The Harrison times., 1917-06-16


nOunced. Zeppelin was a character in
Berlin. He sought no friends, no ad-
vertisement. and stunned notOriety.
"Ha, my dear Ferdinand !" cried the
prince, shaking the hand Of the man
who so suddenly became world-famous
at the age of seventy. "YOu have tray
eled from Stuttgart to see me-unwell
as yoG are! It is an homer. But the
matter is one of greatest urgency, as |
have already written to you. l want
to show you the correspondence and
seek your advice" and the prince in
vted his white-haired friend to the
big, carved armchair beside his writ
ing-table. Then, turning to me, he
said:
"Will you see Won Glasenapp for
me, and hand him those orders for
POsen? He must leave tonight. The
general cOurt-martial at Stendal l
have fixed for the 25th. l shall be with
the emperor this afternoon. Report
here at seven tOnight-understandT
Thus was l dismissed while his inn
perial highness and Count Zeppelin sat
together in secret counsel.
A Startling Discovery.
At ten minutes to seven that evening
1 unlocked the crown princes room
with the key l carried, the other two
keys being in the hands of the crown
princess and her husband. | had placed
upon the table a bundle of reports
which had just been brought round
from the ministry of war, and required
that scribbly signature, wilhelm
Kronprinz," when l noticed three pri-
vate letters that had evidently been
placed aside. The envelopes were ad-
dressed in thin. angular, female hand,
and bore an English address. l noted
it. The name on each was that of a
lady residing in Aylesbury avenue,
Hampstead, London. The letters bore
German stamps. In keen curiosity, l
took one and examined it, wondering
whether it could be the correspondence
which the crown prince had been so
eager to show Count Won Zeppelin in
secret.
drew the letter from the envelope
and scanned it rapidly.
What 1 read caused me to hold my
breath. The signature to the letters
was ENID Won Leutenberg."
Those letters of hers had, it was
plain, been seized in the post on their
way to London. The countess either
had traitor in her household or secret
watch was being kept by the secret
service upon her correspondence.
All three of those letters l read
letters which opened my eyes and
broadened my mind. Then, taking up
my bundle Of reports, crept away
from the room, carefully re-latching
the door. l intended that his highness
should return, discover the letters left
there inadvertently, and put them
away ere my arrival, in which case
he would never suspect that had any
knowledge of their contents.
With the papers in my hand passed
along the many carpeted corridors to
the south wing of the palace, where
/ found Tresternitz, marshal of the
princes court, in his room.
The crown prince initiated his ia
theirs sharp punctuality, therefore /
knew that he would be there at seven
or soon afterward.
Tresternitz was always full Of scan
dal concerning those who lived in the
higher circles Of Berlin, and it was to
one Of these stories of court scandal
concerning one Of the ladies-in-waiting
which | listened while / smoked one
of his excellent Russian cigarettes.
Then, glancing at the clock, rose
suddenly and left him, returning again
to the private room.
l found his highness there, and as
/ entered l noticed that he had hidden
those remarkable letters which he had
in secret shown to Count Zeppelin.
"You Will Introduce Me to Your Pret-
ty Friend"
A fortnight went past. The kaiser,
with his mad love of constant travel,
had been rushing up and down the en-
pire-to Krupps at Essen, to the trials
of q newly invented howitzer, thence
to an inspection at Kassel, and after
ward to unveil monuments at Cologne
and at Erfurt. The crown prince and
princess had accompanied him, the
kaiserin being indisposed, and /, Of
course, had been included in "Willie's"
suite.
The week had been O strenuous one
of train travel, luncheons, firing din
ners, receptions, dancing, and general
junketings, and l was glad enough to
get back to my bachelor rooms-those
rooms in the Krausenstrasse that you
knew so well before the bursting of the
war cloud. To dance attendance upon
an imperial crown prince as well as
upon an autocratic emperor becomes
after a time a wearisome business,
however gay and cosmopolitan man
may be.
had only been at home a few hours
when telephone message summoned
me at five o'clock to the crown princes
palace.
lis imnerial hirhness. who hnd l