The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-08-24


After a restless night--for there
were many stoppages--I spent next
day with the crown prince la long and
firing discussions on military affairs.
| endeavored TO obtain from him some
reason why we were proceeding to
Nice. but 70 all my inquiries he was
smilIngly dumb.
Only a fortnight before he had had
a quarrel with his wife.
"Cilli IL fooll" he had declared
openly to me. after she had left the
room in anger.
We had been busy arranging pro-
gram Of official visits In eastern Ger
many, when suddenly the crown prin-
cess entered. pale with anger and de-
manded fiercely an explanation of n
certain anonymous letter which she
held In her hand.
Kindly read that = she said hnugh-
lilly, 'and explain what 1t MEANS"
The crown prince grlnned, that cold
sinister expression overspreadlng his
countenance, look which is such q
marked characteristic of his.
Then, almost snatching the letter
from his young wlfe's fingers. he read
II through, and with sudden move
ment tore 1t up and flung II upon the
carpet, saying:
II refuse to discuss any unsigned
letter Really, II we were to notice
every letter written by the common
scum we should, indeed, have sufficient
to do
His wife's arched brows narrowed.
Her face betrayed fiercest anger.
Il happen to have inquired, and
now know that those allegations are
correct !" she cried. "This dark-haired
singer-woman, Irene Speronl, has oh
tanned great success on the variety
stage in Italy. She Is the star of the
Sala Margherlta In Rome
"Wellf" he asked In defiance. "And
what Of It, prayfr
That letter you have destroyed tells
me the truth, received 1t few
days ago, and sent an agent TO Italy
in order to learn the truth. He has
returned tonight. Sect And sud
denly she produced crumpled snap
shot photograph of the crown prince
In his polo-playing garb. and with him
smartly-dressed young woman,
whose features were In the shadow.
yes" she cried bitterly. "You re-
fuse, of course. to look upon this piece
of evidencel l now know why you
went to Wiesbaden. The woman was
singing there, and you gave her pair
OF emerald and diamond earrings
which you purchased from Vollgold
In Inter den Linden. Seel Here Is
the bill for them =
And again she produced slip of
paper.
The scene ended In the poor woman,
In frantic paroxysm of despair, tear
ing off the splendid necklet of dia-
monds at her throat--his present to
her on their marrlage--and casting 1t
full into his face.
Then. realizing that the scene had
become too tragic, l took her small
hand, and, with a word Of sympathy,
led her out of the room and along the
corridor.
AS left her she burst into sudden
torrent of tears; yet when returned
again to the crown prince l found his
manner had entirely changed. He
treated his wife's natural resentment
and Indignation as a huge joke, and II
was then that his imperial highness
declared TO me:
"Clln is a fool"
Listen. Heltzendorff." his highness
exclaimed suddenly. ''In Nice l may
disappear for day or two. may be
missing. But IL l am, please don't
raise fuss about II. I'm incognlto,
and nobody viii know. may be alb
sent for seven days. If am not back
by that time then you may make in
qulry.p
But the CommisSary of Police Eek
ardtl He will surely known l re-
marked in surprise.
mo. He won't know. shall eyade
him as I've often done before" re-
piled his imperial highness. II tell
you of my intentions so that you may
curb the activities of our most estima-
BILE friend. Tell him not to worry, and
he will be paid thousand marks on
the day Count Won Grunau reappears."
smiled. for saw the influence of
the eternal feminine.
mo, Heltzendorff. You are quite
mistaken" he said, reading my
thoughts. 'grhere is no lady in this
case. l am out here for secret pur-
poses of my own. For that reason l
take you into my confidence rather
than that unnecessary inquiry should
be made and some of those internal
journalists get hold of the fact that
the Count Won Grunau and the crown
prince are one and the same person. /
was fool to take this salon. l ought
to have travelled as an ordinary pas
senger, know, but" he laughed, ''this
is really comfortable and, after all,
what do we care what the world thinks
-eh? Surely we can afford to laugh
IL. -.