The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-08-24

at the Post Restante at Marseilles, Ell ?
H'm-IlI think 1t over
Late In the afternoon, two days la
ter, his hlghness, who had been walk
ing alone, returned to the villa with
stranger, a tall rather thin, fair
haired man, undoubtedly German
and the pair were closeted together,
holding counsel evidently for consid-
cradle time. Where his highness met
him / knew not, but when later on
entered the room saw that the pair
were on quite friendly terms
His highness addressed him MS Herr
Schafer, and when he had left he told
me that he was from the Wilhelm
strasse and had been attached to the
embassy at Washington, and after
wards in London, ''for affairs of the
press"
Whatever was In progress was a
strict secret between the pair. The
more saw of Hans Schafer the more
and | could see that he was very
clever and cunning person.
| For full fortnight the crown prince
and the man Schafer were almost in
separable. Was it for the purpose of
meeting Schafer that he had gone to
Nice? The man had been back from
London about two months and had, /
learnt, been lately living in Paris.
One evening while strolling along
the tree-lined Promenade DIES Anglais
suddenly encountered Julie de Rou-
vile, dressed in mourning, quiet, pa
thetic figure, just as we had last met.
/ instantly recollected that since the
evening when / had given her photo
graph to the crown prince he had
never mentioned her.
"Ah, count!" she cried. "Tkis is
indeed, a welcome meetingl I have
been looking out for you for the past
two days."
I've been staying over at Cannes"
was my reply. "Well?"
II have to thank you for giving my
photograph and message to his high
ness" she said.
II trust that the crown prince has
written you-eh?"
swell, no" was her rather vague
reply.
"Then how are you aware that 1
gave your message"
She shook her head and smiled.
II had my own means of discovery.
By certain signs l knew you had car
ried out your promise" she said "But
as have heard nothing, I wish you to
deliver another message-a very urgent
one. Tell him I must see him, for
dread daily lest the truth of the
kaiser's real intentions be known at
the Quai d'Orsay."
Certainly" was my reply. II will
deliver your message this evening"
Tell him that my sole desire is to
act in the interests of the emperor and
himself" she urged.
but, forgive me-" I said, II cannot
see why you should interest yourself
in the crown prince If he declines to
communicate with YOU"
II have my reasons, Count Won Helt-
zeRdorff," was her rather naughty re-
ply. "Please tell him that the matter
will not brook further delay
| | had seen in the London newspa-
pers during the past week how eagerly
the English journalists, with the dust
cast into their eyes, were blindly advo-
eating that the British public should
welcome the great German national
movement, headed by Baron Won Cess
! Ter, supported by Ballin, Delbruck
and Won Wedel. with the hearty COOP
| Grafton of the emperor and the imperi-
al Characteristic movement to estab-
fish better relations with Great Bri-
| tain.
knew that the secret should at all
hazards be kept, and that night / told
the crown prince Of my second meet
Ing with the pretty woman in black
and her urgent request.
| He laughed, but made no remark.
Yet knew by his tone that he was not
so easy in his mind as he desired me to
believe.
1t also seemed strange why, if the
| young Frenchwoman was so DESTROYS
of meeting him, she did not call at the
| villa.
About q week later it suddenly oc-
! Cured to me to endeavor to discover
the real identity of the lady in black,
but as | was not certain whether she
actually lived in Nice it was rather
difficult. Nevertheless, by invoking
the aid of my friend Belabre, inspector
of the Surete of Nice, and after wait
ing few days l made an astounding
discovery, namely, that the lady who
called herself De Rouville was an tia
liam cafe concert singer named Irene
Speroni-the woman who had aroused
the jealousy of the crown princess!
And she knew that important state Sc
cret of Germany!
The situation was most serious
one. felt it my duty to mention my
discovery to his highness, when, to my
surprise, he was not in the least angry.
He merely said:
st is true. Heltzendorff-tru what
/ the crown princess declared-tbat T