The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-06-14

u When, that night, he fell asleep,
was still clasped in his old hand, ant
there was look of grim tenderness
on the face on the pillow, turned
toward his dead sons picture.
J Troubled times now, with the carni
val only day or two of, and the shoI
windows gay with banners; with the
committee of ten in almost constant
session, and Olga Loschek summoned
before 1t, to be told of the passage, and
the thing she was to do; with the old
king very close to the open door, and
Hedwig being fitted for her bridal robe
and for somber black at one fitting.
Troubled times, indeed. The city
was smoldering, and from some
strange source had come a new rumor.
Nothing less than that the royalists,
headed blythe chancellor, despairIng of
browning the boy prince, would, on the
kings death, make away with him,
Hedwig, queen of Karnia perhaps al
| ready Dy secret marriage.
The city, which adored the boy, was
seething. The rumor had originated
with Olga Loschek, who had given it
| to the committee as useful weapon.
| Thus would she have her revenge on
those of the palace, and at the same
time secure her own safety. Revenge,
indeed, for she knew the way of such
rumors, how they fly from house to
house, street to street. How the in
| nocent, proclaiming their innocence,
look even the more guilty.
When she had placed the scheme be-
fore the committee of ten, had seen
the eagerness with which they grasped
it-"in this way" she had said, in her
scornful, incisive tones, ''the onus Of
the boy is not on you, but on them.
Even those who have no sympathy
with your movement will burn at such
rumor. The better the citizen, the
more a lover of home and order, the
more outraged he will be. Every man
in the city with child of his own will
rise against the palace"
Madame" the leader had said,
you should be of the committee"
But she had ignored the speech con-
temptuously, and gone on to other
things.
Now everything was arranged.
Black Humbert had put his niece to
work on a carnival dress for a small
boy, and had stayed her curiosity by
hint that it was for the American
lad.
"They are comfortable tenants" he
had said. "Not lavish, perhaps, as
rich Americans should be, but orderly,
and pleasant. The boy has good man.
ners. 1t would be we'll to please him."
So the niece, sewing in the back |
room, watched Bobby in and out, with
pleasant mysteries in her eyes.
Now and then, in the, evenings, |
when the Americans were away, and |
Bobby was snug In bed, with Tucker |
on the tiny feather comfort at his |
feet, the Fraulein would come down.
stairs and sit In Black Humbert's
room. At such times the niece would
be sent on an errand, and the two
would talk. The niece, who, although
she had no lover, was on the lookout
for love, suspected a romance of the
and smiled in the half
darkness Of the street: smiled with
touch Of malice, as one who has
pierced the armor Of the fortress, and
knows its weakness.
But 1t WAS not love that Humbert
md the Fraulein talked.
Herman Spier was busy in those
lays and making plans. Thus, day by
lay, he dined In the restaurant where
he little Marie, now weary Of her
husband, sat In idle intervals behind
he cashiers desk, and watched the
yrass In the place emerge from It's
winter hiding place. When she turned
Ter eyes to the room, frequently she
encountered those of Herman Spier,
,ale yet burning, fixed on her. And at
asst, one day when her husband lay
anne with sciatica, she left the desk .
md paused by Herman's table.
"You come frequently now" she OBJ
erved. ut is that you like us here,
n that you have risen in the shop?"
Il have left the shop" said Herman,
taring at her. Flesh, in a moderate
suited her well. He liked /
lump women. They were, If you !
lease, an armful. "And l come to see :
ou." :
Left the shopp' Marie exclaimed. 6
And Peter Niburg-he has left also? j,
never see him." II
mo-" said Herman noncommittally. 1
HE is Ill, perhaps?"
"He Is dead" said Herman, devour- I
ng her with his eyes. G
Dead" She put hand to her
lump side. e
AYE. Shot as a spy" He took an I
Their piece of the excellent pigeon pie.
1arie, meantime, lost all her looks, (
rev pasty white. s
"Of the-the terroristsT she de-
handed, In a whisper. Ii
~Terrorsts1 No. OF Karnia. he e
'as no patriot" 4
So the little Marie went back to her 6
esk, and to her staring out over the b
lace In intervals Of business. And +
hat she thought Of no one can know. a
ut that night, and eefter, she was t
cry tender to her spouse, and put