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Synopsis.—I'rince Fer
Livonia,
grandfather,
the
Karnia.
Captain
is unaware of plots of
the king, in order to
marringe of Princess
Hedwig reb
Nikky Larisch, P
attach
the
els because
rince
Loschek,
love with
threat
Ikarnia,
ened by the mmittee of
will
ill,
{to
Hho
Silt
bows to the
king,
f duty an
ith
carnival as the time for
who is very
d
when the
a
king's ds
sense o
1oya
would
kidna
ae
the throne of
a republic. His’
kingdom, ges for
to King Karl of
attach she 18 formed for
ori N Lt rin
serve garran
Otto's
an
in
is
inless
nee
and
the
ax
2 to
between love
$ torn
hout
Nikky
Wit
mtrol, The ts
king. Karl support
into «
rrorists
vii prince,
CHAPTER XIV—Continued.
a} Gre
bent cle over the
derman, the King’
The
table
concierge ser
“Doctor Wel
physician, is one of 1
“The
stin
8
whispered.
king res now only because of
His body is
lants
aca
commiitee n,
soldier’ 3 discovery
sat wi and nursing
to keep
3lack Hum
¢ +
to start and filli
war
1hert,
adly, grew 104s Doe.
past matters in
to the cause,
that, if he had
the late
wife, he had
cerned in it. His thin,
with anxiety. It
ind he could not w
“We should have had the child,
yoansted the “and
nuch bother. had been,
wn country.
matter
which
his v
gathered
murdered
actually
and
COn-
not
prince
been closely
old flesh crept
bad business,
ithdraw,
crown
ais
was a
too”
saved
un-
ierge,
hée
th
No ee
on
war
dd Hae
i Adelbert
n. He
(less because
And at la
forward on
dropped.
He Pilloted the Veteran Among the
Graves.
“And what
was but a
Judged him,
“1 caught
“1 have sald it.
had names,
that matter,
“Then he
Adelbert.
The conclerge shrugged his shoul
lors, “Of course,” he sald briefly.
*Ior a time he was kept here, in an
upper room. He could have saved
Himself, if he would, We could have
used him. But he turned sulky, re
fused speech, did not eat. When he
was taken away,” he added with une
tiog, “he w
then?”
boy.
“Ie
mis
he gasped.
Perhaps you
Joys are reckless.”
him,” sald the concierge.
He knew much, He
places, dates, For
he confessed.”
is dead?” quavered old
even
He rose and mnsulted a
dlver wateh, “We can go now,”
he said. “The committee likes prompt-
ness,” {
They left together, the one striding |
t with long steps that sur-
prisingly light for hi ize, the other,
! » who walks |
rt, wl
who
walk.”
ou were
Lie
in his i
that
and
the concierge
to haste
the |
i
us
ty. ng him
orntly
and sur
“Here 1
mrade,” he
ust com-
inst leader ‘pause «
ver your
“It is a forma all m
Adelbert w back. “I do not |
t as other men. |
dre
=, of
he same,
amiliarity
¥ you where |
, “recently
field, right enough ut
gows caorruptio
in a
or
until g1 St.
calls in
Then, realizing
out over which
bert crossed himself,
“Only a hand know
ing place,” boasted the
and a few others, Only we may
with the mittee face to
“You must have great influence,”
rved old Adell
“1 control the guilds, He who today
can sway labor to his will is power- |
ful ; powerful, comrade. Labor
is the great beast which tires of car-
rying burdens, and f» hut now learning |
its strength.”
“Aye,” said old Adelbert. “Had 1
been wise, 1 would have joined a guild.
have kept my place at
the opera. As it is, I stood alone, and
they put me out.”
“You do not stand alone now. Stand
by us, and we will support you. The
epublic will not forget its friends.”
Thus heartened, old Adelbert bright-
Why should he, an
sweat at the thought of
Great changes required herole
measures, It was because he was old
that he feared change. He stumped
through the passag without urg-
and stood erect and with shoulders
while the bandage was re
nothing,
iel
perhaps eat
his erop.”
the
he
meaning of the |
ds trod, old Adel
iful meet-
“i
meet
face.”
this
Herge.
Cone Rg
COILx ©
ob- |
wert timidly.
very
8,
soldier,
blood?
ow ay
ing.
moved.
He was rather
had been
longer than Olga
in comprehending
His old eyes at first
saw little but the table and its candles
in thelr gruesome holders. But when
he saw the committee his heart failed.
embodied before him, was every-
had loathed during all his
and loyal years—anarchy,
murder, treason. His face worked.
The cords in his neck stood out like
thing he
The concierge was speaking. For
voice had lost its bravado, and
“hls is the man of whom word was |
sent to the committee,” he sald. “1!
ventured to ask that he be allowed
to come wre, because he brings ine
formation of value.”
“Step forward, comrade,” sald the
A7/44555550498043500 040000
YVAN AVY yaa
leader. “What is your name and oc¢-
cupation?”
“Adelbert,
pation,
excellency. As to occu-
for years I was connected with
Twenty years, excellency.
Then I grew old, and another—* His
volee broke,
“What is the information that brings
opera,
Suddenly
that
eyes,
old |
force
and
“1 cannot, excellencies
find I cannot.”
He collapsed
his
Adelbert wept, terrible
d the way from
ran his cheeks.
I" he cried.
tears
of pr
down
and
table
the
NCross
on them,
hi under his
committee stirred,
canght him
chair,
the
into
arms
old uniform.
and the
brut:
ders ved
The
cierge
wrist,
“Up with you!
clenched teeth,
this? Would you
But old
shook
con-
ally by the
ter
he from
is
sald,
“What stup
play death?
Adelbert was beyond
his head “I cannot,’
muttered, his face hidden,
Then the concierge unl
folded his arms tis che
idi
ty
fear,
erect
and
st. “He
ACTO I
3}
Th Gude LR
“It Is There,” He Said Thickly.
can be in-
mtrance is concealed at
Our
reports
or
of the
s and
it, and
For
here
good ©
followed
mdition.
it follows the
‘wall ‘hen it
oes to the palace itself,”
“Into the palace?”
“By a flight of stairs,
to a door in the roof.
which locked, he opened,
h him.
the tower, As it
night, he could not see clearly,
the roof at that point is flat.”
“Stand up. Adelbert,” said the
sharply.
true?”
“It is true, excellency.”
“Shown a diagram of the palace,
could you locate this door?
Old Adelbert stared around
hopelessly, It was done now.
a mile
in
thereabouts line
tum
inside
This
was having
was
leader
fa
him
Noth-
would change that. He nodded,
When, soon after, a chart of the
palace was placed on the table, he in-
dicated the location of the door with a
trembling forefinger, “It is there,” he
said thickly, “And may God forgive
rue for the thing I have done!”
CHAPTER XV.
King Karl
“They love us dearly!” sald King
Karl
The chancellor, who sat beside him
in the royal carriage, shrugged his
shoulders, “They have had little rea-
son to love, in the past, majesty,”
sald briefly. .
Karl laughed, and watched the
crowd, He and the chancellor rode
alone, Karl's entourage, a very modest
one, following in another carriage.
There was no military escort, no pomp.
It had been felt unwise, Karl, paying
ostensibly a visit of sympathy, had
come unofficially,
The chancellor was not so ealm as
he appeared. He had lined the route
from the station to the jmince with hik
mea; had prepared for every contin.
gency so far ag he could without calls
i
i
|
i
{
{
|
iag out the guard. As the carriage,
drawn by its four chestnut horses,
moved slowly along the streets, his
eyes under their overhanging thatch
were watching ahead, searching the
crowd for symptoms of unrest,
Anger he saw in plenty, and
suspicion, BScowling faces and frown-
ing brows. But as yet there was no
disorder. He sat with folded arms,
magnificent in his uniform beside Karl,
who wore civilian dress and looked
less royal than perhaps he felt,
And Karl, too, watched the crowd,
feeling its temper and feigning aa in-
difference he did got feel. Los-
chek had been right, He did not want
trouble, More than that,
an age now to crave popularity.
of the measures which had made
Olga
than this, the smiles of
80 he watched and talked of |
indifferent things, .
“It is ten years
here,” he observed,
crowd.
I have
“but there are
®
since
ange
“We Save
built no great buildings”
1 bluntly.
maj v, for building!”
Thut being a closed road,
speak, Karl tried another
crown prince must be quite lad,” he
ed, “He wi babe In
but frail, I thought.”
is sturdy now.” The
into watchfulness.
I see the Prince
other attempt,
how
us no money
BO
“The
i]
experiment i8 0
arms, the
“He
relapsed
“Bef
Karl
n,
ore 5%
made an
I to tell me
things. I woul
prospect is at lea
her.”
I'he
“it might |
she feels about
st not disagreeable
chancellor was
nhea
He
gray
not li
d. It had co
muttered
mustache
» crowd
Th
» was trouble
hits
ne,
r all.
nd his
3 oN top i a8 the
ele ¢ ¥
HOMe-
hen,
! The
ng beh
ane k« ”.
of his
of two
rowd.
Kar-
ir national
em madly
A babel of
and forth, of
through to
h
uga
nging back
Mine
hing
of
of the
hen at last 3
sird dau
nbla
ort
nce
of
yn revolvers
noved ahead.
at there had be
ere has been erceive, after all,
rreat change
“One » many by
few, Rgjesty
But Karl only ra
In his rooms,
Journey,
p across the mount
railroads
rl reflected or
ww
ised his eyebrows,
removing the dust of
hi the autor
where
day
n the situation.
iy, one i of it restless
olutionary, was.l desirable
han the pre sent peace af prosperity
f Karnia, nd unrest was conta
He might oo
position,
He gl
of them
ath.
Ais
vO would some meet
portion
Kg
RIOUS,
himself in a difficult
anced about his rooms,
Hubert had
In one
Prince met
a murder, Karl reflected grimly.
But when he arrived for tea in the
irchduchess’ white drawing room he
was urbane and smiling. He kissed
the band of the archduchess and bent
teeth,
sinile stiffened. The countess came
forward, curtsied, and as he extended
his hand to her, touched it lightly
with her lips. They were quite cold.
For just an instant their eyes met,
It was, on the surface, an amiable
| and quiet tea ‘party. Hedwig had
taken up her position by a window,
and was conspicuously silent, Behind
her were the soft ring of silver against
china, the countess’ gay tones, Karl's
suave ones, assuming gravity, as he
inquired as to his majesty’s health;
the Archduchess Annunciata pretend.
ihg a solicitude she did not feel. And
all forced, all artificial.
“Grandmother,” Hedwig whispered
from her window to the austere old
bronze figure in the place, “was it
like this with you, at first? Did you
shiver when he touched your hand?
And doesn’t it matter, after a year?”
“Very feeble,” said the archduchess’
voice, behind her, “but so brave—a
lesson to us all”
“I1e has had a long and conspicuous
career,” Karl observed. “It is sad, but
we must all come to it. I hope he will
be able to see me”
“Hedwig!” said her mother, sharp
“your tea Is getting cold.”
Hedwig turned toward the room.
Listlessness gave her an added dignity,
a new charm, Karl's eyes flamed as
he watched her, Even her coldness
appealed to him. He had a feeling
that the coldness was only a young
girl's armor, that under it was a deep-
ly passionate woman. The thought of
i
i
seeing her come to deep, vibrant life
in his arms thrilled him.
When he carried her tea to her, he
hent over her, “Please!” he sald
"Try to like me. I"
“I'm sorry,” Hedwig sald quickly.
“Mother has forgotten the lemon.”
Karl smiled and, shrugging his
shoulders, fetched the lemon, “Right,
now?’ he inquired. “And aren't we
going to have a talk together?”
“If you wish it, I dare say we shall.”
“Majesty,” said Hilda, frowning into
her teacup. “I see a marriage for
you.” She ignored her mother's scowl,
and tilted her cup to examine It.
“A 'marri 1” Karl joined her, and
nge
that fate
hould be confined in go small a com-
A happy marriage? Which am
rounds, “Strange my
9
Yes,
be
looks
rather
leaf,
may
you.”
“The long yellow it
Hippy. you
shocked 11
jut
when 1
Shocked?”
think,” &
te
Hilda, grinning, “that
“Delightful
“And we
“Hilda!” cried
iy “Do stop
are
talk
him
beyond his
think,
she
when they
felt
but he
and resentful
rid of Nikky, and
by his own fire
to break her first. Af
had of
the
When t
crown
pr
deep
get then to warm
He might h
ter that manner
Karnia
smiled
ave
many
thron ‘
queens
He
mustache,
tha
[#4
He
almost
announced.
Dervousis
en
pring
in, rather
hands thrust in hi
was over,
w Was
came
8 tre
¥
A Babe! of Noise, of Swinging Back
and Forth.
He was very shiny with soap and
water and his hair was still damp
from parting. In his tailless black
jacket, his long gray trousers, and his
round Eton collar, he looked like a
very anxious little schoolboy, and not
royal at all
Greetings over, and having re
quested that his tea be half milk, with
four lumps of sugar, he carried his
cup over beside Hedwig, and sat down
on a chair. Followed a short silence,
with the archduchess busy with the
tea things, Olga Loschek watching
Karl, and Karl intently surveying the
crown prince. Ferdinand William
Otto, who disliked a silence, broke it
first.
“I've just taken off my winter flan
nels,” he observed. “I feel very
smooth and nice underneath.”
Hilda giggled, but Hedwig reached
over and stroked his arm. “Of course
you do,” she said gently.
“Nikky,” continued Prince William
Otto, stirring his tea, “does not wear
any flannels, Mise Braithwaite thinks
he is very careless.”
King Karl's eyes gleamed with
amusement. He saw the infuriated
face of the archduchess, and bent
toward the crown prince with earnest.
ness
“As a matter of fact” he smald
“since you have mentioned the sub
ject, 1 do not wear any either, Your
‘NMkky' and I ssom most surprisingly
a
to have the same tastes—about various,
things.”
“Do you like dogs?’ inquired the
crown prince, much interested.
“Dogs! Why, yes. I have quite =
number of dogs.”
“f should think it would be nicer
to have just one dog, and be very
fond of it. But I suppose they would
eat a great deal, Do you believe In
love at first sight?
“Otto!” sald the
tremely shocked,
He turned to her apologeticn!
was only trying to find out how
things he and agreed at
he explained. “Nikky believe
at first sigl He says It |
kind of because
you think out,
7”
archduchess, ex-
ly.
many
Nikky about,”
» in love
it, the only
love isn't
u only feel
real love,
y
3
a thing Yo
it.”
The
“You see!” she sald
“Bat it |
dooct
served, ber 1
bending forward
archduchess met Karl's eyes.
“ oun d
nee at
gitting
nave
no fool
He
Wouia
incista
ered
rable taste,
&Hirrov
this
The «
ence A
circle,
scene
long «
inner w She saw
head
jut she saw more,
was herself half mad
rkings of hi
the very turn of
his jaw.
and
Ad
:
Jealousy,
She knew him well. She had
self, for years, held him by holding
herself dear, by the very di Mculty of
And pow this indiffer
white-faced girl, ho m ght be
indeed, for the taling, but whe
would offer or promise no love, was
rousing him to the instinct of posses
sion by her very indifference. He had
told her the truth, that night in the
mountain fon. It was Hedwig he
wanted, Hedwig herself, her heart, all
of her. And, if she knew Karl, he
would move heaveh and earth to get
the thing he wanted,
She surveyed the group. How little
they knew what was in store for them!
She, Olga Loschek, by the lifting of
a nnger. could turn their smug superi-
ority into tears and despair, could ruin
them and send them flying for shelter
to the very ends of the earth,
But when she looked at the little
crown prince, legs dangling, esting his
thin bread and butter as only a hun-
gry small boy can eat, she shivered
By what means must she do all this!
By what unspeakable means!
. * * » -
her-
o
ww
® *
Karl saw the king that. evening. a
short visit marked by extreme formal
ity, and, on the king's part, by the
keen and frank scrutiny of one who
is near the end and fears nothing but
the final moment. Karl found the
meeting depressing and the king's eyes
disconcerting.
Countess Loschek sees »
chance for revenge. The next
instaliment gives the exciting
details,