of the last few months alarms me.
Dangerous dogs do not bark. trust
20 one. TIE very air is full Of Sc
lition."
the king twisted his blue-veined old
ands together. but his voice was
liet. "But why?" he demanded, al
ost fretfully. "If the people arte
nd Of the boy. and I think they are,
to carry him off, or injure him,
puld hurt the cause. Even the ter
rists, in the name Of republic, can
nothing without the people"
1.-THE mob is curious thing, sire.
u have ruled with strong hand.
people know nothing but to obey
d dominant voice. The boy out Of
way, the prospect Of the
sncess Hedwig on the throne, a few
Sfagogues in the public squares-it
Md be the end"
lhe king leaned back and closed his
b. His thin, arched nose looked
thed. His face was gray.
MI this" he said, means what?
make the boy q prisoner, to cut
off His few pleasures, and even then,
at ally time"
"Yks, SIRE" said Mettlich doggedly.
r'At any time"
All through the. palace people were
sleeping. Prince Ferdinand William
AOtto was asleep, and riding again the
little car In the land of delight. So
that turning corner sharply, he al
most fell out Of bed.
On the other side Of, the city the
little American boy was asleep also.
lat that exact time he was being
tucked up by an entirely efficient and
nlacid-eyed American mother, who felt
nder his head to See that his ear was
pt turned forward. She liked close
tting ears.
Nobody, naturally, was tucking up
rince Ferdinand William Otto. Or
stending to his ears. But, Of course,
here were sentries outside bis door,
nd valet de chambre to be rung
Dr. and q number Of embroidered
hgles scattered about on the curtains
nd things, and country surrounding
m which would one day be his, I'M
S.
"At any time" said General Nett
ch, and was grimly silent.
lss'Welll' inquired the king, after a
tilhe. "You have something to, sug-
gest, / take it."
The old soldier cleared his throat.
sSlre." he began, ut is said that a
chancellor should have but one pas
sioh, his king. I have two, my king
and my country"
THE king nodded gravely. he knew
both passions, relied on both. And
fouild them both bit troublesome at
tim1 IS!
!" Pnce, some years ago, sire, I came
to bou with plan. The Princess
Hedwig was child then, and his late
royhl highness was-still with us.
Fora hat, and for other reasons, your
ma jesty refused to listen. But things
have changed. Between US and revo-
lution there stand only the frail life
OF boy and an army none too large,
and already, perhaps, affected. There
is much discomfort, and the offspring
OF discomfort Is anarchy"
The king snarled. But Mettlich HAD
taken his courage in his hands, and
went on. Their neighbor and hered-
ttary foe was Karnia. Could they
any longer afford the enmity of Kar-
MIA? One cause Of discomfort was the
expense of the army, and of the forti-
fications along the Karnian border. If
Karnia were allied with them, there
would BIZ no need of so great an army.
They had the mineral wealth.. and
Karnia the seaports. The old dream
OF the empire, Of railway to the sea,
would he sealized
He pleaded we'll. The idea was not
new. To place the little King Otto
TX on the throne and keep him there
ia the face of opposition would re-
,quire support from outside. Karn1a
would furnish this support. For a
price.
The price was the Princess He'd.
WIG.
''That is my plea, sire" Mettlicl'
finished. "Karl Of Karnia Is anxious
to marry, and looks this way. To al
I lay discomfort and growing insurrec.
tloH, to insure the boys safety and his