Tombstone epitaph., 1917-07-01

"heh huhs uhoh6 tuC "dl ORBOSAtC tht door. For nearly an hour I remained there. when the door was opened stealthily, and there entered the young man whom had seen in Hanover on the previous day. He carried a book in his hand. This he swiftly exchanged for another similar book of the same appearance. and a moment later crept out again, closing the door nolselessly.
 Quickly I came forth and took up the classical dictionary, a copy of which was usually upon the emperor's table. It presented just the same ap- pearance as the book that Brosch had taken away, only 1t was considerably heavier.
 4 Narrow Escape.
 Without delay. dashed out, sought the emperor's valet, and was admitted to his majesty's presence.
 Three minutes later we were both in the study. took up the book and held 1t to his ear. Just as I had heard. he could detect the faint ticking of a watch within.
 The book had been hollowed out and a bomb inserted! It was, no doubt. set to explode. between eight and nine o'clock, when the emperor would be at his desk.
 "Take it out quickly'" shrieked the kaiser. in terror. when he realized the true import of the plot.
 In obedience, handling the book very carefully, I rushed with 1t downstairs, out into the open. placed it on the grass some distance away. while the emperor followed me, utterly astOund- ed at the discovery.
 Having deposited it, I dashed back to where the emperor was standing upon the steps, greatly to the surprise of the sentries, when hardly had I reached him than there showed a blood-red flash. followed by a terrific report and concussion-an explosion which would have blown the emperor's head of as he sat.
 His majesty stood white and rigid, instantly realizing what a narrow es- cape he had had. while the noise caused the greatest alarm, and people began rushing hither and thither to ascertain the cause.
 In a few seconds his majesty was calm again.
 Say nothing of this. Heltzendorff." he said. Let it remain a mystery. Come upstairs. and I will speak on the telephone to the police"
 Your majesty gave the matter un- reservedly into my. hands," reminded him.
 "Ah. that is so; I forgot" he ex- claimed, and after thanking me he added: "Take what steps you like. but have the offenders punished, and also try to find out who sent me that anonymous warning"
 The young valet, who had been, no doubt. heavily brlbed by Minckwitz to substitute the book, had already dis appeared, and, as a matter of fact, has never been seen since in Germany.
 The man Minckwitz had also, 1t seemed, suddenly left Hanover on the night of my departure. for Hartwieg. following him, reported to me by wire that he was in Paris.
 What l Learned In Paris.
 Without delay I travelled to the French capital, saw my old friend. Pinaud of the Surete. and told him the whole story, explaining in confi- dence that for some mysterious req son the crown prince feared that if the man were arrested. he might reveal something unpleasant.
 'T quite understand" replied the French detective. with a smile. "I know that, six months ago, while the crown prince was in Paris, he was one night enticed into the gaming house kept by the notorious Minckwitz. There a quarrel ensued. and the crown prince, fearing attack, drew his re- volver, which went of and shot one of Minckwitz's confederates stone-dead. The crown prince has ever since been paying big sums to hush up the af- fair.
 Until recently Minckwitz conceived the idea that If the emperor died and the crown prince came to the throne, 1t would mean to him considerably more money each year. Therefore he conceived that diabolical plot. I warned the crown prince of 1t, and he threatened to expose Minckwitz and have him arrested. Minckwitz, in turn, threatened that if his highness made the slightest movement to thwart his plans, he would expose to the world that the German crown prince, during his latest escapade in the Montmartre, had killed a man. Finding this to be the case. I myself wrote that anony- nous letter of warning. which I ad- dressed to the emperor"
 And which has had the effect of saving his majesty's life" remarked.
 That night Minckwitz found himself arrested upon a charge of blackmailIng . Portuguese nobleman, and was later on sentenced to 15 years' lmprison- ment.
 In his solitary hours in prison he often wonders. expect. why his das- tardly plot failed. Had 1t been sue cessful. however. 1t certainly would have had a great effect upon the fu- ture history of the world. Copyright 1917. by William Leoueux)