Tombstone epitaph., 1917-08-26

L
pretty variety artistic was endeavoring
to levy blackmail. But how could she,
In her position, have learned the secret
of the emperor's intentions?
She was, l found, living as Signorina
Speroni, with her maid, at the Hotel
Bristol over at Beaulieu, just across the
blue bay of Villefranche. and as the
days went on l realized the imminent
danger of exposure, and wondered II
the kaiser knew of it.
made a remark to that erect to his
highness one morning. whereupon he
replied:
Don't disturb yourself, my dear
Heltzendorff! have not overlooked the
matter, for 1t is one that closely con-
Germs both the emperor and myself.
The woman obtained the secret by
opening the dispatch box OF one who
believed her TO be his friend, and then
she attempted TO use her knowledge In
| order TO drag me into her net. Bat
do not think / am very likely TO be
caught-ehT
At that moment Herr Schafer en-
tered the room, therefore further dis
| cussion was out Of the question.
From inquiries l made later on I
found that the concert singer had sud
denly left the hotel, therefore / went
over TO Beaulieu and had an instruc-
tive chat with the hall porter, a Ger
man, Of course. From him learned
that the signorina had been staying
there ever since the date when we had
arrived at Nice and, further, that two
gentlemen had been frequently in the
habit of calling upon her. One was
smart young Frenchman who came In
a motor car and the other was a Ger
man. From the description of the lat
ter l at once came to the conclusion
that 1t was none other than Herr Scha.
fer.
The one gentleman did. mot know Of
the others visits" said the bearded
porter, with a laugh. The signorina
always impressed silence upon me, be-
cause she thought one would be jeal-
Gus of the other. The German gentle
man seemed very deeply in love with
her, and she called him Hans. He ac-
cOmpanied her when she left here for
San Reno"
reported this to his highness, but
he made no remark. A week later
some fishermen found upon the brown
rocks near Capo Verde, beyond San
Reno. the body of a woman, fully
dressed, afterwards identified as that
of Irene Speroni, the singer so popu-
lar in Rome.
1t was proved that on the previous
night she had been seen by two peas
ants walking along the sea road near
San Lorenzo, accompanied by a tall,
thin man. who seemed greatly exciteo
and was talking In German. II was
believed by the Italian police that the
unknown German. in q tit Of jealousy.
threw her into the sea.
From facts / gathered some montbu
later / realized that the whole plot
had been most cunningly conceived.
Schafer, after his return from Ameri-
ca, had met the woman Speroni, who
was performing in London, and she
had, unknown to him. opened his dis
patth ptA sclut stNlNl
spondence had learned the real truth
regarding the proposed entente which
the emperor contemplated.
Schafer, alarmed at the woman's
knowledge, and yet fascinated by her
charms, had gone to the crown prince,
and he, in turn, had seen the woman
in Wiesbaden. Finding her so danger
Gus TO the emperor's plans he first in
troduced her to young French mar
auis, de Vienne by name, who pestered
her with his attentions, and followed
her to Beaulieu. Having so far sue
ceeded. the crown prince went TO Nice
and played upon Schafer's love for the
woman. pointing out that she was play
ing a double game and urging him to
watch.
He did so and discovered the truth.
Then there occurred the tragedy Of
jealousy. exactly as the police be-
lieved.
Herr Schafer had, however, escaped
to Germany, and the police of San Re-
mo are still In ignorance of his iden-
tity.
Copyright. 1917. william LeQueux)