Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-07-05

left the table. I rose and followed
him, as was my duty, but when outside
the room, his highness sent me back,
saying in a thick, husky voice:
ST shall not want you, Won Heltzen-
dorff will write the reply myself"
On my return the guests were dis
cussing the effect Of the emperor's
message upon their host, Won Pappen-
helm being particularly anxious. He
said something In a low voice to his
sister, when the latter became at once
thoughtful. Indeed, the remainder or
the meal was very dull affair, and
it was with relief that-we rose and
went out into the big ancient hall,
with its vaulted ceiling, where coffee
was always served.
The courier had left on his return
journey to the capital, yet Willie did
not again reappear. At eleven o'clock
I found him lying in a heavy sleep
upon the sofa IN the room set apart
for me for my writing.
I called his faithful valet, and to-
gether we half-carried him to his room,
where he was undressed and put to
bed. Hardly had I returned to my
room, when Won Pappenheiln entered
in search of his host.
His hfghness is not well, and has
retired to his ROOM" I said. HE eI-
pressed a desire to see nobody to-
uight."
"Oh!" he cried in despair. "Why
did he not see me and tell me the
truth! Precious hours are flying, and
we must act if the situation is to be
saved"
'What situation?" I asked, in pre-
tended ignorance.
you know nothing, Won Heltzen-
dorff, eh?" he asked, looking me
straight in the face.
Nothing" was my reply.
"You have no knowledge of the trap
into which the crown prince fell when
he was in Paris with you six months
ago, and when he and I first metT'
ga trap! What do you mean?"
HAS he told you nothing?"
'Not a syllable"
"Ah! Then I cannot be frank with
you until | obtain his highnesS' per-
mission. He told me that you knew
nothing, but did not believe it. Know
ing we'll what implicit confidence he
places in you, believed that you knew
the CHASTITY truth"
Into what trap had "Willie" fallen
during our last visit to Paris I could
not conceive. His constant absences
alone, his terrible craving for excite
ment, his wild and reckless search for
pleasure had ever been a source of
anxiety to me. Times without number
had lifted q warning finger, only to
one.
On Secret Mission for the Crown
Prince.
Next day, soon after his highneSs
was dressed, he entered my room.
'Heltzendorff," he said, 81 have been
chatting with Won Pappenheim and
his sister upon q little matter of bust
ness which closely concerns myself.
I want you to leave in an hours time
and go to Hanover. In the Kirchroder
strasse, No. 16, out at Kleefeld, there
lives a certain man named Minckwitz
"a Pole by birth. He has two nieces
one about twenty and the other two
years older. With them you have no
concern. All want is that you en-
gage a photographer, or, better, your
self take q snapshot of this man
Minckwitz, and bring it to me. Be
discreet and trust no one with the Sc
cret of your Journey"
Exactly. There is a doubt as to
the mans identity, eh?"
willie nodded in the affirmative.
Satisfied that I should at last see
the mysterious person whose identity
the emperor wished to establish, I set
out from Gels on my long journey right
across Germany.
In due course arrived in Hanover,
and found the house situated in the
pleasant suburb. Here I found that
"Willie's" suspicious were correct, and
the man Minckwitz was living under
the name of Sembach and pretending
to be a musician. I watched, and very
soon, with my own camera, In secret
took a snapshot Of the mysterious in
dividual as he walked in the street.
With this left, two days later, on my
return to Gels.
The photograph was that Of a thin,
narrowfaced, deep-eyed man, with a
scraggy, pointed beard-a typical Pole,
and when handed it to ''Willie" he
held his breath.
''Look!" he cried, turning to Won
Pappenheim and his sister, who were
both present. "Look! There Is no
mistake! That is the man. What
shall we do? No time must be lost.
How can I actT'
A Talk With Won Pappenheim's Sister.
Brother and sister exchanged glances
blankly. From inquiries I had made
in Hanover, 1t seemed that the man
was a stranger, a music-master, who
had arrived there about a month ago.
I feared to make inquiry through the
police, because my official capacity as
personal adjutant to the crown prince
was too well known, and suspicion
might have thus been aroused.
The trio again held secret counsel,
but I was not told the nature of their
deliberations. All I knew was that
the crown prince was IN some terrible
and most dangerous difficulty.
That afternoon I met the girl Mar
garete walking alone in the grounds