Middletown transcript., 1917-07-28

variably did so in the presence OF
strangers.
"Those accursed women!" he cried,
"Ah, HeItzenderf, when q woman Is
in love she will defy even satan him
self! And yet they are fools, these
women, for they are in ignorance OF
the irresistible power of our imperial
house. The enemies of the HOhenzol-
lernS are as cloud of gnats on sum-
mer's night. The dew comes, and they
are no more. 1t is a pity. Has not
one of our greatest German philosO-
piers written: 1T is no use breathing
against the wind?"
"True," I said. "But, surely, it is
a nuisance to be followed and worried
by that little English girl %
Worried! Yes. You are quite
right, my dear Heltzendorff. But
do not mind worry, if it is in the in
terests of Prussia, and Of our house
Of HOhenZollern. l admit the girl
though distinctly pretty, is most ir-
responsible person. She does not ap'
peal to me, but 1 am compelled to hui
NOR her, because l have a certain OBJ
ject in view."
1 could not 60 further, or I might
have betrayed the knowledge l had
gained by eavesdrOpping.
81 was surprised that she should
turn up here, in Ostend," said.
II had written to her. I expected
her."
"She does not know your real rank
or station?"
mo. To her I am merely Herr Emil
Richter, whom she first met away In
the country. She was a tourist, and ]
was Captain Emil Richter of the Prus-
sian Guards. We met while you were
away on holiday at Vienna"
I was anxious to learn something
about Miss Kings brother, but willie
was generally discreet, and at that mo.
ment unusually SO. One fact was plain
however. that some secret report pre-.
sented to the emperor had been shown
to her. Why? wondered if his high
ness had been successful in coercing
her into acting as he desired.
Certainly the girls attitude as she
had left the hotel went to show that
in the contest, she had won by hel
woman's keen wit and foresight.
A fortnight afterwards we were back
again at Potsdam.
A Surprise Package for "WiIIie."
About three months passed. The
crown prince had accompanied the EN-.
peror to shoot on the Glatzer Gebirge
that wild mountainous district beyond
Breslau. For a week we had been
staying at great, high-up prisonlike
schlOss, the ancestral home of Prince
Ludwig Lichtenau, in the Wolfels
grund.
The emperor and his suite had
left, and our host had been suddenly
called to Berlin by telegram, his
daughter having been i'll. Therefore
the crown prince and we of the suite
had remained for some further sport
On the day after the emperor's de
parture 1 had spent the afternoon ir
small paneled room which over
looked deep mountain gorge, anG
which had been given up to me fol
work. was busy with correspond
ence when the courier from POtsdam
entered and gave me the battered
leather pouch containing the crown
princes letters. Having unlocked il
with my key, found among the cor
respOndence a small square packet ad
dressed to his imperial highness, and
marked private"
''Now, fearing bombs or attempts by
other means upon his sons life, the
emperor had commanded me always tt
open packets addressed to him. This
one. however, being marked private,
and, moreover, the inscription being
in feminine hand, 1 decided to await
his highness' return.
When at last he came in, wet anG
muddy after long days sport,
showed him the packet. With a care
less air he said: "Oh, open it, Helt
zendorff. Open all packets, whether
marked private or not"
81 obeyed, and to my surprise found
within the paper a small leather-cOv
cred jewel case, in which, reposinl
upon q bed of dark blue velvet, was
the beautiful ornament which 1 hat
admired at the throat Of the fair
haired British girl-the golden butter
fly.
1 handed it to his highness just a:
he was taking cigarette from the boz
on side table.
The sight of it electrified him. 81,
held his breath, standing for a few
seconds staring at it as though HI
were gazing upon some specter. Hi!
countenance was as white as paper.
"When did that arrive?" he man
aged to ask, in a hoarse voice, which
showed how completely sight of it hat
upset him.
"This afternoon. It was in the cou
rier's pouch from Potsdam."
"If the Truth Came Out"
He seemed highly nervous, and a
the same time extremely puzzled. Re