Middletown transcript., 1917-08-04

Krahl-one of the party discovered,
lying upon the ledge Of the window, a
lady's small and rather elegant hand
bag of black MORE silk.
"Halloa!" I cried, when he held 1t
up for inspection. "This reveals to us
one fact-a woman has been here"
I opened the bag, and within found
a small lawn handkerchief with a coro-
net embroidered in its corner, tiny
tortoise-shell mirror and four one-hun.
dred-mark notes, but no clue whatever
as to its owner.
The mystery was increasing hourly,
but the gay party, knowing "Willie's''
susceptibility where the fair sex was
concerned, only laughed and declared
that his highness would assuredly turn
up before the evening was over.
Truth to tell, did not like the situa-
ton. His highness' disappearance was
now known to fifty or so persons
heaters and others, and feared lest
it might get into the Berlin papers,
With that object called them together
and impressed upon them that most
complete silence must be maintained
regarding the affair.
Then Knot drove me alone back to
the schloss. 1 wondered If his high
ness, wishing to get away unobserved,
returning in secret there, had left me
a written message in his room. He
had done that on one occasion before,
I dashed up to the small, old-world
room which by day overlooked the ro-
mantle and picturesque valley, but
upon the table whereat I had been
writing early that morning there was
nothing.
The Countess Won kienitz.
As I turned to leave heard foot
step, and next instant saw the little
deformed old countess facing me.
Her appearance quite startled me.
Apparently she had just arrived, for
she was In a dark blue bonnet and
warm travelling coat.
"Ah! Count Won Heltzendorff !" she
cried in that squeaky, high-pitched
voice of hers. us his imperial high
ness here? must see him Immediate
ly."
"No, countess. His imperial high.
ness is not here" was my reply. ''This
afternoon he mysteriously disappeared
from the forester's lodge at Neue
Schenke, and we are unable to trace
him."
Disappeared! gasped the old lady,
instantly pale and agitated.
yes" I said, looking her straight in
the face.
do you know whether he had Wis
itor tOday-a young, dark-haired
MANI"
"He had. countess. A man called
and saw him. At his highness' request
I left him alone with his visitor at the
forester's house. The mans name was
Karl Krahl."
"How do you know his manner" she
asked, staring at me with an express
sion of distinct suspicion.
"Because-well, because 1 happen
to have learnt it some time ago."
said. "And, further. on returning to
the house we found this little bag In
the room wherein l had left the crown
prince"
"Why!-a lady's bagw she ex-
claimed as 1 held it out for inspection.
"Yes," I said in somewhat hard
tone. 'Do you happen to recognize
itT
"Me? Why?" asked the old woman.
"Well, because think it is your own
property" said. II have some recol-
lection Of having seen it in your
hand!"
She took it, examined 1t we'll and
then. with an artificial laugh, declared
ut certainly is not mine. 1 once
had bag very similar, but mine was
not Of such good quality"
care you really quite certain, count.
ess?" 1 demanded.
quite" she declared. "But why
trouble about that bag while there is a
point much more important-the safety
and whereabouts Of his imperial high
ness?" she went on in a great state of
agitation. "Tell me, count, exactly
what occurred-as far as you know"
1 recounted to her the facts just as
they have already been written down
and as I did so watched her face, no
ticing upon it an expression full of sus-
picion of myself. She was, it seemed
to me, undecided as to the exact extent
Of my knowledge.
"How did you know that the young
mans name was Krahl?" she asked
eagerly. "You had perhaps. met him
before-eh?"
The Search.
To this leading question maintained
sphinxlike silence. That the little
old woman who had so unexpectedly
become a lady-in-waiting was playing
some desperate double game felt
sure, but its exact import was still an
enigma.
I'm any case" she said, would II
not be as well to return to the Neue
Schenke and make seardhY
smiled. Then, n der to let bel