The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1917-07-14


most certainly carry out his threat
against me-"
"Contrive to have him arrested upon
some charge or other" Karl suggested.
"If I did he would produce the evil
dence against me-" declared the crown
prince.
A silence then fell between the pair.
Suddenly Karl asked:
"Does Won Heltzendorff known"
"He knows nothing" vas "Willie's'
answer. "The emperor questioned him,
but he was in ignorance of Minckwitz's
existence. He vas naturally surprised,
but I did not regard it as judicious to
enlighten him."
"He is your confidential adjutant. If
/ were you, 1 should tell him the
truth. No time should be lost, re-
member"
Then, after a few seconds of silence,
Won Pappenheim went on:
"Why, I never thought of it! My
sister Marguerite knows Minckwitz.
She might perhaps be useful to US
eh?'
"Why, yes!" cried "Willie," "a wom-
an can frequently accomplish a thing
where q man would fail. A most ex-
cellent idea. Let us leave the others
to their sport and get back to the
schloss and discuss a line of action
eh?"
And in agreement, the pair emerged
from their ambush, and retraced their
steps along the path they had come.
A Message From the Emperor.
Next evening Won Pappenheim's sis
ter Marguerite, fair-haired, petite and
rather doll-like, arrived at the castle.
During dinner an imperial courier
arrived from Berlin with a letter from
the emperor, and "Willie" opened it,
read it, and then, excusing himself,
left the table. I rose and followed
the room, his highness sent me back,
saying in a thick, husky voice:
81 shall not want you, Won Heltzen-
dorff; I will write the reply myself"
On my return the guests were dis
cussing the effect of the emperor's
message upon their host, Won Pappen-
helm being particularly anxious. He
said something in a low voice to his
sister, when the latter became at once
thoughtful. Indeed, the remainder of
the meal was a very dull affair, and
it was with relief that we rose and
went out into the big ancient hall,
with it's vaulted ceiling, where coffee
was always served.
The courier had left on his return
journey to the capital, yet "Willie' did
not again reappear. At eleven o'clock
I found him lying in a heavy sleep
upon the sofa in the room set apart
for me for my writing.
l called his faithful valet, and to-
gether we half-carried him to his room,
where he was undressed and put to
bed. Hardly had I returned to my
room, when Won Pappenheim entered
in search of his host.
"His highness is not well, and has
retired to his ROOM" I said. HE ex-
pressed a desire to see nobody to-
night"
"Ohl" he cried in despair. "Why
did he not see me and tell me the
truth Precious hours are flying, and
we must act if the situation is to be
saved"
"What sit%uation?" I asked, in pre-
tended ignorance.
"You know nothing, Won Heltzen-
dorff, eh?" he asked, looking me
straight in the face.
"Nothing," was my reply.
"You have no knowledge of the trap
into which the crown prince fell when
he was in Paris with you six months
ago, and when he and 1 first metz"
ga trap! What do you mean?"
"Has he told you nothing?"
mot a syllable"
"Ahl Then | cannot be frank with
you until / obtain his highness' per-
mission. He told me that you knew
nothing, but I did not believe it. Know
ing well what implicit confidence he
places in you, I believed that you knew
the CHASTITY truth"
Into what trap had "WilIie" fallen
during our last visit to Paris l could
not conceive. His constant absences
alone, his terrible craving for excite
ment, his wild and reckless search for
pleasure had ever been a source of
anxiety to me. Times without number
had / lifted a warning finger, only to