The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1919-01-30

gosslping In the market, and even bet.
ter; knew that q crisis wns 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, It's unused rooms,
Its long and rambling corridors, it's
rambling wings and ancient turress,
was against Its snfety.
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
besleged, by II knew not what.
Milky, summoned to the chanceilor's
house that morning. had been told the
facts, and had stood. nther still and
tense. while Mettlich recounted 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, sir2"
almost ut the end. A day or two"
Knrl, with Hedwig In his thoughts,
had returned to mobilize his army not
far from the border for the spring
m%aneuvers. and at q meeting Of the
kings council the matter OF u mobiliza.
ton In Livonia was seriously consid.
cred.
Fat Friese favored II, and made an
impassioned speech. with sweat thick
on his heavy face.
IL am not c%owardly," 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, ut any cost. And,
II we cannot trust the army. In what
Gun we trustT"
"In God" said the chancellor grim.
ly.
In the end nothing was done. Mobil.
ization might precipltate 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
jections Of s%timulants, given by Doctor
Welderman himself. had Scared his
old arms with purpllsh marks. and
were absorbed more and more slowly
as the hours went on.
He rarely slept, but lay inert and not
unhappy. Annunclata came, and was
at last stricken by conscience to a
prayer nj his bedside. On one OF her
last visits that was. She got up to
find his eyes fixed on her.
Father, II you hear met"
Eyes"
II have been n bad daughter to
YOU. l am sorry. 1t Is late now to
tell you, hut l am sorry. Can l do
anythingT
otto" he said. with difficulty.
"You want to see himl"
NO"
She knew what he meant by that.
He would have the boy remember him
as he had seen him last.
"You are anxious about himf'
"Very-anxious."
Listen, father" she said. STOPPING
over him. ~ have been hard and cold.
Perhaps you WI grant that / have
had two reasons for It. But I am 60
Ing TO do better. I will take care of
him and I will do all I can to make
him happy. l promise"
Perhaps II was relief. Perhaps even
then the thought OF Annunciata's tar-
dy and certain-to-be bungling efforts
to make Ferdinand william Otto happy
amused him. He smiled family.
Milky received a note from Hedwig
late that afternoon. II was very
brief:
Tonight at nine o'clock I h 90 to the
roof beyond Hubert's old rooms. for air.
HEDwIG.
Milky. who In all his luxurious young
life had never thought Of the roof OF
the palace. save as q necessary shelter
from the weather. n thing Of tiles and
gwtters, vastly large. looked rather
astounded.
"The roof" he said. surveying the
note. And fell TO thinking. such a mix
ture Of rapture and despair as only
twenty-three, and hopeless, can know.
Somehow or other he got through
the intervening hours. and before nine
he was on his way. He had the run
Of the palace. Of course. No one no.
ticed him as he made his way toward
the empty suite which so recently had
housed Its royal visitor.
Hedwig. In a soft white wrap over
her dinner dress, was at the bnlus-
trade. A very digniied fairy. al
though her heart thumped disgrace
fully.
Whatever Milky had intended-of
obeying his promise to the letter. of
putting his country before love. and
love nut Of his llfe-fniled him instant.
ly. The Milky. ardcnt-eyed and tender
.rua,l u,ho craasah tAs raaS ana tnnk