Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-01-02
~SS. -s,7:: .:.:ssygEzsEN


in the royal chapel. All the household
had been there, and the king had beer
wheeled in, and had sat in his box
high in the wall, the door Of which
opened from his private suite.
Locking up, Hedwig had seen his
gray old face set and rigid. The courj
had worn black, and the chapel was
draped in crepe. She had fallen Oh
her knees and had tried dutifully t.
pray for the dead Hubert. But hel
whole soul was crying out for help fol
herself.
So now she sat very quiet, and won
dered about things.
Prince Ferdinand William Otto sa
by the rail and watched the greer
banks flying by.
When no one was looking, he brok,
a flower from the bouquet and flung il
overheard. He pretended thattit was /
boat, and was going down 10 Karnia
filled with soldiers ready to fight.
But the thought Of soldiers brought
Milky to his mind. His face clouded
Its very strange about Milky" h,
said. Gle is away somewhere. wist
he had sent word he was going"
Hedwig looked out over the river.
The archduchess glanced at Mis-
Braithwaite. "There is no news" sht
asked, in an Undertone.
"None," said Miss Braithwaite.
A sudden suspicion rose in Hedwig''
mind, and made her turn pale. What
il they had sent him away? Perhap;
they feared him enough for thatI Il
that were true, she would never know
She knew the ways Of the palace vel
enough for that. In q sort of terror
she glanced around the group, so com
fortably disposed. Her mother wa
looking out, with her COOL impassiVC
gaze. Miss Braithwaite knitted. The
countess, however, met her eyes, an(
there was something strange in them
triumph and bit Of terror, too, hn(
she but read them. For the countess
had put in her plea for holiday an(
had been refused.
The new fortress faced the high roa(
some five miles from the Karnian Dor
der 1t stood on bluff over the river
and was, as the crown prince decided
not so unlike the desk, after all, ex
cept that it had moat around it.
Hedwig and the countess went witt
the party around the Notifications
The archduchess and Hiss Braithwaitt
had sought a fire. Only the countess
however seemed really interested
Hedwig seemed more intent on the dis
.tant line of the border than on any
thing else. She stood on a rampar
and stared out at it, looking very sad
Even the drill-when at word all TIL
great guns rose and peeped over tn
edge at the valley below and thel
dropped backed again as If they hat
seen enough-even this failed TO rous
her.
II wish you would listen, Hedwig,
said the crown prince, almost fretfully
l"It's so interesting. The enemys sol
:diers would come up the river in boats
and along that road on foot. And thel
we would raise the guns and shoot q
them. And the guns would drop bacl
again, before the enemy had time t.
aim at them"
But Hcdwig's interest was so evi
IDENTITY assumed that he turned to III
countess. The countess profesSet
smiling terror, and stood a little wa.
back from the guns, looking on. Blu
Prince Ferdinand William Otto at los
coaxed her to the top Of the emplace
ment.
"There's a fine view up there" h,
urged. 'And the guns won't hurt you
There's nothing in them"
To get up it was necessary to climl
an iron ladder. Hedwig was alread,
there. About a dozen young officer
had helped her up, and ruined a
many pairs Of white gloves, although
Hedwig could climb like cat, ant
really needed no help at all.
''You go up" said the crown prince
eagerly, turning to the countess. 'Il
hold your bag, SO you can climb"
He caught her handbag from her
and instantly something snapped in ii
The countess was climbing up the lad
der. Rather dismayed, Prince Ferdi
nand William Otto surveyed the bag
Something had broken, he feared. Ant
in another moment he saw what i
was. The little watch which was Sc
in one side of it had slipped away
leaving round black hole. His hear
beat q triflc faster.
'I'm awfully worried" be called VI
to her, as he climbed. "I'm afraid I've
broken your bag. Something clicked
and the watch is gone. 1t is not or
the ground"
1t was well for the countess that the
colonel was talking to HedWig, Well
for her, too, that the other officers
were standing behind with their eyes
worshipfully on the princess. The
countess turned gray white.
"Don't worry, highness," she said
with stiff lips. "The watch falls back
sometimes. 1 must have it repaired
But long after the tour Of the ram.
parts was over, after ammunition
rooms had been visited, with their long
lines of waiting shells, after the
switchboard which controlled the river
mines had been inspected and ex
planned, she was still trembling.
Prince Ferdinand William Otto
looI-ipU ot tha hog l0tar on saw ths