The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-06-21

| eyes keen, his body, even when
seemed most relaxed. always tense t,
spring. For Milky knew the tempe
| OF the people, knew 1t as did Mathild
! gossiping in the market, and even bet
ter; knew that crisis was approach
ing, and that on this small boy In biz
charge hung that crisis.
So Milky trusted In his own righ
arm and In nothing else. Tho very
size of the palace, It's unused rooms
its long and rambling corridors, iti
rambling wings and ancient turrets
was against is 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
besieged, by 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 dam
ger" said the chancellor. "And the
king" He stopped and sat, tapping
his fingers on the arm. of his chair.
"And the king, sir7"
almost at 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 meeting of the
kings council the matter of a mobiliza-
ton in Livonia was seriously consid-
cred.
Fat Fr1ese favored it, and made an
fmpassioned speech, with sweat thick
on his heavy face.
81 am not cowardly," he finished.
ST 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,
if we cannot trust the army, in what
can we trust?"
"In God" said the chancellor grim
ly.
In the end nothing was done. Mobil-
ization might precipitate the crisis and
iacIt ndo ohNayc hhC ICol llldl lll6
army, in parts. WAS itself disloyal.
The king, meanwhile, lay dying, Doc
tor WeiderInan 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
prtedieu in the small room beyond. He
wanted little-now and then a sip of
water. the cooled juice of fruit. In
iections of stimulants, given by Doctor
Weiderman himself, had SCARED his
Did arms with purplish marks, and
we're absorbed more and more slowly
Is the hours went on.
He rarely slept, but lay inert and not
unhappy. Annunciata came, and was
1T last stricken by conscience to a
prayer at his bedside. On one of her
asst visits that WAS. She got up to
Ind his eyes fixed on her.
Father, can you hear me"
YES"
II have been bad daughter to
Tou. am sorry. 1t is late now to
ell you, but l am sorry. Can 1 do
"Otto," he said, with difficulty.
you want to see him?"
NO"
She knew what he meant by that.
lie would have the boy remember him
Is he had seen him last.
you are anxious about him7
"Very-anIious."
Listen, father" she said, stopping
ver him. II have been hard and cold
Perhaps you will grant that / have
lad two reasons for it. But / am go
ng to do better. will take care Of
Tim and / will do all / can to make
i'm happy. I promise"
Perhaps 1t was relief. Perhaps even
hen the thought of Annunciata's tar
y and certain-to-be bungling efforts
0 make Ferdinand William Otto happy |
unused him. He smiled family.
Milky received note from Hedwig |
ate that afternoon. 1t was very |
ref:
Tonight at nine o'clock shall go to the |
oof beyond Huberts old rooms. for air. /
S HEDWIG.
Milky, who In all his Injurious young |
fe had never thought of the roof of
ne palace, save as a necessary shelter
rom the weather, thing Of tiles and |
utters. vastly large, looked rather
1.-THE roof" he said, surveying the
ote. And fell to thinking, such mix
ire Of rapture and despair as only
venty-three, and hopeless, can know.
Somehow or other he got through
le intervening hours, and before nine
) was on his way He had the run
, the palace. Of course. No one mo-
ced him az he made his way toward
le empty suite which 30 recently had
1used its royal visitor.
Hedwig. in : soft white wrap over
er dinner dress, was at the balus-
ade. A very dignifled fairy, al
cough her heart thumped disgrace
lily.
whatever Milky had intended of
,eying his promise to the letter, Of
ltting his country before love, and
" ont Of his life failed him instant
vs. x 4