The Elk Mountain pilot., 1919-01-30

leaving the supper ready cooked on
the hack Of the stove. Old Adelbert
sat alone. and watched the red bars
Of tho stove fade to black. BY that
time 1t was done. and he was Of the
damned. The crown prince, who was
Of an age with the American lad up
stairs, the crown. prince was in the
hands Of his enemies. He. old Adel-
bert, had done 1t.
And now 1t was forever too late.
Terrible thoughts filled his mind. He
could not live thus. yet he could not
die. The daughter must have the pen
sion. He must live, . traitor, he on
whose breast the king himself had
pinned 4 decoration.
He wore his new uniform. In honor
Of the day. Suddenly he felt that he
could not wear 1t any longer. He had
no right to any uniform. He who had
sold his country was Of no country.
He went slowly out and up the stair
case, dragging his wooden leg pain
fully from step to step. He heard the
concierge come in below. his heavy
footsteps re-echoed through the build
Ing. Inside the door. he called furi-
ously to his niece. Old Adelbert heard
him strike 4 match to light the gas.
In his room he sat down on
straight chair inside the door. and
stared ahead, Then. slowly and me-
chanicaily. be took on his new uni
form and donnsd the old one. He
would have put on civilian clothes, had
he possessed any. For by the deeds
Of that day he had forfeited the right
to the kings garb.
It was there that Back Humbert,
hurrying up, found, him. The con-
ciergs was nvid. his massive frame
shook with excitement.
"Quicki" he said. and swore great
oath. ITO the shop Of the cobbler
Heinz, and tell him this word. Here
in the building II the boy"
"what boyr'
The concierge closed . great hand
ON the veterans shoulder. "Who but
the crown prince himselfi" he said.
"But Isthought-how can he be
heref'
.Here is he, in our very hands. 1t
10 NO time to ask questions"
IF he IL here"
"Hs IL with the Americans" hissed
the concierge, the veins on his fore
head swollen with excitement. "Now.
70. and quickly. shall watch. Say
that when I have secured the Ied.
shall take him there. Let all be ready.
An hour ago" he said. raising his
great nsts on high. "and everything
Lost. Now-hurry. old wooden leg. Il
IL 4 great night"
sBut-I cannot. Already have
done too much. am damned. have
lest my soul. I who am soon to die"
! sYou will Co."
And, at last, he went. hobbling down
the staircase recklessly. because the
looming figure at the stairhead was
listening. He reached the street.
There, only block away. was the cob
blef's shop. lighted, but With the dirty
curtains drawn across the window.
Old Adelbsrt gazed at It. Then he
commended his soul to God. and turned
toward the palace. Before It were
packed dense throngs Of silent people.
Now and then Q man put down box.
and ridng on It addressed the crowd.
attempting to rouse them. Each tims
angry hands pulled him down, and
hisses greeted him ~ he skunk away.
Had old Adeibert been alive to any
thing but his mission, he would have
seen that this was NO mob Of revo-
lutionists. but 4 throng Of grisvins
people, awaiting the great bell Of St.
stsfan's With its dire nsws.
Then. above their heads, It rang out.
slow, ominous, terrible. 4 sob ran
through the crowd In groups, and at
last ~ . whole. the throng knelt. Men
uncovered and women wept.
The bell rang on. At Its frst notes
old Adelbert stopped. staggered, almost
fell. Then he uncovered his head.
"Gonsi" he said. ''Ths old kingi
Ny old kingi"
His face twitched. But the horror
behind him drove him on through the
kneeling crowd. Where It refused to
yield, he drove the iron point Of his
wooden leg into yielding iesh, and 20
made his way. Some one raised cry
and others took 1t up.
'.The kingl" they cried. "Show ~
the little kingi"
But the balcony outside the dead
kings apartments remained empty.
The curtains at the long windows were
drawn, save at one, opened for air.
The breeze shook tn curtains to and
fro, but no small. childish ngurs
emerged. The cries kept up, but there
was snarl in the note now.
"The kingi Long live the kingl
Where u her
A man in q red costume, near old
Adelbert leaped ON . box and lighted
flaming torch. "Ayel" he yelled,
"call for the little king. Where Il hsf
What have they done with himr