The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1918-07-12
r~~~ 80 80
CHAPTER XII,


Milky Makes q Promise,
The chancellor lived alone, In hi,
little house near the palace, q house
that looked strangely like him, over
hanging eyebrows and all, with win
dows that were like his eyes, clear
and concealing many secrets. A grim
gray little old house, which concealed
behind tt q walled garden full of n
expected charm. And that, too, was
like the chancellor.
Gathilde kept his house for him
mended and pressed his uniforms
washed and starched his linen,
quarreled with the orderly who at.
tended him, and drove him to bed at
night.
Mathilde was In touch with the peo-
pie. 1t was Mathilde, and not one of
his agents, who had brought word of
the approaching revolt of the copper
smiths guild, and enabled him to check
it almost before it began. A stole, this
Mathilde, with her tall, spare figure
n glowing eyes, stole and patriot.
Once every month she burned four
candles before the shrine Of Our Lady
of Sorrows in the cathedral, because
Of four sons she had given to her coun-
try.
On the evening of the day Hedwig
had made her futile appeal to the king,
the chancellor sat alone. His dinner,
almost untasted, lay at his elbow. It
was nine o'clock. At something after
seven he had paid his evening visit to
the king, and had found him uneasy
and restless.
"Sit down." the king had said. II
need steadying, old friend"
"Steadying, Sire?"
II have had q visit from Hedwig.
Rather a stormy one, poor child" He
turned and fixed on his chancellor his
faded eyes,. "You still think it is the
best thing?"
ut is the only thing"
But all this haste" put in the king
ENORMOUSLY. rs that 80 necessary?
Hedwig begs for time. She hardly
knows the man."
thine! But l thought" BE hest.
tated. How say to a dying man that |
time was the one thing he did not
Another thing. She wss incoherent, |
but I gathered that there was some one |
else. The whole interview was cv- !
e]onic. 1t seems. however, that this
young protege Of yours, Larisch, has
been making love to her over Otto's
Mettlich's face hardened, q gradual
process, as the news penetrated In all .
Its significance.
"A boy and girl affair, sire. He is
loyal. And in all of this, you and 1 are
reckoning without Karl. The princess !
hardly knows him, and naturally she
Is terrified. But his approaching visit
will make many changes. He is a fine
figure of a man, and women"
Exactly" said the king dryly.
What the chancellor meant was that
always had loved Karl, and the
King understood.
His wild days are over" bluntly
observed the chancellor. HE is forty,
AYE" said the king. "And at forty
/ bad man changes his nature, and
himself in marriage! Non
sense, Karl will be as he has always
,een. But we have gone into this be-
'ore. Only, I am sorry for Hedwig.
Jet rid Of this young Larisch."
The chancellor sat rejecting, his
hin dropped forward on his breast.
Otto will miss him."
well, out with it. I may not dis
Miss him. What, thenY"
ut is always easy to send men away.
But it is sometimes better to retain
and force them to your will. We
ave here an arrangement that is sat
sfactory. Larisch is keen, young, and
oval. Hedwig has thrown herself at
For that, sire, she is responsible,
ot he ,
'"Then get rid of her." growled the ]
ing. {
The chancellor rose. IF the situation
left to me, sire," he said, II will
two things. That Otto will l
eep his friend, and that the Princess l
[edwig will bow to your wishes with I
ut further argument" !
DO 1t. and God help you," said the
Ing, again with the flicker of amuse- /
lent. /
The chancellor had gone home, &
heavily along the darkening
treets. Once again he had conquered.
he reins remained in his guarded old b
ands. And he was about to put the
onor Of the country into the keeping d
{ the son Of Maria Menrad, whom he \
ad once loved. c
So now he sat In his study, and c
aited. When he heard Nikky's quick Y
as he came along the tile passage,
2 picked up his pipe. v
Milky saluted, and made his way "
ross the oom in the twilight, with r
le ease of familiarity. ~ am late, 8
he apologized. 1--WE found our b
an, and he Is safely jailed. He made
!, resistance" 4
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