RED CLOUD, NEBRASKA, CHIEF
Jm$m
A Sfory of My story and Adventure
EMERSON
c
From ihe Scenario
GRACE CUNMD
Novilliud From tlio Motion I'ldiiru IJruiii.i of the Sninn Name Piodujetl li me
I'nlvemal I'llm Miiiiufui'turlim Cutnpiny
SYNOPSIS.
Kitty Clrny, newspaper woman, finds In
a niiln tdiop liulf t n broken coin, thii
mutilated liiBirlptlon tin which uroiinu.i
tier curloislty mul lciuli her, nt tlio order
of her uuinuKliiK editor, to go to thu prin
cipality of (iretzhoffen to pleco out tho
story hiiiikphIimI tiy tho ItiHurlptlon. Wie In
fcillowi'il, ami on arrival In OretzholTeii
Iiit iidvonturcn wlillo chatlng the net-rut
of tho liroUiiii coin licgln
TWENTY-SECOND
MENT
INSTALL-
CHAPTER LXXVI.
The Treasure.
Hoop within that chamber of horror
which boforo now had smitten tho
bouIh of both wltli terror, two persona
wore bending over In tho light of tho
candles, which gavo a faint Illumina
tion. "It la hero," Pnld Count Frederick,
glancing nt tho llttlo compana which
ho had brought with hlni. "Tho north
oaat Ilea there It In yonder, wlioro
nlstn yonder ukcloton In tho iron chair!
That was tho last guard of tho king."
"What Hhall wo do?" gasped Kitty
Gray. "I daro not."
"Noiihciiho! my dear. Fear? why
Bhould wo feci fear? Yonder friend of
oura has kept tho place well anil fafe
ly watcd thoro In Ills Iron chair
waiting bo long for ua!"
Kitty Gray, palo and disturbed, still
fooling n woman's terror tit theno grim
sconos nbout her, spoke with solemni
ty lu her tonus. "Ho wan walling for
Ilhorty and justice, Sir Frederick,"
said alio. "Ho Hhall havo them. Wo
will glvo all thoso Christian burial
shall wo not?"
"Whatever you wlah shall bo done,"
said Count Frederick. "Yes, wo will
tako nil thoso poor vlctlmH nway to
Minlr last rest and let them lie In
penco. I Hhall seal up this cavern
ticro."
"Hut como," he Bald; and bo laid n
hand on tho grinning guest In tho Iron
chnlr. Tho bony frnmo wan confinod
upright by metal bands which support
ed It. Ho found tho ancient chair
heavy to move, but applying his great
strength, at length, gently ns ho could,
ho shifted It to ono sldo. On tho lloor
of tho chamber, formerly beneath tho
Iron chair, thoro showed dimly In tho
dust tlio outllno of a steel plato. nn
Iron ring weldod to Uh ronton Count
Frodorlck pointed. "This Is tho plnco,"
nald ho, with conviction. "It was
Biiarded woll. Soo bore I doubt not
this Is tho lid which covers what is bo
low." Yot ovon his strength fnilod to ro
movo tho covering. Ho found at last
ft part of nn old bnr, pushed it through
tho ring and put his strength to It. A
faint dust aroso, tho lid yielded Blowly,
nnd nt last foil back with a clang upon
tho rocky floor. At tho odgo of this
newly made nperturo thoro showed
tho odgo of another plato, closo lit
tin. "It runB farther," exclaimed Count
Frodorlck. "Seo look what Is bo
low!" Kitty, overcoming her terror, bent
forward with him to gazo down. "Yes,
It la hero," said sho. "Out look how
much thoro Is!"
"Softly," eald her companion. "Let
ub open this cavern moro wldoly. Hero
Is the grave of a giant treasuro I had
not dreamed what really It was."
Carefully ho pushed In and under
the edge of the bar, removing plate
after plate of that which had boon tho
covering of tho treasuro place. Below
this, they saw a cavity filled with
steal receptacles. Each was locked,
clamped and bandod, tight against all
Intrusion.
"What la here?" said Count Fred
orlck. "Aro wo baffled ovon at tho
last?'
Kitty Gray cast tho rays of her
light hero and thoro about her tn tho
cavornoua Interior. By chnnco hor
eyes roBtod Indoed wcro drawn, fas
cinated, to tho skeleton which sat
boat forward In tho Iron chain A dull
gloam of something llko metal caught
her eyo.
"Look," Bald sho, and pointed. Thoro,
fastened by a metal band to tho wrist
wbb n key It was half hidden bo
tweon tho bones of tho forearm.
"Look," said Count Frederick, and
held It up boforo her. "Cunning
enough was tho man who hid this
treasure, and yet ho loft It plain for
thoso ho meant to find It."
Ho stooped and tried tho koy In tho
lock of tho central chest of thoso
which Iny bolow. Tho next moment
he had flung back tho lid.
Tholr oyos rested upon what would
hnvo mado glad tho heart of any buc
canoor. Gold, countless pieces of
gold!
It u-na ilin trtot IpAnfliirn ft flift IHnivt
Thoy Btood, awed, spellbound and
looked down at what they saw.
"Hut look yonder," Bald Kitty, pluck
ing nt hlB Bleovo her hand had
grasped It comfortably for many mo
montB now, for Bho tock comfort In
tho touch oven of his clothing, tho
prosonco of tho bulk of his body near
hor. "Look, Sir Frederick," Bald alio,
"what Is that In this chost bolow?"
Ho bent over, casting down tho
gloamB of his llttlo light. What he
saw wu a long package of folded
KEN HHN
HOUGH
liK
&,
w.vcttrfl rArrcftJQ.'t
parchninntH thrust down at the side
of tho chest. Gently ho drew It out
and hold it In hi handH for a tnoiuont,
regurdlng It curiously.
"I Hhall not open It!" Bald ho. "With
you, I fool n certain tour. 1 bullovo
Jioio Is something como down to ub
out of tho pant aotno message fiom
tho king. If thin ho so, It belongs not
to mo, but to tho people. It must go
boforo tholr duly constituted rulers."
CHAPTER LXXVII.
Tho Reckoning.
"Now," said Count Frederick to Kit
ty when nt length they had reached
tlio upper portion of tho palace, "wo
must ad'.ancu to what remains yet
to bo done. The ministers must be
summoned. Tho writs must Issue tor
tho attendance of tho parliament. "Tin
long sluco ono has been convuned.
Michael the king he alono has boon
our government and what u govern
ment!" They were now parsing toward tho
central portion of tho palaco, having
ascended from tho vaults bolow. Ab
sorbed Intent Count Frederick, nt
least, was Inattentive to iiught else
navo thu prosonco of thu woman at
his sldo. Hut now she plucked his
sleovo.
"Listen!" said sho, and laid n linger
on her lips.
At her signal, Count Frederick soft
ened his footsteps and walked with
hor Htcalthlly. Tlio sound of tho
voices engaged In whispered convor
nntlon enmo now to his ears. Sud
denly ho stepped forward, convinced,
thing open a door off tho main hall,
and passed within unannounced. It
was no time for formalities In Grctz-
holfen palaco now.
"So," said ho, "you nro hero again
What, Sachlo, you honor us yet by an
other visit? That is most kind of
you! You, Grahamo, you, my former
bodyguaid hoio with this arch trnl
tor, this liar, this treacherous snako!"
They stood, surprised as yet with
out plan for tholr defense.
"Ho, thcro! the guard tho guard,"
cried Count Frederick, stepping back
to thu door.
Hut to his call thoro camo no
footsteps of tho guard, instead,
ono man camo Koleau, who for tho
past few moments had been lu search
of tho two men. Ho hastened past
Kitty ns sho stood, thrust himself into
tho room, nnd with Count Frederick,
faced tho trapped men who BtooJ bo
foro then!.
Count Sachlo, with n nnnrl of rngo
sprang forwnrd nt his feu, mid Roleau,
with a quick motion Hung hlmsolf be
tween. Ho felt tlib iron hand of his
muster on his shoulder.
"Lcavo him to me, Holeau! Tako
caro of tho other man."
Tho two noblemen faced one an
other calmly now. Not so with Ro
loau. On tho instant, ho flung hlm
solf upon tho man accosted as Gra
hamo. Tho struggle was unequal and
under Koleau's powerful grasp the
lntrudor soon was helpless.
"Woll," said Count Frederick; "Sa
chlo, how shall It bo? Shall I choke
you with ray handB?"
Tho man whom ho accosted was
one not easily dismayed. Ho greeted
thoso words with a smllo which
showed his white teeth. Ills own
righting blood was up, and tear was
a thing ho did not know.
Suddonly his oyo, rapidly glancing
about tho room, caught sight of a
trophy of arms hung across tho room.
From It ho caught down two swords.
Howlng, ha handed both, hilt forward,
to Count Frederick. "At your aorvlco,
monsieur," ho said.
"On guard!" said Count Frod
orlck. Lightly, gracefully, gently, tho tips
of tho two blades mot, shivered a
trltlo, each feeling of tho other, scarco
moro than a hair's breadth from Its
course.
Tho Icy oyo of Count Frodorlck
cold, merciless, looked Into tho dark
uud smiling faco of Sachlo.
"I am going to kill you now," said
Count Frodorlck. "Shall It bo Boon?"
Tho answer of Sachlo was mora
than a smllo. Flercoly ho whipped
frco his blado. His knuckles up, his
blade shot forward in a long and dead
ly lungo.
Suddenly tho Jaw of Count Fred
erick shut tho tlghtor. Nouo could
havo said that ho had seen whnt en
sued. In bouio fashion, tho blado of
tho nobleman of Gretzhoffon went out,
vibrating, catching In Its ' grip tho
blado opposed to it. Thoro was a
wrench, a twist. Tho weapon ot
Count Sachlo was torn from his hands,
ho stood unarmed. Ilo stood ono half
moment before ho folt, hissing hot
through all his body, tho point of his
antagonist.
Count Frederick turned, not wait
ing to Bee his foe bIiiU down, for ho
knew tho work was done. Ho ad
vanced half a paco to tho man Gra
hamo, cowering In tho corner before
ltoleau. Him ho stnoto across tho
cheek with tho bloody blado, and said:
"You coward and traitor, you shall go
to tho law."
Auk
"A"! for you, Rol"nu, cnptaln of tbo
gu.ud ' fi.iid ho, 'you have proved
your fnitiifulncss onco inoro. '
"What? I am captain, master?"
"Holi'au, aptnln of tho guard," eald
ho, "I thank you."
And ho ho turned and strodo from
tho room where otio was waiting,
CHAPTER LXXVIII.
Long Live the King!
In tho gient throne room of Grctz
lioffou palaci', there wero gathered,
lato that day, those men highest In
Iiower of all tho realm.
Count Frcduilek entered tho room
at lust but not nlonu. At his sldo
thoro walked ono whoso presunco was
greeted with n frown by thoso grave
and revered seigniors It was a
woman.
"Gentlemen," Bald Count Frederick,
smiling as ho saw thin reception,
"you will pardon mo that I bring
with mo ono whom I honor, whoso wis
dom 1 valuo. Thanks to the futo which
brought this young woman to our
shot en, wo hnvo found tho lost treas
uro of tho king!"
A sighing slleuco fell upon them
nil. Alono of nil theno till now al
most unnoticed, In tho cornorwhoro ho
i.at sunken down tho weakling king
mado Homo show of resentment ut
whnt he heard. A snarl, n growl of
rngo almost ir.artlculnto, camo from
him.
"You, Mlchaol. our king!" said
Count Frederick, suddenly turning to
him, growing wrath In his tones now,
"I cull you 'your majesty' as yet, but I
daro Bay to you, jour majesty your
drunken majesty your weak and
helpless coward majesty that thcro
Bhall never bo wasted upon you or
your purposo ono penny of this treas
uro which wo have found.
"That, gentlemen," said ho, turning
to tho councilors mid ministers who
stood nbout, "Is the treasuro of tho
people It was saved for them. It
has been guarded for them by Michael
tho good king, whoso name this man
Is not lit to wear.
"Do not doubt whnt I say to you,
gentlemen. 1 myself havo seen that
Klngl
treasure with my own eyes this lady
also was with mo. Thero Is enough
thoro to make our people very rich
moro than that, to mako thom con
tented and happy If yo use thoso
treasures wisely. What shall wo do
hand thom over to yonder weakling
to squander, to dissipate? No, I tell
you."
Thoy stood silent, gravo, looking
from one to tho other and at him.
Ho extended boforo him tho folded
parchment which ho had taken from
tho treasuro chest.
"This," said ho, "wo found In tho
treasuro chest. I havo brought It
unoponod. I havo fancied it may
bo Bomo document of Importance to
our etato. It was not for mo to opon.
Will vnn vnur lnnllrHlv?',
Ho offered It to tho prime minister
of tho government. Tho latter gravo
ly tock It In his hands gazed at tho
great aoal which fastened It broke
tho aoal undid tho confining band
and gazed upon tho contents ot tho
parchment thus unfolded. His hands
shook tho groat sheet almost fell
from them as ho read.
"Read, then," demanded Count Fred
erick. "What Is It that you havo
found?" It was natural for men to
obey his velco when ho apoko thus.
"It Is strango and wonderful It is
Incredlblo!" said tho prlmo minister.
Count Frederick cnught in turn tho
parchment In his own hands. In turn
Ills own faco showed nmnzo, nston
Ishmont his own Htror.g hands shook.
"Your majesty," said ho, smiling nt
length nu ho turned toward tho cower
ing llguro In tho corner ot tho room,
"1 shall call you that for tho last
ttrao!"
"What do you mean?" demanded
Michael with cno last Bhow ot resent
mont, summoning such resolution as
w&&&&( Kafc&v I iit. Wijfei
llyiii mij IIP
Hggs gsSatVg?tiggg7Ml I III 1 1 ly iHr
mWMwMhwMWMwhw ' J,-? wE - AyjMJjmMfm'J V " Jill II mW I
"I Am tho
he could to his t-n I 'nit -I f-"
"What do ynu mem tr- u ion. In ti.
p.'ononiT of the king'"
"No treason, for you aro not our
king."
"These," said ho, "uro tho Imperial
Btrlpta of .Michael tho First ot Grctz
hoffen. Thoy wero burled with his
treasures. In snino prut, thoy govern
tho disposition of those treasures.
You hear In thin the voice of our king,
nnd that muBt bo our govurnlng pow
er hereafter."
"What Is It. then?" nt length o-c-claimed
the inline minister. "Has
thoro been u mistake you sty- MI
chnel here Is not our king who then
Is our king?"
"Your excellency," said Count Fred
erick slowly, ns bo turned toward him,
"yourself, theso noblemen of Grctz-
hoffen, tho council of mlnlstom, tho
parliament of tho realm nil these
shall nt length perhnps bear out my
ntntoment which I rnnlto now. I my
solf I, Fiodorlck am tho king."
At thoso words thoy made no nn
swer. Thoro was nothing on those
calm features of Insincerity, of In
trigue or dishonor. Ills wtlrds car
rled with them hla own conviction as
to their truth.
"Listen, gentlemen," said ho, gently,
ut last. "Great things hnvo happened
to us In our realm. Wo shall this day
save our kingdom. Ab I believe, I am
your king. I nccopt Hint Btntlon sol
emnly, and hero I hnvo tho proof It
may not be doubted that ultimately
Its Bubstantlatlon will bo complete
by the parliament, by tho pooplo thom
Belvos by nil our courts by your
voice unanimous, ns I doubt not, you
noblemen of thin kingdom.
"Shall I then road?"
"In tho namo of God, Amen! I,
Michael of GrctzholTen, by tho grace
of God, king, lcavo this script with
tho treasures ot tlio kingdom which I
have concealed herewith beneath the
lloor of tho torture chambor. With
them 1 place tho Bccret governing tho
ownership of the treasures of this
kingdom That secret is known only
to myself nnd my bodyguard, who has
been a faithful man Uorls Holenu.
"For tiow theno many months I havo
boon cognizant ot dangers at the
hands of my own foster brother Stan-
islaw. Should bo be successful In
what I concolvo to bo his plans, my
life may forfolt, but not the treasures
thomsolves.
"It was my pleasure to havo made
a medal or a coin which should be the
token ot this secret. When my body
guard, Horls Rolcan, a faithful man,
with myself planned tho burial of
theso treasures, 1 gavo htm tho Inden
ture, tho half of a certain coin or
modal which I cuusod to bo mado and
inscribed, as record of tho hiding
placo of that which wo wore about to
conceal. Upon the faco ot that modal
or coin this Inscription was written:
'Sub pavlmentl angulo vorgcntls
cruclatl camera roporlotur tho-
8aurus Regis Gractlsjovensls.'
"So Bhall bo preserved tho socrotof
tho hiding plnco of that which Is tho
people's. Soniowhoro thoro shall ex
ist, oven though I shall dlo, this rec
ord. Halt of it I havo given into tho
chnrgo ot tho man whom I hnvo
known to bo faithful. At my death
he Is to tako both halves and guard
them woll.
"Should I bo slnln, ns woll may bo
In these troublous and treacherous
times In which I llvo, my wish and
command Is that my son bo known nB
Mlchaol tho Second, nnd that ho shall
tako from mo tho rule of this king
dom In his day, and tho administra
tion ot theso properties ot tho king
dom. "It Is my wish and commind, my
hopo and my prayer, that ho shall gov
ern wisely with Justlco to all,, firmly
and with wisdom.
"Thoro may bo a long regency be
fore my eon shall reach the ago of
maturity. Thoro Is another, older
than himself, tho sen ot my foster
bi other not
f.f
Tr rl b1""d, t-it theirs though tho Bnm thought oi.l
bastard of a new t , wo.uan -Frederick,
he Is ca!L 1. Il mi.y be within tlio
purpose of my footer brother that that
boy shall bo brought tip ni thr king,
In ense I, mytelf, should tall. Ho Is
not Jit to rule. He Is not ycur king.
Hut signud hereunto Is the name and
tho seal, unralFtukublo, done in my
blood nnd his, of your king, Michael
the First, and of your future king,
Michael the Second, my son. He Is
an yet too young fully to know tho
gravity of these presents. Hut by this
sign you shall know your ruler, b'.uiII
theso presents como to you, well be
loved. "In the namo of God. amen! Mi
chael, Ilex."
"llclow this signature of Michael
tho Good," said tho measured voice
of Count Frederick, "there Is another
blgnnturo 'Mlchuel the Second, Ilex.'
Gontlemcn, there aro two signatures
to thu3o scripts, and there aro two
seals."
A sigh of wonder, almost of conster
nation, came from thoso assembled.
The only protest was from tho hud
died object In the farther corner of
the room, where still remained Ml
chaol, tho drunken.
"What then, tho gr.nrd!" ho
nhrloked. "Treason to me after him,
men! This pretondor what is It that
ho Bays? What proof has ho? what
proof?"
"This proof, sir!" said Count Frod
orlck. coldly, nnd approached to him
tho broad page of tho parchment
Bhcct.
Michael gnzed Btupldly nt whnt he
saw, uncomprehending, others gazed
also, and nt (lrst could maka nothing
of whnt was thoro. Count Frederick
wont on:
"1 recall now, ns I seo this page,"
snld ho, "this writing of tho king, my
fnther you hear me, gentlemen my
father!
"I rccnll that I bow him placo be
neath tho great seal, that other seal
dono In his own blood. I saw htm
draw tho blood from his own urm and
put his thumb In It, and placo It hero,
thus scaling this document with the
unmlstakablo seal tho ono alono
which cannot show a mistaken Iden
tity. "And here, gentlemen, beneath that
other lino of signaturo, which you
hnvo heard nnd Been, there Is another,
a smaller, n very small Bcal of n simi
lar sort! It Is tho print cf n human
thumb tho thumb of a boy, of a baby
a baby then, a man now who re
calls that sceno vaguely. And hero
la tho proof. Gentlemen, I recall now,
It was my father mado this nark: but
It was his great hands which took my
llttlo ono and dipped my thumb In tho
blood which ho drew from my nrm,
and set It here below that namo which
he has written, 'Mlchaol tho Second.'
"Gentlemen, who then Is your
king?"
Even yet they could net grasp tho
full significance of what they heard,
and again tho volco of Count Freder
ick resumed:
"Go, now, gentlemen, send out your
agents quickly. Hrlng hero thoso men
of science skilled In tho reading of
Buch things as thoso. It was Hertlllon
who developed that science of Infalli
ble Identification. It was ho who
showed that each man carries with
him, In his person, from Itis cradlo to
bis gravo, that unmlstakablo seal
which Identifies him Infallibly.
"Now bring here your mon of scl
enco. Hero Is my hand as God made
It, nnd as my father held tt In his bo
many years ago. Small then larger
and stronger now! God grant It bo
strong enough today to do what my
father did, nnd do it well. And may my
mind have Justlco nnd liberty boforo
It always, as thoso things wcro boforo
his.
"Gentlemen, you know tho history
of this kingdom as woll as I. You
know tho long regency following tho
Gretzhoffon war. You know why that
regency was established. Rumor was
that King Michael died like a king,
In his own bod. The truth was other
wise. Ho was murdered hero In tho
vault below by the men ot his own
foster brother.
"If that be true and as God Is my
wltnoss, I bellevo It to bo true then
wo woll may guess which boy was
brought up under tho regent to tako
tho place of a king. That was not my
self others, rolatlves of mtno, reared
mo, ns you know, until I am what you
know. And yonder man this drunken
waster not even tho eon of lawful
wedlock, never tho son of a queen
that man, ho was tho ono accepted as
your king! Treason, you say why,
there was treason to every human be
ing who lived en Grotzhoffon soil,
whon that pretondor took the throne!
"As for you, sir!" and bo stepped
over to lay an Iron hand on tho shoul
der ot tho coworlng man who sank
back upon his seat, "your day Is done.
I do not say you wcro a party to this
I only Bay. you must go. For tho
rest, tho parliament of our realm shall
formally decldo."
His stoolllko grip half lifted Mlchaol
from his placo. thrust hlra toward,
through, tho door nnd Instantly tho
door closed behind him. Beyond, thero
was an outcast king. Within, boforo
thom all, fronting thom all, stood n
man, stern and rosolvod tc nccopt
whatovor responsibility now tncro
was.
"Gentlemen," Bald ho, "you havo my
proof. I Bubmlt my case to you and
tho parliament. I submit myself to
tho law. As for that law, If It Is
given mo to reign, always shall I sup
port It. and always shall It bo my ambi
tion to glvo to tho peoplo that liberty,
that Justice which I myBelf havo
learned to lovo."
Still tho sllenco, tho tense eloctrlc
sllenco which thus far had hold thom
all. They stood thus for ono moment
Then as with ono common lmpulso
(.aught them at the same Instant, each
of these nu n Idlers and wasters, or
men of purposo and of principle,
raised his hand. Theio roso In unison
tho old cry:
"LONG LIV13 THE KINO."
CHAPTER LXXIX.
Katharine.
Two wcro alone onco more, two
whom fate had so strangely cast to
gether in such scenes. The tumult had
ceased. Quiet and order now obtalnod
within those ancient wulls. Thoso two
were ulono In the great throneroom of
tho kingdom, for the nobleman had
Blgnlllcd that such was his wish.
Ho turned toward her now gravely
nnd held out his hnnds. Sho placed
hers In his, trembling.
"Was It true?" she whispered. "Did
they Indeed nnd Indeed did they call
you the king? Or, how cun I bo hap
py at that. Now, I must go back I
must leave you!"
"You shall never go!" said tho quiet
voice of tho man who confronted her.
"You nhall nover leave me now."
"Uut how? You are the king? It
has been confirmed. The scripts wcro
truc what wo thought was true."
"I am the king! Yes, but how shall
I rule alono? You shall sit beside me,
for 'tis you havo taught me how a
king should rule. 'Liberty and Jus
tice' tl:03e words wero strangers to
my cars until you spoke them. Think
you I could go on In thin business now,
this solemn undertaking which I must
assume, nnd miss your counsel In the
future? You shall bo as much queen
as I am king In establishing thoso
principles In this kingdom."
"Hut I cannot! I am an unknown
woman. I am of no birth. I nm not
your "
Again ho laid his fingers upon her
lips lightly.
"Cease!" said ho; "do not say that
word. Michael, hlmBelf. my father,
perhaps was of no lofty lineage so far
ns traced kings could -bo nnmed. Ho
himself camo from where he grow
he. seized tho reins of power and ho
gavo the peoplo such liberty and Jus
tlco as then wan possible. Am I bet
ter than ho? Wus ho better than you?
am I? Say no moro, think no moro
that word which you wcro nbout to
name."
Again he held out to her his hands,
nnd now, in spite of nil sho could do,
Hho could not withhold her own could
not withdraw them, so firmly clasped
wcro thoy now. Trembling, weeping,
sho looked up into his eyes.
"It Is nil clenr," said ho to her at
length. "It was Grahamo. my unfaith
ful bodyguard, who had tho knowl
edge of theso things, and who be
trayed U3 by that knowledge. Ho
got tho coins from Horls Rolcau.
I accord him but one Item of
thanks It was through his treach
ery that I lost the coin at the tlmo
that I was In your country, on the
errand of tho Gretzhoffen loan. Ho
stolo that coin. Ho must have lost or
pawned half of It. or sold It. At least,
that In how you found It. So I thank
him, for so much as that.
"As for Koleau tho son of that
faithful servant of my father he shall
bo honored by us both, bocauso he
has given loyalty. I myself havo
grieved that once I was cruel to him
that I struck htm oven after the old
fn3hlon of our rulers hero. Not again
shall that occur. Roleau, your friend,
my servant he shall be captain of tho
Imperial Guard. I havo told him so
much as that. ,
"What a curse attends theso treas
ures! See now, out of all theso who
havo been about mo, two have been
faithful tho son of that man who
was faithful to our earlier king, and
you! You fought me, yes. but you
fought fair. You kept your word
you honored your own parole you al
ways will do so. I trust your word
as I trust the beating of my own heart.
You then shall bo you are my
queen!"
She could not answer, and still ho
wont on slowly: "Ahead of us Is duty,
responsibility for both of us. We
servo for liberty and Justlco."
He led hor gontly to the great
throne of Gretzhoffen, which stood be
fore them now. They bowed before
It.
"I glvo you my faith, Katharine"
said he, simply. "Do you lovo mo?"
"I do," eald sho, so low he could
scarce catch the words.
And even In these words spoken
thoro, the one to tho other, In tho sl
lenco ot tho great throne chamber of
tho kingdom, their plighted troth
soomod as tho words of tho priest and
tho roar of tho groat organ and tho
later npplauso of tho asaemblod multi
tudes, who hailed them as Bavlors ot
the land.
He gavo her a hand now up tho
steps to tho great throno Itself, and
bowed to her as Bho dropped back
upon tho groat seat of power.
"God do bo to mo and moro also,"
said ho Bolomnly, "If over I betray
them or you."
L'ENVOI.
Under tho sea thero sped from the
llttlo kingdom of Gretzhoffen to tho
great republic of America a message
carried in tho electric spark which
united tho world. It was directed to
tho odltor ot tho Dally Star In Kitty
Gray's own city, and It was enough to
glvo even Hilly Cutler, city editor,
pause for at least a moment.
"Well, good Lord!" said ho, "who'll
I put en tho society pago? Boys, the
flowers wore a total loss and so am
I! Hero (a an nllns and an alibi! Lis
ten!" Ho read from tho llttlo yellow
bit of papor which ho held:
"'Groat story, but cannot return to
Amorlca Insldo six months as prom
Isod. I havo lost my wager, but have
gained n husband and n home. Kath
arine, Rcglna GraetlsJoveuBls." y
THE ENDi V.'
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