Evening star., 1928-10-28
Herself Glamorous Nearly Wrecked Cam
Against Germany 19-Fashionab Garbd She Waved Gay
Farewell as She Faced Inevitable Firing Squad.

that is. to the secret service of Russia
and France.
Service had a clear vision of its own
in quarters unsuspected in Russia and
France. One day the mansion in
Dorotheen Strasse was suddenly dis
mantled. Thereafter Mata Hari was
sent on travelling missions only.
ONE incident in her travels should
~ have warned her as to her ulti-
mate fate, had she been woman OF in
telligence. She was sent to Sofia to
intrigue an Englishman, Maj. Eric
British Secret Service, Suave but on
occasions vitriolic gentleman.
It was he who figured in an exploit
in Afghanistan for which the German
Secret Service never forgave him. The
Kaiser had sent the draft in German
of a secret treaty he proposed to the
Enir of Afghanistan. With the Ger
man text went a translation for the
benefit of the Emir.
The translation was not one that
would bear scrutiny for honesty and
it would bring more advantage to the
Germans than the Emir would dream
if he signed.
The treaty was sent in an embassy
pouch, the lock on which was of Spe-
cial construction. The man who took
it from Berlin to Afghanistan was one
of the ablest of the imperial German
Secret Service, and with him went as
watchdogS two of the keeneSt men in
its counter espionage branch.
The diplomatic pouch was finally
safely housed in the StrongboX in the
Office of the German consulate in At
ghaniStan. The three men who had
brought it there we're in conference
with the German commissioner when
the door of the room was flung open
and in Stalked the tall, Sinewy, sandy
haired Englishman, Maj. Henderson,
who, according to the latest reports,
should have been at that moment in
Sydney, Australia.
He broke in on the conference with
out ceremony and threw on the table
two documents.
Gentlemen" he snapped as though
it were a grievance of his, "the trans
lation is highly inaccurate. have
brought it to the attention of the Emir
and he is extremely veXed at your
ignorance of Afghanistan!"
He stalked out, leaving four men
looking very sick. For before them on
the table lay the supposedly secret
treaty in the original and the doc
tored" translation, both of which we're
supposed to be at that moment in the
strongbox.
1t was this Maj Henderson to whom
Mata Hari was presented in Sofia by
the German Ambassador.
On being introduced Mata Hari
turned her glowing brown eyes on the
tall Englishman and with an inviting
smile asked, Aren't we old friends,
Mai. Henderson? / think we met in
Bombay, didn't we?"
Berlin, most likely!" he said dryly.
Mata Hari was slightly disconnected
and took another tack.
Perhaps" she said. II go about
everywhere, trying by means of the
dance to interpret the soul OF the
Orient"
"haS been sold to the highest bidder,
who is the most consummate jackasS IN
Europe!"
And turning on his heel he left
Mata Hari brooding on how to report
her failure to her chief.
But as her success was not expected
her failure was not long held against
her; especially as throughout the world
there began to reSound the increasing
mutter of an approaching war Mata
Harris chief was among the few who
knew with a fair degree of precision
when, where and how that war would
break; though not even his chief, the
Kaiser, knew how vast war it would
turn out to be. Not even on that fate
full day in August, 1914, when the war
began.
\ 4 4 4
NTATA HARI was called to No. 10
ANA Koenigsgraetzer Strasse. "You
will proceed to Paris" said her chief.
There you will devote all your ener-
gies and use all the resources at our
command to win the confidence Of
member of the French cabinet Here
is report on his character and ways
of approaching him. At the same time
you will bring under your influence as
many other men as possible. They
must be high in the military, naval and
merchant marine services. From them
get all possible information of use to us.