The Hennessey Clipper (Hennessey, Okla.), Vol. 29, No. 4, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 27, 1918 Page: 3 of 10
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Mill
LONG LIVE THE KiNG
By Mary
Roberts Rinehart
Copyright, 1917, by the Ridgway Company
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Copyright, 1917, bv Mary Roberts Rinehart
NIKKY IS TORN BETWEEN LOVE AND A SENSE OF DUTY
AND LOYALTY TO HIS KING.
Synopsis.—Prince Ferdinand William Otto, heir to the throne of
Livonia, Is unaware of plots of the terrorists to form n republic. Ills
grandfather, the king, in order to preserve the kingdom, arranges for
the marriage of I'rincess Hedwig, Otto's cousin, to King Karl of
Karnia. Hedwig rebels because of an attachment she has formed for
Captain Nikky Larlsch, Prince Otto's personal attendant. Countess
Loschek, attached to the menage of Archduchess Annunciata, is in
love with the king of Karnia, for whom she acts as spy. She is
threatened by the committee of ton, leaders of the terrorists, unless
she bows to the committee's will and helps to secrete the crown
prince when the king, who is very 111, dies.
CHAPTER XI.
—10—
As a Man May Love a Woman.
Hedwig came to tea that ufternoon.
She came in softly, and defiantly, for
she was doiug a foibidden tiling, but
2'rince Ferdinand William Otto had
(put away the frame against such a
•contingency. lie had, as a matter of
fact, been putting cold cloths on Miss
Braithwaite's forehead.
"I always do It," he Informed Hed-
wig. "I like doing it. It gives me
something to do. She likes them
■rather dry, so the water doesn't run
down her neck."
Had Miss Braithwaite not been ill,
Hedwig would have talked things over
■with her then. There was no one else
<to whom 6he could go. Hilda refused
to consider the prospect of marriage
as anything but pleasurable, and be-
tween her mother and Hedwig there*
had never been any close relation-
ship.
But Miss Braithwaite lay motionless,
sher face set in lines of suffering, and
■after a time Hedwig rose and tiptoed
•out of the room.
Prince Ferdinand William Otto was
•excited. Tea hud already come, und
•on the rare occasions when the gover-
mess was 111, It was his privilege to
K>our the tea.
"Nlkky Is coming," he said rapidly,
■"and the three of us will have a party.
Please don't tell me how you like your
£ea, and see if I can remember."
"Very well, dear," Hedwig 6aid
gently, and went to the window.
.Nlkky entered almost immediately.
As a matter of fact, although he
■showed no trace of It, Nlkky had been
liavirg an extremely bad time since
ihis return ; the chancellor, who may or
may not have known that Ills heart
was breaking, had given him a very
■severe scolding on the way back from
Wedellng. It did Nikky good, too, for
dt roused him to his own defense, and
made him forget, for a few minutes
anyhow, that*life was over for him,
and that the chancellor carried tils
'death sentence In his old leather dis-
patch case.
After that, arriving in the capital,
<hey had driven to the little office
In a back street, and there Nlkky had
roused himself again enough to give
a description of Peter Niburg, and to
give the location of the house where
Sie lived. But he slumped again after
that, ate no dinner, and spent a loug-
isli time In the place, staring up at
Annunciata's windows, where he had
•once seen Hedwig on the balcony.
Then, late In the evening, Nikky
was summoned to the king's bedroom,
and came out pale, with his shoulders
very square. He had received a real
wigging this time, and even con-
templated throwing himself in the
river. Only he could swim so dam-
<nably well!
But he had the natural elasticity of
youth, and a sort of persistent belief
(n his own luck, rather like the chan-
cellor's confidence in seven as a num-
ber—a confidence, by the way, which
♦ he countess could easily have shaken.
So he had wakened file next morning
rather cheerful than otherwise, and
tvcr a breakfast of broiled ham had
refused to look ahead farther than the
■lay.
That afternoon. In the study, Nikky
oesltated when he saw Hedwig.
rhen he mine and bent low over her
nand. Ami Hedwig, because every in-
stinct yearned to touch his shining
lient head, spoke to him very calmly,
was rather distant, a little cold.
"You have been away, I think?" she
iaid.
"For a day or two, highness.
"And today," he added, reproach-
ing. "today you did not ride."
"I did nut feel like riding," Hedwig
•esponded listlessly. "I am tired. 1
>il ilk I a in always tired."
'Lemon and two lumps," muttered
ie crown prince. "That's Nikky's
i fiw'lg. Give It to hltn, please."
Mikky went a trifle pale as their
users touched. But he tasted his
m mid pronounced it excellent.
Prince Ferdinand William Otto chat-
ered excitedly. He told of the dog,
IilaIIrig on Its cleverness, hut passing
iiiiltely over the manner of Its return.
Now and then Hedwig glanced at
\'ikky. when he was not looking, and
.-tlways, when they dared, the youug
soldier's eyes were on her.
"She will take some tea without
-oigar," announced the crown prince.
While he poured It, Hedwig was
hlnklng Was It possible that Nlkky,
■ f every one. should have been chosen
■i rnrry to Karl the marriage arrange-
ments? What an irony ! What a Jest I
It was true there was a change in
him. He looked subdued, almost sad.
"To Karnia?" she asked, when
Prince Ferdinand William Otto had
left the room. "Officially?"
"Not—exactly."
"Where, In Karnia?"
"I ended," Nlkky confessed, "at
Wedellng."
Hedwig gazed at him, her elbows
propped on the tea table. "Then,"
she said, "I think you know."
"I know, highness."
"And you have nothing to say?"
"Highness," Nikky begun huskily,
"you know what I would say. And
that X cannot To take advantage of
Otto's fancy for me. a child's liking, to
violate the confidence of those who
placed ine here—I am doing that, every
moment."
"What about me?" Hedwig asked.
"Do I count for nothing? Does It not
matter at all bow I feel, whether I am
happy or wretched? Isn't that as Im-
portant as honor?"
Nlkky flung out his hands. "You
know," he said rapidly. "What can I
tell you that you do not know n thou-
sand times? I love you. Not as a
subject may adore his princess, but
us a man loves a woman."
She drew herself up. "Love!" she
said. "I do not call that love."
"It Is greater love than you know,"
said poor Nlkky. But all his courage
died a moment later, and his resolution
with It, for without warning Hedwig
dropped hor head on her hands and,
crouching forlornly, fell to sobbing.
"I counted on you." she said wildly.
"And you are like the others. No one
cares how wretched I am. I wish I
might die."
Then indeed Nikky was lost In an
Instant he was on his knees beside
her, his arms close about her, his head
bowed against her breast. And Hed-
wig relaxed to his embrace. When at
last he turned and looked op at her,
it was Hedwig who bent and kissed
him.
"At least," she whispered, "we have
had this. We can always remember,
whatever comes, that we have had
this."
But Nikky was of very human stuff,
and not the sort that may live by
memories. He was very haggard
when he rose to his feet—haggard, and
his mouth was doggedly set. "I will
never give you up, now," he said.
Brave words, of course. But as he
said them he realized their futility.
"We Will Go Away, Nlkky," She Said.
The eyes he turned on her were, as
he claimed her, without hope. For
there was no escape.
Hedwig, with shining eyes, was al-
ready planning.
"We will go away, Nlkky," she said.
"And It must be soon, because other-
wise—"
Nlkky dared not touch her again,
knowing what he had to say. "Dear-
est," he said, bending toward her.
"thnt Is what we cannot do."
"No?" She looked up, puzzled, hut
still confident "And why. cowardly
one?"
"Because I have given my word to
remain with the crown prince." Then,
seeing that she still did uot compre-
hend, he explained, swiftly. He stood,
as many a man has stood before, be-
tween love and loyalty to his king
and lie was a soldier. He had no
choice.
It was terrible to him to see the
light die out of her eyes. But even
as he told her of the dangers that
compassed the child and possibly oth-
ers of the family, he saw that they
touched her remotely, If at all.
All she said, when Nikky finished,
was: "I might have known It. Of
course they would got me, as they did
the others." But a moment later she
rose and threw out her arms. "How
skillful they are! They knew about
it. It is all a part of the plot They
made you promise never to desert
Otto, so that their arrangements need
not be Interfered with. Oh, I know
them, better than you do. They are
ail cruel. It Is the blood."
That evening the Princess Hedwig
went unannounced to her grandfather's
apartment, and demanded to be al-
lowed to enter.
A gentleman In waiting bowed deep-
ly, but stood before the door. "Your
highness must pardon my reminding
your highness," he said firmly, "that
no one may enter ills majesty's pres-
ence without permission."
Then go in," said Hedwig, In n
white rage, "and get the permission."
The gentleman in waiting went In,
very deliberately, because Ills dignity
was outraged. The moment he had
gone, however, Hedwig flung the door
open, and followed, standing, a figure
of tragic defiance, inside the heavy
curtains of the king's bedroom.
"There is no use saying you wou't
see me, grandfather. For here I am."
They eyed each other, the one, it
must be told, a trille uneusily, the
other desperately. Then Into the
king's eyes came a flash of admiration,
and Just u gieain of umusement.
"So I perceive," he suid. "Come
here, Hedwig."
A sister of charity was standing by
the king's bed. She had cared for
him through many Illnesses. In the
Intervals she retired to her cloister and
read holy books and sewed for the
poor.
The sister went out, her black habit
dragging, but she did not sew. Some
time later she heard bitter crying in
the royal bed chamber, and the king's
tones, soothing now and very sad.
"There Is a higher duty than hnppl-
ness," he said. "There are greater
things than love. And one day you
will know this."
When she went In Hedwig had gone,
and the old king, lying in his bed, was
looking at the portrait of his dead
son.
•'•* •••
The following morning the Countess
Loschek left for a holiday. She had
the choice of but two alternatives, to
do as she had been commanded, for It
amounted to that, or to die. The com-
mittee would not kill her, in case she
failed them. It would be unnecessary.
ICnough that they place the letter and
the CQde In the hands of the author-
ities, by some anonymous means. Weil
enough she knew the chancellor's In-
flexible anger, and the Archduchess
Annunciata's cold rage. They would
sweep her away with a gesture, and
she would die the death of all traitors.
A week! Time had been when a
week of the dragging days at the pal-
ace had seemed eternity. Now the
hours flew. The gold clock on her
dressing table, a gift from the arch-
duchess, marked them with flying
hands.
During the afternoon came a pack-
age, rather unskillfully tied with a gilt
cord. Opening it, the countess dis-
closed a glove box of wood, with a de-
sign of rather shaky violets burnt into
the cover. Inside was a note:
I am very sorry you are sick. This is
to put your gloves in when you travel
Please excuse the work. I have done It
In a hurry.
FERDINAND WILI.IAM OTTO.
Suddenly the countess laughed, chok-
ing hysterical laughter that alarmed
Minna; horrible laughter, which left
her paler than ever, and gasping.
• ••••**
The old castle of the Loscheks
looked grim and inhospitable when she
reached it that night. Built during the
years when the unbeliever overran
southern Europe, it stood in a com-
manding position over a valley, and a
steep, walled road led up to It.
But Its ancient glory and good re-
pute departed, its garrison gone, its
drawbridge and moat things of the
past. Its very hangings and furnish-
ings molderlng from long neglect, It
hung over the valley, a past menace,
an empty threat.
To this dreury refuge the counteRS
had fled. She wanted the silence of
Its still rooms In which to think.
Wretched herself, Its wretehefl'ii ss
called her. As the carriage which had
brought her from the railway turned
Into Its woods, and she breathed the
pungent odor of pine and balsam, she
relaxed for the first time.
Why was she so hopeless? She
could escape. She knew the woods
"eli. None who followed her could
know them so well. She would get
away, and somewhere. In a new world.
roud and scornful. But she was not
easy, for all that, and she watched
from lier balcony to see if any messen-
ger left the castle and descended the
mountain road. She was rewarded, an
hour Inter, by seeing a figure leave the
old gateway and start afoot toward the
village, a pale faced man with color-
less hair. A part of the hidden guard
that surrounded her, she knew, and
somehow familiar. But, although she
racked her brains, she could not re-
member where she had seen him.
That day, toward evening, the huge
man prcseuted himself. He brought no
make a fresh start. Surely, after all, | the letter and gave It to him. her face
peace was the greatest tiling in the j
world.
The carriage drove on; Minna, on
file box, crossed herself at sight of the
church, and chatted with the driver,
a great figure who crowded her to the
very edge of the seat.
"I am glad to be here," she said. "I
am sick of grandeur. My home is in
Etzel." She turned and inspected the
man beside here. "You ure a new-
comer, I think?"
"I have but Just come to Etzel."
"Then you cannot tell me about my
people." She was disappointed.
"And you," inquired the driver,
"you will stay for a visit?"
"A week only. But better than noth-
ing."
"After that, you return to the city?"
"Yes. Madame the countess—you
would know, if you were Etzel-born—
madame the countess is lady in wait-
ing to her royal highness, the Arch-
duchess Annunciata."
"So!" said the driver. But he was
not curious, and the broken road de-
manded his attention. He was but
newly come, so very newly that he did
not know his way, and once made a
wrong turning.
The countess relaxed. She slept
that night.
When she had breakfasted and
dressed, she went out on a balcony,
and looked down at the valley. Her
eyes dropped to the old wall below,
where In the sunshine the caretaker
was heating a rug. Close to him, in In-
timate and cautious conversation, was
the driver of the night before. Glanc-
ing up, ihey saw her and at once
separated.
Gone was peace, then. The countess
knew—knew certainly. "Our eyes see
everywhere." Eyes, Indeed—eyes that
even now the caretaker raised furtive-
ly from his rug.
Nevertheless, the countess was
minded to experiment, to be certain.
For none is so suspicious, she knew,
as one who fears suspicion. None so
guilty as the guilty. During the fore-
noon she walked through the woods,
going briskly, with vigorous, mountain
bred feet. Nc crackle of underbrush
disturbed her. Swift turnings revealed
no lurking figures skulking behind the
trunks of trees. But where an ancient
stone bridge crossed a mountain
stream, she cnine on the huge driver
of the night before reflectively fish-
ing.
He snluted her gravely, and the
countess paused ana looked at him.
"You have caught no fish, my friend?"
she said.
"No, madame. But one plays about
my hook."
She turned back. Eyes everywhere,
and arms, great hairy arms. A ad feet
that, for all their size, must step
lightly 1
On the second day she made a des-
perate resolve, and characteristically
put it Into execution at once. She
sent for the caretaker. When he came,
uneasy, for the Loscheks were justly
feared In the countryside, and even
the thing of which he knew gave him
small courage, she lost no time in
evasion.
"Go," she said, "and bring here your
accomplice."
"My accomplice, madame I I do
not—"
"You heard me," she said.
He turned, half sullen, half terrified,
and paused. "Which do you refer to,
madame?"
She hud seen only the one. Then
there were others. Who could tell
how many others?
"The one who drove here."
So he went, leaving her to desperate
reflection. When he returned, It was
to usher in the heavy figure of the
spy.
"Which of you Is In authority?" she
demanded.
. "I, madame." It was the spy who
spoke.
She dismissed the caretaker with a
gesture.
"Have you any discretion over me?
Or must you refer mutters to those
who sent you?"
"I must refer to them."
"How long will It take to send a
message and receive a reply?"
[ He considered. "Until tomorrow
night, madame."
Another day gone, then, and nothing
determined 1
"Now, listen," she said, "and listen
carefully. I have come here to decide
a certain question. Whether you know
what thut question is or not, does uot
mutter. But before 1 decide It 1 must
lake a certain journey. I wish to make
that Journey. It Is into Karnia."
She watched him. "It is Impossible.
My Instructions—"
"I am not asking your permission.
I wish to send a letter to the commit-
tee. They, and they alone, will de-
termine tills thing. Will you send the
letter?"
When he hesitated, perplexed, she
got up and moved to her writing table.
"I shall write the letter." she said
huughtlly. "See that it Is st i When
I report at the end of the time thai I
have sent such letter, you can Judge
better than I the result If It has not
been revived,''
Ha was aUll duliloua. but alls wiote
"Which of You Is In Authority?" She
Demanded.
letter, but an oral message. "Permis-
sion is given, madame," be said. "I
myself shall accompany you."
CHAPTER XII.
Nikky Makes a Promise.
The chancellor lived alone, In his
little house near the palace, a house
that looked strangely like him, over-
hanging eyebrows and all, with win-
dows thnt were like his eyes, clear
and concealing many secrets. A grim,
gray little old house, which concealed
behind It n walled garden full of un-
expected charm. And that, too, was
like the chancellor.
Mathilde kept his house for hlrn,
mended and pressed his uniforms,
washed und starched his linen,
quarreled with the orderly who at-
tended him, and drove him to bed at
night.
Mathilde was in touch with the peo-
ple. It was Mathilde, aud not one of
his agents, who had brought word Of
the approaching revolt of the copper-
smiths' guild, and enabled him to check
it almost before it began. A stoic, this
Mathilde, with her tall, spare figure
and glowing eyes, stole and patriot.
Once every month she burned four
enndies before the shrine of Our Lady
of Sorrows In the cathedral, because
of four sons she had given to her coun-
try.
On the evening of the day Hedwig
had made her fulile appeal to the king,
the chancellor sat alone. Ills dinner,
almost untasted, lay at his elbow. It
was nine o'clock. At something after
seven lie had paid bis evening visit to
the king, and hud found him uueusy
und restless.
"Sit down," the king had said. "I
need steadying, old friend."
observed the chancellor. "He is forty
sire."
"Aye," said the king. "And at forty
a bad man changes Ills nature, and
purities himself in marriage! Non-
sense, Karl will be as he lias always
been. But we have gone Into tills he-
fore. Only, I am sorry fur lledwig.
Get rid of tills young Larlsch."
The chancellor sat reflecting, tils
chin dropped forward on his breast.
"Otto will miss him."
"Well, out with it. I may not dis-
miss him. What, then?"
"It Is always easy to send men away.
But it is sometimes better to retain
them, and force them to your will. We
have here an arrangement flint is si I
isfactory. Larlsch Is keen, young, alio
loyal. Hedwig lias thrown herself at
him. For that, sire, she is responsible,
not lie."
"Then get rid of her," growled the
king.
The chancellor rose. "If the situation
Is left to me, sire," he said, "I will
promise two things. That Otto will
keep his friend, and that the Princess
Hedwig will bow to your wishes with-
out further argument."
"Do it, and God help you," said the
king, aguin with the flicker of amuse-
ment.
The chancellor had gone home,
walking heavily along the darkening
streets. Once again he had conquered.
The reins remained In bis guarded old
bands. And he was about to put the
honor of tile country Into the keeping
of the son of Murlu Menrad, whom he
had once loved.
So now lie sat in his study, and
waited. When he heard Nikky's quick
step as he enme along the tile passage,
he picked up his pipe.
Nikky saluted, and made his way
across the room In the twilight, with
the ense of familiarity. "I am late,
sir," he apologized. "WTe found our
man, und he Is safely Jailed. He made
no resistance."
"Sit down," said the chancellor.
And, touching a bell, he asked Ma-
thilde for coffee. "So we have him,"
he reflected. "The next thing Is to
discover if he knows who his assail-
ants were. That, and the person for
whom he acted—however, I sent for
you for another reason. What Is thia
about the Princess Hedwig?"
"The Princess Hedwig!"
"What folly, boy! A young girl who
cannot know her own mind! And for
such a bit of romantic trifling you
would ruin yourself. It is ruin. You
know that."
Nlkky remained silent, a little sul-
len.
"The princess went to the king with
her story this evening." The boj
started. "A cruel proceeding, but the
young are alwuys cruel. The expected
result lias followed: The king wishes
you sent away."
"I am at bis command, sir."
The chancellor filled bis pipe from
a bowl near by, working deliberately.
Nikky sat still, rutlier rigid.
"May I ask," he said at last, "that
you say to the king that the responsi-
bility is mine? No possible blame can
nttach to the Princess Hedwig. I love
her, und—I um not clever. I show what
I feel."
"The Immediate result," said the
chnncelior cruelly, "will doubtless be
a putting forward of the date of her
marriage." Nikky's hands clenched.
"A further result would be your dls<
missal from the army. One does not
do such things as you have done, light-
ly."
"Lightly I" said Nikky Larlsch.
"Heaven 1"
"Hut," continued the ch'ancellor, "1
have a better way. 1 have faith, for
one thing, in your blood. The son of
Maria Menrud must be—bis mother's
sou. And the crown prince Is at-
tached to you. Not for your sake, hut
for his, 1 am Inclined to tie lenient
What I shall demand for thut leniency
"Steadying, sire?"
"I have had a visit from Hedwig. I Is that no word of love again pass be-
Rather a stormy one, poor child." lie
turned and fixed on his chancellor his
faded eyes. "You still think It 1s the
best tiling?"
"It is the only thing."
"But nil this haste," put In the king
querulously. "Is that so necessary?
Hedwig begs for time. She hardly
knows the man."
"Time! But I thought—" He hesi-
tated. How say to a dying man that
time was the one thing he did not
have?
"Another thing. She was Incoherent,
but I gathered that there was some one
else. The whole Interview was cy-
clonic. It seems, however, that this
young protege of yours, Larlsch, has
been making love to her over Otto's
head."
Mettlich's face hardened, a gradual
process, as the news penetrated In all
its significance.
"A boy and girl affair, sire. He Is
loyal. And In all of this, you and 1 are
reckoning without Karl. The princess
hardly knows htm, and naturally she
Is terrified. But his approaching visit
will muke many changes. He Is a fine
figure of a niun, and women—"
"Exactly," said the king dryly.
What the chancellor meant wns that
women alwnys hud loved Kurl, and the
king understood.
"Uls wild days arc over," bluntly
tween you und the Princess lledwig."
"It would be easier to go away."
Nikky closed bis eyes. It was get-
ting to be a habit. Just as some people
crack their knuckles.
"We need our friends about us," the
chnncelior continued. "The carnival
Is coining, always u dangerous time for
us. The king grows weaker day by
day. A crisis is Impending for ail of
us, and we need you."
Nlkky rose, steady enough now, but
white to the lips.
"I give my word, sir," he said. "1
shall say no word of—of how I feel to
Hedwig. Not again. She knows—und
I think," he added proudly, "that she
knows I shall not change. Thut 1 shall
always—"
"Exactly I" said the chancellor. It
was the very pitch of the king's dry
old voice. "Of course she knows, be-
ing a woman. And now, good night"
The king recommends that
Prince Otto study the utterances
of—now whom, do you suppose?
You couldn't guess In a hundred
years. You will find out in tha
next Installment
(TO UK CONTINUED.)
Money talks—It also stein talk.
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The Hennessey Clipper (Hennessey, Okla.), Vol. 29, No. 4, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 27, 1918, newspaper, June 27, 1918; (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc106135/m1/3/?q=wichita+falls: accessed May 25, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.