slips away to the park,
Thorpe, a little American boy.
made for him. The same night
boy's grandfather, the old king
riage
to Princess
and plots to
Nikky Larisch,
her marria Count
Karl. The is attacked
dummy letter substituted, (
Annunciata, Hedwlg's
prevent his
Otto's aid de camp,
ge,
for
messenger
Karl's
chauffeur
pape
wl
impersonates
envelope for some
Karl, Larisch is made
clgarette
prisoner
t
he
chancellor calls to consult the
is very ill. The chancellor sug-
the friendship of the neighboring
in mar-
Countess Loschek, lady-in-walting
mother, {3s In love with King Karl
to Hedwig. Hedwig, who loves
is dismayed when told of the plans
sends a secret message to King
agents of the terrorists and a
‘h, unaware of the substitu-
The captain
ex the within the
On delivering the envelope
1 the deception is discovered.
he
by
Larise
hanges sheet
], to
=
CHAPTER VIii—Continued.
aa’ aan
The archduchess was terrified.
had known that there was disaffection
about. She knew that in the
years precautions at the palace had
been increased. Sentries were doubled.
Men in the uniforms of lackeys, but
doing no labor, were everywhere. But
with time and safety she had felt se-
cure.
“Of course,” the king resumed,
“things are not as bad as that paper
indicates. It is the
rather than the many.
voice."
Aunnunciata looked more than her ange
now. She glax round tl
giand the room
Still, it is a
£
“1 Will Go Myself”
gh, already
the doors.
“To return
wig's marriage,”
“Marriage!
threatened!”
“I would be greatly honored,” sald
the King, “if I might be permitted to
finish what I was saying.”
She bad the grace to flush.
“Under the circumstances
king resumed, “Hedwig's
takes on great significance-
litical significance.”
For a half-hour then
her. More than for
bosomed himself, He
ministers had tried. "Taxes had been
lightened; the representation of the
people Increased, until, as he sald,
was only nominally a ruler, But dis-
content remained. Some who had gone
to America and returned with savings
enough to set themselves up in busi
ness, had brought back with them the
American idea.
Aununcinta listened to the end. She
felt no pity for those who would bet-
ter themselves by discontent and its
product, revolt. She felt only resent-
ment, that her peace was being threat
ened, her position assailed. And in
her resentment she included the king
himself, He should have done
And something of this she did
hesitate to say. “Karnia is
enough,” she finished, a fingl
Ix is better ‘off. A
most and fertile.” But a
f color showed in his old checks,
arm glad you spoke of Karnia, What-
ever plans
considered.”
Karnia
as thou she heard the mob
at
the matter of Hed
king. “I—"
When out very lives are
to
said the
great po-
years, he
had tried,
thrust,
narnia
it
of spot
oO
we make,
does not consider
He ralsed his hand. “You are
wrong. Just now, Karnia {8s doing us
the honor of asking an alliance with
us, A matrimonial alliance”
The archiduchess was
prised, ns gne may
was not minded to
hardly
believe,
»
flamed. Ind
she made
Hedwl
At last she
King—a more difficult thing
in earlier times, but not so hard
er at that. He listened fuletly
she had finished, and then sent
away. When had got part
to the door, however, he
her back. And sigee a king is a
even if he is one's father and very old,
she came,
“Just one word more,” he
his thin, old, high-bred voice,
of your unhappine
ng. You, and you only, know how
ut nothing that you have sald
can change the situation. I am merely
compelled to make the decision Mone,
nd 1 have not much ti
So, after all, was She matter of the
Duchess Hed: n qrviage arranged,
a composite outgrowth of expediency
and obstinacy, of defiance and
And t hastened.
Irrit the king
That afterno ere summoned
ha the
old Friese,
rat face,
whi
ers
lifferent mother though she
capital of a fear for
g's happiness.
was
succeeded In irritating
a matter
until
she
Wn
”
sald,
“Much
maki
mich
much
SOON. ne,
o's
vig's
80 W
i
ation gave
on Ww in
is council—fat
with the
with the
and oth-
king
members of
young Ma hall
austere Bop
te skin and burning eyes,
And to them all the
closed his royal will. Ther
demur. But, after all, the king
vas dominant,
and relapse
ste
$d
into
his protest
silence,
The chancellor sat silent during the
ave, gilent, but intent. On each
speaker he turned his eyes, and walted
until at last Karl's proposal, with its
was laid before them in full.
and then, the chancellor
His speech was short, He told
them of what they all knew, their own
insecurity, He spoke but a word of
the crown prince, but that And
1¢ drew for them a picture of th
future that set their hearts to glowing
—g@ throne secure, a greater kingdom
freedom from the co war, §
bor by the sea,
The battle,
all,
conel
Promises,
Then,
rose
only
softly,
16
5ts of
battle
The coun-
which was no
was won, He had
had won. The n prince
von. Only Hedwig had lost,
only Mettlich knew just
lost,
The necessity for
the strength to
ained wit him.
brought from vaults,
amined, Secretaries came
At eight o'clock a frugal
spread in the study, and they
won
try crow
Anll
how
work
it. Mettlic}
Boxes were
do
and went
dinner was
ate it
tht or there-
The thing
Ou and on, until midnig
abouts Then they stopped.
but to carry the word to Karl.
Two things were necessary:
lose no time, And dignity. The grand-
ceremony. No ordinary king's
messenger, then, but some dignitary of |
the court,
the doughty old warrior and statesnan
that he was, “If you are willing, sire.”
he said, as he rose, “I will go myself.”
“When?”
“Since it must be done,
the better, Tonight, sire.”
“To the capital?”
“Not so far. Karl is hunting
at Wedeling.”
He went almost immediately, and
the king summoned his valet
got to bed. But long after the auto-
the sooner
two reasons, First, the chancellor was
afraid of motors, He had a horseman'’s
hatred and fear of machines. Second,
he was not of a mind to rouse King
Karl from a night's sleep, even to bring
the hand of the Princess Hedwig. His
| Intention was to put up at some Tnn
in a village not far from the lodge and
‘to reach Karl by messenger early in
the morning, before the hunters left
for the day.
Then, all being prepared duly and in
and things would go forward with
| dignity and dispatch.
The valley of the Ar deepened. The
cliff rose above them, a wall broken
| here and there by the offtake of nar-
| row ravines, filled with forest trees,
| There was a pause while the chains
{ on the rear wheels were supplemented
others in front, for there must
danger of a skid, And
where the road slanted peril-
toward the brink of
1 caution dictated t*
thy
the chasm,
the chancel-
80 of dangerous curve afoot.
It required diplomacy to get him out.
But it was finally done, and his he
| figure, draped in its military
on ahead, outlined by
{ of the car behind him.
He was well around the
cliff was broken by a
timber, when a curiously shag
Jeet projected itself over the of
ng down, lay almost
it his feet. The lamps brought it into
p relief—a man, gagged and tied,
aryl roiled, cigar shaped, In an auto-
robe,
The chancellor turned,
Then he bent over the
The others ran up, and
i cape,
went the
curve,
of
ob-
wedge
ye
edge
Lae
11
il
nar
mobile
{ his men.
the
dle. cut
| bonds,
action, and his
bank, the man coul
of the se
and held
situation,
recent drop over the
d not speak. One
it to his An
indeed, increased by the
‘overy that under the robe he wore
only his undergarments, with a sol-
dier's tunic wrapped around his shoul-
lors. They carried him the
i head lolli ig back,
tor protrudin
d and long
4 his mind
enk, and
he wa
He t
ed that he
lips. amazing
dis-
into
ay with
nue E.
with col
brandy
he coul
uniforms that
nds of the enemy.
silent then, «
raped one
Twenty-four hour
and he
however,
in resp
ink and
ane
Was,
3 ‘he
before
by
hn
& in
an Ww the
the
ikily
1d ese
ther.
| faced
He preferred,
lothed, and when
pointing up the
articulate mouthir
examined hit
with his pocket flash. he
of trousers where Ni kky had 1
neatly folded and hung
of a The
mented by hot coffee from a patent
the n vived further, made an
s1 mvyine
den
fF DOW
was ready.
to d
i
eternity,
mse to
in-
ge,
po re the
found i
eft then,
over the branch
iy being supple-
bot.
brant
tree,
n re
ming back from
said thickly, “
dispatches to the
On my return a man
m the of the re
you found me. 1 tho
cxired to be taken on, and
But he wcked mie
rined and I was not. He kn
and when I awakened
whe
glde
nr. atts
jseless,
i
|
|
|
|
1
cret the road toward
ed on his nar-
what straits had they
He closed his
Something had gone out of
He did not realize at
it was, When he did, he smiled
old grim smile in the darkness,
He had lost a foe. More than any-
perhaps, he had dearly
agents
mountains
bed, To
indeed!
earily.
life,
hnt
was on
he toss
row
come
foe.
CHAPTER VII.
On the Mountain Road.
The low gray car which earried the
chancellor was on its way through the
mountains, It moved deliberately, for
They Carried Him Into the Car.
above the road, among trees. I gave
myself up when the snow commenced,
Few pass this way. But I heard your
car coming and made a desperate ef
fort.”
“Then,” asked one of the
“these are not your clothes?”
“They are his, sir,”
The agent produced a flash light and
inspected the garments, Before the
chancellor's eyes, button by button,
strap on the siteve, star on the cull,
| came into view tsa nmiform of a cap.
.
1 "
agents,
1
tain of his own regiment, the grena-
diers. Then one of his own men had
done this infamous thing, one of his
own officers, Indeed.
“Go through the
dered sternly.
Came into view under the flash a |
pair of gloves, a box of matches, a silk |
handkerchief, a card ease. The agent
sald nothing, but passed a card to the
chancellor, who read it without com-
ment,
There was silence in the car.
At last the chancellor stirred.
man~he took your car on?”
“Yes. And he has not returned.
other machine has passed.”
. The secret service men
There
AT
ON
pockets,” he or-
“This
exchanged
than
gad, then
was more to this
vhere
waring
ribed as
breeches
tcoat
hich his victim descr
1
L { Ie a
fur
a chauffeur's cont her.
and puttees, and a
all.
“Had the
this happened?”
“Not i
“Go
gre over
snow commenced
driver,”
ordered of his m
vatch the road for the tracks of
other car. Go &
So it i8 that, after
picked up
| twenty-four hours
one
lowly."
an hour or so
Nikky's trail, now
old but still clear,
d followed {t. The chancellor was
wake enough by this time, apd bend-
ing forward, When at last the trail
turned Hrom the highway toward the
yr box at Wedeling, Mettlich fell
! between a curse
wi
they
ba vith something
and a gre
“The
| young
At
vi
ill.
fool!" he muttered.
fool! It was madness.”
they up at an inn in
lage on the royal preserve, and
wmncellor, looking rather gray
He directed that the man
1d rescued be brought in. The
lor was not for losing him just
He a room for him at the
and rather cavallerly locked him
in it,
The chancellor sipped hot m
asidered. Nikky Larisch a prison
Ka irl’'s hands caused him
a mont
behind it ali?
out-
“The
st drew
on
WOK
1k
ilk and |
or |
thao It would have
jut what was
littl
pris
the r
the man
heard
He glanced in.
quiet The prisoner slept
genuine sleeg There wi
ing it, the sleep of a man
long cold and exhaustion,
violent effort. The
in, and locked the «
¢ before five
1 mer's door
aside room,
19
istak wart
after
after
ait
him.
i And
from
lor
weary
agent went
ag
door
the kitchen below pes }
the sleeping man's d.
at caution came the ed head
hen shoulders. The space was
He crawled up, like a snake
a hole, ducked behind the
of the bed. All was still quiet,
the man struck a
nd a pipe.
an iter, the chan
nd weak, wa
» hunting
fou
as the closed,
Of
ed soffly
With
and
mbtaldt
outside
ho
m
log.
a the
ry unenlightening. Nor could Karl,
sed] by a terrified valet, make much
we of it. When the man had gone,
varl lay back among his pillows and
ved his agent,
“So Mettlich is here !™
ty journey.
“They must
observed dryly.
| plimentary comment King Karl slept,
his face drawn Into n weary smile.
But
Livonia cordially the next morning, go-
way
aiser sr
he gaid. “A
1
ns
be In trouble,” Kaiser
i
you hold him I fail to understand. I
nm here to find out what you have
done with him.”
“Done with him?” echoed Karl.
as Captain Larisch you refer to a mad-
man who the night before last—""
“I do, sire. Madman is the word.”
“He Is a prisoner,” Karl sald, in a
new tone, stern enough now, “ke as
saulted and robbed one of my men,
He stole certain documents.
has not suffered for it already was be-
cause—well, because I believed that
the unfortunate distrust between your
country and mine, excellency, was
about to end.”
A threat that, undoubtedly,
to
was
demand too
and Nikky
vonia be made, with Hedwig seal
the bargain, and Nikky
enough, jut let Livonia
or not agree at all,
{ his small part in the game
“Suppose,” sald Karl
“that we discuss first another more im-
| portant matter. I confess to a certain
i He bowed slightly.
chancellor hesitated, Then
d thoughtfully at the paper in
his hand.
Through
nlone and
npatience.”
The
luncheon, the
the servants
longer
Me
long
even
through
a
dis-
afternoon,
d418,0
C5
a
negotiations fought
i
{
i meet his visitor, and
{ hands with him,
| “I am greatly honored, excellency,”
{he sald, with his twisted sieile,
“And I, sire”
ut the chancellor watched him |
from under his shaggy brows. The
messenger had escaped. By now Karl
knew the story, knew of his midnight
ride over the mountains, and the haste
it indicated,
Karl himself led the way to his
study, Ignoring the chamberlain, and
stood aside to let Mettlich enter.
Then he followed and closed the door,
“It is a long time since you have
honored Karnia with a visit,” Karl ob-
served, “Will you sit down?
Karl himself did not sit. He stood
wgligently beside the mantel, an arm
a «1 along It.
“Not since the battle of the Ar,
sire,” replied the chancellor dryly. He
had headed an army of invasion then.
Karl smiled. “I hope that now your
errand Is more peaceful.”
For answer the chancellor opened a
portfolio he carried, and fumbled
among its papers, But, having found
the right one, he held it without opens
ing it. “Before we come to that, sire,
you have here, I believe, detained for
some strange reason, a Captain Lar
isch, alde-de-camp”~he paused for ef.
fect-"to his royal highness, the crown
prince of Livonia"
Karl glanced up quickly. “Perhaps,
if you will describe this-—gentle-
man-—"
“Nonsgense," sald the chancellor test.
ily. “You have him. We have traced
hin here. Although by what authority
i
|
1]
“I Want That Letter.”
Karl stood
on the
ain only
nport
pric
firm
bord
nominal
st he has
“gr
The g
cont
rip
Ti
in two
Hedy
wig,
has been
officially. She knows,
“How
The
regard it?
hesitated.
she
choice,
“is but a whim
girl
be
does she
chancellor
Nomen,
own
stily,
and amiable
will
WoO
g her
«d ha
makin
le
is When
ti omnes, she willing
stared out through one of the
irtained windows, He
And the time had gone
would have enjoyed the
girl, No he wanted
¢ not paying a price for
ildren to inherit his well-
vingdom. And perhaps-—who
know a little love. him rose
a vision of Hedwig, her frank eyes, her
her soft, round
was
ure
n he
of Ww
8 f= Jefore
body.
“You have no reason to believe that
she has—looked elsewhere?”
“None, sire,” sald the
stoutly.
3y late afternoon all was arranged,
papers signed and witnessed, and the
the one small
cramped-—a soldier's hand; the
bold and flowing—the scrawl of |
and
other
was the bride of Karl of Kar
nia.
It was then that the chancellor rose
and stretched his legs. “And now,
sire,” he sald, “since we are friends
and no longer enemies, you will, I
know, release that mad boy of mine.”
“When do you start back?
“Within an hour.” ¢
“Before that time.” said Karl,
shall have him, chancellor.”
And with that Mettlich was forced
to be content. He trusted Karl no
more now than he ever had, But he
made his adiens with no hint of trou
ble In his face.
Karl stood for a moment in the open
alr, It was done, then, and well done.
It was hard to realize. He turned to
the west, where for so long behind the
mountains had lurked an enemy. A
new ern was opening; peace, disarma-
ment, a quiet and prosperous land. He
had spent his years of war and women.
That was over,
When he returned to the study the
agent Kalser was already there. But
Karl, big with plans for the future,
would have been alone, and eyed the
agent with disfavor.
“Well?” he demanded,
“We have been able to search the
chancellor's rooms, sire” the agent
enld, “for the articles mentioned last
night--a ecard case, gloves, al a silk
handkerchief, belongine to the pris.
oner upstairs. He is Captain Larisch,
alde-de-camp to the crown prince of
Livonia.”
He had expected Barl to be lm
“you
pressed. But Karl only looked at him,
“I know that,” he sald coldly. “You
{are always just a little late with your
information, Kaiser.”
Bomething like malice showed in the
agent's face, “Then you also know,
sire, that it is this Captain Larisch
with whom rumor couples the name of
the Princess Hedwig.” He stepped back
ia pace or two at sight of Karl's face,
“You requested such information, sire.”
For answer, Karl pointed to the door.
For some time after he had dis-
missed the agent, Karl paced his
library alone. Kalser brought no un-
verified information. Therefore the
thing was true. Therefore had had
{ his enemy in his hand, and now was
| pledged to let him go. For a time,
then, Karl paid the penalty of many
misdeeds. His triumph was ashes in
his mouth,
What if this
Hedwig, had hidden somewhere
road Olga Loschek's letter?
| then, if he recovered it
Hedwig? What if—
jut at last he sent for
upstairs, and waited for him w»
Jealousy and fear in his e3
Five minutes later Nikky
ushered into the red
having bowed, an insolent
aut that, stood and eved the ki:
“I have to rele:
ald Karl,
Nikky
rateful, sire.’
"You
ch
he
infatuated with
on the
What,
and took it to
boy,
the oner
pris
ith both
wns study
sent for you
drew
tha
Mettlic h
| It is not reas
tha
the
tal
then
containing
natter,” 8
wi
said hi
s n
reasopabl
i noth ing
you did!
And now Ke layed his trump
it with watchful
ace. He uld see {if
the truth, thi
love wit} «dwig,
vive
HEE
Te
ari
Nik-
port
eyes on
wi
if
3
i
{7
i) i
spoke
was in
% blue-eyed boy
He
the
Ne
was a
i
tas a
f coli
troubles between Karn
are over.”
"yl
Karl
twisted
do not
ne und
hesita
erstand, sire.’
Then,
cast
mr
etiquette of such ers t
a |
*
ii
two nel ntr
marriage has today been
marriage between the |
majesty's grande
is very
be n
shhorir
ghbor
DE
his
self.’
For a moment Nikk)
his eyes,
*
The
Prince
sunny.
ering
ticky,
yeloek
Prince
informed t
take place,
Two motors took
to the Ia
were Annunci:
8, and
salvaged
second car,
ith}
reary
dawned
anniver of
Hubert
The place showe
of snow, which
to the
most of
Trees ,
it had dis
Ferdipand Wi
hat the
streets,
first
the 4 unte
had
the
place for }
gat beside
car just
agents, by
departure—
Miss Braithwal
begged
A police
the chauffeur. Also o
ahead, contained
Mettlich's order bef
a plain black
j out the royal arms,
In the second machine foll
part of the suite, Hedwig's lady In
waiting, two gentlemen of the court,
{in parade dress, and Father Gregory,
| come from his mo mastery at Etzel to
| visit his old friend, the king.
| At the landing stage a small crowd
| had gathered on seeing the red carpet
{laid and the gilt ropes put up, which
{ indicated a royal visit. A small girl,
| with a hastily secured bouquet in her
hot hands, stood nervously waiting. In
deference to the anniversary, the flow.
ers were tied with a black ribbon.
Annunciata grumbled when she saw
the crowd, and the occupants of the
first car looked them over carefully. It
remained for Hedwig to spy the black
ribbon. In the confusion, she slipped
over to the little girl, who went quite
white with excitement. “They are
lovely,” Hedwig whispered, “but please
take off the black ribbon.” The chiid
eyed her anxiously, “It will come to
pleces, highness.”
“Take the ribbon from your hair.
will be beautiful.”
Which was done! But, as was not
unnatural, the child forgot her speech,
and merely thrust the bouquet, tied
with a large pink bow, into the hands
of Prince Ferdinand William Otto.
“Here,” she said. It was, perhaps,
the briefest, and therefore the most
agreeable presentation speech the
crown prince had ever heard,
eee eee eee]
Old Adelbert, crippled veteran
and long an attendant at the
opera, loses his position, an
event which starts a train of
circumstances which have a
strange bearing upon the future
of the kingdom of Livonia,
Otto
from and
er w
Of
n
ore
owed a
It
(TO BE CONTINUED)
Philadelphia munisipal court heard
33,004 cases in last Sscal year,