Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-02-18

! surveyor ultu tilIOuS1i HIS PoESicos Liz
same hooking face he remembered,
from Karl's visit to the summer pal
ace, the same easy, graceful carriage
the same small mustache. He was in
/ uniform and apparently in compare.
lively gracious mood. He had been
drinking, but he was not intoxi.
Gated. He was slightly flushed, his
eyes were abnormally bright. He
| looked, for the moment, rather
amiable. Milky was to learn, later on.
how easily his smile hardened to a
terrifying grin.
He ignored Nikky's companion. @You
| brought letter."
Milky bowed, and the other man
held it out Karl took it.
'The trip was uncventfui?
eyes, sire"
"a bad night for it," Karl observed,
and glanced at the letter in his hnnd.
WAS there any difficulty at the
frontier?"
None, sire"
Karl tore the end or the envelope.
sYou will remain here tonight he
said. sTomorrow morning shall send
: dispatches to the city. hope you have
petrol. These fellows here" He did
not complete the sentence He in
serted two royal fingers into the en-
velope and drew out--Nikky's cigar.
cite papersl
For moment there was complete
silence in the roc an. Karl turned the
papers over.
1t was then that his face hardened
Into horrible grin. He looked up,
raising his head slowly
"What Is this?" he demanded, very
quietly.
"The letter. SIRE" said Milky. "I-"
'sThe letterl Do you call these
letter."
Milky drew himself up. II have
brought the envelope which was given
me-"
Without a word Karl held out papers
and envelope to the other man, who
took them. Then he turned to Milky,
and now he raised his voice. "Where
did you get this--hoax?" he demanded.
Sat the cathedral, from the man Nj
burg
"You Hel" said Karl. Then, for a
moment, he left Milky and turned on
his companion in 4 fury. He let his
royal rage beat on that unlucky In
diyidual while the agent stood, white
and still. Not until it was over, and
Karl, spent with passion, was pacing
the floor, did Milky venture word.
IF this is not what your majesty
expected" he said, "there is perhaps
an explanation"
Karl wheeled on him. ''Explana-
ton r.
THE man Niburg was attacked,
early last evening, by three men. They
beat him badly, and attempted to rob
him. His story to me, sire. He be-
lieved that they were after the letter,
but that he had preserved it. 1t is. of
course, possibility that, while he lay
stunned, they substituted another en-
velope for the one he carried"
Karl tore the envelope from the
agents hands and inspected 1t care
fully. Evidently. as with the agent,
the story started a new train of
thought. Milky drew long breath.
After all. there was still hope that the
early. morning shooting would have an
other target than himself.
Karl sat down, and his face relaxed.
1t was stern. but no longer horrible.
ssrell me this Niburg's story" he COM
manded.
HE was walking through the old
CITY," Milky commenced, when three
men fell on him. One, large one,
knocked him insensible and then went
through his pockets. The others"
"Strange" said Karl. IF he was
insensible, how does he know all this?'
1T was his story, SIRE" Milky ex-
planned. But he colored. "A COM
panion. who was with him, ran away"
"This companion" Karl queried.
"a dark, heavy fellow. was it?'
sNo. Rather q pale man, blond.
A." Milky checked himself.
4 But Karl was all suavity. $50" he
said, while Niburg was unconscious
the large man took the letter, which
was sealed. magical,y opened It, ex-
tracted its contents. replaced them
with--this, and then sealed 1t againl"
The king turned without haste to a
drawer in his desk, and opened 1t. He
was smiling. When he faced about
again. Milky saw that he held, q re-
volver in his hand. Save that the
agent had taken a step forward. moth
ing In the room had changed. And
yet. for Milky everything had changed.
Milky had been a reckless fool, but
he was brave enough. He smiled, a
better smile than Karl's twisted one.
II have a fancy" said King Karl.
ito manage this matter for myself.
Keep back. Kaiser. Now, my friend.
YOU win give me the packet Of cigar
cite papers you carry"
Resistance would do no good. Milky
brought them out, and Karl's twisted
smile grew broader as he compared
them with the ones the envelope had
contained.
flfFxx. ..... .41.xs4 tfx.,sxx H. j.