Tombstone epitaph., 1917-08-12

and further. that he had taken witt
him his crafty crony, Lohlein.
During that mysterious absence
when the tinseled world Of Potsdau
seemed at peace-the good-lookins
Saxon crown princess arrived.
I was on duty on the railway plat
form to bow over her hand and to wei
come her.
"Ah! Count Won Heltzendorff! Well
did / not say that / should not be
very long before I returned to Pots
dam. eh?" she exclaimed. Then with
a merry laugh: do you remember
those gathering hoofs and my broken
rope Of pearls? Nothing has hap
pened yet"
An Angry Emperor.
Three days later an incident occur
red which caused me a good deal OF
thought. and. truth to tell, mystified
me considerably.
That somewhat indiscreet journal
the Militaer Wochenblatt. had pub
lished a statement to the effect that
Friedrich-August Of Saxony and the
handsome Louisa had had a violen,
quarrel. a fact which caused q grea,
deal Of gossip throughout court cir.
cles.
Old Won Donaustauf. who at tina,
time was master of the ceremonies al
the emperor's court, busted himself by
spreading strange scandals regarding
the Crown Princess Louisa. There
fore, in the circumstances, 1t struck
me as strange that her highness should
have been invited to the puritanical
and hypocritical circle at Potsdam.
That afternoon, soon after the
guard had been changed, / CHANGED TO
be writing In my room, which over
looked the big central courtyard, when
l heard the guard suddenly turn out
in great commotion, by which l knew
that his majesty had suddenly re-
turned from Hubertusstock.
Ten minutes later my telephone
rang, and, passing the sentries. l went
by order TO his majesty's study, that
chamber of plots and secrets, hung
Win lis SIttAl SIN uAiAldsh, liz
furniture covered with the same mate
rial, and its net curtains at the win
dOws threaded with ribbons of the
same shade.
The moment ! entered the emperor's
countenance showed me that he was
very angry. Lohlein had returned with
him, and stood watching the emperor
as the latter impatiently paced the
room.
/ saluted, awaiting orders in silence,
but so preoccupied was his majesty
that he did not notice my presence,
but continued his outburst of furious
wrath. "Only see what Won Hoens-
brooch has reported ~ he cried. Il
am being made laughing
you know 1t, Lohlein, Ii has been
said of US that a woman, a whim, or
a word will today raise any person
to high rank in our empire! That
black-guard. Harden, has actually
dared to write it in his Journal. Well,
we shall see. That woman-she
shall"
Suddenly he realized that I was
present, and hesitated. Next second
both his tone and his manner changed.
"Heltzendorff-I-I- you to go
to Dresden and take q private letter.
II will be ready In half an hour. Say
nothing TO anyone concerning your de-
parture, but report to me here at four
O'clock"
A Secret Mission to the Saxon Court
As commanded, l reported, but the
kaiser was with the empress, who, in
one of her private apartments, was
holding petit cercle, the Princess
Louisa being present. Indeed, as i en-
tered that semi-circular salon the
kaiser was standing astride before
Louisa's chair, laughing gayly with
her. He could alter his moods just as
he changed his three hundred odd uni
forms.
There was something mysterious in
the wind-of that felt absolutely con-
WINGED. The atmosphere Of that faded
green upstairs room was always one
of confidential conversations, intimate
conferences aud secret plots-plots.
as has since been proved-against the
peace of the world.
The emperor, noticing that / had en-
tered the imperial presence. came for
ward, and followed him back into the
softly-carpeted corridor. Then he took
from the inner pocket Of his tunic an
envelope of what you in England call