The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-02-09
A BEARER OF
DISPATCHES
His Difficulties In Reaching
His Destination
By ALAN HlNSDALE

When the pan-European war broke
out l offered my services to the war
department Of Great Britain for secret
service. My reason for doing so was
that was travelling abroad and found
myself strapped In London, communi-
cation with my native land, America.
having been cut of, and | was unable
to get funds. / will admit, however,
that | always had a desire to try my
hand at secret service work.
Ny fitness to serve the British at
this time and In this field was that
am an American and had an Ameri'
can passport.
made my offer through an official
In the Office of the foreign secretary
who knew something of my anteced-
ents and was in position to vouch
for me. There was plenty of work to
be done and plenty OF would be work
men. but the main trouble with tho
government was to know whom 10
trust.
One day | received note from my
friend In the foreign office to call upon
him In his office in Downing street
Upon my reporting to him he LED me
to one of the chief men in the foreign
department, who asked me a number
Of questions about myself with view
to establishing my trustworthiness. |
doubt IL he would have employed me
had it not been that | told him my
mother had been born In Canada aud
lived there till she was twenty year;
Of age. That seemed to satisfy him
He knew the strong affection for the
British flag among those who have
been born and raised under 1t and
agreed that q man would not be likely
to turn traitor to a cause with which
his mother sympathized.
When he had satisfied himself with
regard to my fitness for the work he
said to me:
I'VE 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-
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 victors in the great strug,
gle upon which we are entering. If a
knowledge of what we offer should fall
into the hands of the Teutons 1t would
give them certain intentions of ours
which they would at once endeavor td'
forestall. London, every route to
Greece and the capital Of that country,
is beset with spies. We are not sur,
but that we have them right her,
among our clerks in the government ofu
fees. You are liable to be watched
waylaid, possibly murdered on tho
way"
The commission was given me, and l
accepted 1t. Had there been no risk at,
tending 1t l should not have been in
terested in It, l was handed two pack
ages, the one somewhat bulky, inclose,f
In an official envelope and bearing TIN
official seal; the other simple letter.
evidently written on thin paper.
How the spies got on to the fact thar
a communication was to leave the foG
eign office and l was to carry II wat
and is mystery to me. was tolc
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 motion certain agencies
to get possession of the document
carried. or at least prevent my deliver
ing 1t.
As to my route, II was uncertain.
might 60 all the way by sea, but there
! was some danger of being submarined.
l 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 to go through
France to Marseilles. then determine
by what route I would continue my
| journey.
l had scarcely seated myself In the
train for Southampton proposed to
| cross the channel from there to Havre
| than I noticed a man In the same
compartment as myself casting furtive
glances at me- surmised at once that
he was aware Of the fact that was
what was. but believed that he would
not have let me see him Observing me,
had I anything to fear from him per-
sonally. II was much more probable
that he was intending to draw my at
tention to himself while my real dan
ger lursed elsewhere. During the ride
opened my suit case and felt for the
bulky document as though to make sure
Il was there. He left the train at South,
ampton. and l did not see him again
till was on the boat steaming for the
French coast.
On reaching Havre stood holdinc
my baggage. a suit case. In the CROWD
OF passengers waiting to leave the boat
for the dock. Suddenly felt the suit
fr,,,, u,w hopA Turn