Middletown transcript., 1917-08-04

on friendly terms with her, and many
times saw them chatting together as
though exchanging condolences. Why?
His highness, usually so utterly pig
gish toward ladies, given to snubbing
even the hmighesth-born in the empire,
was always smiling and gracious to-
wards her.
II can't make it out" declared Won
Behr, the chamberlain du service, to
me one day two months later. 'The
old woman has the most complete con-
troll over her highness. Because she
was averse to the journey we are not
going to Norway this year. Besides,
since her appointment, she has sue
ceeded in plotting the dismissal Of both
Countess Won Scheet-Plessen and
Countess Won Brockdorff.'"
81 know" l replied. / had been dis
cussing it only few hours before with
Major Won Amsberg, aide-de-camp Of
the Prince Eitel Frederic. and he, too,
had expressed himself mystified with
the mysterious power exercised by the
old woman in the yellow wig.
A Conversation in Italian.
One evening went to the countess
house in the Stulerstrasse to dinner
party, at which there were present the
crown prince, Admiral Won Spec from
Kiel and Won Hberg, the emperor's doc
tor, together with the old Duke Won
Trachenberg, who held the honorary
and out-of-date Office of grand cup
bearer to the emperor, and the eternal
"Uncle" Zeppelin. With us were a
number Of ladies. including their Sc
rene highnesses, the Princess Won Ra-
dolin and the Duchess Won Ratibor,
both ladies Of the court of the kaiser
in, and several others Of the ultra
smart set.
After the meal there was small
dance, and about midnight, after
waltzing with pretty girl, the daugh-
ter of the Baron Won Heintze- Weissen-
rode, we strolled together into the fine
winter garden, with its high palms.
it's FLASHING fountains and its cunning
ly secreted electric lights.
Two persons were approaching
somewhere behind US, conversing in
Italian-a man and woman.
"Hush !" 1 whispered mischievOusly.
Listen! Do you know Italian?"
ALAS! no." was her reply. "Do
you"
did not answer, for had already
recognized the voices as those Of our
hostess and the crown prince.
Next moment, however, my compan-
ions quick ears caught that unmistak-
able squeaky voice.
"Why, it's the countess!" she ex-
claimed
His highness and the little old lady
in-waiting seated themselves out OF
sight a short distance away and con-
tinued a very confidential discussion
in an undertone in the language in
which, after German, happen per-
haps to be most proficient.
The pair were discussing somebody
named Karl Krahl.
81 saw the emperor today declared
the old woman, in her sibilant Italian,
undoubtedly so that no one should I'M
derstand, for Italian is seldom spoken
In Germany. "His majesty shares my
views now, though he did not do so at
first. Indeed, 1 was very near being
dismissed in disgrace when first
hn ffafp Puf fortuna fQIV
he now knows the truth and sees the
advantage of-well, you know, eh?"
"Certo, contessa," replied the crown
prince, who speaks Italian extremely
well. II quite foresee the peril and
the force of your argument"
GLOW shall we act2" asked the old
woman. 1T remains for you to devise
a plan. At any moment matters may
approach a crisis. One can never &C
count for the condolences exchanged by
those who love each other. And, re-
member, Krahl Is in love-"
The crown prince grunted, but as
several couples entered at that mo-
ment the pair broke off their confden-
tial chat and, rising, went out to-
gether.
Who was this Karl Krahl?
I searched various directories, lists
of persons engaged in the government
offices in the Wilhelmstrasse, the
Liepzigerstrasse and Inter den Lin
| den; consulted the director of Berlin
police. Won Jagow; the well-known De-
tective Schunke and Heinrich Wese-
ner, assistant director Of the secret
service of the general staff; but no
body knew Karl Krahl. There seemed
to be no record Of him anywhere.
An Unexpected Caller.
In October I accompanied his i'm
perial highness to BaIlenstedt, the
beautiful schloss in the Harz noun
tains. Here once or twice each season
the crown princes habit was to invite
few Of his most intimate chums to
shoot in the forests Of Stecklenberg
and the Lauenberg, and along that
curious sandstone ridge known as the
Teufelsmauer, or Devils WALL"
The guns consisted Of five well
known officers from Berlin, together
with Doctor Zeising, the master gen
eral of forests, and Lieutenant Gen
eral Won Oertzen, the fat old inspector
general Of cavalry. AS usual, we al
had most enjoyable time.
| On the third day, after champagne
luncheon taken at the forester's little
house at Neue Schenke, we were about
to resume our sport. Indeed, all the
guests had gone outside, preparing tt
90 to their allotted stations, when thu
head forester entered and, addressing
the crown prince, said:
"There is man to see your imperia
highness and refuses to leave. HI
gives his name as Karl Krahl."