Morris tribune., 1912-12-06

emperor
Calling messenger, he sent the
countess note stating that he and his
imperial master would leave for Ham
burg as intended and she was to pre-
pare his baggage and send it to the
station Then he asked for an inter
view with the emperor and told MIN
that he Ind unearthed plot to muir
der him on his return from Hamburg;
that it would he better for his majeS7
ty to go a,, intended. while he. Dpnl
| dorf. remained behind to prevent the
assassination and secure proof against
| the cOnSplratUrS.
Willialn questione0 his aid-de-camp
closely and finally drew forth the in
| formation that the Countess Demidorf
was implicated in the plot He thought
| for some time, then said:
| "This is too important matter, my
| friend. for me- to leave exclusively to
any one but myself, not e"en you. l
have been very fond of your wife,
| and | fear lest the evidel,re may be
| against her vet misleading What l
|
start for Hamburg. bat | yi&h you to
! have a swift automobile II way sta
| ton to take us off the train and return
us to Berlin in time to intercept this
bomb carrier Provide police uniforms
| for both of us. We will watch at your
! back door, seize the bomb and / snail
see for myself what evidences of guilt
there are on the part Of your wife and
be able to judge how far she has been
made tool of others
Demidorf took the emperor's hand
and pressed it fervently by way OF
expressing gratitude for which he
could not ind words. Then he left
the chamber to obey the orders he had
received
1t was nearing midnight on Christ
mas eve or Christmas morning when
| two police officers, sauntering leisurely
into the street where Count Demidorf
lived and later entering the counts
back yard, concealed themselves under
some bushes A few minutes before
the clocks struck IL man passed into
the yard and was advancing to the
door when he was stopped by the pO-
licemen, one Of whom seized a box be
| carried and examined it as we'll as the
imperfect light would permit.
"It's not bomb,' he said, but an
internal machine. hear it tick"
The bearer Of the box was too sur
prised to utter word. The man who
held it raped softly at the door. 1t
was opened by woman. One of the
policemen pushed by her and turned
on the electric light. It revealed the
countess, her brother and the two po-
| Hcemen
amelia" moaned one of the latter.
"Adolph"' exclaimed the countess.
"You have ruined us. How could you
have done it? 1t is you, Heinrich who
have corrupted her with your. crazy
ideas" g..
What does it all mean?' cried the
countess
LET us go in and examine the box"
said the policeman who held it, and,
followed by the other. he entered the
house. The countess looked at him. at
first doubtfully, then confidently, and
exclaimed:
| "Great heavens-the kaiser!'
| II have come here" said the emper-
or, that | might decide upon your
case in person. have been your friend
too long to intrust it to Others"
What case?"
"Open the box said the count. LET
me relieve your majesty. If any one
is to be killed l infinitely prefer that
, it should be your loyal servant, myself.
|. I do not wish to live after this dis
grace"
The emperor handed him the box,
and he tore off the wrapper.
''Take care" said his majesty. ct
has a sliding lid"
| The caution came too late. Demi-
| dorf, maddened, drew back a few feet
from the others and removed the lid.
But the expected explosion did not
take place.
"a clock" exclaimed the emperor.
land as Iiye the clock that stood in
the cabinet of my grandfather"
There was a moment of silence in
which all wondered; then the emperor.
| turning to the countess, asked her for
an explanation.
''The clock" she said, latter the
death of his majesty the Emperor Will
liam |. was given as a reward for
faithfulness to one of his attendants.
The latter dying poor it was sold to
dealer in curios. My brother bought
it for me to give to my husband for a
Christmas gift. / intended great
surprise and have attempted to intro
duce it here while he was away. We
have the surprise, but not the one ex-
pected"
The emperor burst into laugh, and
| at the same moment shouting, a fir
! ing. ringing Of bells without an
+, nounced that it was Christmas morn
ing
Count, said William, ''you are the
biggest fool on earth except one."
A11G h. =.