The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-12-14


and laid a sheaf of typewriter
My friend gave the top one
His Excellency has the orig
inal? How many copies have you
made?"
Six" the young man answered
We went on with our converse.
ton, but automatically, out OF
sheer habit, I squinted at those
loose pages of typewriting. I could
just make out, upside down, the
heading of the topmost, and was
soon satisfied that this was prize
worth securing!
These papers were Embassy
Bulletins the periodical in
Structions a foreign office sends
to its representatives abroad. They
may contain Just routine matters,
or more interesting questions, but
they are always intriguing, what
ever their contents. During the
war, these bulletins we're busily
sought by all espionage services.
GOOD OPPORTUNITY
The opportunity seemed too
good to be wasted. My glance be-
gan straying more and more often
towards the little pile of papers.
They tantalized me-they Knocked
me-once a thief, always a thief.
suppose; and my fingers posi-
lively itched to get hold of them.
There might be nothing import
ant in them-merely orders as to
new letter heads, or something of
the kind; on the other hand,
there might be some of those very
secret instructions on policy,
which foreign offices are won't to
send to their embassies and con-
Sulates abroad.
My mind raced feverishly: Why,
we had, of course, the same thing
at the Quai d'OrSay Well I
remembered the precautions taken
with these bulletins at the Direc-
ton deS Delegations Etrangeres;
how even the carbons used for
copies were carefully burned each
evening by the director himself, in
his office fireplace.
His excellency had the original!
Here were six copies. That meant
one for my friend, who was first
counselor, and the remaining ones
for conSulateS. i must get hold
Of one copy by hook or by crook.
But how?
There must be a special provi-
de1lce for children, DRINKS and
spies, for presently another at
tache entered, whispered some
thing to my friend and withdrew,
whereupon the man rose and said:
EXCUSE me for a moment, will
you? I won't be long. Here, you
might like to look through this"
He handed me a book and went
out of the room, leaving the door
open.
began trembling all over; my
heart gave big lurch and blood
pounded in my temples. Here was
my opportunity. Dare I snatch it?
What would happen if I were
found out?
Well, I'd think of that later;
sufficient unto the moment, and
so on. I reached over, grabbed
the topmost sheet off the neat lit
tie pile, quickly folded it small and
stuffed it into the front Of my
dress, next to the skin.
wriggled and squirmed until I
felt 1t sliding down and, finally,
resting against my waistline. So
far, so good. I composed myself.
opened the book given me and
pretended to absorb myself in 1t.
TINE DRAGS
It had been no more than min
utes, but it had seemed like hours
and when, presently. my friend re-
turned. the problem presented it.
self how to curtail my visit grace
FULLY and Observation-Disclosures
my prize. .,
This was not as easy as 1t
looked. It was one Of those empty
afternoons of what we called a
diplomatic summer" My friend
was in a laxative mood, full OF
memories of pre-war days in Lon
don, and in no hurry to see me
60.
I glanced at my watch uneasily:
at any moment now, summons
may come from His Excellency to
Join him for tea.
MY companion talked and
talked. and all the while rum
mayed among the papers on his
desk. Suddenly, to my dismay,
he began counting the copies Of
the circular. He looked UP and
asked: