The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-08-04


OF nervous fear, declared that he had
been sent off by his highness, and
had not since found any trace of him.
He spoke of the little silk bag, of
course, and attached great Importance
to it.
Within half an hour we had reOr-
ganized the beaters from the neighbor-
hood and, with lanterns, set out again
to examine some woods to the east
which had not been searched. About
ten o'clock we set forth, the countess
accompanying US and walking well,
Notwithstanding her age, though 1
could see that it was a fearful anxiety
that kept her active. To the men with
US every inch of the mountain side
was familiar, and for hours we
searched.
A Startling Discovery.
Suddenly, not far away, a horn was
blown, followed by loud shouts. Quick
| ~ we approached the spot, and Eek
hardt and myself, as we came up,
looked upon a strange scene. Close to
| the trunk of a great beech tree lay the
| form of the crown prince, hatIess, out
stretched upon his face.
Instantly 1 bent, tore open his
| shooting jacket, and to my great relief
| found that his heart was still beating.
He was, however, quite unconscious,
though there seemed no sign Of a
struggle. AS he had left his hat and
gun in the house, it seemed that he
had gone forth only for a moment.
And yet we were quite mile from the
forester's housed
The countess had thrown herself I'D
on her knees and strOked his brow ten
derby when 1 announced that he was
still living. By her actions 1 saw that
she was filed by some bitter self-re-
prOach.
With the lanterns shining around
him-surely a weird and remarkable
scene which would, if described by the
journalists, have caused a great SEN
satiOn in Europe crown prince
was brought slowly back to conscious
ness, until at last he sat up, dazed and
wondering.
His first words to me were:
''That fellow! Where is he7 That
that glass gIobeT"
An hour later he was comfortably In
bed in the great old-world room in the
castle, attended by a local doctor
upon whom set the seal of official 81
Ience-and before dawn he had COM
pletely recovered.
Yet, even to me, he declared that he
retained absolutely no knowledge OF
what had occurred.
81 went out quickly, and well,
don't know what happened" he told
me soon after dawn, as he lay in bed.
Strangely enough. he made no mention
of the man. Karl Krahl.
Later on he summoned the Countess
Won Kienitz, and for twenty minutes
or so he had an animated discussion |
with her. Being outside the room, how |
ever, I was unable to hear distinctly. |
Well, I succeeded, by brides and |
threats, in hushing up the whole affair |
and keeping it out of the papers, while |
by those who knew Of the incident IT /
was soon forgotten.
Karl KrahI Again.
1 suppose it must have been fully |
three months later when one evening, /
having taken some documents over to /
the emperor for signature at the Berlin |
schloss, 1 returned to the princes pri- /
f&LC LODAu IL AAC RcAlANNr WHICH, ~ Als
great surprise, 1 found the man Karl
Krahl seated there. He looked very
pale and worn, quite unlike the rather
athletic figure he presented at the for
ester's house.
IF you still refuse to tell me the
truth, then 1 shall take my OWL meas
ures to find out-severe measures! So
1 give you full warning" the crown
prince was declaring angrily, as 1 en-
tered SD Unexpectedly.
did not withdraw, pretending not
to notice the presence OF a visitor,
therefore his highness himself beck
oned ths young man, who followed him
down the corridor to another room.
The whole affair was most puzzling.
What had happened on that afternoon
In the Harz mountains 1 could not at
all imagine. By what means had his
highneSs been rendered unconscious,
and what part could the little old
countess have played In the curious
a6air3
In about half an hour the crown
prince returned IN a palpabIy bad hu-
NOR and. hinging himself into his
chair, wrote = long letter, which he
addressed to Countess Won KienItz. !
This ne sealed carefully and ordered
Ens g take it at once to the Stuler-