The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-06-03

very naturally" / said. "Lantzsch
showed great want Of tact But,
your Majesty" 1 went on, al am per
turoed regarding the contents of the
alspatch-bag now on its way to Der
hn- Natzmer Is now travelling by
road TO Thronem, where he IL due at
noon tomorrow. Thence by rail he
will go down TO Christiania and on
by the destroyer awaiting him to
Hamburg. He will be in Berlin on
| Thursday"
! agree. The bag should be stop
PED said the Empress. yet l fear
what the Emperor may think II l
dare to assume this authority. Can
not you effect It by any other
means?"
stopping the DIEpateh-BaE.
had revealed to her some OF the
dismissals. There were insulting
notes addressed to the Imperial
Chancellor and also to the Crown
Prince. and an open declaration of
war to the French ambassador in
! Berlin:
Her majesty. in her gray silk gown,
sat there, pale and nervous. Some
body tapped at the door, but she re-
piled:
Il am engaged. Come later"
Il viii endeavor to do my best"
went on, providing that your majes-
ty will support me-"
II certainly will. These dispatches
must be stopped at all hazards" she
said. Cannot you yourself land and
Overtake the courier?"
1t was a Wild suggestion. Natzmer
had gone OF in the steam pinnace an
hour before, and the boat, returning,
had already been hauled up. l could
not step ashore for at least q couple
of hours. and then at some spot on
that rugged coast where l might be
compelled to drive by some circuitous
route by carriole down to Trondhjem.
Further. the Emperor would miss me,
and would consequently suspect
In a few brief sentences pointed
all this out to the Empress.
'Try-do try-for our empires sake"
she urged. 81 will assist you with
all nay efforts. You must arrive at
the imperial chancellerie prior to
these dispatches. The Emperor is not
himself. Count Won Heltzendorff. you
are a trusted servant of our house.
Into your hands I place the solution
Of this most difficult problem"
KaIserin Gives orders.
"will not your majesty allow me TO
wire in your name to our legation In
Christiania to recall the courier?" I
suggested. 81 will send a wireless
message which the minister, Won
Petsch. will receive within a couple of
hours. and watch will then be kept
for his arrival by train. To overtake
him now is, feel sure, impossible"
For the next few seconds the
KaIserin was undecided. To reverse
the orders OF her imperial husband
was almost more than she dared. In
her own sphere she was autocratic,
and ruled her court just as sternly
as did the Emperor rule his army.
But to override the Emperor!
"Yes." she said, after q few mo-
ments' further reflection. you are
quite right, count. ] give you orders
to act just as you wish. Please give
your commands in my name"
In a few seconds 1 had written
out an Imperial dispatch to be trans
mitted by wireless. and to this the
Empress, grave and sad-eyed, append |
ed her signature.
A quarter OF an hour later that
message to the German minister in
Christiania was being taken down
by the wireless operator at Lagesund,
in the Christiania Fjord.
Kaiser Strikes Captain.
That same evening. was reading
in my cabin when Rudolph Won Lam
tzsch, in the Uniform of the Red |
Hussars of Potsdam, entered. He
was tall, fair-haired. man. a typical |
Prussian cavalryman.
well Heltzendorft," he laughed, |
my remarks during the Emperor's |
sermon seem to have stirred up quite |
a lot OF trouble"
Trouble for yourself, I fancy, my |
dear comrade," I said.
well. after all. l only spoke the |
truth. Didn't he declare to us that |
he has been sent by Providence as |
the War Lord OF Europe: Why |
Helzendorff, any man who would talk |
like that Is crazy
HUSH I cried, starting up-the |
next second to find ourselves in the |
presence of the Kaiser himself.
We both started. staring at the
figure in naval uniform, pale and |
hollow-eyed. standing before us like
a sudden apparition.
Refuses To Retract.
$50 / know the opinion you hold of
your Emperor, Won Lantzsch!" his
majesty said very slowly, his gaze
fixed upon his assistant personal ad-
Jutant
Your majesty. have nothing to re-
tract" replied the Hussar.
"You declared me to be irrespons-
bile
For you words, your majesty: not
for your actions" was the cool retort.
The Emperor boiling over with
rage, for he had never before had
such plain words spoken to him, made
a spring forward and struck the cap
tain full in the face.
The latter, his cheeks scarlet. reeled
and cIutched at the table.
His FIRST impulse was TO hit back.
but. with self possession he drew him
self up, clicked his heels together,
and saluted without a word.
The Kaiser. his face white as paper,
turned and left the cabin.
! stood aghast.
Well" exclaimed Rudolph at last,
''he shall pay for that blow. even
though he be Emperor" and he strobe
out. leaving me speechless with sur
prise.
A few minutes later assembled to