The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1918-06-12
|LongLive.
The King
By
MARY ROBERTS RINEHART
Copyright, 1917, The Rldgway Company
Copyright, 1917, Mary Roberts Rinehart
All Rights Reserved

its austere magnliccncc.
The man and the boy who had been
working on it stood back and sur.
veyed it.
"All ready" said the man, leaning
on the handle of his long brush. "Now
1t may happen any time"
1T is very handsome. But I am
glad am not the old king" The boy
picked up pals and brushes. "Noth-
ing to look forward to but-that."
But much TO LOOK back OH" the
man observed grimly, land little that
is good"
The boy glanced through window,
below which the riding ring stretched
its brown surface, SCARED by nervous
hoOfs. 81 would change places with
the crown prince" he said enviously.
Listen to him! Always laughing.
Never to labor, nor worry, nor think
of the next days food"
young fool" The man came to
his shoulder and glanced down also.
would like to be a princeling, then
No worry. No trouble. Always play,
play!" He gripped the boys shoulder.
Look, lad, at the windows about
That is what it is to be prince.
Wherever you look, what do you see?
Stablemen? GrOoms? Bah, secret
agents, watching that no assassin,
such perhaps as you and 1, lurk
about"
He stopped and stared, wiping tile
glass clear that he might see better. |
Milky without his cap, disheveled and /
flushed with eXertiOn, was making q
frantic shot at the white ball, rolling .
past him. Where had he seen such a 7
head, such flying mop of hair? All!
He remembered. 1t was the flying
young devil who had attacked him and
the others that night in the by-street.
when Peter Niburg lay stunned!
Miss Braithwaite had bad head
ache that afternoon, and the crown
prince drove out with his aunt. The
Archduchess Annunciuta went shop
ping. The crown prince sat In the
carriage and watched the people. The
man beside the coachman sat with
alert eyes, and there We're others who
scanned the crowd intently But it
was quiet, almost an adOring crowd,
and there was even dog. TO Prince
Ferdinand William Otto's huge de-
light.
The man who owned the dog. seeing
the child's eyes on him, put him
fbrnnuh hic nj oh ]
dog, that would catch things on its
nose and lie dead, rousing only to
whistle which its owner called Ga
briefs trumpet.
Prince Ferdinand William Otto 7
growing excited, leaned quite cut of !,
he window. "What is your dogs !.
iame?' he inquired in his clear treble.
The man took off his hat and bowed.
Toto, highness. He is of French
rigin." Il
HE is very nice dog. have al
ways wanted dog like that. He
must be great friend"
"A great friend, highness." He
you'd have expatiated on the dog, but
e was uncertain of the etiquette Of
he procedure. His face beamed with
leasure, however. Then "A splendid b,
npulse came to him. This dog. his
Don companion, he would present to !
he crown prince. 1t was all he had, u
nd he would give ii, freely, even
lough 1t left him friendless. 3
But here again he was at a loss.
Vas 1t the proper thing? Did one do
lch things in this fashion. or was 81
iere a procedure? He cooked an eye ~
the box of the carriage, but the two ~
zen sat impressive, immobile. III
Finally he made up his mind Hat ="
hand, he stepped forward. "Hlgh- oe
PISS" he said nervously, "since the W
1g pleases you, II would present it
IN TO you" IN
ITO me-? The crown princes voice an
as full Of incredulous joy. an
"Yes, highness. If such a thing be de
pa
Are you sure you don't mindY"
HE is the best l have, highness. tn
sh TO offer my best" in
Prince Ferdinand William Otto al NJ
Ost choked with excitement. 81 have a
ways wanted one" he cried. IF ri,
u are certain you can spare him, I'll he
very good to him. No one," he thu
Id, "ever gave me dog before. I'd ish
'e to have him now, II i may" An
The crowd was growing. 1t pressed on,
'ser, pleased ut the boys delight.
uly they were participating in great wa
ngs. A small cheer and many AM
lies followed the lifting of the dog yer
'ough the open window of the car wiz
ge. And the dog was surely dog ten
be proud Of. Already II shook rlv,
nds with the crown prince. nah
Perhaps, In that motley gathering, 4
re were some who viewed the scene you
h hostile eyes, some who saw, not In
child glowing with delight over a cell
/, but one Of the hated ruling fam Der
a barrier, an obstacle In the way the
freedom But II such there were, So
v We're few II was indeed M tha rail