The circle banner., 1918-04-19

4
fully. Evidently, as with the agent
the story started new train o
thought. Milky drew long breath
After all, there was still hope that th,
early morning shooting would have an
other target than himself.
Karl sat down, and his face relaxed
It was stern. but no longer horrible
Tell me this Niburg's story" he com
manded.
"He was walking through the ole
city" Milky commenced, "wlfen three
men fell ON him. One, large one
knocked him insensible and then went
through his pockets. The others"
"Strange" said Karl. "If he wal
insensible, how does he know all this p
'It was his story. SIRE" Milky e1-
planned. But he cOlored. "A com
panion, who was with him, ran away"
This companion" Karl queried
"A dark, heavy fellow, was lit"
"No. Rather a pale man. blond.
A." Milky checked himself.
| But Karl was all suavity. 49," he
said, while Niburg was unconscious
the large man took the letter, which
was sealed, magicslly opened 1t, ex-
tracted its contents. replaced them
| with-this. and then sealed it again."
The king turned without haste to 4
drawer in his desk, and opened it. He
was smiling. When he faced about
again, Milky saw that he held a re-
volver in his hand. Save that the
agent had taken a step forward, moth
Ing In the room had changed. And
yet. for Milky everything had changed.
Milky had been a reckless fool, but
he was brave enough. He smiled,
better smile than Karl's twisted one.
~ have 4 fancy" said King Karl,
ito manage this matter for myself.
Keep back. Kaiser. Now, my friend,
you will give me the packet of cigar
ette papers you carry"
Resistance would do no good. Milky
brought them out, and KarPs twisted
smile grew broader as he compared
them with the ones the envelope had
contained.
You see," he said, you show the
hand of the novice. You should have
thrown these away. But, of course,
all your methods are wrong. Why, for
instance, have you come here at all?
You have my man-but that I shall
take up later. We will first have the
letter."
But here Milky stood firm. Let them
find the letter. He would not help
D,,f in ho
There had been a thousand hiding
places along the road-but he must
bring the discriminating thing with him,
and thus condemn himself!
Now commenced curious scene,
curious because one of the actors was
Karl of Karnia himself He seemed
curiously loath to bring In assistance,
did Karl. Or perhaps the novelty of
the affair appealed to him. And Mix
ky's resistance TO search, with that
revolver so close, was short lived.
Even while he was struggling, Milky
was thinking. Let them get the letter,
If they must. Things would at least
be no worse than before. But he re-
solved that no violence would tear
from him the place where the messen-
ger was hidden. Until they had got
that, he had a chance for life.
They searched his cap last. Milky, |
painting after that strange struggle, |
his cap, and pass it to the king.
Karl took 1t. The smile was gone
now, and something ugly and terrible
had taken its place. But that, too, |
faded as he looked at the letter.
1t was 4 blank piece Of note paper.
: \.
With the approach Of the anniver-
sary Of his sons death, the king grew
restless. Each year he de-
termined to put away this old grief,
and each year, as his bodily weakness
Increased he found II harder to do SO.
On other years he had had the crown
prince with him as much as possible
,n this dreary day of days. But the
,rown prince was exiled, In disgrace.
Not even for the comfort Of his small
presence could stern discipline be re-
axed.
Annunciata was not much comfort to
lin. They had always differed, more
,r less, the truth being, perhaps, that
the was too much like the king ever
o sympathize fully with him. Both
we're arrogant, determined, obstinate.
And those qualities, which age was be-
ginning to soften in the king, were
low, in Annunciata, In full strength
ind blooming.
But there was more than fundamen-
al similarity at fault. Against her
ather the archduchess held her un-
lappy marriage.
And now, secretly willing that He'd
Wig should marry Karl, she was ready
O annoy him by objecting to it.
On the day after her conversation
With General Mettlich, she visited the
ing. 1t was afternoon. The king had
pent the morning in his study, prop
ed with pillows as was always the
ase now, working with secre tary.
he secretary was gone when she en-,
cred, and he sat alone.
He had passed trying day. Once
aving broken down the chancellor's