The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-07-21

presence Of the aIl-higheSt one. From
words she let drop that night as she
hung upon my arm, I wondered wheth-
er she was really as ingenious as she
pretended. She was, 7 found, an ex-
tremely discreet and clever little per
son, fact which further increased my
official interest in her
Questioned by the Emperor.
| One night about two months later
had an appointment with Max Rein
hardt at the Deutsches theater, in Ber-
lin, to arrange a royal visit there, and
after the performance I went back to
| the palace. prior to retiring to my
rooms in the Krausenstrasse. The
guards saluted as I crossed the dark
courtyard, and having passed through
| the corridors to the private apart
ments, 1 entered with my key the
crown princes locked study.
To my surprise, 1 found willie
| seated there with the emperor in ear
nest discussion.
With apology, bowed instantly and
| withdrew, whereupon the kaiser ex-
claimed:
Come IN, Heltzendorf I want you"
young man, who had thrown himself
in a lazy attitude into a long cane
lounge chair. 1t was as though his
majesty was hesitating to speak with
me, or asking his sons permission to
do SO.
''Tell me, Heltzendorff," exclaimed
his majesty suddenly, "do you know
this persona" and he placed before my
gaze cabinet photograph Of the pretty
Elise
yes" I answered frankly. at is
Frauelin Breitenbach.
"And what do you know of herr" in
Quired his majesty. ''You introduced
her and her mother to court. believe
saw that the emperor had discov-
cred something which annoyed him
What could it be?
AT once I was compelled to admit
that I had set down their names for
invitation, and, further, explained all
that I knew about them.
"YOu are certain you know nothing
more?" asked the emperor. "Under-
stand that no blame attaches to you"
assured him that had revealed all
that 1 knew concerning them
Hold no further communication
with either mother or daughter" his
majesty said. Leave for Paris by the
eight o'clock train tomorrow morning.
and go to Baron Won Steinmetz, the
chief of our confidential service In
France"
Then, turning to the crown prince, he
said: 'YOu have his address,
yes" said the younger man. HE
is passing as Monsieur Felix Reumont,
and is living at ia bis, Avenue de
Neuilly, close to the Point"
I scrubbed the name and address
upon the back of an envelope, where
upon his majesty said:
Garry my verbal orders to Stein
metz, and tell him to act upon the or
ders sent him by courier yesterday.
And you will assist him. He will ex-
plain matters fully when you arrive"
Then, crossing to the crown princes
writing table, his majesty took a large
envelope, into which he placed the pho
tograph with several papers, and
sealed them with the crown princes
seal.
-Give this to Won Steinmetz from
me-" his majesty said.
I bowed as I took it from his males
tvs hand. my curiosity naturally ex-
cited regarding Frau Breitenbach and
her daughter. What, I wondered, was
in the wind2
"And, Heltzendorff. please report to
me-" remarked the heir, still Iounging
lazily in the chair.
Bowling, I took leave of my imperial
master, and next morning at eight
o'clock, set out upon my mission.
Baron Won Steinmetz.
found the Baron Won Steinmetz liv-
ing in. a good-sized house in the Ave
nue. de Neuilly, not far from the bridge.
One OF the cleverest and most astute
officials that Germany possessed, and
a man high in the kafser's favor, he
had, in the name of Felix Reumont,
purchased, with government funds of
course, a cinema theater in the Rue
Lafayette. and ostensibly upon the
proceeds Of that establishment lived
comfortably out at Neuilly.
At eleven o'clock in the morning his
valet, evidently a German, showed me
In.
ST quite understand, my dear Helt-
zendorff,'' he said, as he took from the
emperor's packet the picture OF Frau
lein Elise and stood gazing at it. 'Tt
is quite plain why you should have
been sent by his majesty"
'Why. I don't understand. But his
majesty told me that you would ex-
plain. The young lady and her mother
are friends Of mine"
Exactly. That's just tt" he ex-
claimed. you apparently know but
little Of them-eh?-or you would not
call them your friends !"
These words surprised me, but I was
the more astounded when he contin-
ued:
''You of course know OF those dis
graceful anonymous letters which have
been continually arriving at court-of
the emperor's fury concerning them"
replied in the affirmative, for. as a
matter OF fact, for the past three
months the whole court had been flood
ed with most abusive and disgracefuI
correspondence concerning the CANA
riIla that had again sprung up around |
the kaiser. The emperor, the empress. |
the crown prince and princess, Prince |
Eitel SOphie Caroline Prince Henry of /