The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1917-01-11
A BEARER OF
DISPATCHES
His Difficulties In Reaching
His Destination

BY ALAN HlNSDALE

that | was travelling abroad ana found
myself strapped IN London. communi-
cation with my native land. America,
having been cot of and ! was unable
10 get funds viii admit however,
that always had desire TO try my
hand al secret service work
Ny fitness 10 serve the British at
this time and in this Geld was that ]
am MI American nad had an Ameri-
san passport.
made ny offer through an official
In the Office OF the foreign secretary
who knew something Of nay antcced.
ents and was in n position TO voueh
for me. There was plenty or work to
Do done and plenty Of would be work
men. lut tie main trouble with the
government was 70 know whom TO
trust.
One day | received a note from my
friend In the foreign Office TO call upon
him IN his CfIire in Downing street,
Upon my reporting 10 him be lei lac
10 one OF the chief men IN the foreign
department, who asked me number
of questions about myself with view
90 establishing my trustworthiness. /
doubt II he would have employed me
had II net been that | told him ry
mother had been born In Canada anu
lived there till she was twenty years
VI age. That seemed TO satisfy him.
lie knew the strong affection for the
British flag among those who have
been born and raised under ii and
agreed that a man would not be likely
10 turn traitor TO cause with which
bis mother sympathized.
When he had satisfied himself with
regard TO my fitness for the work he
said 10 me:
we wish some one TO take certain
important instructions to our ambassa-
dor at Athens. You are probably
aware that there are certain Balkan
nations for whose support both the en-
sente and the central allies are strug-
Cling. Greece is one of these countries.
We desire TO offer to the king of Greece
certain advantages for his support in
case we are yictors in the great strug-
gle upon which we are entering. III Il
knowledge of what we offer should fall
into the hands OF the Teutons it would
give them certain intentions of ours
which they would at once endeavor to
forestall. London, every route to
Greece and the capital of that country
IL beset with spies. We are not sure
but that we have them right here
among our clerks in the government Of
fees. You are liable to be watched,
waylaid, possibly murdered on the
way"
The commission was given me. and
accepted It, Had there been no risk at
tending 1t | should not have been in
terested In IT, | was handed two pack
ages, the one somewhat bulky, inclosed
In an official envelope and bearing the
official seal; the other simple letter,
evidently written on thin paper.
How the spies got on to the fact that
II was W itdNN iht W.
eign Office and | was to carry it was
and Is a mystery to me, ! was told
that no one was employed to copy the
paper, which was written by the under
secretary himself. Nevertheless the
matter was known to some one who in
formed the proper person outside, who
at once set in molten certain agencies
10 get possession OF the document /
carried, or at least prevent my deliver
ing IL.
As to my route, 1t was uncertain. !
might 20 all the way by sea, but there
was some danger OF being Summarized.
/ could go through southern France
and Italy. but in the beginning Of the
war no one knew how the Italian cat
would jump. Italy did not join the
allies for year after the beginning OF
hostilities. resolved 10 go through
France to Marseilles. then determine
by what route / would continue my
Journey.
/ had scarcely seated myself in the
train for Southampton proposed TO
cross the channel from there TO Hayre
than | noticed man in the same
compa rtment az myself casting furtive
giances at me. | surmised at once that
he was aware Of the fact that ! was
what / was. hut believed that he would
not have let me see him observing me,
had | anything to fear from him per
eonally. II was much more probable .
that he was intending to draw my at .
tention to S'mseif while my real dan
ger lurSed elsewhere. During the ride !
! opened my suit case aud felt for the 4
bulky document as though TO make sure
II was there. lie left the train al South /
anpton. and | did not see him again .
ill ] was on the boat steaming for the 4
French coast.
On reaching Havre | stood holding
my baggage. a suit case. In the crowd
Of passengers waiting TO leave tn boat
for the dock. Suddenly felt the suit
case wrenched from my hand Turn
ine. | looked for the person who had
taken II. but saw no one near Those
behind me were comparatively quiet.
Convinced that my enemies plans for
making way with my baggage were
perfect. made no motion TO recover
ID. III was doubtless RAISED from one