The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-02-05
BY COLONEL GOUNARIS

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 consequences"
 "Freda von Sternberg is one or the most intelligent and useful wo- men 1 have ever met" said Tino when she had gone. ''It is not the letter itself which matters most. There is a good deal more than she will be be able to tell the Emperor. You see, she has been in many places, and knows much that will be of service to his Majesty" With these words Tino returned to his library.
 Playing the Double Game
 That afternoon he received in audi ence a representative of the Allies, and solemnly assured him that the kingdom would remain neutral or if Greece took sides at all it would be against the Central Powers.
 No sooner had the Allied .represen- tative gone, filled with empty assur- ances of good will, than the King commanded me to summon General Zumatos-the officer who he trusted most, and who as everyone suspected had swallowed deep draughts of Prus- sianiSm. Zumatos was not only a sol dier but a politician with a pretty considerable following, and was one of the bitterest opponents of M. Ven izelos.
 The interview now was momentous, it was the beginning of a plot that in volved my unhappy country in civil strife, and led to considerable blood she'd
 VInn nvoitod ,o continual pressure of the Allies and the growing feeling of distrust among the patriotic Greeks had made them selves felt unpleasantIy.
 Sophia, too, was impatient, and did not fail to irritate her husband into taking serious and irretrievabIe steps toward the end which they had in view.
 DespicabIy Cunning is Tino
 The officer saluted when he enter ed the royal presence, and they straightway began a discussion of the situation. zumatos, urged to suggest some rapid and definite movement, agreed it was high time that some ac- tion was taken.
 But what are we to do?" he ask ed, with a gesture of despair. 'Sarrail is even now at our gates. The AL lied navies could blow Athens out of existence, and already your Maj esty's are complaining of food short age."
 A look of deep cunning crept into Tinos face.
 q am aware that there is disaffec- tion," he said, but even that can be turned to our advantage. You have your paid agents-use them" ''In what way, your Majesty?" in- quired Zumatos.
 Let them mingle with the revolu- tionary mob. The rebels have few firearms and less ammunition. Stir them up into armed resistance, and then let your men fire on the crowd l Zumatos nodded. There was a light of satisfaction in his eyes. This was work after his own fashion. | Shoot them down. continued Tino rising as he spoke and pacing the floor. 'gThat will teach them a lessor which may be useful. It will impress them with a consciousness of oul power, and incidentally, it will cause the Entente uneasiness. We must dc something till the Emperor is ready to help us.''
 With Tino, Venezelos was an obses- sion, a nightmare, a source of con. stant fear and irritation. And thi! feeling was shared even more intense ly by the Queen.
 Again and again in her fury-ant she has an ungovernable temper So phia urged the King to take mean Ito get Venizelos out of the way.
 Little does he know, even today of the many plots that were devised to remove him-plots which had thei origin in the ex-Queen's brain, ant which, but for the loyalty of tht great Greeks followers, would hav been put into execution.
 In this the royal inspiration wa encouraged by the Kaiser himself. l have in my possession a telegram t Sophia sent out in a, secret code b, the Emperor of Germany in Januar ) of last year, when Sarrail ana Admir- |, al Fournet threatened us from Saloni ] Xxi, which, translated, reads: l ''V. should be dealt with effec-
 tually. He is the enemy of the f Central Powers. Talk it over = with Tino and Faulkenhausen.' , In the light of what I know I sa . unhesitatingly that Venizelos had , charmed life. He was destined to tn l service of his country just as he ha ] always been the champion of righ truth and liberty. . Premier Faced King and Queen ! I am speaking much of VenizeIo ' now, because it was from his lips tha . we heard of Freda von Sternberg.
 was two days after she had been dis . patched to Berlin with the Kings lei z ter when Tino was informed that Veni ', zelos requested an immediate aud II ence. The Queen was with him 2 . the time, and a scowl settled on he . face when the name was pronounced This was the first time I had bee
 present at an interview between Yer
 izelos and the King and Queen. I al
 not professional writer, and so al
 unable to do justice to the scene. tt will certainly never fade from m o memory, nor do I think that the otf e CTS who took part in it will readil 3. forget it. l can see them now as the y were then.
 Manifestations, cool, conrioel ,f stood facing the King and Queel ': who, flushed and angry, glared-