, 1917-07-19

private suite OF rooms for himself
and his secretary, myself. For three
days we remained there, taking motor
runs to Dartmoor, and also down into
Cornwall, until on the morning of the
fourth day the crown prince said:
81 shall probably have a visitor this
morning about eleven o'clock-a young
lady named King. Tell them at the
bureau to send her up to my sitting
room"
AT the time appointed the lady came.
1 received her in the lobby of the self
contained fiat, and found her to be
about twenty-four, well-dressed, fair
haired and extremely ~good-looking.
Miss King, 1 learned, was an Eng
fish girl who some years previously
had zone to America with her people,
and by the heavy travelling coat and
close-fitting hat she wore 1 concluded
that she had just come off one of the
incoming liners.
One thing which struck me as I
looked at her was the brooch she wore.
1t was a natural butterfly of a rare
tropical variety, with bright golden
wings, the delicate sheen of which was
protected by small plates of crystal
one of the most charming ornaments I
had ever seen.
AS 1 ushered her in she greeted the
crown prince as mr.. Richter" being
apparently entirely unaware of his
real identity. 1 concluded that she was
somebody whom his highness had met
in Germany, and to whom he had been
introduced under his assumed name.
"AhI Miss King!" he exclaimed
pleasantly in his excellent English,
shaking hands with her. "Your boat
should have been in yesterday. 1 fear
you encountered bad weather-eh?"
Eyes, rather" replied the girl. "But
it did not trouble me much. We had
almost constant gales ever since we
left New York" she laughed brightly.
She appeared to be quite a charming
little person.
"Heltzendorff, would you please bring
me that sealed packet from your dis
patch box2" he asked suddenly, turn
ing to me.
The sealed packet I had forgotten,
all about 1t ever sine he had handed
1t to mi at the door of the Marmor pal
ace. 1 knew that 1t contained some
secret reports prepared for the eye Of
the emperor. The latter had no doubt
een them, for the crown prince had
brought them with him from Berlin.
AS ordered, I took the packet into
the room where his highness sat with
Lt- fnt, -tA GOD @L1- Il rt,1 a-I
closed the door.
al Can't; It Would Be DISHONESTY"
Hotel doors are never very heavy, as
a rule, therefore, 1 was able to hear
conversation, but unfortunately few
words were distinct. The interview
had lasted nearly half an hour. Find
ing that / could hear nothing, I CON
tented myself in reading the paper and
holding myself in readiness should "Mr.
Richter" want me.
OF a sudden / heard his highness'
voice raised in anger, that shrill, high
pitched note which is peculiar both to
the emperor and to his son when they
are unusually annoyed.
"But I tell you, Miss King, there is
no other way" 1 heard him shout. at
can be done quite easily, and nobody
can possibly know"
"Never" cried the girl. "What would
people think of mel"
"You wish to save your brother" he
said. "Very well, I have shown you
how you can effect this. And i will
help you If you agree to the terms
If you will find out what / want to
know"
81 can't!" cried the girl in evident
distress. 81 really can'tI 1t would be
dishonest-criminalr
bah! my dear girl, you are looking
at the affair from far o high a stand
point" replied the a she knew as
Richter. at is a mere matter Of
business. You ask me to assist you
to save your brother, an l have simply
stated my terms. Surely you would
not think that I would travel from Ber-
lin here to Plymouth in order to meet
you if I were not ready and eager to
help your
81 must ask my father. I can speak
to him In confidence"
"Your fatheri" cried Mr.. Richter.
"By no means. Why, you must not
breathe n single word to him. This
affair is a strict secret between us.
Please understand that" Then, after
n pause: "Your brother is, 1 quite ad-
NIT, in dlrest peril, and you alone can
save him. Now, what is your de-
cisiOnl"
The girls reply was in a tone too
low for me to overhear. Its tenor,
however, was quickly apparent from
the crown princes words:
"You refuse! Very well, then, / can
not assist you. 1 regret, Miss King,