The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-09-08

ing expressed sorrow.
what is It, dear?" asked her hus.
band, alphabetically.
Instead of replying, she handed him
letter. He recognized the fine hand
writing of the Countess Rosiny. 1t
read:
my dear Friends and Protectors:
Il am writing this to you both, as /
know you will be married when you
receive it. know you will receive all
kinds of presents, surprises and CON
CALCULATIONS, as you are both the be.
loved of your followers. But In order
to give more value to the kind wishes,
l have decided to tell you the truth,
the unvarnished, cruel truth.
Il wonder IL it will surprise you to
find that am, and have been In the
service of Count Won Werdenstein
You have been the kindest of hosts,
indeed, SO good that you made my task
really despicable but much easier.
Don't take this very seriously. Life
is made up of an equal portion OF
bad and good, and the end is always
the same, Death gathers us all in,
and puts in our places others who may
find pleasure In destroying all that We
have created. You both dream OF
world peace--I wish / could create
peace in my own heart! ~
Il admire you both, especially Ma
poleon, and for that reason, hate you
both, being unable to love you, as
there are no middle streams In my ma
ture.
There is no use of my telling you
what l intend to do; you win know It
soon enough, and you both will be
sorry that you ever met the unhappy
person whose name was, once, Rositta
Rosiny.
"And now, wish you all happiness,
until we meet again.
ROSETTA,
Princess of Schomburg Lithow."
Napoleon quietly folded the letter
and handed 1t back to Astra. He did
not seem disturbed at ALL He picked
up the envelope and saw the New
York postmark.
1T is clear. The countess has the
secret Of cirynith and, very likely. OF
the aerodromone."
But how did she get it?"
THAT remains to be seen. Werden-
stein evidently thinks that everything
is fair in love or war"
will you read me that other letter,
the one the Judge brought asked
Astra.
"Of course, dear. This is Mozrak's
communication. wonder what he has
to say" He opened the heavy enve-
lope and number of sheets fell to
the table.
ITO the President of the United Re
publics of America:
Since that unhappy event, in which
l was selected by Fate ss the instru-
ment of Death, have had many hours
to think clearly and to learn from my
inner self that 1t Is the rule Of LoHe.
and not the rule of Force thnt si7ok EJss
rule the world. / have set down the
following facts. so that your ladyship
shall know all the motive powers that
may govern human actions.
"The fact that my bullet went astray
is due, not 30 much to the quickness
of the great humanitarian and Ameri-
can patriot, Napoleon Edison, as to
the fact that beheld the Countess Rc-
siny in your company. A moment of
hesitation Is enough to Illustrate plans.
Her influence naturally, unintention-
ally saved your life, as my hand and
eye are always true. / am happy that
things turned out as they did.
Before explain why the countess
presence saved you (she has done.
however, Involuntary. at least one
good act in her life), want to tell you
that my name is not Mozrak, and am
not Russian.
My name is Aetzel Won Rothenberg.
and some years ago wore the uni-
form of the famous Red Hussars
Years ago, when on vacation trip,
l travelled through Italy; at that time
I could enjoy the great marvels Of Ma
ture. I was young and noble-thinking
and free On the shore of the Lago
di Maggiore I found destruction.
Il was tramping through the coun-
try with sketching outfit and let
people think me an artist. In a So
Guided and beautiful spot, from where
I had an uninterrupted view OF the
snow-coyered peaks of the Alps, and
wide vista of surroundings pine-cov-
cred land, struck my easel and began
work. A girl emerged from the only
path and walked toward me. | say q
girl, but ought to say vision. She
was the most bewitching creature
had ever seen.
She came to me fearlessly and
| greeted me in friendly way;
sketched her in my picture. Inside Of
an hour my fate was sealed, as had
fallen In love with her.
"ODe day near the end of my vaca,
| ton, I received an invitation to visit
the castle of the Rosinys. There
found her. She was married and had
a beautiful little girl about three years
old. She told me that she loved me,
that her husband was cruel to her. and
believed everything. We eloped--
and she made me traitor inside OF a
few weeks. i was entrusted with I'm.
portant secrets and l entrusted them
1 To her 7 loved har cot