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

had moved few feet from his post
however, and was watching the stag
through the half-open door of privat
loge.
Prince Ferdinand William Ott'
passed behind him with outward calm
ness. At the top of the public stair
case, however, he hesitated. Here
everywhere, were brass-buttoned Off
cials of the opera house. A garderobe
woman stared at him curiously. The
little prince looked at the woman with
appeal in his eyes. Then, with his
heart humping, he ran past her, down
| the white marble staircase, to where
the great doors promised liberty.
Olga, the wardrobe woman, came
out from behind her counter and stood
looking down the marble staircase
after the small flying figure.
The old soldier who rented opera
glasses at the second landing. and who
had left leg in Bosnia, leaned over
the railing. Look at that!" he ex-
claimed HE will break a leg, the
young rascal Once l could have
but there, he is safel The good God
watches over fools and children"
at looked like the little prince" said
the wardrobe woman. 81 have seen
him often-he has the same bright
hair"
But the opera-glass man was not
listening. He had drawn long saus-
age from one pocket and a roll from
the other, and now, retiring to far
window, he stood placidly eating-a
bite of sausage, bite of bread. His
mind was in Bosnia, with his leg. And
because old Adelbert's mind was in
Bosnia, and because one hears with
the mind, and not with the ear, he did
not hear the sharp question of the
sentry who ran down the stairs and
paused for second at the cloak-room.
Well for Olga, too, that old Adelbert
did not hear her reply.
"He has not passed here" she said,
with wide and honest eyes, but with |
an ear toward old Adelbert. IAN old |
gentleman came moment ago and |
got a sandwich, which he had left in |
HIS ONGESOdl. ILLS ID huOlu
you are seeking?"
The sentry cursed, and ran down the
staircase the nails in his shoes strik-
ng sharply on the marble.
Olga of the cloak room leaned over
her checks, with her lips curved up
in a smile. 1.-THE little onel" she
thought. "And such couragei He will
make a great king! Let him have his
prank like the other children, and
God bless him and keep him!"
The crown prince was just a trif1e
azzled by the brilliance of his sue
ess. He paused for one breathless
1oment under the porte-cochere of the
pera house; then he took a long
reath, turned to the left; and was at
nee swallowed up in the street crowd. &
t seemed very strange to him. Not {
nat he was unaccusromed to crowds. S
lad he not, that very Christmas, gone
hopping in the city, accompanied only
= one of his tutors and Miss Braith-
ate, and bought for his grandfather,
lie king, a burnt wood box, which
light hold either neckties or gloves, S
I'd for his cousins silver photograph t
ames?
But this was different, and for q S
Their peculiar reason. Prince Ferdin- e
Id William Otto had never seen the g
ok of a crowd The public was al T
avs lined up, facing him, smiling and
wing and God-blessing him. Prince O
William Otto had never
own the backs could be so rigid. 1t
rs most interesting. f
The next tour was full of remark
lie things. For one, he lodged be- 81
nd street car and was almost run fl
er by a taxicab. The policeman on Il
e corner came out, and taking Fer h
land William Otto by the shoulder, X
We him talking to and q shaking. II
William Otto was furious, Ii
t policy kept him silent; which
owes conclusively that the crown OIL
ince had not only nitiative-witness fl
) flight-but self-control and di- W
omacy. Lucky country, to have In
aspect such king! "
Prince Ferdinand William Otto had
e fulfllment of great desire In his h,
IalI, active mind. This was nothing til
IS than a ride on the American tv
,nic railroad, which had secured a w
accession in a far corner of the park.
.dwig's lieutenant had described 1t hi
him-how one was taken In a small
: to a dizzy height, and then turned Y
Sc on track which dropped giddily til
j rose again, which hurled one to
ough sheet-iron tunnels of incredible
ckness, thrust one out over a gorge, be
irled one in mad curves around cor at
s Of precipitous heights, and finally dc
ded one, painting, breathless, shock st
and Keeling, but safe, at the very tn
form where one had purchased
rs ticket three eternities, which p,
re only minutes, before. Fl
IS the early spring twilight fell, the oc
lamps along the alice, always burn e
made twin row OF pale stars til
,ad. At the end, even as the wan hi
er gazed, he saw myriads Of tiny
, white, and blue lights, rising high sa
the air, outlining the crags and at
ks of the sheet iron mountain tn
Ich was his destination. The land
desire was very near VII