Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1918-05-02
CHAPTER xv-cenunusd.

ma UU0 B1U8s ~ tuc Vo0 w sAc SA~ss
interview. II should like to feel that
his interests will be looked after. not
only here, but by you and yours. We
have q certain element here that Is
troublesome
And Kari, with Hedwig in bis mind.
had promised.
His interests shall be mine. sir"
he had said.
He had bent over the bed then. and
raised the thin hand to his lips. The
interview was over. In the anter0Om
the kings master Of the horse. the
chamberlain. aud q few other gentle.
men stood waiting. talking together In
low tones. But the chancellor. who
had gone in with Karl and then re-
tired. stood by a window. with his
arms folded " his chest. and waited.
He out ~resolutely out Of his mind the
face Of the dying man on his pillows.
aud thought only Of this thing which
he-Mettllch-had brought about.
There was no yielding In his face or
Ia his heart, no doubt Of his course.
He saw. instead Of the lovers lettering
Ia the place, a new and greater king
dom, anarchy held down by an iron
shod heel. peace and the fruits there
af. until out Of very prosperity the
people grew fat and content.
He saw q boy king. carefully taught,
growing into his responsibilities until,
big with the vision Of the country's
welfare. he should finally ascend the
throne. He saw the river filled with
shtps, carrying merchandise over the
world and returning with the wealth
Of the world. Great buildings, too,
lifted their heads on his horizon, a
dream city. with order for disorder,
and citizens instead Of inhabitants.
When at last he stirred and sighed,
It was because his old friend, In his
bed In the next room, would see moth.
ing Of all this, and that he himself
could not hope for more than the be-
ginning, before his time came also.
The first large dinner for months
was given thar night at the palace, to
10 King Karl all possible honor. The
gold service which had been presented
to the king by the z Of Russia was
ased. The antlcipatory gloom Of the
sourt was laid aside, and jewels
brought from vaults were worn for the
arst time In months. Uniforms Of
various sorts, but all gorgeous, touched
ane shoulders, and came away, bear
ing white, powdery traces Of the meet
ng. The greenhouses at the summer
palace had been sacked for flowers and
plants. The corridor from the great
Mlon to the dining hall. always q
sreary passage, had suddenly become
/ fairy path Of early spring bloom.
Even A%nnunciata, hung now with
ropes of pearls, her hair dressed high
tor u tiara OF diamonds, her canoes
exchanged for pearls, looked royal.
Proving concluslvely that clutter, as to
1ress. is entirely a matter of value.
Miss Braithwaite. who had begun
recently to think a palace the dreariest
vsoNV ia thC "oAbNS uAu LIE AloSt Nohh
monplace. found the preparations
rather exciting. Being British she
dearly loved the arlstocracy, aud
shrugged her shoulders at any family
which took up less than a page In the
peerage. She resented deeply the In
,ruston Of the IN into British
politics, and considered Lloyd George
an upstart and an interloper.
That evening she took the crown
prince to see the preparations for tn
festivities. The flowers appealed t.
him, and he asked for and secured
rose, which he held carefully. But tn
nagniicence Of the table only faintl,
impressed him, and when he hear'
that Milky would not be present, b
lost interest entirely. "W1ll the
wheel my grandfather In In o chair?
ne inquired.
"He is too ILL.," Miss Braithwalt
said.
Hell be rather lonely. when they'r
all at the party. You don't suppose
could 60 and sit with him, do YOU
1T will be long after your be-
ume."
Bedtime being the one rule which WI
oever under and circumstances broke
he did not persist. 10 have insiste
might have meant Eve marks OF
Miss B%raithwaite's book. and his re
ord was very good that week. 7
gether the elderly English woman al
the boy went back to the school rool
The Countess Loschck. who HI
dressed with u heavy heart, was easI
the most beautiful Of the women th
night. A little court paid tribute
her beauty, and bowed the deeper q
battered the more as she oper
scoraed and 6outed them. She cauG
oncs . flicker Of admiration In Kal
face, and although her head. W
high. her heart beat stormily uni
It.
Hedwig was like q flower that
qulred the sun. Only her sun '
happiness. She was In soft WI
chtffona, her hair and frock alike 6
lsh and unprctentous. Her mott
coming Into her dressing room,
eyed her with dlsfavor.
"You look like . schoolgirl"
said, and had sent for rouge, and Y