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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 16, 1920)
THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT „ B3 | i GKOKOK a. DORAN OCX. 1M( OOPTBIOT. Ita secretary created a diversion fry discreetly bowing himself back ward te the office door and then Ohrongti It, with the said fervor of an cxtonuition. The princess looked at her 'brother a polite request to order Prowsk from the room; but the ■ting, through obstinacy, refused to Bleed it. “You were about to say, Etoise?” Jfre asked politely, as if the baron had mot been present, and therefore had (mot impertinently added his voice to fBho conversation. She had no time to answer; tv at ’■that moment there came from the •distance a loud roar of many voices, >*nd immediately after the sound of •frrearms in ragged volley. The effect /■on the king was as if some one had propelled him with a swift kick out '“to the balcony, where he gazed fenxiously in the direction of the city. jThe princess, distressed, also moved froward the balcony, while Provwrsk (grinned pleasantly and seemed to Understand the meaning of the sound. Ei was confident that he alone ew all that was conveyed by that hproar. He rather hoped that en ough Markenltes had been killed and wounded to make his revolt a good wnc. He cocked his head Intently to listen for further shots, heard the _ distant changor of the bells in the city tower, and decided It must be an Alarm, and then another noise be came audible, the sound of some one hastily coining through the tiled cor ridors, and this latter noise per plexed him. It grew louder and tnore distinct, and both king and princess, hearing It, hastily re-en tered the room. Stentorian puffs and “Wheezes were now accompanied by -4fio ringing of boot heels and spurs, auid through the door galloped the minister of war. He was in full unl fcrm of his own proud design, and athe red of his broad sash was no redder than the red of his face. His <eyes protruded and were wide, and ibis hand was on his sword hilt. So ♦fast had been his progress, and so intense his excitement, that for a moment he appeared unable to speak. Then he burst out, "Has any one seen Mr. Kent? Has any one seen Mr. Kent, your majesty? Oh, this is .horrible. HomblqT' 1 regret to cajt lyr, that he is •taot in at present. Anfr word your excellency might yrlsh tp Mre wil jfce duly Treated,* ProvihSc^ald in •lyflmlrable imitation ftf Kent# Acre tuy, and then oddedT*'My goJKflfcs! tit’s all fussed up, iaiA it?" ( *3E5very thing is lost!” skclaimsd the minister $f war, speaking to the king. "What has happened?" asked the latter, quietly, confronting as issue 4 hat brought out hts better and fight ing qualities. “JMr. Kent! He told me that he psspoaed to put the decree through rtgxrdless of anything and that if I Iliad hi fight, fight it would be; told ane to have my army stationed at ^places named, but said he would be -there and that I wasn't to give the command to fire until he told me to. Great crowd! People all excited and jrenUeHs! Accidentally dropped my .glasses and stepped on them! And I’ve lost the oculist's prescription.” ■"You're rattled!” said the king, growing slill cooler now that he faced «n emergency, "So I am! So I am!” admitted Von Gluts, hastily. “Hut I couldn't see Mr. Kent anywhere and the crowd grew threatening. I asked if any one ■of my officers had seen him. No one Shad. I hurried hvre to inform him, ;and on the way I heard shots. It •cat mean but one thing; that, pressed to tho- limit, my soldiers have fired, nnd that Marlten is in a state of civil war!" • t He paused for want of breath, and the k-ng clenched his hands and made «s if to go to the front-himself; then ■whirled, and asked sharply, "If he told you to stay there in command t»f the troops, who is in charge now?!' l “General .. Handers." The king hesitated; but the pr'.n j cess asked slormily, “Did Mr. Kent ;,* say you were to kilt Iho peoplo if ai - disturbance resulted?';. 1> Von Glulz ,in his ,turn hesitated. • trying t6 recall his exact orders. , “Qf> signal Jrom him,".he replied. “KqrU, Karl!” she called. “Some thing , ust be done at once! This i will never do. You must act. re gaidkvs ol your promises ti> this American. Now! This comes, you from your putting yourself into -hands of such a man.” Emboldened by her criticism of he dictator. Boros Provarsk thought asks; his opportunity and assumed an air of extreme honesty and d!a “The princess is right!” he de ls the king. “It' is Unte to dt» such «a iacutdik before the 14 kingdom itself has gone to the dogs.” The princess recognized his pres ence for the first time. "What do you mean by that?” she demanded, regarding him sternly. It nettled him to an unfortunate retort "I mean that the only way in which affairs can bo straightened out is to at once counteract everything this fellow Kent has done, and if I had my way he would be taken out and shot before the day Is over/' At his callous indifference to eith er justice or Hfe, she gasped, and eyed him with a wide stfire. Pro varsk wondered if, in overlooking tho complexities of a woman’s mind,' he had not ma6.a a mistake; but ho was still daring to hop* to turn the situation to his own adyantage. "If I am to be an actual chancellor,” he began suavely, but was cut slrSrt by the princess. ‘Which, no uatter what happens, you are not to be, and uo of course is all useless to t^k about! You would have Mr. Kent shot! You! Why, the worst blunders he aver made are sure to be bettfir than t>e best things you have ever done. You have told what you would do if you had your way. Well, I’ll tell you what I would havo done If | had mine! I’d have you booted fjpto thvi street and through tho zgarket place. Kent? Whatever else Mr. K*pt is, he is a man. No matter if he (ms made mis takes, and is 6. money lender, and all that, he is stilt a real man and un afraid. Who uro you. to talk about having him slvot?” She faced her brother as If her last contemptuous gibe at Provarsk had been her final one for him, and saw that her brother's eyes were fixed on the door and that-Von Glutz also stared in that direction with a look of relief. Sho also turned and saw that the American had entered the room and was now coming gravely toward her. • “I overheard your royal highness,” he said, "and I thank you for your defense. I had not hoped for so much and I am grateful—very, very grateful—for a friendship that I esteem as of great worth." She was visibly embarrassed, and took refuge in a diversion. "What has happened in the mark et place?” both she and the king asked in chorus. “It’s a terrible situation," wheezed Von Glutz. Kent's eyes flickered as if he now understood the cause of the assem blage in his reception room. “In some ways," he said; “but I don't see how I could have acted differently.” “Why didn't you—’’ began the princess impatiently, and then hesi tated and looked at the king. “Will the princess please finish?" the Amoriean asked. "I wish you would extend your friendship to the point of advice. What woutd you have done?” "First of nil, I should quell the riot. It comes from misunderstanding. There are no kindlier nor more amen , able people. Mr. Kent, than ours. They should not have been fired up on at all.” He Htood quietly to one Hide, listen- j ing attentively, as it all his own plans liad been defeated. “I don't see why wo waste time talking now," the king declared, im patiently. "Please, sir, allow the princess Kloiso to proceed," Kent said. “Her ( suggestions might be valuable." He turned his face toward her and en couraged her by asking, "And what then? After the riot Is quelled?” kindly, but with icsolule fhjr.ncss. It will not do to seem to give in to j them. They must bo sr.a.lo to obey; | but there can bo a compromise of seme sort, can there not? This new! plan was too u;acted,, too drastic,! It would 1 ve been better to have! prepared them gradually. That would] have been rr.y way. Mr. Kent." She stopped in expectation of his defense, and gazed at him with sympathy and regret, as if wishing to assist him in any way she could now J that ivs plans, all energetic, all hope- ] ful, h: d gone awry. She had never j by word, until this day, credited him with any virtues. “Th .nk you.” lie said quietly, lift ing li ? fine eyes to hers. "I ap plaud your ilrmness. IPs like en couragement from a friend to hear,, you talk, liut I think, after all, that my way was the best. Something abrupt and scncatlonal had to be done lo arouse them. 1 did It. It worker! ail right." All in the room fixed him with looks of interrogation and susprr.se. The chancellor ejuiUcJ a sarc-otic. "TToo certainly did!” “And now we've got a revolution!” grumpily muttered Von Gluts. Kent was still watching the prin cess, and had opened his lips as if to explain the situation to her when Ivan came striding into the room, •lopped and would have retreated when he saw those present, had not Kent halted him with a gesture. “Well, Ivan,” Kent asked, “have you got them all right now 7” "Yes, sir. Captain Paulo said to tell you that the last of them had been rounded up and that all of them are now in Jail. Also that he had followed your instructions and or dered an hour of free refreshments in the name of the king. The mark et place is filled now with people singing the national air and shout ing their heads off for his majesty. They've wrapped a big banner round the clock tower that reads, ‘At last we have a king in Mnrken. God preserve his majesty, Karl the Sec ond.” Kent calmly grinned at Provarsk, lyhose face had grown black as an Jlugust thunder cloud. The king looked bewildered and vastly re lived. Von Glutz exclaimed, “God kelp us! What does it all mean?” and the Princess Elolse broke into a •urprised and gratified smile. Kent again fared Ivan and asked, ‘And by the way, did you learn what they have to say about our most noble chancellor, Provarsk?” Ivan grinned broadly, and with marked enjoyment said, “Yes. Most of the things they said I can't re peat; but I shouM think It would not be very wise cr safe for his ex cellency, the chancellor, to be seen without a good strong guard for a few days, or until this celebration blows over. On that point they dis pute among themselves; some being In favor of tar and feathers, while the others Insist on hanging.” "You remember of whom you are speaking!” roaied Provarsk, betrayed into an unusuaS display of anger. “If necessary," said Kent, eyeing him, “I’ll see that you are handed over to the mob in the market place within the next 10 minutes, and with the word that the king agrees with ttiose who want to lynch you.” “You asked my advice a few min utes ago, Mr, Kent,” the princess broke in with a malicious little laugh. “Let me offer it. Send him down there now, regardless of wheth er he has anything more to say.” Provarsk controlled himself and was again the polished, self .►con tained, fearless man of the moment. He brought his heels together and bowed very low toward the prin cess. "To be hanged by your royal highness’ wish would bo a happiness to me,” ho said. “Come! Come! We’ve had. en ough of this, it seems to me,” said the king. "If Mr. Kent will but re lieve our suspense by explaining what took place-■” “Very easily done," the American replied, with the utmost calmness. "I learned that a combination had been effected between a certain number of men to provoke a riot at what they believed a suitable moment. It was to be such a row that It might be come a full grown revolt. I there fore took measures to see that each one of these hired lambs was to be shadowed by a guardsman I could depend upon. The princess Kloise will be delighted to know that these guardsmen consisted of former ad herents of a petty baron named Pro varsk, who havo taken service under me personally. Money paid into an itching palm at regular intervals and in sufficient sums, does make some men loyal. These followers swear by me.” ne uiu nui iuuk. me uisuumniea Provarsk, who affected an air of the utmost indifference and stared ab sently out toward the garden. "So," Kent went on, “when the hired disturbers started their out burst each one was instantly clapped on the shoulder and carried away to a nice, secure little place protected by iron bars. I gave the people a treat. Talked to them myself and was—ahem! received with marked enthusiasm. The firing you heard was preanrangMby^J^Itwas^ a salvo o} Joy fired with blank cartridges. The ringing of the bells was also ar ranged by mi», to give due dramatic effect. The feeling of love for the chancellor was also stimulated by me. I pointed out that it was he who signed the harsh decree enforcing labor, and suggested that only the unswerving efforts of his majesty, the king, had ameliorated what might have been a most heart rending con dition of toil. We turned the pro posed revolt into a celebration of vrv and enthusiasm for his majesty, wno is probably at this moment t-he best loved man in Marken." The king threw off royal dignity, and impulsively tried to express his thanks, but seemed to have trouble with his throat. As if to relievo himself from an embarrassing position, Kent sudden ly swung around toward Provarsk. j and fixed him with mocking eyes “By the way chancellor." *** saked k - In a casual* tone, “isn’t the*’sanke Wimblehurst a friend of yburs V “It seems to me that I a] acquainted with the gentleman," Pro rank replied, not in the least pet turbed. “Too bad! Too bad!" said Kent, “He was the leader of the disturbers. He was the first one I had arrested and put In JalL tomorrow he shall be deported and ah his property escheat to the crown.” "Dreadful person!" said Provarsk, with a slight grin. Kent’s eyes lost all mockery and stared harshly at Provarsk with an unmistakable menace. “Take care, your excellency, lest you over work and the cares of state become too great for your zeal. It would Indeed be pitiable if you were suddenly compelled to join that estl-! Viable gentlemai\ your friend the banker, in an equally penniless state.” Provarsk did net waver. He sniffed dlstainfully, and with tho utmost politeness asked, "Am I to t^der stand that this is a command for my departure?” “Not at all! Why should it be?” Kent retorted with cynical courtesy. “•Oh, no, indeed! You are too good a thing to lose sight of, my gentle chancellor. Why., do you know, you' are the most interesting person I have met since the panic of 1903? It is almost unthinkable what might happen to Marker without your pres-; once to guide the ship of state through the reqfs of unrest. Also| I’m making you popular; as popular os castor oil for a summer beverage.” He waved his hand dqprecatingty. “I am sure,” he said, deferentially, “that your excellency will pardon, for speaking so feelingly, one who Is, after all, but fhe king's remem brancer.” "Quite so! Quite sol” retaliated Provarsk, with unbroken nerve. It’s the first time I knew you had any feelings.” tHAPTBR ELEVEN. It waa nearly three months later when the various steel manufacturers of the world were stirred and agitated by the announcement that the. re doubtable John Rhodes had again been heard from and in a most un satisfactory way. The manganese deposits, of which there were only two or three of any size on earth, had been secretly bought in, or con cessions gained therefor, and word came from the blithe John Rhodes, dated from his London offices, that hereafter manganese would double in price. Steel manufacturers swore volubly, but the market went soaring. Some of the manufacturers used cable and wires to find out if that de posit which was said to exist in a dinky little kingdom called Marken, was open for sale, lease, or conces sion. The replies provoked renewed pro fanity, inasmuch as they tersely said, “Nothing doing. Concession already held by John Rhodes. (Signed) Kent." And the steel Industry of the world threw up Its hands in horror and was compelled to submit to unheard of prices for a commodity that was in dispensable for all manganese steel. Richard Kent, smiling plaintively in his offices in the palace, found much cause to feel well satisfied. He had “made good" with John Rhodes for life, for on his judgment John Rhodes was making “a killing." Kent could now see the way not only to repay Rhodes all the money ad vanced to Markon, but in addition thereto was enjoying himself to the uttermost in the development of his big machine of state enterprise. “I’ve put Marken op the map, you can bet,” he confided to Paulo. “A year ago mighty few people had ever heard of it. Today It’s known every where, and there's a nice crowd of kings here in Europe who have 100 times more power, but who are sick with envy. Marken markets on manganese are quoted daily all over the world. That's going some!" (Continued next week.) A Veteran's Sentiments. Letter to American Tregion Weeky I should deem it a favor if you would l publish the following: , JMBP***31——* | -^■“Br^thers of yesterday, you who lie 1 §ewn TnTour blankets in the little shal lovT graves over there, we send you greeting. You have solved the Great Problem and we pray that you are truly at rest. You are indeed fortunate not to have lived to see how little your ef forts to free he world of jealousy and power seeking have failed. Had you lived you would have seen the ideals for which you fought and died swept aside in a rush for political power and material gain,. Better to bd* forgotten a thousand times , than to be exploited by those who can never understand what you suffered. Better to be where you are than to be the subject of political quibbling as to whether you should be cared for or not. But in the minds of your brothers, who also served, there is no forgetfulness of the horrors of war or the sacrifice you made. “Brothers of yesterday, we send you greeting.” Dame Nellie Melba, who has been visitinig Christiania, was presented by the king of Norway with the royal medal of merit in gold after a con cert on Wednesday, says the London Times. A wage increase of 5 per cent, has awarded*alt classes of civil em ployes in the naval establishment and | urlll go Into - effect “on the nearest l —•’V day ^ September 15.” Threshing Shows Increase Over Expected Yields. The Winnipeg Free Presa of a few days ago contained a cartoon of which the following Is a copy: j ’Marv'w -»p — - * ■ m This probably as much as anything else will give some idea of the state of mind of the Western Canada farmer, as he watches the tally from the thrashing machine while his wheat Is being carried to the elevator From all sections of the country, the most optimistic reports are received, the local and city papers are filled with reports from twenty to thirty bushels of wheat to the acre, while In some places oats are showing a record of as high as 120 bushels to the acre. Referring to Saskatchewan, It is con fidently expected that the wheat yield will be nearly 125 million bushels: Heavy rains which fell in districts that did not promise so well in July, had greatly improved the prospects there, and there Is no question that paying yields will be produced. The yields In the eastern part of the province may not show to the advantage that will those of the western part, but too much cannot be said of this, for it ts the results as they come from the ma chine, and often these prove happily deceptive. There is now every reason to believe that the wheat~crop of the three prai rie provinces will approach 250 mil lion bushels. - Alberta will exceed the 70 million bushels lliat had been looked for. The i average yield will be considerably high er than it has been in the province In any of the last four years. The De- \ partment of Agriculture In a recent re- ] f>ort gave the opinion that it cannot fall below twenty-two bushels to the 1 acre, and that it might easily pass the * twenty-five bushel mark. Most of the wheat in the province when the report j was written, stood well up to three j feet high, and on some fields was still < higher. The report goes on that In 1 parts of Southern Alberta forty and fifty bushels to the acre yields will 1 not be uncommon, while there will be j a good many yields of front thirty to j thirty-five bushels to the acre. i In the northwest part of the prov- i ince, in the country surrounding Bat- ' Heford and adjacent to the Canadian National railway line to Lloydminster, and sontli the crops are excellent and the yield will he heavy. A larger than average wheat crop is being thrashed in Manitoba. It has , been estimated that the total yield of < the three provinces will not be less ! than 225,000,000 bushels, and It may I be that somewhere between 250,000,000 I and 300,000,000 bushels will be the Anal figure. Oats ts a good crop In all three prov inces. This crop has also grown rap Ufly during the last two or three weeks. Excepting from those fields which were sown late for green feed, the yield will be heavy and the grain excellent. Bar ley and rye are above the average. There was sufficient help to hurvest the crop.—Advertisement. LITTLE ADVICE FOR GROCER Would Be Wag Had Picked Out thf Wrong Woman on Whom to Exercise Hi's Wit There was an expression of melan choly ringed with resentment on Mrs. Brown’s face as she entered the gro cer’s shop. “I want,” she began Impassively, “to talk to you about them eggs I had last week. They weren't anything like as fresh as they might have been.” "That’s strange,” replied the grocer, who fancied himself something of a wog. “We always have an almanac hanging up in the fowl run to keep the hens up to date.” “Oh!” came the retort with crushing emphasis. “Then all I have to say Is that somebody with brains about as addled as them eggs has been mislead in’ the hens with last year’s calendar. Just you hang up a 1920 card, my good fellow, and maybe them chickens ’ll start working overtime to catch up to lit" ' Just So. “Can you give me an outside room?” “I can give you a hammock in the alley or a cot in the yard,” said the hotel proprietor. “I see. All outside rooms.” SICK WOMEN HEAR ME You Can Be Free from Pain as I Am, if You Do as I Did. Harrington, Me. —“I suffered with backache, pains through my hips and such a bear i n g down feel* ing that I could not stand on my feet. I also had other dis* tressing symptoms. At times I had to give up work. I tried a number of remedies but Lydia E. Pinkham’s Vege table Compound did me more good than anything else. I am •egular, do not suffer the pains 1 used », keep house and do all my work. I ■e commend your medicine to all who luffer as I did and you may use my let er'as you like. ’’—Mrs. Minnie Mitch SLL, Harrington, Me. There are many women who suffer as lira. 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