The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1918-03-27
CHAPTER ~.
At the Riding School.


lie had risen at six, bathed. dressed,
and gone to mass, in disgrace. He
had breakfasted at seven-thirty on
fruit, cereal, and one egg. in disgrace.
He had gone to his study at eight
o'clock for lessons, In disgrace. A
long line of tutors came and went all
morning. and he worked diligently. but
he was still in disgrace. All morrf-
ing long and in the intervals between
tutors he had tried to catch Miss
Braithwaite's eye.
Except for the most ordinary civil
files, she had refused to look in his
direction.
The French tutor was standing near
a photograph of Hedwig, and pretend
ing not to look at it. Prince Ferdinand
William Otto had suspicion that the
tutor was in love with Hedwig.
Prince Ferdinand William Otto did
not like the French tutor.
He also found the sun unsettling.
Besides. he hated verbs. Nouns were
different. One could do something
with nouns, although even they had
way of having genders. hto his
head popped a recollection of a de-
lightful pastime of the day before
nothing more nor less than Tipping
paper wads at the guard on the scenic
railway as the car went past him.
Prince Ferdinand William Otto tore
of the corner Of a piece of paper,
chewed 1t deliberately, rounded and
hardened 1t with his royal fingers, and
Faimed 1t at M. Puaux. 1t struck him
In the eye.
Instantly things happened. M.
Puaux yelled, and clapped hand to
his eye. Miss Braithwaite rose. His
royal highness wrote a rather shaky
French verb, with the wrong termina-
ton. And on to this scene came
Milky for the riding lesson.
Milky surveyed the scene. He had,
of course, bowed inside the door, and
all that sort of thing. But Milky was
an informal person, and was quite apt
TO bow deeply before his future sover-
eign, and then. poke him in the chest.
"Well" said Milky.
"Good morning" said Prince Ferdi-
nand William Otto, in a small and
nervous voice.
"NOthing wrong, is there?" de-
manded Milky.
y M. Puaux got out his handkerchief
-ahd said nothing violently.
"Otto" said Miss Braithwaite.
''What did you do?'
Nothing" He looked about. He
was quite convinced that NJ. Puaux
was what Bobby would have termed
a poor sport, and had not played the
game fairly. The guard at the rail-
way, he felt, would not have yelled
and wept. "Oh. well. I threw a piece
of paper. That's all. didn't think
It would hurt"
Miss Braithwaite rose and glanced
at the carpet. But Milky was quick.
Quick and understanding. He put his
shiny foot over the paper wad.
"Paperw said Miss Baithwaite.
''why did you throw paper? And at
M. PuauxT.
'T-just felt like throwing some
thing" explained his royal highness.
81 guess it's the sun, or something"
Milky dropped his glove, and mirac-
ulously, when he had picked 1t up the
little wad was gone.
"FOr throwing paper, five marks"
said Miss Braithwaite, and put it
down In the book she carried In her
pocket. 1t was rather an awful book.
On Saturdays the king looked 1t over,
and demanded explanations "ror
untidy nails, five marks! A gentle
man never has untidy nails, Otto. For
objecting to winter fiannels, two
marks. Humph! For pocketing sugar
from the tea tray, ten marks Humph
For lack Of attention during religious
instruction, five marks. Ten off for
the sugar, and only five for inattentiOn
to religious instruction! What have
you to say, sir"
Prince Ferdinand William Otto
looked at Milky and Milky looked
back. Then Ferdinand William Otto's
left eyelid dropped. Milky was
astounded. How was he to know the
ucuSuTy VI StIuuSc thihBS thut thS
crown prince had tapped the previous
afternoon? But, after glance around
the room, Nikky's eyelid dropped also.
He slid the paper wad into his pocket.
II am afraid his royal highness has
hurt your eye, NJ. Puaux," said Miss
Braithwaite.
''Not at ALL" said the unhappy young
man. testing the eye to discover If he
could see through 1t. II am sure his
royal highness meant no HARM" M.
Puaux went out, with his handker-
chief to his eye.
While Oskar, his valet. put the
crown prince into riding clothes, Milky
and Miss Braithwaite had talk. II
began by Nikky's stating that she was
likely to see him great deal now,
and he hoped she would not find him
In the way. He had been made aide
de-camp to the crown prince, vice
II .acl.. he haA AA