Middletown transcript., 1917-07-14

the instrument, a sharp click, and all
was again silence.
I put down the receiver In wonder
I saw that to telephone to me at the
palace was impossible, as 1t would 60
through the exchange there, and some
body might be listening. For that rea-
son he had sent me to the Adlon, ana
from his conversation he was evidently
representing himself at The Hague TO
be a prosperous German merchant, as
he had done at Nice and other places.
At nearly two o'clock In the morn
ing passed the sentries on duty. and
re-entered the Potsdam palace. It was
then too late to give the kaiserin her
husbands message, therefore waited
till morning, and gave it to her YER
| balIy when alone with her in her break
fast room.
The empress seemed greatly relieved
when 1 told her Of the telephone con-
| versation, and during the day wrote me
q note to hand to the emperor on my
arrival at The Hague. That night l
left for Holland, and next morning
duly inquired at the Hotel des Indies
for Herr Zeller. 1 was conducted to a
small suite of rooms on the first floor,
where, dressed in gray suit, his ma
jesty rose to meet me, smiling at my
establishment.
"Well, you heard me plainly on the
telephone, eh?' he asked. "Ah, l see
you are surprised that l am here. l.
too, am equally surprised to find my
self here. And, further, do not know
how long shall remain"
II have brought the Clothes" re-
marked, and afterwards drew the en-
press letter from my pocket and hand
ed it to him.
"Her majesty should have left for
Prague yesterday" he said. 'Did she
go?"
mo. She was still at the palace
when + left at eight o'clock last night. "
The emperor gave vent to grunt of
dissatisfaction. From the books lying
about his room I gathered that he
passed his time in reading, preferring
not to 60 out in the day time for fear
of being recognized. Apprehension on
that score was unnecessary, for the
kaiser, shorn Of his uniform and deco,
ratiOns, presents In civilian attire a
very ordinary appearance and not
readily recognizable by the man in the
street. For that reason he was often
able to spend a week In Paris, Nice
or on the Italian Riviera without any
body being the wiser.
Mystery of the Royal Scheme.
1 engaged q room close to that OF
Herr Zeller, and for some hours re-
manned with him while he signed q
number of state papers which l had
brought with me. He seemed strangely
absent-minded, I thought, but present
ly he took up one Of the formidable
blue documents which, by the heading
saw was an urgent report from the
imperial chancellor.
"Look, Heltzendorff! Look at this 7
cried the emperor.
"The chancellor reports that the edi
tor Of the Cologne Gazette has called
at the chancellery and inquired how
long it was intended that should re
main out Of the country? Think Of 1t
My absence is knOwn!"
''That may be So" responded, "bu
your majesty's whereabouts is I'm
known to all save her majesty the EN-
press"
Eyes, yes" said the emperor impa
tiently. "But our police will commence
making inquiries, and 1 shall be traced
here"
"Why not leave at once" suggest
ed, in the hope Of calculating the truth
"Ah! That is just the unfortunate
point. I am unable to leave" he re
) piled. II must remain-and do no
know for how long,"
Further than that he would tell M
nothing. The fact that his absenc,
from Germany was known greatly up
: set him. It seemed to me as though
} by that truth leaking out, some cleve
secret plan of his had been thwarted.
, From his countenance, as he re-rea,
that document, saw that serious trou
7 BILE was brewing for somebody. Hi
: majesty, seized by his mania for trave
would very often at five minutes nc
: tice leave Potsdam and journey to tn
3 farthest end of the empire. But tn
papers were always at once Informed
| and the kaiser never went out of hi
I country without first acQuainting TIL
| chancellor Of his intentions. In thi
! case, however, he slipped away by
t night train, and nobody knew unit
} next morning.
' The Dark-Halred Woman.
3 On concluding the correspondence,
E went out for stroll, when, not ia
t from tle hotel, noticed well-dress
4 ed, rather handsome, dark-haired won
an approaching. To me her face seem
e ed familiar, and was puzzled to knoy
| where had seen 1t before.
e / passed on, and, entering cafe
sat down to smoke and to think. Mem
t ory Of that woman's face still haunte
me. / felt that had met her some
4 where, and had had good cause to n