The Washington times., 1917-04-22
Hop Plot to Kill Kaiser
Was Almost Successful
Second of the Amazing Articles By Count Won
Heltzendorf Tells of Bomb Conspiracy
Against the German Emperor.

dence which must implicate me"
Minckwttzi That was the name
which the Emperor had uttered, ask
ing me IL 1 knew him!
| "But can he bring evidence?" ask
ed his companion.
"Yes, curse him, he cam"
"You can refute It, surely?"
mo. I can't II I could should
make q clean breast Of the whole
matter" "'"willie" declared.
sHe Holds Me I'm the Hollow of His
Hand.r
But cannot I help you? Cannot 1
nee Minckwitz and blum him?" his
friend suggested
You don't know him." was the reply.
He holds me in the hollow Of his
hand ~
"Ahl Then you have been horribly
Indiscreet-eh?"
II have. I admit I have, Karl; and
I do not see any way out Of it
But, my dear Caesar. think Of the
danger existing day by day-hour by
hour!" cried Won Pappenheim.. Think
what there b at stake! That letter you
showed me this morning reveals only
too plainly what Is intended.
"'It is a letter Of defiance, / admit
"And q catastrophe must inevitably
occur II you do not act"
But how can act?" cried the Crown
Prince. Suggest. something-I cannot
II 1 utter q syIlable Minckwitz will
most certainly carry out his threat
against me-"
''Contrive to have him arrested upon
some charge or other" Karl suggested.
IF I did he would produce the evil
dence against me-" declared the Crown
Prince
A silence then fell between the pair.
Suddenly Karl asked:
Does Won Heltxendorn know
He knows nothing" was 'Willie's
answer The Emperor questioned him.
but he was in ignorance Of Minckwitz's q
existence. He was naturally surprised.
but did not regard 1t as judicious to
enIghten him"
"Hs is your conndentIal adjutant-
II were you I should tell him the
truth. No time should be lost, re
member"
Then, after a few seconds of silence
Won Pappenheim went on:
"why, never thought Of II. Ny
sister Margarete knows Minckwitz
She might perhaps be useful to us
chr"
why, yes" cried willie, "a woman
can frequently accomplish a thing
where q man would fail A most ex
cellent idea Let US leave the others
to their sport and get back to the
schloss and discuss a line Of action
I-eh?"
And in agreement the pair emerged
from their ambush, and retraced theil
steps along the path they had come.
A Message From the Emperor.
Next evening Won Pappenheim's sis
ter Margarete, fair-haired, petite, and
/, rather doll-like, arrived at the castle.
During dinner an imperial courier
arrived from Berlin with q letter
from the Emperor, and willie
opened Il, read Il, and then, excusine
himself, left the table. rose and fol
lowed him, as was my duty. but wher
outside the room his highness sem
me back. saying In q thick, husky
voice:
"I shall not want you, Won HeltIen
dorm: will write the reply myself"
On my return the guests were dis
cussing the effect of the Emperor
message upon their host, Won Pap
penheim being particularly anxious
He said something in q low voice {,
his sister when the latter became q
once thoughtful. Indeed. the re
mainder OF the meal was a very dull
affair, and IL was with relief that W,
rose and went out into the big ancien
hall, with its vaulted ceiling, wher,
coffee was always served.
The courier had left on his return
journey to the capital, yet willie
did not again reappear. At IL o'clocl
I found him lying in a heavy sleeI
upon the sofa in the room set apar
for me for my writing.
called. his faithful valet, and to
gether we half carried him to hi
room, where he was undressed and pu
to bed. Hardly had returned to m!
room when Won Pappenheim entered
In search of his host.
His Highness is not well, and hal
retired to his room," said. "He ex
pressed a desire 20 see nobody to
night"
"Oh" He cried in despair. "wh,
did he not see me and tell me tn,
truth! Precious hours are flying. an,
We must act IL the situation is I,
be saved"
what situation?" asked, in pre-
tended ignorance.
You know nothing, Won HeItzen
dorft, eh?" he asked, looking M
| BIdlRnI IN tne race.
Nothing" was my reply.
"You have no knowledge of the tral
into which the crown prince fell wheI
he was in Paris with you six month
ago, and when he and / first metz?
"a trap! What do you mean7"
HAS he told you nothing7"
mot q syllable"
"Ah! Then cannot be frank witt
, you until / obtain His Highness' per
mission. He told me that you knew
nothing, but I did not believe Il
Knowing well what implicit conf
e dence he places in you, believed tha
1 you knew the ghastly truth"
r Into what trap had willie" falle
/ during our last visit to Paris I coul
4 not conceive. His constant absence
alone, his terrible craving for excite
A ment, his wild and reckless scare
for pleasure, had ever been a sourc
Of anxiety to me. Times withou
: number had lifted q warning fingei
= only to be derided by the son of tn
All-highest One.
On A Secret Mission for the Crow
Prince.
J. Next day, soon after His HiKhnes
II was dressed. he entered my room.
"Heltzendorn." he said. II have bee
= chatting with Won Pappenhelm and HI
!, sister upon a little matter OF bushes
which closely concerns myself. ! wal
: you to leave in an hours time and 6