The St. Charles herald., 1918-07-20

gossiping in the market, and even bet
ter knew that crisis was approach
ing, and that on this small boy IN MS
charge hung that crisis.
So Milky trusted in his own right
arm and in nothing else. The very
size of the palace, Its unused rooms,
its long and rambling corridors, its
rambling wings and ancient turrets,
was against Its safety.
Since the demonstration against
Karl, the riding school hour had been
given up. There were no drives In the
park. The illness of the king furnished
sufficient excuse, but the truth was
that the royal family was practically
besieged, by 1t knew not what
Milky, summoned to the chancellor's |
house that morning, had been told the |
facts, and had stood, rather still and |
tense, while Mettlich recounted them.
"Our very precautions are our dan
ger" said the chancellor. And the
king" He stopped and sat- tapping
his fingers on the arm Of his chair.
"And the king, sir?'
almost at the end. A day or two
Karl, with Hedwig in his thoughts,
| had returned to mobilize his army not
| far from the border for the spring
| maneuvers, and at a meeting of the
kings council the matter Of q mobiliza-
tjon in I.iyonia was seriously cOnsid-
| cred.
Fat Frtese favored 1t, and made an
| jmpassioned speech, with sweat thick
on his heavy face.
~ am not cowardly," he finished
"I fear nothing for myself or for
| those belonging to me. But the duty
of this council IS to preserve the throne
for the crown prince, at any cost And,
If we cannot trust the army, in what
can we trustY
"In God" said the chancellor grim
ly.
In the end nothing was done. Mobil-
ization might precipitate the crisis and
there was always the fear that the
army, in parts. was itself disloyal.
The king meanwhile, lay dying, Doc
TOR Weiderman in constant attendance
other physicians coming and going.
His apartments were silent. Rugs
covered the corridors, that no football
disturb his quiet hours. The nursing
sisters attended him, one by his bed
side. one always on her knees at the
priedieu In the small room beyond. he
wanted little-now and then sip OF
; water, the cooled juice of fruit In
. iections Of stimulants, given by Doctor
Weiderman himself, had SCARED his
= old arms with purplish marks and
we're absorbed more and more slowly
as the hours went on.
He rarely slept, but lay inert and no
unhappy. Annunciata came, ana was
3 at last stricken by conscience to
: prayer at his bedside. On one OF hel
: last visits that was. She got up L
: find his eyes fixed on her.
Father, can you hear meT
"Yes."
II have been q bad daughter t
YOU. l am sorry. 1t is late now t
tell you, but l am sorry. Can | o.
anything?
lotto" he said, with difficulty.
"You want to see him?"
mo"
4 She knew what he meant by ina
He would have the boy remember hlr
A as he had seen him last.
you are anxious about him!'
"Very-anxious."
Listen, father" she said, stoopin
over him. IL have been hard and COLI
4 Perhaps you will grant that l hav
had two reasons for 1t. But l am g
"A ing to do better. will take care
II him and will do all l OH to mai
III him happy. l promise"
Y Perhaps it was relief. Perhaps eve
/ then tbs thought of Annunclata's Ia
q DIV and certain-to-be bungling effor
N to,make Ferdinand William Otto hapI
III amused him. He smiled family
II Milky received a note from Hedw
III late that afternoon. 1t was We
u brief:
, Tonight at nine O'Clock shall go <Dt
u roof beyond Hubert's old rooms lo[ q q
Il. 'oo- HEDWIG
Milky. who in all his injurious you
7 life had never thought Of the roof
the palace, save as necessary shei'
= from the weather, thing of tiles a
cutters. vastly large, looked rath
astounded.
rd "The roof !" he said, surveying I
ril. note. And fell to thinking, such m
lot ture of rapture and despair as OF
twenty-three, and hopeless, can kno
Somehow or other he got throu
the intervening hours and before nj
no was on his way. He had the r
Of the palace, Of course. No one
nc. ticed him as he made his way towf
his the empty suite which 80 recently
his housed its royal visitor.
ex- Hedwig, in soft white wrap O.
the her dinner dress, was at the Dai
trade. A very dignified fairy,
the though her heart thumped disgra
the fully.
de whatever Milky had Intended
ing obeying his promise to the letter.
led nuttii,g his country before love-
rc- love out of his life-failed him insta
,;sh IL. The Milky. ardent-eyed and tene
% armed. who crossed the roof and {