Middletown transcript., 1917-07-21

upon his daily vigil, but in vain. until
his reluctance to tell me the reason
why had been sent to Paris annoyed
me considerably.
On the fifth afternoon, just before
five o'clock, whilSwe were strolling
together, the baron's eyes being fixed
upon the door Of the small single
fronted shop, 1 saw him start, and
then make pretence Of Indifference.
'Look!" he whispered.
glanced across and saw a young
man just about to enter the shop.
The figure was unfamiliar. but,
catching sight of his face, I held my
breath. I had seen that sallow, deep
eyed countenance before.
1t was the young man who had sat
eating his luncheon alone at the Espla-
made, apparently fascinated by the
beauty of Elise Breitenbach.
"Well," exclaimed the baron. 81 see
, you recognize him-eh? He Is prob
ably going to buy more paper for his
scurrilous screeds."
Eyes. But who is hep" I asked. II
have seen him before, but have no
exact knowledge of him."
The baron did not reply until we
were back again in his house at
Neuilly. Then he said:
"That young man, the author Of the
outrageous insults to his majesty, is
known as Franz Seelfger, but he is the
disgraced, ne'er-do-well son of General
Won Trautmann, captain general of the
palace guard"
''The son of old Won Trautmann 1
gasped. "Does the father known"
The baron grinned and shrugged his
shoulders.
Then, after I had related to him the
incident Of the Esplanade, he said:
THAT is Of greatest interest. Will
you return to Berlin and report to the
emperor what you have seen here?
His majesty has given me that instruc-
| ton"
The baron told me Of his long weeks
of patient inquiry and careful watch
ing; Of how the young fellow had been
| followed to Anglers and other towns
| in France where the letters were post
| ed, and Of his frequent visits to Berlin.
| He had entered a crack regiment, but
had been dismissed the army for forg-
Onment. Afterwards he had fallen in
| with a gang Of clever international
hotel thieves, and become what Is
known as a rat d'hotel. Now, because
Of personal grievance against the
emperor, who had ordered his prose-
cution, he seemed to have by some
secret means ferreted out every bit Of
scandal at Potsdam, exaggerated it, in
vented amazing additions, and in Sc
cret sown it broadcast.
His hand would have left no trace
If he had not been so indiscreet as to
to the Rue de Provence, where he had
rooms.
The Arrest Of General Won Trautmann.
On the third night following 1 stood
In the emperor's private room at Pots
dam and made my report, explaining
all that I knew and what l had wit
messed in Paris.
"That man knows a very great deal
but how does he known" snapped the
emperor. "See Schunke early tomor.
row." he ordered, land tell him to dis
cover the link between this young
blackguard and your friends the Brei-
tenbachs, and report to me-"
Next morning l sat with the astute
Schunke at the headquarters of the
detective police in Berlin, and there
discussed the affair fully, explaining
the result Of my journey to Paris and
what I had seen, and giving him the
order from the kaiser.
'But. count, If this woman Breiten-
bach and her daughter are your
friends, you will be able to visit them
and CLEAN something" he said.
II have distinct orders from the en-
peror not to visit them while the in
quiry is in progress" replied.
| Later that same morning I returned
to the Marmor palace to report to the
crown prince, but found that his high
ness was absent upon an official visit
Of inspection at Stuttgart.
In the meantime I several times saw
the great detective. Schunke, and
found that he was in constant commu-
nication with Baron Steinmetz in Paris.
The pair were evidently leaving no
stone unturned to elucidate the mys-
terry Of those annoying letters, which
were still falling as so many bombs
into the center Of the kaiser's court.
Suddenly. one Sunday night, all Ber-
lin was electrified at the news that
! General Won Trautmann, captain gen.
eral of-the palace guard-whom, truth
to tell, the crown prince had long Sc
cretly hated because he had once dared
to utter some word Of reproach-had
been arrested and sent to fortress at
the emperor's order.
| An hour after the arrest his majes-
tvs personal adjutant commanded me
by telephone to attend at the Berlin
Schloss. When we were alone, the
kaiser turned to me and said:
"Count Won Heltzendorff, you will
say nothing Of your recent visit to