The Ordway new era., 1917-08-03

Dresden, because of Won Fritsch's sug-
restIon. This course. saw, would be
unfortunate for our plans, therefore
urge the king to induce Louisa to re-
quest him to remain. She has done so.
but to no avail, and Giron left for
Brussels tonight. May be permitted
to come to discuss with your majesty
a further elaboration Of the plans!-
Won Metzsch.'
The emperor read the secret mes
sage twice.
I'VE go to Erfurt tomorrow, do we
not?" he said. Telegraph In cipher
TO Won Metzsch to meet us there to
morrow evening at seven. And de-
stroy that message" he added.
obeyed his orders, and afterward
continued to deal with the state pa
pcrs, much enlightened by the news
transmitted by the emperor's creature
confess that I felt the deepest
sympathy for the helpless victim. Al
the Schloss, high above the Old-wOrld
town of Erfurt. Won Metzsch had
long conference with the emperor. but
was unable to overhear any word OF
it. All l know is that the controller
of the Saxon household left Erfurt foi
Dresden by special train at midnight.
Poor. defenseless Louisa You, my
| dear LeQueux, to whom the princess
| few months afterward fed for advice
know well how sterling. how wOmanly
and honest she wns; how she was one
victim Of many OF the unscrupulous
| intrigues by which the arrogant wal
hn
managed to retain his throne.
The Crisis.
Well, l watched the course OF
| events; watched eagerly and daily
| Twice had received letters from her
imperial highness. short notes in hei
firm. bold handwriting.
From Won Metzsch came severa
cipher messages to the emperor after
we had returned to Potsdam, but Zorr
Won Bulach. my colleague. decipherec
all of them. and, as he was not my
friend. I did not inquire as to theii
purport. l knew, however. that mat
ters In Dresden were fast approaching
a crisis, and that the unfortunate
Hapsburg princess could no longer sus
tain the cruel and unjust pressure be
ing put upon her undoing. That hun.
dred of Germany's spies and agents
provocateurs were busy l realized
from the many messages by telephone
and telegraph passing between Berlin
and Dresden, and l felt certain that
the ruin Of poor Princess Louisa was
nigh.
| A significant message came to Pots
| Lat ,l,ar lob
sage which. when deciphered 1t anG
handed 1t to the emperor, caused him
| to smile.
| The princess had left Dresden!
| Three days later. on December 8,
n further cipher telegram came from
Won Metzsch, In Dresden, which read:
Louisa has learned OF the Sonnen.
stein project. and has left Salzburs
for Zurich, her brother accompanying
Won Metzsch."
Sonnenstein! That was a private
lunatic asylum!
In few moments the kaiser had
summoned. by his private telephone.
koehler, then chief OF the Berlin Sc
cret police. and given orders that the
princess be watched In Switzerland
Half an hour later three police agents
were on their way to Zurich to follow
the poor, distracted woman, even be.
yond the confines Of the empire.
She was, no doubt, In deadly fear
OF being sent to n living tomb, so that
her mouth should be closed forever
And seeing herself surrounded by enc.
mics and spies on every hand-for
even her brother Leopold, with whom
she had travelled to Switzerland, now
refused to assist her-she adopted the
only method of further escape that at
the moment presented itself.
Alone and without anyone to advise
her she, us you know, took desper.
ate resolve, one alas! fraught with
disastrous consequences.
The iron had indeed entered the
poor princess soul.
Note by William Leou.ux.
The denouement Of this base In
trigue will be best related in her i'm
perlal hlghness' own words. In one
OF her letters, which 1 have on my
table as write, she says:
Il saw before me In those neyer.to-
be-forgotten days all the horrors of a
Matson de Sante.' What could / do :?
was friendless in strange hotel,
Even Leopold seemed dlsincllned to
be further troubled by runaway Sis
ter. i knew Frau Won Frltsch Ind ac-
cused me falsely of having secret love
affairs. and that the emperor had d.
rected the whole plot which was to
cuiminate In my confinement In an
asylum. Suddenly solution occurred
to me. remembered Monsieur Giron.
VINO had already suffered great.