Evening star., 1907-10-27

of Socialism which threatened him at home.
hoping by combat abroad to reunlte his own
people.
British press, but Englishmen were not ac-
Customed to bending the knee, even though
the lack of f1eXibility might cause the loss OF
lie. Lac-;1ng nothing in bravery, they reluc-
tantly faced a crisis rather than brook hum1l1-
al -ng domination. Their answer therefore
was bellicose.
Germany at once began ominous assem-
bling of her fleets in strategic waters, from which
on a moments notice they might sail forth.
France stood automatically aloot hoping per
hapS that when the world had wearled of
fighting she might be in a position to gain by
plunging into the fray. Alsace Lorraine was
still mourned, and her monument in the Place
de la Concorde draped.
Then, at the very moment when 1t seemed
that England would be compelled to beat
back an invading army from her shores, there
came an unexpected lull The British press
had been predicting declaration of war with
in twenty-four hours, when the change took
place. At the first days delay the well IN
formed wondered and when two days had
passed and finally three, it became certain
that some very unusual event had taken
place in Berlin.
Rumors began to creep to London. to Paris,
and soon the whole world knew, despite Ger
many's attempts to keep the matter secret,
that on the very eve of a crisis the Kaiser, the
most dominant figure in Europe, had disap-
peared. Nor that all.
As if to emphasize the fact that 1t could
have been through no mental alteration that
he had gone, the Chancellor OF Germany had
disappeared at the same time. That some
thing inexplcable had taken place was known
within a few hours after the Kaiser and Chan
cellor were last seen. On the night OF their
disappearance they had been closeted together
with the most trusted military adviser OF the
Empire This latter officer, fatigued by duties
which had tried him beyond his years had
left the consultation at midnight In the room
where it was held there was telephone used
only by certain privileged ones who, by means
of stated signal to the switchboard operator.
could gain communication. Who these were
none but the Kaiser knew.
This operator told the secret service men OF
the Empire that a few minutes past midnight
he had answered call and received the pass
word which caused him to make the desired
connection with the Emperor's telephone and
a conversation of some minutes ensued, which.
owing to the arrangement OF the instruments,
he was unable to hear.
The guards of the palace were called to the
council room and instructed by the Kaiser IN
person to admit man who would present
plain card within d few minutes !hey re-
ported that a carriage drove up to the outer
gates and a gentlemanly appearing stranger
who spoke perfect German handed out a slip
of Dashboard on which nothing whatever
was printed or engraved. Fearing, despite
their masters instructions, that the
might be an anarchist, the guards had hesl-
tated, whereupon the visitor, reading their
suspicious, told them that they might search
him if they wished, which they did. This
was carried out with even more than customary
care, and the man was found to have absolutely
nothing in his pockets. He was dressed In the
regulation dinner suit, as If he had lately come
from some club
Still suspecting something unusual in such a
singular visit and admission at this hour of
the morning, the guards escorted him to the
council room and waited at attention in the
doorway when his presence was announced
To their surprise the Emperor smiled as if in
recognition, bade his visitor Good evening"
in English, and dismissed the soldiers. Re-
assured by this action, the men had resumed
their accustomed posts thinking no more of
the matter, and regarding it simply as one of
the unusual appointments which are made in
such troublous times.
In less than an hour, during all OF which time
the guard at the door had heard voices in
seeming conversation participated in by the
three persons within the room, he heard the
Emperor and the Chancellor burst into most
unusual and hearty laughter A few minutes
later he was surprised when the Emperor came
from the room and went to his dressing cham
Der, from which he emerged in the plainest
of civilian clothing, after which he beckoned to
his two companions.
J;c al Moi cautioned he tarj