Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1918-05-31
CHAPTER XVI.
k and HedWIU.

iNiNNy anu 0SuWt8s
Milky had gone back to his lodging,
where his servant was packing his
things. For Milky was now of his
majesty's household, and must ex-
change his shabby old rooms for the
cold magnificence of the palace.
He was very downhearted. To the
crown prince, each day, he gave the
best that was in him, played and rode,
invented delightful nonsense to bring
the boys quick laughter, carried
pocketfuls of bones, to the secret re-
volt of his soldierly soul, was boyish
and tender, frivolous or thoughtful, as
the occasion seemed to warrant.
And always he was watchful, his re-
rvolver always ready and in touch, his
eyes keen, his body, even when 1t
seemed most relaxed, always tense to
spring. For Milky knew the temper
of the people, knew 1t as did Mathilde
gossiping in the market, and even bet
ter; knew that a crisis was approach
ing, and that on this small boy in his
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 t%urrets,
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 it 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.
sour very precautions are our dan
ger" said the chancellor. "And the
king" He stopped and sat, tapping
his fingers OIL the arm Of his chair.
"And the king, sirT
= "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-
ton in Livonia was seriously consid-
cred.
Fat Friese favored it, and made ar
impassioned speech, with sweat thick
on his heavy face.
ST am not cowardly," he finished.
ST 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'
I'm Cod" said the chancellor grim
".
In the end nothing was done. Mobil-
lzation 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, n by his bed
side, one always on her knees at the
priedieu in the small room beyond. He
wanted little-now and then a sip of
water, the cooled juice of fruit. In
j~ections of %stimulants, given by Doctor
Weiderman himself, had SCARED his
old arms with purplish marks, and
were absorbed more and more slowly
as the hours went on.
He rarely slept, but lay inert and not
unhapnv- Annunciata came. and was
at last stricken by conscience to q
prayer at his bedside. On one Of her
last visits that was. She got up to
find his eyes fixed on her.
Father, can you hear me?"
"YasP
--