Tombstone epitaph., 1917-07-01
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STARTLING EXPOSURE OF INNER LIFE KAISER AND CROWN PRINCE AS TOLD BY COUNT ERNST WON HETZDORFF TO WILLIAM LEQlEX

The effect of my words was almost electrical. He sat up, staring at me, almost dazed at my statement.
 Tt is true. Heltzendorff. Alas True!" he replied. But he would even then give me no inkling of the reason of his fear.
 If this Herr Minckwitz means mis- chief, then surely 1t would be easy to secure his arrest for some offense or other. .and you need not appear in it," suggested.
 I've thought of all that. But if the police lay hands upon him. then he will revenge himself on me. He will carry out his threat-and-and. Heltzendorff. could never hold up my head again."
 "Why?"
 .I can't be more explicit. I'm In a hold. and I cannot extricate myself"
 I reflected for a moment. Then l said:
 You appear to fear some action of Minckwitz's. If that is so. will return to Hanover and watch. If there is any hostile intent. I will endeavor to prevent 1t. Fortunately. he does not know me-"
 Next night I was back again in Han- over. having stopped in Berlin to pick up 8 friend of mine upon whose discretion could rely implicitly-a re- tired member of the detective force, named Hartwieg. Together we start ed to watch the movements of the mys- terious Polish musician. and to our surprise we found that he had three friends. one a furrier living in the Burgstrasse. who visited him regular ly each evening. They always ar rived at the same hour, and generally left about eleven o'clock. Through five days we kept watch, alternately close ly shadowing the man who called him. self Sembach. and becoming acquaint- ed with his friends. most of whom seemed of a very queer set.
 A Strange Purchase.
 There was no doubt that Minckwitz and the two young women were asso- ciates of some criminal gang. and, further. I was staggered one evening to watch the arrival at the house of a young man whom I recognized as Brosch, an under-valet of the emperor at the Neues Palais.
 For what reason had he come from Potsdam?
 He remained there till noon on the following day. When he emerged, ac- companied by Minckwitz. the pair went into the city, and we followed. when, curiously enough, came face to face with Won Pappenheim's sister, who was apparently there for the same purpose as myself! Happily. she was too intent in her conversation with Minckwitz. whom she met as though accidentally. to notice my presence.
 Then. at last. the musician raised his hat and left her, rejoining the young man, Brosch.
 The pair went to a bookshop in the Herschedstrasse, and presently, when they came forth again. Brosch was car rying a good-sized volume wrapped In brown paper.
 My curiosity was aroused. Therefore I went into the shop. made purchase, and learned from the shopman that the younger of the pair had purchased a well-knOwn German reference book, Professor Nebendahls Dictionary of Classical Quotations"
 Strange that such a book should be purchased by an under-valet!
 Leaving the detective, Hartwieg. to watch, took the next train to Pots dam, where I was fortunate enough to find the emperor giving audience to the imperial chancellor. At the conclu- sion of the audience. I sought, and was accorded, a private interview, at which I recalled his majesty's anxiety to as- certain something regarding the man Minckwitz.
 "well-and have you found himr asked the emperor, very eagerly.
 The Emperor Showed Me Letter.
 I replied in the affirmative. Then he told me something which held me breathless, for, unlocking a drawer, he showed me an anonymous letter of warning he had received, a letter whfth, posted In Paris. stated that an attempt was to be made upon his life, and limiting that the crown prince might be aware of it.
 "Of course" he laughed, q do not regard it seriously. but I thought we ought to know the whereabouts of this man Minckwitz, who Is probably an anarchist"
 "win your majesty leave the mat ter entirely in my handsY I suggested. "The police must not be informed"
 'It shall be as you wish. give you authority to act just as you deem best, if you really anticipate danger"
 T do anticipate it," replied, and a few minutes later bowed myself out of the imperial presence.
 During that day I idled about the palace, gossiping with the ofhcials and danes du palais, awaiting the return of the young man Brosch. That night he did not come back, but he arrived at the palace about seven o'clock on the following morning. The head valet was furious at hls absence, but the young man made a very plausible ex- cuse that his sister out at Lichtenberg was very dangerously III.