The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1918-04-27


thought. Milky drew a long breath
After all, there WIS still hope thar tn
) early morning shooting would have an
other target than himself.
. Karl sat down and his face relaxed
1t was stern, but no longer horrible
) Tell me this Niburgs story" he com
uanded
He was walking through the ole
csty. Milky commenced, when three
men fell oa him. One, a large one
Knocked him insensble and then Went
through his pockets. The others
Strange" said Karl. III he was
lnsensibIe, how does be know all this:'
1T was his story, sire" Milky ex.
planned. But he colored. a CON
panion, who was with him, ran away"
This componion," Karl querled
A dark, heavy fellow. vas tt?'
No. Rather pale man, blond.
A. Milky checked himself
But Karl was all suavity 80" he
said, while Niburg was unconscious
the large man took the letter, which
was sealed, masiCally opened it. ex-
tracted its contents. replaced them
with-this. and then sealed it again :"
The king turned without haste 10 a
drawer In his desk, and opened it, He
was smiling. When he faced about
again, Milky saw that he held a re-
VolVer in his hand. Save that the
! agent had taken step forward moth
| ing in the room had changed And
! yet. for Milky everything had changed.
Milky had been a reckless fool. bur
he was brave enough. He smiled,
better SMILE than karl's twisted one
Il have a fancy" said King Karl
10 manage this matter for myself
Keep back, Kaiser. Now. my friend
you will give ne the packet Of cigar
cite papers you carry"
Resistance would DO no good. Milky
brought them ont. and Karls twisted
smile grew broader as lie compared
them with the ones the envelope had
contained.
You see" he said you show the
hand OF the novice. You should have
thrown these away. But. Of course
all your methods are wrong. Why. for
instance, have you come here at all?
You have my man-but that I shall
take up later. We will first have the
letter"
But here Milky stood firm. Let them
find the letter. He would not help |
them. But again he cursed himself.
There had been a thousand hiding
places along the road-but he must !
bring the discriminating thing with him,
and thus condemn himself.
Now commenced a curious scene
curious because one OF the actors was
Karl Of karnia himself He seemed
curiously loath to bring 10 assistance.
did Karl. Or perhaps the novelty OF
the affair appealed to him. And Nix
ky's resistance to search. with that
revolver so close, was short lived.
Even while ne was struggling. Milky
was thinking. Let them get the letter,
If they must. Things would at least
be no worse than before. But he re-
solved that no violence would tear
from him the place where the meSsen-
ger vas hidden, Until they had got
hat, he had a chance for life.
They searched his cap last Milky.
painting after that strange struggle,
saw Kaiser take it from the lining OF
lis cap, and pass it 10 the king.
Karl took it. The smile was gone
low, and something ugly and terrible
lad taken its place. But that, too,
AIDED as he looked at the letter.
1t was blank piece OF note paper.
with the approach Of the anniver-
airy Of his sons death, the King grew
Increasingly restless. Each year be de-
er1nined to put away this old grief,
nd each year, as his bodily weakness
1creased, he found 1t harder to do SO.
On other years be had had the crown ;
Fince with him as much as possible =
q this dreary day Of days. But the
rown prince was exiled, Ia disgrace :
'ot even for the comfort OF his small
resence could stern discipline be re-
lXed.
AnnunCiata was not much comfort to =
in. They had always differed, more =
" less, the truth being, perhaps. that ;,
le was too much Ike the king ever b
syInpathize fully with him. Both .
ere arrogant. determined. obstinate II
nd those qualities, which age was be-
ming 10 soften In the king, were
Nv, in Annunciata, IN full strength :,
I'd blooming :
But there WAS more than fundamen-
| similarity at fault. Against her ).
Their the archducheSs held Der IN -
lppy marriage. -
And now. secretly willing that He'd
g should marry Karl, she was ready
annoy him by Directing TO it.
On the day after her conversation 81
tn General Aettlich she visited the p'
1g. II was afternoon. The king had III
ent the morning in his study, prop 49,
d with pillows as was always the II
sc now, working with a seer tary. II
ie secretary was gone when she en- II
ed, and he sat alone II
He had passed trying day. Once II
wing broken down the chancellOr's II
rrter OF silence, the king had in II
i EN-