The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-03-15
CHAPTER I.

Inc crown Irlnce sat IN the rOyd
box and swung his legs. This wa
hardly princely, but the royal legs dit
not quite reach the floor from the higl
crimson-velvet seat of his chair.
Prince Ferdinand William Otto wa:
bored. His royal robes, consisting o.
a pair of blue serge trousers, shor
Elton jacket, and a stiff, rolling collar
of white linen, irked him.
He had been brought to the opera
house under a Misrepresentation. His
aunt, the Archduchess Annunciata, had
strongly advocated "The Flying Dutch
man." and his English governess, Miss
Braithwaite, had read him some in,
spring literature about it. So here he
was, and the Flying Dutchman was not
lghostly at all, nor did it fly. And in
sstead of flying, after dreary cons of
singing, it was moved off on creaky
rollers by men whose shadows were
thrown grotesquely on the sea back
ing.
The orchestra, assisted by a bass
solo and intermittent thunder in the
wings, was making a deafening din.
One of the shadows on the sea back
ing took out its handkerchief and
wiped its nose.
Prince Ferdinand William Otto look
ed across at the other royal box, and
caught his Cousin Hedwig's eye. She
also had seen the handkerchief she
took out her own scrap Of linen, and
mimicked the shadow. Then, Her
Royal Highness the Archduchess. An
nunciata being occupied with the
storm. she winked across at Prince
Ferdinand William Otto.
In the opposite box were his two
cousins, the Princesses Hedwig and
Hilda, attended by Hedwig's lady in
waiting. Hedwig was eighteen. The
crown prince liked Hedwig better than
Hilda. Although she had been intro
duced formally to the court at the
bali, and had been duly
presented by her grandfather, the
King, with the usual string of pearls
and her own carriage. she still ran off
now and then to have tea with the
crown prince and Miss Braithwaite in
the school room at the palace; and she
could eat great deal of bredd and but
ter
The crown prince yawned. although |
1t was but the middle of the after |
noon. Catching Hedwig's eye. he ran
his fingers up through his thick vel
low hair and grinned. Hedwig blushed. |
She had confided to him once. while |
they were walking in the garden at
the summer palace, that she was
of being in love with a young
lieutenant who was attached to the
kings suite. The prince-who was
allied Otto. for short, by the family,
BECAUSE he actually had eleven names
the prince had been much interested.
FOR some time afterward ne had both
red Miss Braithwaite to define being
n love. but he had had no really salts
actOry answer.
In pursuance of his quest for in ]
ormation, he had grown quite friendly s
With the young officer, whose name |
'as Larisch. and had finally asked to y
ave him ride with him at the royal t
ding school. The grim old king had +
fduleu Tie ItqueSt, Dut IL niu Otch
ute fruitless so far after all. Lieu f
ennt Larisch only grew quite red as
, the ears when love was mentioned, r
though he appeared not unwilling to a
ear Hedwig's name. b
So now Ferdinand William Otto ran Nv
Is fingers through his fair hair, which b
as a favorite gesture of the ieuten- F
nt's, and Hedwig blushed. The arch k
srhess, sitting well back, was nod "
ing. Just outside the royal box, on
e red velvet sofa, General Mettlich, a
no was the chancellor, and had come h
ecause he had been invited and stayed Of
inside because he said he liked to Il
ear music, not see it, was sound d
sleep. His martial bosom, with its q
I'D braid, was rising and falling F
,acefully. Beside him lay the princes b
own, small black derby hat. d
Prince Ferdinand William Otto con- p
dered it all very wearisome. If one h
'uId only wander around the corridor p
buy a sandwich from the stand at %
e foot of the great staircase-or, bet
r still, If one could only get to the IL
rect, alone, and purchase one Of the 81
women that Miss Braithwaite so lie
spisedl The crown prince felt in 81
J pocket, where his weeks allow &C
ce of pocket money lay comfortably Fl
touched. to
He meditated. He could go out ca
ickly, and be back before they knew 10
Even If he only wandered about ar
3 corridor, it would stretch his short tn
IS. And outside it was fine day. bl
looked already like spring. wi
With the trepidation of a canary ne
10 finds his cage door open, and, lal
piping to the threshold, surveys the ed
rid before venturing to explore 1t, pl
ince Ferdinand William Otto rose on
his feet, tiptoed past the Arch We
chess Annunciata, who did not move,
d looked around him from the door ga
". in;
He picked up his hat and concealed ah
by his side. Then nonchalantly, as de
to stretch his legs by walking ten re,
It up the corridor and back, he in
ssed the dressing room door. sAn- pc
Ter moment, ana he was out of sight vi
,tsnd d bend Of the passageway, and of