The Carlisle independent., 1917-08-16

H'm-Ill think it over Late in the afternoon, two days la ter, his highness, who had been walk ing alone, returned to the villa with l a stranger, tall, rather thin, fair haired man, undoubtedly a German, and the pair were closeted together holding counsel evidently for consid- erable time. Where his highness met 1 him I knew not, but when later on l entered the room I saw that the pair were on quite friendly terms
 His highness addressed him as Herr Schafer, and when he had left he told me that he was from the Wilhelm strasse and had been attached to the embassy at Washington, and after wards in London, flor affairs of the press.'
 Whatever was in progress was strict secret between the pair. The more I saw of Hans Schafer the more I disliked him. He had cruel eyes l and I could see that he was very i clever and cunning person.
 For full fortnight the crown prince and the man Schafer were almost in- separable. Was it for the purpose of meeting Schafer that he had gone to | Nice? The man had been back from London about two months and had, learnt, been lately living in Paris. l One evening while strolling along i the tree-lined Promenade des Anglais I I suddenly encountered Julie de Rou- vile, dressed in mourning, a quiet, pa- ! thetic figure, just as we had last met.
 l instantly recollected that since the evening when I had given her photo graph to the crown prince he had never mentioned her. "Ah. count '" she cried. 'This is 1 indeed, welcome meeting l have been looking out for you for the past | two days"
 I've been staying over at Cannes" was my reply. "Well?" l q have to thank you for giving my | photograph and message to his high ness,' she said.
 T trust that the crown prince has 1 written you-eh?"
 "WeIl, no" was her rather vague reply.
 ''Then how are you aware that I ! gave your mesSage" l She shook her head and smiled.
 Il had my own means of discovery. ried out your promise" she said. But as have heard nothing, wish you to deliver another mesSage-a very urgent one. Tell him I must see him, for I dread daily lest the truth of the kaiser's real intentions be known at the Quai d'Orsay."
 Certainly" was my reply. T will deliver your message this evening"
 Tell him that my sole desire is to act in the interests of the emperor and | himself, she urged.
 . But, forgive me" I said, T cannot see why you should interest yourself in the crown prince if he declines to communicate with you.''
 'I have my reasons, Count von Helt- zendorff,'' was her rather naughty re- ply. Please tell him that the matter will not brook further delay
 l had seen in the London newspa- pers during the past week how eagerly the English journalists, with the dust cast into their eyes, were blindly advo- eating that the British public should welcome the great German national movement, headed by Baron von Cess 1 Ter supported by Ballin. Delbruck and Yon Wedel, with the hearty coop l eration of the emperor and the imperi- al chanceilor-the movement to estab- fish better relations with Great Bri- tain.
 1 knew that the secret should at all hazards be kept. and that night I told the crown prince of my second meet ing with the pretty woman in black and her urgent request.
 He laughed but made no remark. Yet I knew by his tone that he was not so easy in his mind as he desired me to believe.
 It also seemed strange why, if the 1 young Frenchwoman was so desirous of meeting him. she did not call at the 1 villa.
 l About a week later it suddenly oc- cured to me to endeavor to discover | the real identity of the lady in black, but as I was not certain whether she actually lived in Nice it was rather difficult Nevertheless, by invoking the aid of my friend Belabre, inspector | of the Surete of Nice, and after wait ing few days I made an astounding discovery. namely, that the lSdy who l called herself De Rouville was an Ita- l Han cafe concert singer named Irene Speroni--the woman who had aroused the jealousy of the crown princess! ]! | And she knew that important state se- cret of Germany!
 The situation was a most serious one. I felt it my duty to mention my discovery to his highness. when, to my surprise. he was not in the least angry. He merely said:
 'ft is true. Heltzendorff-true what tho croyyn priucoGS declarod--fhat