, 1917-07-19


day evening, and we will dine to-
getffer."
"But I can't really can't do as
you wish. You surely will not compel
me toto commit a crime !"
The Crown Princes Threat.
"Hush !" he cried. 81 have shown
you these papers, and you know my in
structions. Remember that your fa-
ther must know nothing. Nobody must
suspect, or you will find yourself in
equal peril with your brother"
"You-you are cruell" sobbed the
girl.
mo, no." he said cheerfully. "Don't
cry, please. Think 1t all over, Miss
King, and meet me in London on Thurs
day night"
After listening to the appointment, I
discreetly withdrew into the corridor
on pretense of summoning a waiter,
and when I returned the pretty English
girl was taking leave of "Mr. Rich
ter"
Her blue eyes betrayed traces Of
emotion, and she was, I saw, very
pale, her bearing quite unlike her atti-
tude when she had entered there.
well, good-by, Miss King" said his
highness, grasping her hand. at "a
really awfully good of you to call. We
shall meet again very soon-eh? Good
by"
Then, turning to me, he asked me
to conduct her out.
On returning to the crown prince, /
found him in a decidedly savage mood.
He was pacing the floor impatiently,
muttering angrily to himself, for 1t was
apparent that some plan of his was be-
ing thwarted by the girls refusal to
conform to his wishes and obtain GER
tain information he was seeking.
The crown prince, when in a foreign
country, was never idle. His energy
was such that he was eve IN the
move, with eyes and ears always open
to learn whatever he could. Hence
1t was at two o'clock hat afternoon
Knot brought round a big gray open
car, and in 1t I sat beside the EN-
peror's son while we were driven
around the defenses of Plymouth, just
as on previous occasions we had in
spected those of Portsmouth and of
Dover.
On the following Thursday evening
we had returned to London, and the
crown prince, without telling me
where he was going, left the Ritz hotel,
merely explaining that he might not be
back till midnight. 1t was on that &C.
casion, my dear LeQueux, you will
remember, that / dined with you at
the Devonshire club, and we afterward
spent a pleasant evening together at
the Empire.
l merely told you that his highness
was out at dinner with a friend. You
were, naturally, inquisitive, but I did
not satisfy your curiosity. Secrecy was
then my duty.
A Sample Of German Preparedness.
On returning to the hotel I found
the crown prince arranging with Knot
n motor run along the Surrey hills on
the following day. He had a large
map spread before him-a German
military map, the curious marks upon
which would have no doubt astonished
any war office official. The map indi-
Gated certain spots which had been Sc
cretly prepared by Germany in view Of
the projected invasion.
To those spots we motored on the
following day. His imperial highness,
at the instigation of the emperor, actu-
ally made a tour of inspection of those
cunningly concealed points of vantage
which the imperial general staff had,
with their marvellous forethought and
bold enterprise, already prepared right
beneath the very nose of the sleep
ing British lion.
From the crow princes jaunty man
ner and good spirits I felt assured that
by the subtle persuasive powers he pos
sessed towards women he had brought
the mysterious Miss King into line
with his WI plans-whatever they
might be.
We lunched at the Burford Bridge
hotel, that pretty, old-fashioned house
beneath Box hill, not far from Dor
king.
After our meal In the long public
room, we strolled into the grounds for
a smoke.
swell, Heltzendorff," he said PIES
emily, 1--WE will return to the conti-
nent tomorrow. Our visit has not
] been altogether abortive. We will re-