Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1918-03-29

"Not-the army, too?"

spread like fires. Nothing may hap
pen for years. On the other hand, to-
morrow"
The archduchess was terrified. She
had known that there was disaffectionI
about. She knew that in the last few
years precautions at the palace had
been increased. Sentrfes were doubled.
Men In the uniforms of lackeys, but
doing no labor, were everywhere. But
with time and safety she had felt Sc
cure.
"Of course" the king resumed,
things are not as bad as that paper
indicates. It is the voice of the few,
rather than the many. Still, it is o
voice."
Annunciata looked more than her G
now. She glanced around the room
as though, already, she heard the mob
at the doors.
L return to the matter of He'd
wigs marriage" said the king. Is
"Marriagel When our very lives are
threatened"
II would be greatly honored," said
the king, IF l might be permitted to
finish what I was saying"
She had the grace to flush.
Under the circumstances" the
king resumed, "Hedwig's marriage
takes on great signifcance-great po-
litical significance"
For a half-hour then, he talked to-
her. More than for years, he I'M
bosomed himself. He had tried. His
ministers had tried. Taxes had been
l%ightened; the representation of the
people increased, until, as he said, heI
was only nominally a ruler. But dis
content remained. Some who had gone
to America and returned with savings
enough to set themselves up in BUSH
ness, had brought back with them the
American idea.
A%nnunciata listened to the end. She
felt no pity for those who would bet
ter themselves by discomfort and it's
product, revolt. She felt only resent
ment, that her peace was being threat
ened, her position assailed. And in
her resentment she included the king
himself. He should have done better.
And something of this she did not
hesitate to say. "Karnia is quiet
enough" she finished, a final thrust.
"Karnia is better off. A lowland,
most of it, and fertile But a spot
of color showed in his old cheeks. "T
am glad you spoke of Karnia. What
ever plans we make, Karnia must be
considered
'"Why? Karnia does not consider
u.s."
He raised his hand. "You are
wrong. Just now, Karnia is doing us
the honor of asking an alliance with
us. A matrimonial alliance"
The archduchess was hardly sur
prised, as one may believe. But she
was not minded to yield too easily.
The old resentment against her father
famed. Indifferent mother though she
was, she made capital of a fear foEt
Hedwig's happiness.
AT last she succeeded in irritating
the king-a more difficult thing now
than in earlier times, but not so hard
a matter at that. He listened quietly
until she had finished, and then sent
her away. When she had got part
way to the door, however, he called
hNA O0Nhs ALI LIZ q Mig 4 Il h1nSg
wen if he is ones father and very old,
she came.
"Just one word more" he said, in
his thin, old, high-bred voice. much
of your unhappiness was of your own
making. You, and you only, know how
much. But nothing that you have said
can change the situation. 1 I'M merely
compelled to make the decision alone,
and soon. I have not much time"
So, after all, was the matter of the
Duchess Hedwig's marriage arranged,
d composite outgrowth of expediency
and obstinacy, of defiance and anger.
And so was it FASTENED.
Irritation gave the king strength.
That afternoon were summoned in
haste the members of his council-fat
old Friese, young Marschall with the
rat face, austere Bayerl with the
white skin and burning eyes, and oth-
ers. And to them all the king dis
closed his royal viii. There was some
demur. But, after all, the kings will
was dominant. Friese could but voice
his protest and relapse into greasy
silence.
The chancellor sat silent during the
conclave, silent, but intent. On each
speaker he turned his eyes, and waited
until at last Karl's proposal, with it's
promises, was laid before them in full.
Then, and only then, the chancellor
rose. His speech was short. He told
them of what they all knew, their own
insecurity. He spoke but a word Of
the crown prince, but that softly. And
he drew for them a picture of tho
future that set their hearts to glowing
"a throne secure, q greater kingdom.
freedom from the costs Of war, a har-
Dor by the sea.
The battle, which was no battle at
| I'll. was won. He had won. The conn.