Williams news., 1917-07-19

| HIS majesty W1SneS CO see you a
 once," urged, full of wonder. | could plainly see that his imperia
 highness had been much upset at men
 tion of the mysterious person calle, Minckwitz. What could the empero know of him? Was there some scan dal at the root of it all, some fact which the crown prince feared migh be revealed?
 Travel-stained and without changin, his tunic, "Willie' went to the tele phone and ordered Knof to bring bacl the car. In it he drove across to the Neues Palais to see the emperor.
 had an appointment in Berlin that night, and waited until quite late fol "Willie's" return. As he did not come I left for the capital, and on arrival at my rooms, rang up Wolff's agency and gave out paragraph to the press that his imperial highness, the crown prince, had been compelled to aban- don his journey to Thorn, owing to having contracted a chill.
 At the SchIoss oeIs.
 Several weeks went by, and one day we were at the ancient schloss at Gels, in far Silesia,
 The guests included old Count von Reisenbach, court chamberlain of the prince of Schambourg-Lippe, who was noted raconteur and bonvivant, with Major von Heidkamper of the Fourth Bavarian Light Cavalry, a constant companion of "Willie," and Karl von Pappenheim, captain of the Prussian guard, who had been educated at OK ford, and who was so English that it was often difficult for people from London to believe that he was a Prus- sian.
 Won Pappenheim was one of evil lies" new friends. He was the son of great landowner of Erfurt, and the pair had for the past month been inseparable. He was a shrewd, keen eyed man, who seemed ever on the alert, but, of course, obsessed by mili- tary dignity. He had sister, Marga- rete, pretty girl, year or so his junior, who had been to the Mariner palace on one occasion.
 One day I had accompanied the party out after stag. Soon after lunch con, which we took at a forester's house, we went forth again, and I con- cealed myself at a point of vantage, lying behind screen of ferns and branches specially constructed as cover.
 l was alone, at some considerable distance from the others, and had been there waiting for nearly an hour with my gun in readiness, when suddenly I heard the cracking of dried wood not far away.
 Something was moving. I raised my gun in breathless eagerness.
 Next moment, however, I heard the voices of two meanwhile" and his friend, Won Pappenheim. They were me, speaking in low, con- tones.
 ''You quite understand" "Willie" was saying. My position is a terri ble one. I don't know how to extri- cate myself. If dare reveal the truth, then know full well what their ven- geance will be-"
 'But, my dear Caesar" was Karl von Pappenheim's reply, for he was on such intimate terms that he called his highness by the name Won Hochberg had bestowed upon him, is it not your duty to risk all and tell the truth?"
 The pair had halted only a few yards from me and taken cover behind, a dead bush which had been cut down and placed conveniently at the spot, In case the shooting party were a large one and the screen behind which I had concealed myself was insufficient. So near were they that I could hear all that was said.
 "The emperor would neither believe nor forgive me-" "Willie" said. ''Minckwitz is a clever devil. He would bring manufactured evidence which must implicate me.'
 Minckwitz! That was the name which the emperor had uttered, asking me if knew himI
 "But can he bring evidence?" asked his companion.
 ''Yes, curse him !-he canl"
 You can refute it, surely?"
 ''No, can't. If I could, I should make clean breast of the whole mat ter," Willie declared. "He Holds Me in the Hollow of His
 Hand."
 "But cannot I help you? Cannot I see Minckwitz, and bluff himT" his friend suggested.
 You don't know him." was the re- ply. "He holds me in the hollow of his hand"
 "Ah! Then you have been horribly 
 T have. I admit I have, Karl; and do not see my way out of it.''
 But, my dear Caesar, think of the danger existing day by day-hour by hour!" cried Won Pappenheim. "Think what there is at stake! That letter you showed me this morning reveals only too plainly what is intended"
 Tt is letter of defiance, admit.''
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