Evening star., 1922-04-16

telling me that she had ready many
of my works.
II love cosmopolitan books" she
declared. probably because I am such
a cosmopolitan myself"
"You live in Essen. do you not?' I
asked.
"Yes." was her reply. "1 am. how
ever, often backwards and forwards
to Berlin"
"And I am in Essen sometimes
stay at the Rheinischer Hof."
Il live in the Observation-Disclosures
number seventeen. opposite the Stadt
Garten. Next time you are in Essen
you must call and see me. eh?'
81 certainly WILL" I said whole
heartedly, for meant 1t.
1 remained in Palermo a further
couple of days, during which l showed
her all the politeness possible, and
then one night we all three crossed
to Naples and arrived in Rome on
the following afternoon. She left US
there after a merry "addio," and Dick
and I took the Paris express that
night
+ = 4
y1yHEN I reported to the proper
w quarter at the Quai d'Orsay and
told the director of my acquaintance
with the Baroness Won Gutenberg, he
urged me to lose no time in sound
ing her.
These German women will do any,
thing for money If the sum is big
enough" he said.
NO." replied. Before can move
must know her financial circum-
stances. 1t is useless to work in the
dark. Apparently she is well off.
therefore to approach her and ask
her to sell US little information may
be q very difficult matter / would
suggest that Pion and Chotard be
sent to Essen, watch her, make in
quiries, and report to me-"
Certainly. il you WISH" was his re-
ply. And the two French secret
agents we're sent for and there and
then instructed.
A month passed before they re-
turned to Paris. Pion called on me at
Fontainebleau and made his report
1t was comprehensive and complete.
The Baroness Won Euxenberg was a
Hungarian Of mysterious birth and
associations She was a very fine
musician, and her enemies declared
that she was a gypsy. and was not a
baroness at all. Search had, how
ever. been made into her past. and it
was discovered that at the age of
twenty she had married the Baron
Won Gutenberg of budapest, who had
died a year afterward. She had gone
to Berlin, and by the influence of
powerful friends had been introduced
to Count Won Stubel, who had ap-
pointed her his confidential secretary,
for he always declared that she was
the only woman he had ever mot who
could keep secret!
When Pion told me that my heart
fell There was apparently little
chance for me to learn anything Of
interest to France.
But I have found out other things,
| 'sieur," the well-dressed agent went
on. 81 have discovered that the bar
oness hates Count Won Stubel and Is
eager for revenge"
.Oh, that's interesting. ''Whyr" I
asked.
because he has treated an intimate
friend Of hers, certain Fraulein
Kohler, very badly. Though sheAis his
confidential secretary and she has
through her hands the plans Of all
the new guns that Krupps are casting,
she detests the count"
I paused.
| "Yes. Anything else?" asked.
Though she is an extremely clever
woman. she lives extravagantly, and
IL at the moment very hard pressed
for money. She has some valuable
jewelry in pawn with money-lender
named Karnebeck. in Rotterdam. while
her creditors are threatening to seize
the contents Of her large house and
her motor car"
"Ah! Then she has q large house,
ehr'
"A very nice one-the best furnished
in Essen--and she entertains . good
deal"
what Pien told me was csrtainly
interesting. If she had pawned her
ttewelry and was under threAts sof