Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-06-22
NDORFF TO WILLIAM LEQUEUX

took one and examined it, wondering |
whether it could be the correspondence |
which the crown prince had been so
eager to show Count Won Zeppelin in
secret.
1 drew the letter from the envelope
and scanned it rapidly.
What 1 read caused me to hold my
breath. The signature to the letters
was ENID Won Leutenberg."
Those letters of hers had, it was
plain, been seized in the post on their
way to London. The countess either
had traitor in her household or secret
watch was being kept by the secret
service upon her correspondence.
All three of those letters l read
letters which opened my eyes and
broadened my mind. Then, taking up
my bundle of reports, l crept away
from the room, carefully re-latching
the door. intended that his highness
should return, discover the letters left
there inadvertently, and put them
away ere my arrival, in which case
he would never suspect that l had any
knowledge of their contents.
With the papers in my hand passed
along the many carpeted corridors to
the south wing of the palace, where
l found TreSternitZ, marshal of the
princes court, in his room.
The crown prince initiated his ia
chs 7
knew that he would be there at seven
or soon afterward.
Tresternitz was always full of scan
dal concerning those who lived in the
higher circles of Berlin, and it was to
one of these stories of court scandal
concerning one of the ladies-in-waiting
which l listened while l smoked one
of his excellent Russian cigarettes.
Then, glancing at the clock, rose
suddenly and left him, returning again
to the private room.
l found his highness there, and as
l entered noticed that he had hidden
those remarkable letters which he had
in secret shown to Count Zeppelin.
ty Friend"
A fortnight went past. The kaiser.
with his mad love of constant travel,
had been rushing up and down the en-
pire-to Krupp's at Essen, to the trials
of a newly invented howitzer, thence
to an inspection at Kassel, and after
ward to unveil monuments at Cologne
and at Erfurt. The crown prince and
princess had accompanied him, the
kaiserin being indisposed, and /, of
course, had been included in "Willie's"
suite.
The week had been a strenuous one
of train travel, luncheons, firing din
ners, receptions, dancing, and general
junketings, and l was glad enough to
get back to my bachelor rooms-those
rooms in the Krausenstrasse that you
knew so well before the bursting of the
war cloud. To dance attendance upon
an imperial crown prince, as well as
upon an autOcratic emperor, becomes
after a time a wearisome business,
however gay and cosmopolitan a man
may be.
had only been at home few hours
when telephone message summoned
me at five o'clock to the crown princes
palace.
His imperial highness, who had, l
knew, been lunching with the emperor
at the Konigliches Schloss across the
bridge, seemed unusually serious and
thoughtful. Perhaps the emperor had
again shown his anger at his peccadil-
loes, as he did so frequently.
Count" he said, after few seconds
of silence, during which 1 noted that
upon his table lay private letter from
| the German ambassador in London,
''You will recall my conversation re-
garding the Countess Won Leutenberg
-eh?"
Perfectly" was my reply.
Il told you that I should require
you to introduce me-" he said. "Well
1 want you to do so this evening. she
has taken a box at the Konigliche
Opera tonight, where they are to play
| 'Falstaff.' l shall be there, and you
will be with me. Then you will in
troduce me to your pretty friend. Un
derstand"
A Puzzling Sentence.
That night, in accordance with my
instructions, 1 sat in the emperors boz
with the crown prince, Tresternitz
and two personal adjutants, and, rec
ognizing the Countess Won Leutenbers
in box opposite, accompanied by al
elderly lady, 1 took the crown prince
round, and there presented her to him
greatly to her surprise and undisguiset
delight.
The prince and the countess chatteC
together, while / sat with her elderl,
companion. Then, when we had with
drawn, my imperial master exclaimed
"Ah! my dear Heltzendorff. Why
she is one of the prettiest women il
all Berlin! Surely it is unfortunate
most unfortunate"
What was unfortunate? 1 was fur
ther puzzled by that last sentence, We
I dare not ask any explanation, ant
we went back to our own box.
AIleE Ouf return u lne palace tlI
crown prince, who was standing in on,
of the corridors talking with the slim
fair-haired Baroness Won Wedel, on
of his wife's ladies-in-waiting, left he
and beckoned me into an adjoinin,
room.
Il wish you, HeltZendorff, to cal
upon the Countess Won Leutenberg a
nine o'clock tomorrow evening. Sh
will expect you"
looked at his highness, much puz
zled. How did he know that the prett
countess would expect me?
But he gave me no time to reply
merely turning upon his heel, an
| striding down the corridor to the pr
vate apartments.
"You Are Witness He Has Drawn Hi
Sword Upon the Heir to the
| Throne"
, Punctually at nine o'clock that wir
= try evening l called at the Lennt
strasse, but Josef, the elderly maj
l cTpANHE VIEMc 0E MkDpIAc,