The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1915-12-10
Copyright. 1915. by w. @. Chapman.)


Jagow, of the foreign office, year or
two ago, noticed as soon as / entered
the room that there was a certain at
mosphere which we diplomatists are
trained to feel. 1t was not of sus-
pense exactly, but certainly of marked
interest In a couple who were among
the most tireless of the dancers, and
in a blond young officer in uhlan uni
form, who stood watching them, scowl-
ing and pulling his mustache, as he
followed their movements with his
eyes.
The man I recognized at once.
Handsome, black-haired, debonair as
only a Frenchman can be, had seen
him on several occasions, and knew
him to speak to slightly. He was
Captain Paradis, one of the minor
military attaches at the French en-
bassy. The girl did not know, and,
discovering an old friend among those
who were congregated about the door
watching the brilliant spectacle,
asked him her name.
He looked rather surprised at my
question. "Why, that is the Fraulein
Wedenkampf,' he answered This
name, however, is not the one that he
gave. One must preserve some shadow
of anonymity in such revelations.
1.-THE heiress of the late cannon
maker?" I inquired, with interest.
"Assuredly. She only came out this
spring, and you can imagine she is
persona gratissima at court
'And why do you suppose" | asked,
''that she is dancing with Captain Par
ads. who has the reputation of being
the most expert artillery officer in
France?"
THAT" answered my friend, smil-
ing, "is what everybody is wondering,
and, not least, Captain Won Lindorf,
to whom, rumor has it, she is supposed
to be engaged to be married"
They certainly made an interesting
couple as they circled round the eEor-
nous ballroom. saw Herr Won Jagow
and the crown princess watching
them; I saw the princess whisper in
the foreign secretary's ear, and Won
Jagow answer il words, whatever
they were, that made her nighness
raise her eyebrows in surprise. In
fact the establishment was rapidly De-
coming universal And it was hardly
to be wondered at For each of these
two young people had access to Sc
crets of priceless military value
The knowledge that Fraulein We'd
enkampf could place at the disposal Or
the French government was the equiv
alent of two army corps. The infor-
nation locked up in the mead OF Cap
tain Paradis was worth five extra
DAYS of mobilization 10 the kaisers
forces. And it was evident that the
infatuation was on the part or the
young man, and not on that OF the
calm, fair-haired, blue-eyed, and Who'll"
ly self-possessed young woman.
saw Count Won Lindorfs scowl
deepen, and | took up my position
near him. where could watch him
unostentatiously. At the end Of the
dance Captain Paradis led his partner
to a seat near the door, half hidden
by a cluster of large palm trees.
saw the count stroll slowly in that
direction. He seemed preoccupied,
but l noticed that his lip was witch
ing.
What happened I could not see. but
a moment later saw Won Lindorf and
Captain Paradis upon their feet, fac
ing each other. their faces flushed
with anger. Then l saw the count
bow and proffer his card to the
Frenchman.
Captain Paradis seemed to hesitate;
finally, with gesture that was quite
incomprehensible to me, he turned
away and walked unsteadily toward
the door.
Count Won Lindorf looked at the
fraulein with a sort of baff1ed fury;
then his face became impenetrable,
and, struggling his shoulders, he re-
tired.
The scene had certainly not escaped
observation among the personages, ex-
allied and otherwise, who surrounded
the crown princes chair. 1 saw smiles
upon some lips, and frowns upon some
faces. Herr Won Jagow glanced In
quiringly toward Count Won Bethmann-
Hollweg, the imperial chancellor, but
he, apparently not wishing to notice
the foreign minister's look, remained
deep in conversation-with a man
whom / had not noticed before, but
whom / recognized Immediately.
The person in reference had at one
time looked remarkably like myself
This resemblance had, in fact, given
me the clue which enabled me to frus
trate a clever trick to steal the Bull
garian mobilization papers. 1t was
on account of this similarity Of ap
pearance that | had grown a beard
For do not care to be mistaken fol
an international financier of dubious
reputation; and this parsonage was
certain Louis Weisknopf, head OF wha
has come to be known as the Interna
tional War syndicate.
This syndicate. formed for the pur
pose of unifying and exploiting thu
wealth of the world, having ramifica
fiona in every capital. and BEING un