The Washington times., 1917-04-15

wears upon the little finger OF his left
hand.
ave need not anticipate that.
think. Kiderlen will not grant him
leave. He is far better in Carlton
House Terrace than in the, Lenne-
strasse."
'I hardly follow your Highness," ]
remarked
Him. Probably not. my dear
count" he laughed. 81 do not intend
that you should"
And with that mysterious remark
he turned to meet Count Won Zeppe'
lin, the. round-faced, snow-haired,
somewhat florid inventor. who was
one Of his Highness' most intimate
friends, and who had at that moment
entered announced. Zeppelin was a
friends, no advertisement, and shun-
ned notoriety.
"Ha- my dear Ferdinandp cried the
prince, shaking the hand of the man
VINO SO suddenly became world famous
at the age of seventy. "You have--raY-
eled from Stuttgart to see me-unwell
as you are! IT. is an honor. But the
matter Is one of greatest urgency, as
! nave alreday written to you. / want
TO show You the correspondence and
seek your advice" and the prince in
vited 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-marttal at Stendal have fixed
for. the 25th- i shall be with the EN-
peror this afternoon. Report here at
toniEht-understand
Thus was / dismissed. while his
imperial hfghness and Count Zeppelin
sat together In secret counsel.
A Startling Discovery.
AT ten minutes to Z that evening
I unlocked the crown princes room
with the key carried, the other two
keys being In the hands OF the crown
princess and her husband. had
placed upon the table a bundle of re
ports which had just been brought
round from the ministry of war, and
required that scribbly signature, will
helm Kronprinz," when noticed three
private letters that had evidently
been placed aside. The envelopes
were addressed in a thin.s angular,
female hand, and bore an English ad-
dress. I noted 1t. The name on each
was that OF a lady residing in Ayles-
bury avenue, Hampstead, London.
The, letters bore German stamps. In
keen curiosity, took one and exam
ined- II, wondering whether II could
be the correspondence which the
crown prince had been so eager to
show Count Won Zeppelin in secret.
l drew the letter from the envelope
and scanned II rapidly.
What l read caused me to hold my
breath. The signature to the letters
was Enid Won LeutenberE."
Those letters OF hers had, IL 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 correspond
ence.
All three OF those letters I read
letters which opened my eyes and
Droadened my mind. Then, taking up
my bundle OF reports, I crept away
from the room. carefully relatching
the door. 1 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 1 had any
knowledge~of their contents.
With the papers in my hand pass
ed 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 faith
er's sharp punctuality, therefore /
knew that he would be there at Z o.
soon afterward.
Tresternitz' was always fun OF scan
dal concerning those who lived in the
higher C>rcles OF Berlin. and II was TO
one Of thase stories of court scandal
concernirk one of the ladies-in-wait-
ing which listened while / smoked
one of the excellent Russian cigar
cites:
Then. glancing at the clock. rose
suddenly and left him, returning again
to the private room.
l found his highness there, and as
entered 1 noticed that he had hidden
in secret shown to Count Zeppelin.
"You Will Introduce Me to Your
Pretty Friendf-
A fortnight went past The Kaiser,
with his mad love of constant travel,
had been rushing up and down the
empire-to KTupp's at Essen. to the
trials of a newly-invented howitzer,
thence to an inspection at Kassel, and
afterward to unveil monuments at Co
logne and at Erfurt. The crown
prince and princess had accompanied
him, the Kaiserin being indisposeG,
and ]. of course, had been included in
"Willie's" suite.
The week had been a strenuous one
OF train travel, luncheons, firing din
ners, receptions, dancing, and general
junketings, and / 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
upon an Imperial Crown
Prince, as well as upon an autocratic