New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1917-08-17


We had been busy arranging n pro-
gram of official visits in eastern Ger
many, when suddenly the crown prin-
cess entered, pale with anger and de-
manded fiercely ar explanation of a
certain anonymous letter which she
held in her hand.
"Kindly read tina" she said haugh-
tily, "and explain what 1t means"
The row prince grinned, that cold
sinister expression overspreading his
cOuntenance, II look which Is such Il
marked characteristic of his.
Then, almost snatching the letter
from his young wife's fingers, he read
1t through. and with a sudden move
ment tore 1t up and flung it upon the
carpet, saying:
II refuse to discuss any unsigned
letter! Really, if we We're to notice
every letter written by the common
cum we should, indeed, have sufficient
to do"
His wife's arched brows narrowed.
Her face betrayed fiercest anger.
81 happen t. have inquired. and !
now know that those allegations are
correct!' she cried. This dark haired
singer-woman, Irene Speroni, has OBJ
tanned great succes on the variety
stage in Italy. She is the star Of the
Sala Margherita in Rome"
"WellY" he asked in defiance. "And
what Of it, pray?
THAT letter you have destroyed tells
me the truth. l received 1t a few
days ago, and sem an agent to Italy
in order to learn the truth. He has
returned tonight. See!' And sud-
denly she produced a crumpled snap
shot photograph of the crown prince
in his polo-playing garb. and with him
a smartly-dressed young woman,
whose features We're in the shadow.
"Yes," she cried bitterly. "You re-
fuse, of course, to look upon this piece
of evidence! l now know why you
went to Wiesbaden. The wOman was
singing there, and you gave her a pair
of emerald and diamond earrings
which you purchased from Vollgold
in Inter den Linden. See! Here is
the bill for them !"
And again she produced a slip of
paper.
The scene ended in the poor woman,
in Il frantic parOXysm of despair, tear
Ing off the splendid necklet Of dia-
monds at her thrOat-his present to
her on their marriage-and casting 1t
full into his face.
Then, realizing that the scene had
become too tragic, | took her small
hand, and, with Il word of sympathy,
led her out of the room and along the
corridor.
AS left her she burst into a sudden
Of tears; yet when | returned
again to the crown prince found his
manner had entirely changed. He
his wife's natural resentment
md Indignation as a huge joke. and it
then that his imperial highness
declared to me-:
"Cilli Is u fool"
Listen, Heltzendorlf," his highness
suddenly. in Nice l may
disappear for Il day or two. ! may be
missing. But if l am, please don't
n fuss about it. I'm incognito,
ind nobody will know. l may be alb
for seven days. If l am not back
by that time then you may make in
But the Commissary of Police Eek
ardt! He will surely know l re-
married. in surprise.
mo. He won't know. l shall evade
him us 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-
Die friend. Tell him not to worry, and
ne will be paid a thousand marks on
he day Count vOn Grunau reappears."
l smiled, for l saw the influence Of
he eternal feminine.
"No, HeltzendOrff. You are quite
Mistaken" he said, reading my
thoughts. "There is no lady in this
.ase. l am out here for secret pur-
,oses of my own. For that reason l
AXE you into my confidence rather
han that unnecessary inquiry should
,e made and some Of those internal
journalists get hold of the fact that
he Count Won Grunau and the crown
Prince are one and the same person. l
vas Il fool to take this salon. l ought
o have Travelled as an ordinary pas
ienger, l know, but" he laughed, this
S really comfortable and, after all,
What do we care what the world thinks
-eh? Surely we al afford to laugh
t it when all the honors of the game
re already in our hands,"
His words mystified me, but l be-
anne ever more mystified by his &C.
ions a few days later.
l was in ignorance that a fortnight
'efore Hermann Hardt, one of his
ighness' couriers. had left POtsdam
nd on arrival at Nice had rented for
hree months the fine Villa Lilas.
We soon settled there and on the
of our arrival l accompanied
he crown prince down into the town
the Jetee promenade.
We smoked together and chatted, as
re often did when his imperial high
ess became bored. l was still mysti-
ed why we had come to the Riviera
0 early in the season.
Yet our coming had, no doubt, been
signaled, because within half
n hour of our arrival at the Villa
ilas a short, stout old Frenchman,
18th white, bristly hair-who l af-
found out was Monsieur Paul