Tombstone epitaph., 1917-07-01

one.
 On . Secret Mission for the Crown
 Prince.
 Next day, soon after his highness was dressed. he entered my room.
 "Heltzendorff," he said. T have been chatting with von Pappenheim and his sister upon a little matter of busi- ness which closely concerns myself. I want you to leave in an hours time and go to Hanover. In the Kirchroder strasse. No. Is. out at Kleefeld, there lives a certain man named Minckwitz "a Pole by birth. He has two nieces one about twenty and the other two years older. With them you have no concern All I want Is that you en- gage a photographer, or, better, your self take snapshot of this man Minckwitz. and bring 1t to me. Be discreet and trust no one with the se- cret of your journey"
 Exactly. There is a doubt as to the mans identity. eh?'
 "willie" nodded in the affirmative.
 Satisfied that I should at last see the mysterious person whose identity the emperor wished to establish. set out from Gels on my long journey right across Germany.
 Tn due course I arrived in Hanover. and found the house situated In the pleasant suburb. Here I found that "WillIe's" suspicious were correct, and the man Minckwitz was living under the name of Sembach and pretending to be a musician. I watched, and very soon, with my own camera, in secret took snapshot of the mysterious in- dividual as he walked in the street. With this left, two days later, on my return to Oels.
 The photograph was that of thin. narrow-faced, deep-eyed man. with a scraggy, pointed beard-a typical Pole, and when I handed It to willie" he held his breath.
 Look" he cried. turning to von Pappenheim and his sister. who were both present. Look! There is no mistake, That is the man. What shall we do? No time must be lost. How can I actT'
 A Talk With Won Pappenheim's Sister. Brother and sister exchanged glances blankly. From inquiries I had made In Hanover. it seemed that the man was a stranger. a music-master, who had arrived there about a month ago. I feared to make inquiry through the police. because my official capacity as personal adjutant to the crown prince was too well known, and suspicion might have thus been aroused.
 The trio again held secret counsel, but I was not told the nature of their deliberations. All I knew was that the crown prince was in some terrible and most dangerous difficulty.
 That afternoon I met the girl Mar garete walking alone in the grounds near the schloss. The autumn sun was pleasant. though there was sharp nip in the air, which told of the coming of the early Silesian winter.
 We had walked together for some distance. when suddenly halted and asked her point-blank why they were all in such great fear of Herr Minck- witz.
 She started, staring at me with her big blue eyes.
 Ills highness has not told you, count. Therefore. it would Ill become me to reveal his secret" was her cold rebuke.
 "But If the situation Is so grave, and If had been intrusted with the secret mission to Hanover, I may, perhaps. be of service in the matter. I understand you are acquainted with Herr Minckwitz. alias Sembach-ehr
 "Who told you thatr
 Nobody. learned it myself" an- swered, with a smile.
 For a second she reflected, then, with a woman's clevernesa she said ::
 q can tell you nothing. Ask the crown prince himself" And she re- fused to discuss the matter further. Indeed, she left the castle two hours later.
 The Crown prince's Fear.
 That night I went boldly to ''willie," !" finding him alone in a little circular room in one of the towers of the castle, to which he often retired to smoke and snooze
 stood before him, and without mincing matters. told him what had overheard. and all I knew,