1 he Princess Dehra
BY JOHN REED SCOTT,
Copyright, 1908, by John Becd Scott
The-archduke picked up the
letter knife and slowly cut lines
on the blotter.
“You need not go into the tig
er’s cage," he remarked.
“There isn’t any cage—the
beast is at large."
“Nonsense, colonel; this fel
low Lotr.cn lias got on your
nerves. I thought you hadn’t
any."
“The pity of it is, sir, that he
^asn’t got on yours."
“And when he does," said Ar
niand Icftully, “will he time
enough for the 'bain mail."
Hernhcim took (he vest and de
liberately laid it on the blotter.
“For the sake of those who
love you, my lord," he said—
“and" turning to a picture of
the princess, which hung on the
apposite wall, and saluting—“for
her whom we all serve."
The archduke looked at the
picture in silence for a moment.
“Send the vest to the Epsau,"
he said; “1 will wear it—some
times."
Arm licrnheim knew lie nau to
be satisfied with the sometimes—
though us even that was more
than he had darSd to hope for,
he was well content.
The archduke and the Ameri
can ambassador met by appoint
ment. at the outer gate of the city,
and as the former had been de
layed, Lbcy rode at speed to the
summer palace. It. was the first
time they had been together, in
formally, since the king’s death,
but beyond the usual friendly
greeting and an occasional word
on route there was no conversa
tion. There was much that Ar
mand wished to discuss with his
friend, hut this was not the place
for it—it needed a quiet room
and the other aids to serious con
sultations
“1 wiuit a word with you,
Dick, before you go back to
town," he remarked, as they dis
mounted.
And Courtney nodded compre
hendingly.
“As many as you wish, my
boy," he said.
Hut the princess also wanted a
word with Courtney; she knew
his keen insight into motives and
men; his calm juJicialncss of
judgment; his criteal analysis of
facts, and, most important of
all, his influence with Armand,
ami kIic desired his counsel and
his aid. Hha bait not f'vgi t th?
part he had pluyod in the recent
past; that hut for him there
would he no Archduke Armand;
that, indeed, it was this quiet
diplomat whom she had to thank
for the happiest days of hey life,
and the happy prospect for the
days to come; and, hut for whom,
there would he to her only the
memory of that ride in the forest
with the American Captain
Smith; and Ferdinand of Lotzen
would be king; and she—she
might even he his queen and
have yet to learn his viLucks and
bis villainy.
All this she knew, and her
heart warmed to Courtney as
now it warmed to none other
save Armand himself. And that
very morning, as the two men
crossed the terrace and came to
ward them, she had told Lady
Helen Radnor, with the smiling
frankness of a comrade, that if
she sent this man away, no act
’ill all her life would equal it in
folly; then without, waiting for
an answer she had gone to greet
her guests. ‘ ’
l Now, when the luncheon was
ended, she dismissed the servants
and turned to Courtney.
“Will you do something for
Armand” she asked.
#>011 t^you think I have al
ready done him service
enough?” lie said, looking at her
with a significant smile—‘‘more
than he deserves or can ever ap
preciate.”
“Well, may be you have,” she
smiled, catching his humor, “so
do this for me—help me to make
him king.”
“What can I dp?” he asked.
She leaned a hit nearer. “Keep
him firm for his birthright; don’t
let him fling it aside in disgust,
if the struggle drags out, for
long.”
Courtney nodded. “I under
, •tnd,” he said; “but you reed
have no concern; you yourself
will keep him firm—it’s the only
way he can make you queen.”
lie paused and tapped his cig
aret meditatively against his
glass. “You think there isn’t
any doubt as to the decree in his
favor?” he asked.
“None—absolutely none.”
“Then all you have to do is
II -—
to find the book—that shouldn't
be so very difficult.”
“True enough; it shouldn’t—
but it will be. ”
“You seem very positive,” he
said.
“A woman’s intuition.”
Courtney smiled. “Which
isn’t infallible.”
“Will you try to prove that?”
she asked. “Will you help us
find the book?” And without
waiting for his answer she
turned to the archduke. “Ar
mand,” she said, “tell Mr.
Courtney what we know as to
the laws; I want his advice.”
Arrnand laughed. “I fancy
he already knows it, my dear—
it’s his business to know things.”
“And it’s also particularly
his business,” she retorted,
“never to betray that he knows
—therefore we must tell him.’*
“Bear with him, Your High
ness,” said Courtney—“I assure
you he will learn in time. . . .
Meanwhile, Monsieur le Prince,
I’m all attention.”
Arrnand leaned over to Lady
Helen. “His* manners are rather
crass,” he remarked, in a con
fidential whisper, “hut he really
means well.” Then he pushed
the cigarcts across to Courtney.
“Take a fresh one, old chap;
the fltory may he a bit long.”
CHAPTER VIII.
Inference or Fact.
Through 'the story Courtney
sat with half closed eyes, pulling
at his gray imperial, the un
lighted eigaret between his lips.
With the main facts he was al
ready familiar, as was every em
bassy in Dornlitz, but much of
thp small details were new to
him; and at the end, for a while,
he was silent, fitting the inci
dents to gether in his mind.
“Do you eare to tell me what
the police make of it?” he asked.
“Nothing, as usual,” Armand
answered. “Their intelligence
doesn’t, run beyond a hidden
panel, and sounding every wall
and floor in the palace; they
scorn any theory hut that, his
majesty concealed the hook.”
“Which is perfectly absurd,”
Debra added; “why should he
conceal it, with the box and the
vault at hand ?”
“WJry don’t you make them
take another*lend?” Lady Helen
asked.
“liccunsc I’m sick of them and
their ways—I’ve sent them away
—and away they stay; in an
other day there wouldn’t have
been a wall in the palace.”
“She told the officer in charge
the only way lit; could over find
the hook was not to search for
it,” Armand laughed. “And
then gave him a grade in rank to
salve the words.”
“Don’t interrupt, sir” the
princess exclaimed. “And re
member I can’t give you a
grade.”
“Was any one with the king
after you left, him that night?”
Courtney asked.
“Only Adolph, the valel,”
Debra replied “I’m quite sure he
would receive no one at that
hour.”
“And what did Adolph say
as to the hook?”
“That he hadn’t seen it for
four days prior to Frederick’s
death.” said Armand.
“Who told you that?” the
princess asked quickly.
"He told the council.”
“Then he deliberately de
ceived you; he saw it the night
1 did—the last, night;—he came
to the door just after the king
spoke of Armand’s decree.”
Courtney struck a match and
carefully lit, the eigaret.
“Where is Adolph?” he asked.
“He has gong hack to France,
I think.”
Courtney sent a quick, inquir
ing look at Arninnd, which the
latter missed, having turned to
ward Lady Helen.
“Oh, I remember,” lie replied;
“there was a stray line about
him in the paper—grief and so
forth. At the time, 1 inferred he
had been banished by the police,
for some reason.”
“We can have him back,” she
interjected.
The archduke looked around.
“Adolph is dead,” he said. “His
body was found behind the hedge
under the king’s library windows
three days after Frederick’s de
mise.”
“But his return to France t”
Dehra exclaimed.
“A fiction of your police,
doubtless,” said Courtney dryly;
“they are very clever. ... lie
was—killed, of course?”
“In the park, the night the
king died, a dagger wound in the
heart,” the archduke explained.
“Do you know anything—in
deed, it was only yesterday I
learned of it and sent for the
papers in the case.”
“And the—killer, I assume,
has not been apprehended.”
“Naturally not,” said Ar
mand; and proceeded to explain
the matter as 'the police viewed
it.
“ What do von think, now?”
Dehra demanded, at the end.
A bit of a smile crept into
Courtney’s face.
“I think,” he said, “that the
only circumstance which relieves
the police from utter imbecility
is their not knowing that the val
et had lied to the royal council
as to the book.’’
1 he princess’ finger tips be
gan to tap the table, and the lit
tle wrinkle showed between her
eyes.
“Don’t, iny dear, don’t,”
laughed Arniand; “you can’t
give the entire bureau a grade in
rank—and besides, they are not
to blame. I called the chief
down hard yesterday, only to
have him tell ine it was the an
cient and rigid custom never, ex
cept by special order, to investi
gate a crime that touched the
royal household, nor to follow
any clue which led inside the
palace. And I apologized—and
instantly abolished the custom.”
“They were specially ordered
to search for the hook of laws,”
the princess insisted; “wouldn’t
that lead them to Adolph?”
“Under their theory Adolph
had nothing to do with tlie
hook,’1 said Courtney.
“Just so,” the archduke re
marked; “and between their Got
ten theories and customs the bus
iness has been sadly bungled.”
“Their fatal fi#lacy,” said
Courtney, “was, it seems to me,
in assuming that, no oim hut his
majesty and her highness could
open the vault.—1 have no doubt
the valet had discovered the
combination.”
“But tTie box,” Dehra object
ed ; “it was locked when I got it,
and Adolph could not have had
the key.”
“He migli have had a dupli
cate.”
“I think not,” said Armand;
“it is a trick lock with a most
complicated arrangement., and to
make a duplicate wotdd have re
quired the original key.”
“Well, however that may he is
not essential,” said Courtney;
“the fact remains that, between
11 o’clock of one night and 10
o’clock of tin? second day there
after, the hook disappeared; and
the last, time it was seen, to our
knowledge, it was lying under
the king’s own hand, on the table,
in his library, with the open box
beside it; and that, the latter was
found, closed and locked and em
pty, in its place in the vault,
while the most thorough search
for the book has been ineffec
tual except, it seems, to prove
tlnrt it is not in the palace. We
can safely assume that his maj
esty did nbt hide it; hence he
returned it to its place; and
whoever took it, got it out of a
locked box in a locked vault. For
this, Adolph had the best oppor
tunity.”
“But what possible motive?”
the princess exclaimed.
Courtney smiled. “If I could
toll you that, we would he far
toward finding the hook; yet he
had a motive—his lie to the coun
cil proves it.”
“ You think he stole the laws?”
she asked.
Courtney sent a smoke cloud
shooting upward and watched
it fade.
“1 think,” said he, “that if
Adolph didn’t steal them, he
knows who did; his lie can hear
mo other construction.”
“And his death?” the arch
duke asked.
Courtney watched another
smoke ring and nunjo no reply.
“Come,” insisted Armand;
“answer.”
The other shook his head.
“I stop with the lie,” he said.
“Indeed I can’t get beyond it.
The valet would have hut one
reason for stealing the book—to
sell it to—Someone, who would
have every reason to conceal or
even to destroy it. Every logical
inference points to this someone;
and yet, for once, logic seems
to be at fault.”
“You mean the Duke of Lot
zen?” said the princess.
Courtney smiled, but made no
answer.
“ Your pardon,” she said, “but
•at least you can tell us why the
logic is at fault.”
“Because,” said he, “the ac
tual facts are otherwise. As Ar
mand knows, I like to play with
mystery, and when I may help a
friend 1 like it all the more. The
logical solution of the matter, in
• ~
V
view (if the decree, is a knowing
valet, and a ready buyer; yet *he
lafter was not in Dornlitz, when
the book was tolen, nor has ray
most careful investigation dis
closed any communication, by
Adolph, with_him or his friends.
On the contrary, the evidence is
absolutely conclusive against it;
and hence acquits the someone of
having had any hand in the
theft.”
“You knew, theft, of Adolph’s
death?” Arraand asked.
“Yes—though not all the de
tails as you related them.”
The archduke smiled; there
were very few details missed
when Courtney started an in
vestigation.
“Your argument, Richard,”
he said, “is based upon the hypo
thesis that Adolph is the thief,
which appears most probable;
,yet your examination suggest no
other solution?” #
“Absolutely none—and, more
peculiar still, I was unable to
find the slightest trace of tho
valet outside the palace, between
the time he left the council and
the discovery of his dead body
behind the hedge—though you
and her highness saw him in the
library after the council ad
journed.”
“And that is the last’time I
ever saw him,” said Dehra.
“And more than that,” Ar
mand added, “it’s the last time
any one saw him in the palace;
I had that matter looked into
yesterday. The council , rose
about noon and afterward not a
servant nor soldier so much as
laid eyes on him.”
“Isn’t there something partic
ularly significant in the place
where Adolph was found?” the
princess asked. “Mightn’t he'
have be?n killed in the library '
and then, from the window, the
body dropped behind the
hedge?”
Courtney’s hand wont- to hiu
imperial reflectively.
“A very reasonable and a very
likely explanation,” lie said;
“and the nature of the wound
supports it; it was a noiseless as
sassination ;—but, again, that
eliminates the someone.”
“Very true,” said the arch
duke; “he left the council before
it adjourned, to return at once
to town.”
“But did he return at once?”
Dehra persisted. “Mightn’t he
have remained and killed Adolph
—some how, some way—I don’t
know, but mightn’t he?”
Armand shook his head. “I
think not,” he said. “I looked
into that too, and there seems to
be no doubt Lotzen was in Dorn
litz before 1 o’clock; and every
moment or his time, until Adolph
was found, has been accounted
for; so, even assuming he didn’t
leave the palace immediately, he
would have had to kill the valet
within half an hour after we saw
him in the library; and that, un
der all the conditions, is utterly
incredible.”
“Nothing’s incredible where
Lotzen is concerned,” she an
swered. “So let us assume he
did kill Adolph, in the king’s li
brary, during that very half hour
between noon and 12:30, and an
swer me this: Why did he kill
him?”
“Either to get the book of laws
or because Adolph knew too
much concerning it,” said Ar
mand, smiling at her earnestness.
“Exactly; and, therefore, Lot
zen either has the book or he
knows where it is. . . . Am I
not right?” she demanded, turn
ing to Courtney.
“Undoubtedly, your highness
—according to your premises.”
“You don’t admit the prem
ises?”
“I can’t—they are too improb
able—and the facts are against
them.”
“Oh, facts!” she exclaimed,
“facts! I don’t care a rap for
facts. Lotzen killed Adolph and
Lotzen has the book.”_'
(To Be Continued Next Week)
There Is reported from London a
French-German combination in steel
manufacturing to exceed in size and
power United States Steel Itself. It
will have to be big and complete for
that program. ^ The United States
Steel corporation alone is bigger than
all the German steel companies com
bined and. quite Important, United
States Steel has on hand, in cash and
government bonds, something like
$500,000,000, a good nest egg for an
International fight.
If the French and Germans would
combine Industrially, itfstead of try
ing to rise by trampling each other
down, it would be a good thing for
both. Magnanimity after victory, as
the Romans learued 2,000 years ago,
Is the best policy.
———— v
! sir David Llewellyn, "Welsh coal
1 king, says h© can ship coal to Canada
| from Wales more cheaply than it can
! bo shipped from Pennsylvania mines.
That interests American consumers,
who pay $15 for coal that costs $2
to produce. Here in America, the
i same set of men largely, own the
i railroads and the mines and are tn
j terested in getting as much as poa
I sible out of both.
I
WASHINGTON
AMBASSADOR
INSTRUCTED
\
Chancellor Cuno Appeals for
American Arbitration, Berlin
Dispatches Report — Mys
tery Surrounds Negotiations.
BY KARL H. VON WIEGAND,
Univeracal Service Correspondent.
Special Wireless Dispatch.
(Copyright, 1922, by Universal Serv
ice and The Sioux City Tribune.)
Berlin, Dec. 17.—The German gov
ernment has again, in effect if not in
form, appealed to Washington to take
up the ungrateful role of arbitrator
in the apparently unsolvable repara
tions problem which is keeping all of
Europe and a good part of the rest of
the world in economic chaos.
This information comes to Uni
versal Service from quarters in close
touch with the government. Accord
ing to reliable information this step
by Chancellor Cuno is In the form of
instructions to Ambassador Wied
feldt, at Washington, to ask unoffi
cially but carefully in Washington
and New Y6rk the question which
may be tersely summed up:
“What does America think Ger
many’s capacity to pay may be esti- ’■
mated at?’’
Secreoy Surrounds Moves. •
Behind the diplomatic and financial
scenes on the foreign office stages in
Berlin, London, Paris, Rome and
Washington, a tremendous diplomatic
“reparations battle” is going on. The
ronversations are veiled in much
mystery, and every effort is made to
keep the reports secret that pass be
tween Washington and the European
Capitals, and between Paris, Londan,
Berlin and Rome themselves.
France for the moment is fighting
on the defensive in this struggle, ac
cording to such reliable information
as is obtainable.
Chancellor Cuno, who came Into
office in Berlin with the promise that
he would initiate an active policy on
the reparations question, Aias kept
that promise and to a certain de
gree has succeeded in making the
subject of reparations a world topic.
Ambassadors Instructed.
Dr. Cuno and Foreign Minister
Rosenberg, it ,is said, have instructed
German ambassadors and ministers
in various capitals, including Wash
ington, to discontinue their passive
policy and in their talks with the
jovernfnents to which they are ac
i;j-edited to emphasize the gravity of
the economic situation in Europe in
general and in Germany in particular.
They were told to urge the necessi(y
of a definite settlement of the repara
tions questions as the most important
problem in all Europe if not. in the
Vorld.
The German view Is that Germany’s
.rapacity to pay at present Js fflmost
nil, and that if Germany is ever to be
put in condition to pay she must be
given a moratorium of at least two
years, and must be granted a loan,
with the reparations fixed at a sane
economic figure.
France’s attitude is that Germany
can but will not pay. The attitude of
England and Italy is half way between
Ihe ideas or Germany and France.
As all these countries are interest
ed parties, none of them,'perhaps, can
avoid being influenced by their own
desires and interests. Ambassador
Wiedfeldt, it is said in inner circles
here, has been instructed to ascertain
by informal method, the views of the
American government and leading
financiers in New York, as to what
they, as outsiders and observers, be
lieve Germany's capacity to pay is—
in short, he has been told to ask Am
erica’s advice.
Up to noon Sunday it was said that
no reports had as yet been received
from 'Ambassador Weidfeldt as to
what the results of his conversations
with Secretary Hughes and New York
bankers have been.
Advance In Marks Surprise.
Some time this week the floating
debt of Germany will pass the im
mense figure of x 1.000,000,000,000
marks.* The money press is said to
nave made another new record for
speed in the past week, and it is stat
ed that Monday’s reichsbank report
will show the new issue as far ex
ceeding 100,000,000,000 marks.
That in the face of all this the mark
should have jumped into a tremen
dous advarfee in New York, created
something of a sensation here, and
has given rise to great optimism in
governmental circles, with corres
ponding anxiety in economic and fin
ancial quarters, where this sudden
disjointing of all business transac
tions in Germany is viewed with, more
or less alarm.
HOOVER ISSUES STATEMENT.
Universal Service.
Washinton. Dec. 17.—“To sustain
our foreign trade at normal levels un
der present conditions the United
| States must provide large scale cred
| its in the form of foreign loans or
must invest heavily in French enter
l prises.”
bomb plot fails.
I Sofia. Bulgaria, Dec. 17.—Premier
Stamboullnsky and Minister of the"
Home Office Descaloff, were the in
tended victims of a bomb hurled by
two Macedonians. Both officials es
caped injuries.
9 I
PLAN ANTI-TAX STRIKE.
London, Dec. 17.—Agriculturists in
Rhineland have decided upon a strike
against the government requisition
ing foodstuffs, according to a Cen
tral News dispatch from Mayence.
The farmers plan reprisals against
' the alleged exorbitant taxes thus col
J looted.
I Herald Square will have a new 20-rtor>
I budding on the rite of the old Herald
; budding, one of New York’s landmarks
! but)', by the elder James Gordon Bennett
I The structure will 'ost $1,450,000 and will
be ready for occupancy next Octobti It
is owned by Frank A. Munsey.
OPPOSITION
TO GERMANY
LOAN SHOWN
% -
Senators Still Fear Entangle
ment—British Press Divided
on Feasibility — Weidfeldt
Cdnfers With J. P. Morgan.
Universal Service.
Washington, Dec. 17.—Congress is
watching with keen interest every
move made at the White House and
the state department looking toward
the further use of American money by
European nations.
Opposition to the proposed loan to
Germany or to any plan for sending
additional funds to Europe already
has manifested itself among .both sen
ators and representatives.
This opposition, which thus far has
found expression only In capitol cloak
roqms, is expected to show Itself in
speeches from the Senate floor this
week.
Fear Entanglement.
The opposition to the German loan
Is based upon belief of senators that
the loan, if authorized, would simply
lead to further entanglement of the
United States in the affairs of Eur
ope.
In private conversation, members of
congress have directed particular at
tention to the fact that proposals for
new advances of credit to Europe are
apparently under consideration before
agreement has been reached for the
payment of principal and Interest on
funds already loaned
Meanwhile, state department offi
cials refused to break the absolute
silence they have maintained with
reference to the progress, if any, that
is being made toward the offering of
an American solution for the Eur
opean financial situation. » *
Hughes Remains Silent.
"There is nothing that I care to
say,’’ was the only comment by Sec
retary of State Hughes when shown
Paris dispatches to the effect that the
United States already had approach
ed France informally in the matter.
Reports received in Washington, in
dicate that France, while greatly de
sirous of American financial assist-"
ance, is still in no mood to accept con
ditions which American financial in
terests declare essential to the suc
cess of any loan.
Dr. Otto Wiedfeldt, German ambas
sador. at Washington, returned Sun
day from a conference In New York
'with J. P. Morgan & Co. Dr. Wied
feldt, it Is understood, was Informed
that American bankers could partic
ipate in a loan to Germany only in
case reparation claims were reduced
and the American government sanc
tioned the transaction.
KING WANTS^CONFERENCE.
By William H. King, United States
Senator From Utah.
Washington, Dec. 17.—In my opin
ion the entire question of a loan to
Germany should be held in abeyance
until thfre has been an International J
coference at which all the questions
involved, in reparations and territor
ial boundaries could be adjusted. I
would not sanction a loan to Ger
many, nor to any of the other na
tions of Europe which are on the
verge of bankruptcy, until tliqse other
matters have been settled. I do not
see how the United States could
guarantee a loan to Germany on any
grounds which would not apply equal
ly well to other nations.
I appreciate the fact that only by
the resuscitation of Germany can
stability be brought to the rest of
Europe. But it seems to me the only
thing for this government to do is to
call an economic conference, inviting
all the nations of the world, including
Germany, Russia, Turkey, Bulgaria,
China, and Japan for the prpose of
(1) bringing about general disarma
ment 2(2) assuring the permanency of
political bou'nTTaries, or setting up a
tribunal to which nations might ap
peal for the delimitation of their re
spective boundaries and (3) passing
up»u international debts and the re
parations which Germany should pay.
When these things shall have been
done, it will be time for the United
States to pass upon the question of
guaranteeing loans to Germany or
other countries.
—f—
PARIS SAYS PLANS GIVEN.
Paris, Dec. 17 (U. I’.)—The United
States government already has in
formed the allies it contemolates in
tervention in European affairs, but
from an economic standpoint only, it
wits stated authoritatively today.
The allies understand Washington
will maintain its previous attitude
towards political matters; also that
President Harding is not yet certain
what l'oiin the proposed action will
take.
Already the move of America to
wards assisting Europe has changed
the allies' plans of action towards
Get many. It may result in a com
plete about face on the part of those
in France who have advocated seizure
of the Ruhr. Premier Poincare’s ob
vious vagueness on this point in the
< hamber last night may be accounted
for by this. There is noticeable cool •
ing on the part of the French ex
tn mists, who desire independent ac
tion.
The news from Washington re
sulted in a sudden rise of the franc,
which opened 50 centimes higher than
•yesterday's close.
AGENTS CAPTURE LAST
OF MOUNTAIN BAND
Lexington, Ky„ Dec. 17.—The
'roundup of the “Ballard gang" which
furnished opposition to federal prohi
bition forces in Menifee county’s
week long moonshine war, was com
pleted Saturday night with the cap
ture of Charles Ballard.
Ballard, according to reports re
ceived at prohibition headquarters
here, was arrested in Bath county by
Sheriff Ben Wells. The outlaw, ac
cording to the report, was so weaken
ed by exposure and loss of blood from
bullet svounds that he made no resist