The Ordway new era., 1917-08-03


=, - ~ shout six o'clock in the eve
zl-c pzssed the sentries and ascend
- u the emperor's study with some
-s7--S | had been going through re-
cs-siac the reorganization OF the stet-
N cxrri>nn. | was one or the very
few persons ever admitted 10 tha'
Etnc ~ the palace.
AL apprOached the door, treading
asnlsslsssly upon the soft carpet l
Aszri voices raised excitedly, the door
being slightly ajar.
Naturally halted. In my position
was ahle 10 hear a great deal OF palace
intrigue. but never had listened TO
conversation that held me more
h-esthleSs than nj that moment.
woman" cried the emperor 40
you. then. openly defy'my authority!
-wha, that crafty sycophant. Won
Me.-sca. has told you is. repeat,
foul and abominable lie," was the re-
ply.
And | knew that the unfortunate
princess was defending her reputation,
which her enemies at the court OF
SSxouy had torn to shreds.
No woman ever admits the truth,
of course" sneered the emperor. Il
cousider you disgrace TO the Dresden
curt"
50 this Is the manner In which you
Cr-uly insult your gueSts.' was the
princess retort. You, who believe
yourself the idol of your people. now
exhibit yourself in your true light as
the traducer Of defenseless woman! y
How dare you utter those words to
me- cried the all-highest one, in fury.
! dare defend myself-even though
YOU may be emperor" replied Louisa,
in : cold, hard tone of defiance. 81
repeat that your allegations are un-
true. and that you have no right to
make them Surely you can see that
ny enemies, headed by the king of
Saxony. are all conspirinc to effect my
downfall l know it! l have written
proof OF it,
-Bosh. You say that because you
know that the statements are true -
You Ile." she cried fiercely. They
are not true. You cannot prove them
Very we'll" answered the emperor
In that tone of cold determination that
knew too well. Il will prove the
Charges to my entire satisfaction"
Herds That the Kaiser Would Never
Forgive.
was startled at the manner In
which the princess had dared to call
the emperor a liar. Surely nobody
had ever done so before.
drew long breath. for as crept
away unseen | recollected the kaiser's
Unrelenting vindictiveness.
Poor princess! I knew that the red
talOns Of the Hohenzollern eagle would
sooner or later be laid heavily upon
her.
She left Berlin two hours later, but
half an hour before her departure ]
my table explaining that she had had
"a few unpleasant words with the en-
peror." and that she was leaving for
Dresden day earlier than had been
arranged.
A fortnight passed. Twice Baron
Won Metzsch came to- Potsdam. and
was on each occasion closely closeted
with the emperor, as well as having
frequent consultations with judicial
Councillor Lohlein. l had strong sus'
picion that the conspiracy against the
lively daughter of the Hapsburgs was
still In progress, for l felt assured that
the kaiser would never forgive those
NynrlS nf GnGnnra a NJ liy,y
and that his vengeance, slow and sub
tie, would assuredly fall upon her.
/ did not know at the time-not, in
deed, until fully three years later
how the actions of Won Metzsch. who
was creature Of the kaiser, had from
the first been instigated by the all
highest, who, from the very day of the
princess marriage, had, notwithstand
Ing his apparent graciousness towart
her. determined that Hapsburl
should never become queen of Saxony
For that reason, namely, becaus,
the emperor in his overweening vanit!
believed himself to be the heaven-seh
ruler Of the destinies of the German EN-
pire, was much opposed to an Austrian
princess as a potential queen at Dres
den, and had set himself the task to ruiz
the poor woman's life and love and I,
arouse such a scandal concerning he
that she could not remain in Saxon,
with every finger pointing at her ii
opprobrium and scorn.
] Oecipher q Message for the Kaiser
A fresh light, however, was throw,
upon what afterward realized to b.
an astounding conspiracy by the re
ceipt Of cipher message late one No
vember night at Potsdam. 1 was a
work alone with the emperor in tn
pale green upstairs room, reading an,
placing before him a number Of stat
documents to which he scrawled hi
scribbly signature. when the Telegram
was brought.