The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-05-17

eOs PERMISSION.
Fhe gentleman in waiting went in
very deliberately, because his dignity
was outraged. The moment he haG
gone, however, Hedwig flung the door
open, and followed, standing, figure
of tragic defiance, inside the heavy
curtains of the kings bedroom.
There is no use saying you won't
see me, grandfather. For here l am. u
They eyed each other, the one, 1t
must be told, a trifie uneasily, the
other desperately. Then into the
kings eyes came flash of admiration.
and just a CLEAN of amusement.
$50 I perceive" he said. Come
here, Hedwig."
A sister of charity was standing by
the kings bed. She had cared for
him through many illnesses. In the
intervals she retired to her cloister and
read holy books and sewed for the
poor.
The sister went out, her black habit
dragging, but she did not sew. Some
time later she heard bitter crying in
the royal bed chamber, and the kings
tones, soothing now and very sad.
"There is higher duty than happi-
ness" he said. "There are greater
things than love. And one day you
will know this"
When she went in Hedwig had gone,
and the old king, lying in his bed, was
looking at the portrait Of his dead
son.
The following m6rning the Countess
Loschek left for holiday. She had
the choice of but two alternatives, to
do as she had been commanded, for 1t
to that, or to die. The COM
mittee would not kill her, in case she
failed them. 1t would be unnecessary.
Enough that they place the letter and
the code In the hands Of the author
tiles, by some anonymous means. Well
enough she knew the chancellor'S in
flexible anger, and the Archduchess
cold rage. They would
sweep Der, away with a gesture, and
she would die the death of all traitors.
A week. Time had been when a
week of the dragging days at the pal
ace had seemed eternity. Now the
hours flew. The gold clock on her
PRESSING table, gift from the arch
duchess, marked them with flying
hands.
During the afternoon came q pack
ige, rather unskillfully tied with a gilt |
cord. Opening 1t, the countess dis
closed glove box of wood, with q de-
'ign Of rather shaky violets burnt into
he cover. Inside was note:
am very sorry you are sick. This II
o put your gloves in when you travel.
Please excuse tho work. I have done 1t
n hurry.
{ FERDINAND WILLIAM OTTO.
Suddenly the countess laughed, chok-
ng hysterical laughter that alarmed
dinna; horrible laughter, which left
Ter paler than ever, and gasplng.
The old castle Of the Loscheks
BOXED grim and inhospitable when she
cached 1t that night. Built during the
CdlS nntu Lie unDCicfCl OtCAidh
outhern Europe. it stood in a COM
handing position over a valley, and
teep, walled road led up to it.
But, its ancient glory and good re-
ute departed, its garrison gone, its
rawbridge and moat things Of the
asst, its very hangings and furnish<
,gs moldering from long neglect, 1t {
ung over the valley, past menace,
q empty threat.
To this dreary refuge the countess
ad fed. She wanted the silence Of
s still rooms in which to think.
FETCHED herself, its wretchedness t
llled her. As the carriage which had 1
ought her from the railway turned
to its woods and she breathed the Z
lngent odor Of pine and balsam, she
Taxed for the first time. Id
Why was she SO hopeless? She I
'uld escape. She knew the woods
ell. None who followed her could b
low them 50 well. She would Get b
vay, and somewhere, in Z new Wog14