New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-12-27

more closely, the countess made NJ
move. But there was a soft stir among
the figures. Perhaps, after all, thu
committee as a whole did not know al
things.
ITO prevent this alliance, madame
Is u first aim. There are others tC
follow. But"-he bent forward-"tht
king will not live many days. 1t II
our hope that that marriage will moi
occur before his DEATH"
BY this time Olga LOschek knew
very well where she stood. The com
mittee was pr%opitiatory. She was not
In danger. save as 1t might develop
They were. In a measure, putting their
case.
king Karl has broken faith before,
He will not support Livonia until he
has received his price. He Is de-
termined on the marriage"
"A marriage of expediency," said
the countess impatiently.
The speaker for the committee
shrugged his shoulders. perhaps" he
replied. although there are those Of
us who think that in this matter of
expediency, Karl gives more than he
receives.
"The matter lies thus, madame. The
chancellor is now in Karnia. Doubt
less he will return with the agreement
signed. We shall learn that in a day
or SO. We do not approve of this
alliance for various reasons, and we
intend to take steps to prevent 1t.
The paper itself is nothing. But
plainly, countess, we need a friend in
the palace, n who Is in the con-
fidence of the royal family"
And for such friendship, l am to
secure safetyY"
Eyes, madame. But that is not all.
Let me tell you briefly how things
stand with us. We have, supporting
us, certain bodies, wOrkingmen's
guilds, n part of the student body, not
so much of the army as we would
| wish. Dissatisfied folk, madame, who
would exchange the emblem of
tyranny for freedom. On the an
nouncement of the kings death, in
every part of the kingdom will go up
the cry Of liberty. But the movement
must start here. The city must rise
against the throne. And against that
there are two obstacles" He paused.
The clock licked, and water dripped
into the tin pail with metallic splashes.
1.-The first is this marriage. The sec
ond-is the Crown Prince Ferdinand
| william Otto"
The countess recoiled. "No"
"a moment, madame. You think
badly of u.s." Under his mask the
countess OWNED a cold smile. ut is
not necessary to contemplate violence.
There are other methods. The boy
could be taken over the border, and
hidden until the republic is firmly es-
tablished. After that. he Is unim-
portant."
The countess, still pale, looked at
him scOrnfully. "You do my intelli-
gence small honor"
"Where peaceful methods will avail,
our methods are peaceful, madame"
at was. then, in peace that you MUIR
dered Prince Hubert?"
"The errors of the past are past"
Then, with a new sternness: make
no mistake. Whether through your
agency or another, countess, when the
cathedral bell rOuse the city to the
kings death. and the people wait in
the place for their new king to come
out on the balcony, he will not come"
The countess was not entirely bad.
Standing swaying and white-faced be-
fore the tribunal, she saw suddenly
the golden head Of the little crown
prince, saw him smiling as he had
smiled that day in the sunlight. saw
him troubled and forlorn as he had
been when, that very evening, he had
left them to go to his lonely rooms.
Perhaps she reached the biggest mo-
ment of her life then. when she folded
her arms and stared proudly at the
shrouded figures before her.
II will not do It," she said.
But Number Seven remained impas-
sive. "A new idea, countess" he said
suavely. II can understand that your
heart recoils. But this thing is in
evitable, as l have said. Whether you
or another-but perhaps with time to
think you may come to another con-
clusiOn. We make no threats. Our
position is, however. n of RESPONSE
bility. We r compelled to place the
future of the republic before every
other consideration"
THAT is a threat"
1--WE remember both Il friends and
our enemies, madame. And we have
only friends and enemies. There is no