The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1918-03-28

maid away with sharp word, and
now she was pacing the floor.
Hedwig, of all people!
She hated her.. She had always
hated her. For her youth, first later,
when she saw how things were going,
for the accident that had made her a
granddaughter to the king.
And Karl!
Even this last June, when Karl had
made his looked-for visit to the sum-
mer palace where the court had been
in residence, he had already had the
thing in mind. Even when his arms
had been about her, Olga Loschek, he
had been looking over her shoulder,
as 1t were, at Hedwig. He had had 1t
all in his wicked head, even then. For
Karl was wicked. She loathed him
while she loved him.
Hedwig would marry Karl. She
might be troublesome, would Indeed
almost certainly be troublesome.
Strangely enough, the countess hated
her the more for that. To value so
lightly the thing for which Olga
Loschek would have given her soul,
this in itself was hateful. But there
was more. The countess saw much
with her curiously wide, almost child
ishly bland eyes; 1t was only now that
1t occurred to her to turn what she
knew of Hedwig and Milky to account.
She stopped pacing the floor, and
sat down. Suppose Hedwig and Milky
Larisch went away together? He'd
wig, she felt would have the courage
even for that. That would stop things.
But Hedwig did not trust her. And
there was about Milky dog-like quail
ity of devotion, which warned her
that, the deeper his love for Hedwig,
the more unlikely he would be to
bring her to disgrace. Milky might
be difficult.
She must try for Hedwig's con-
fdencel But Karl! How to reach
him2 Not with reproaches, not with
anger. She knew her man well. To
hold him off was the first thing. To
postpone the formal proposal, and gain
time. II the chancellor had been right,
and things were as bad as they ap-
, peared, the kings death would precipi-
tate crisis. Might, indeed, overturn
a the throne.
The king was very feeble. This
affair Of yesterday had told on him
' The gossip Of the court was that the
, day had seen a change for the worse
His heart was centered on the crown
n prince.
. All. here was another viewpoint
!, Suppose the crown prince had moi
= come back? What would happen. witt
!. the king dead, and no king? Chaos
of course. A free hand to revolution
Hedwig fighting for her throne. ant
inevitably losing 1t.
But that was further than she cared
to go Just then. She would finish Ger
tain work that she had set out to do
!. and then she was through. No longe
= would dread and terror grip her In tn
"a night hours.
y But she would finish. Karl shoul'
never say she had failed him. Sh
: had in her possession papers for whicl
!. he waited or pretended to wait: dat
% secured by means she did not care I
- :, remember; plans and figures CAREFUL
"A compiled-a thousand deaths In one,
a they were found on her. She woul
~ get them out of her hands at once.
- II was still but little after five. Sh
- brought her papers together on he
small mahogany desk, from such hit
inc places as women know-the lining
NJ perfumed sachets, the toes OF sma
~ sinners. the secret pocket In mum
and having locked her doors. pr
'e them in order. Her hands wer
u trembling, but she worked skillfull!
IS She was free until the dinner hOu
but she had a great deal to do. TIL
II, noners I'm order, she went to a pam
ry In the wall of her dressing room, an'
10 sliding 1t aside. revealed the safe
u which her jewels we're kept. Not thi
nd her Jewels were very valuable, but II
safe was there, and she used 1t.
The countess took out jewel-cas
emptied Il, lifted its chamois cushion
ne and took out small book. 1t was q
en- Indifferent hiding place, but long ir
munity had made her careless. X
>r, ferring to the book, she wrote a lett
lily in code. II was, to all appearance
ny friendly letter referring to fami
IS In her native town, and asking tn
the recipient see that assistance
he sent them before Thursday of the IL
lowing week. The assistance WI
specified with much detail-at her e
pense, to send so many blankets.
many loaves of bread. long III
Having finished. she destroyed,
,e, burning, a number Of papers, watc