Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-02-20
co1XgW HT mn. By
RlNEH4RI


lovely" Hedwig whispered, '.but please
take off the black ribbon" The child
eyed her anxiously. 1T win come to
pieces, highness."
"Take the ribbon from your hair. 1t
] will be beautiful"
Which was donel But, as was not
unnatural, the child forgot her speech,
and merely thrust the bouquet, tied
with a large pink bow, into the hands
of Prince Ferdinand William Otto.
"Here," she said. 1t was, perhaps,
the briefest, and therefore the most
agreeable presentation speech the
crown prince had ever heard.
The quay receded, red carpet and all.
Only the blare of the band followed
them, and with the persistence of
sound over water, followed them for
| some time.
n 1t was Hedwig who showed the most
depression on the trip, after all. Early
that morning she had attended mass
in the royal chapel. All the household
had been there, and the king had been
4 wheeled in, and had sat in his box,
I high in the wall, the door of which
opened from his private suite.
Looking up, Hedwig had seen his
gray old face set and rigid. The court
had worn black, and the chapel was
4 drapedein crepe. She had fallen on
( her knees and had tried dutifully to
I pray for the dead Hubert. But her
whole soul was crying out for help for
herself.
SO now she sat very quiet, and won
/ dered about things.
Prince Ferdinand William Otto sat
I by the rail and watched the green
banks flying by.
When no one was looking, he broke
n flower from the bouquet and flung it
overheard. He pretended that it was q
| boat, and was going down to Karnia,
filed with soldiers ready to fight.
But the thought OF soldiers brought
Milky to his mind. His face clouded.
/ "It's very strange about Milky" he
! said. "He is away somewhere. wish
he had sent word he was going"
4 Hedwlg looked out over the river.
4 The archduchess glanced at Miss
Brhithwaise. "There is no news?" she
asked, in an undertone.
None" said Miss Braithwaite.
1 A sudden suspicion rose in Hedwig's
mind, and made her turn pale. What
If they had sent him away? Perhaps
they feared him enough for that! II
that were true, she would never know.
She knew the ways OF the palace well
enough for that. In sort OF terror
she glanced around the group, so COM
fortably disposed. Her mother was
looking out, with her cool, impassiye
gaze. Miss Braithwalte knitted. The
countess, however, met her eyes, and
there was something strange In them
triumph and a bit Of terror, too, had
she but read them. For the countess
had put in her plea for holiday and
had been refused.
The new fortress faced the high road
some five miles from the Karnian bor-
/ der. 1t stood on bluff over the river.
and was, as the crown prince decided,
not so unlike the desk, after all, ex-
cept that it had moat around it.
Hedwig and the countess went with
the party around the Notifications.
The archduchess and Miss Braithwaite
had sought O fire. Only the countess,
however seemed really interested.
TIedwig seemed more intent on the dis
tant line of the border than on any
thing else. She stood ON rampant
and stared out at it, looking very sad.
| S,sn = all ho
great guns rose and speeped over the
edge at the valley below. and then
dropped backed again as IL they had
seen enough--even this failed to rouse
her.
81 wish you would listen, Hedwig,"
said the crown prince, almost fretfully.
tits so interesting. The enemy's SOL
diers would come up the river in boats,
and along that road on foot. And then
we would raise the guns and shoot at
them. And the guns would drop back
again, before the enemy had time to
aim at Them"
But Hedwig's interest was so evil
IDENTIFY assumed that he turned to the
countess. The countess protested
smiling terror, and stood little way
back from the guns, looking on. But
Prince Ferdinand William Otto at last
coaxed her to the top of the emplace-
ment.
"There's fine view up there" he
urged. Sand the guns won't hurt you,
There's nothing in them"
TO get up it was necessary to climb
an iron ladder. Hedwig was already
there. About dozen young officers
. had helped her up. aud ruined as
many pairs Of white gloves, although
Hedwig could climb like cat, and
really needed no help at all.
"You go up" said the crown prince
eagerly, turning to the countess. 'I'll
hold your bag, so you can climb"
He caught her handbag from her,
and instantly something snapped in it
The countess was climbing up the lad
der. Rather dlsmayed, Prince Ferdl'
nand William Otto surveyed the bag
Something had broken, he feared. And
In onotLa,s rs4a,,aauf ho sow what "a