Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1918-05-09

seemed most relaxed. always tense {
spring. For Milky knew the tempe
Of the people. knew It - did Nathild
gossiping In the market. and even bel
ter; knew that . crisis was approach
Ing. and that on this small boy In hi
charge hung that crisis
30 Milky trusted n his own RICH
arm and 10 nothing else. The yer,
size Of the palace. Its unused rooms
its long and rambling corridors. IT.
rambling wings and ancient turrets
was against its safety.
Since the demonstration against
Karl, the riding school hour had beer
given up. There we're no drives in thu
park. The illness Of the king furnished
sufficient excuse. but the truth wal
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 rccounted them.
"Our very precautions are our dan.
ger" said the chancellor. "And the
king" He stopped and sat, tapping
his fingers on the arm Of his chair.
"And the king, siri"
almost at the end. A day or two"
Kari, with Hedwig In his thoughts,
had returned to mobilize his army not
far from the border for the spring
maneuvers, and ut a meeting of the
kings council the matter Of a mobiliza.
ton In Livonia was seriously consid-
cred.
Fat Friese favored 1t, and made an
impassioned speech, with sweat thick
on his heavy face.
II am not cowardly," he finished.
II 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,
II we cannot trust the army, In what
car we trustf"
I'm God" said the chancellor grim.
".
In the end nothing was done. Mobll.
lzatlon 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 goins.
His apartments were silent. Rugs
covered the corridors. that no football
disturb his quiet hours. The nursing
sisters attended him, one by his bed.
side. one always on her knees at the
prfedfeu In the small room beyond. He
wanted little-now and then a sip of
water. the cooled Juice Of fruit. In.
Jections Of s%timulants, 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
unhappy. A~nnunciata came, and was
ut last stricken by conscience to a
prayer at his bedside. On one Of her
last visits that was. She got up to
lind his eyes fixed on her.
Father, can you hear mer
"Yes."
II have been q bad daughter to
l am sorry. It Is late now to
Iell you, but I mn sorry. Can l do
,nythingT"
"Otto." he said, with difficulty.
You want to see hint"
mo-"
She knew what he meant BY that.
He would have the boy remember him
he had seer him last.
you are anxious about him1"
"Very-anxious."
Listen, father," she said, STOPPING
over him. II have been hard and cold.
you will grant that I have
had two reasons for It. But I am 20
ing to do better. I will take care Of
him and ! will do ali I can to make
lin happy. I promise"
Perhaps It was relief. Perhaps even
hen the thought Of Annunciata's tar.
~ and certain.to-be bungling efforts
o make Ferdinand William Otto happy
unused him. He smiled family.
Milky received q note from Hedwis
ate that afternoon. L was very
brief:
Tonight q nine o.eiock ! shail 60 70 The
Foof beyond Hubsrt's oid rooms. for ar.
aEDw10.
Milky, who In oil his incurious young
life had never thought Of the roof Of
the palace. cave 20 q necessary shelter
from the weather. . thing Of tiles and
cutters, vastly large. looked rather
astounded.
The roof" hs sald, surveying the
note. And fell To thinning, such q mix.
lure Of rapture and despair % only
Ewenty.thrse. and hopeless, can know.
Somehow Of other he rot through
The intervening hours, and before nine
10 vas o. bio way. He had the run
The palace. Of course. No one no.
Heed him % he made bic way toward
he empty suite which @ recently had
IL royal visitor.
HsdwiG. IN Q soft white wrap over
her dinner drses, Wa at the balus.
trade. A very digni6sd fairy. d.
her heart thumpsd disgrace.
eully.
Whatever Milky had intsnded-of
obeying bio promise b The lettoe. r.