The Elk Mountain pilot., 1919-02-06

man now and must act mans part
in the world.
May sss him7'' he asked. Fl.
didp't zee him before"
your people are waiting. sire" the
chancellor said gravely. ITO 4. ruler.
his people must come Arst"
And 20. in the clear light from the
room behind him, Otto the Ninth hrst
stood before his people. They looked
mp. and hard eyes grew soft, tense
muscles relaxed. They saw the erect
ness Of the small figure. the steadi-
mess Of the blue eyes that hsd fought
back their tears. the honesty and fire
and courage Of this small boy who
was the king.
Let such Of the revolutionfsts a. re-
mained scream before the parliament
house. Let the flames burn and the
drums beat The solid citizens. the
great mass Of the people, looked up
at the king and cheered nightly. Rev
olution had that night received its
death blow at the hands Of . child.
The mob prepared to 60 home to bed.
While King Otto stood on the bal
cony. down below In the crowd an
American woman looked up. and sud-
denly caught her husband BY the arm.
"Robert" abe said. Robert, 1t II
Bobby's little friendi"
"Nonsenssi" he retorted. ~'.It's
rather dramatic, Isn't itf Nothing
like this at homsi See. they've
crowned him already"
But Bobby's'mother looked with the
clear eyes of most women, and all
mothers.
They have not crowned him." abe
aid. smiling. with tears In her eyes.
'-Ths absurd little k1ngi They have
forgotten to take OF his paper crowni"
The dead king lay In state in tie
royal chapel. Tall candles burned at
his head and feet. set In long black
standards. His uniform lay at his
feet, his cap. his sword. The nag Of
his country was draped across him. He
looked very rested.
In q small private chapel nearby
lay old Adelbert.. They could not do
him too much honor. he. too, looked
rested. and he. too. was covered By
t1l0 A4Rs sAAAo ~ O10 WSoA0 A@vS
guessed, that q part Of him had died
long before, and lay buried On bat
tleneld. II was, unfortunately. his old
uniform that he wore. They had add
ed his regimental nag to the national
one. and on It they had sst his shabby
cap. He. too. might have been king.
Thers were candles at his head and
feet, also; but alas, he had now NO
sword. W.
Thus It happened that old Adelbert
the traitor lay In state In the palace.
and that monks, in long brown robes.
knslt and prayed by him. Perhaps he
needed their prayers. But perhapA n
the great accounting. things are bal-
anced mp, the good against the bad. In
that case. who knowsf
The palace mourned and the palace
rejoiced., Haeckel had told what he
knew and the leaders Of the tsrrorists
were In prison. Some, In high places,
would be hanged with dlksn cord.
asswas. their due. And othefs would
- ssthsticalfy disposed Of. The way
was not yet clear ahead, but the crisis
WAS passed and safely.
Early In the evening, soon after he
had appearsd on the balcony. the court
had sworn fsalty to Otto the Ninth.
He had stood on the dais In the throne
room. very much washed and brushed
By that time, and the ceremony had
taken place. Such q shout from re-
Ilsvsd throats ~ went up. such clat-
ter ~ swords were drawn from 0eab-
bards and held upright In the air,
sOttoi" they cried. And again.
'Otto."
The little king had turned quite pale
with excitement.
Late in the evening Milky LArisch
went to the council room. The coun-
Gil had dispersed. and Nsttlieh eat
alone. When Milky was announced hs
frowned. Then, very family, he
smiled. But he was stern enough when.
the young soldier entered. Milky
came to the point at once.
n have come" he said, TO know
what am to do. sif."
Dor asked the chancellor. coldly.
~whether the crown-whether the
king IL safe or not" said Milky. look
ing dogged and not at all Dow like the
picture Of his mother. II am guilty Of
of all that happened"
The chancellor had meant to be very
hard. But he had come through
great deal. and besides. he saw some
thing Milky did not mean him to see.
He was used to reading men. He saw
that the boy had come to the breaking
point
.sit down. he said. -and ten me
about II"
But Milky would not slt. He stood.
looking straight ahead. and told ths
story. He left nothing out, the scene
on the roof, his broken promise.
T .Although," he added, his only word