I never forgot that. It was my first lesson in Secret Service.


Chapter II. The Making of a Secret Agent

The average man or woman has only a hazy idea what European Secret
Service and Espionage really means and accomplishes. Short stories
and novels, written in a background of diplomacy and secret agents,
have given the public vague impressions about the world of spies. But
this is the first real unvarnished account of the system; the class of
men and women employed; the means used to obtain the desired results
and the risks run by those connected with this service. Since the
days of Moses who employed spies in Canaan, to Napoleon Bonaparte, who
inaugurated the first thorough system of political espionage,
potentates, powerful ministers and heads of departments have found it
necessary to obtain early and correct information other than through
the usual official channels. To gain this knowledge they have to
employ persons unknown and unrecognized in official circles. A
recognized official such as an ambassador or a secretary of legation,
envoys plenipotentiary and consuls, would not be able to gain the
information sought, as naturally everybody is on their guard against
them. Moreover, official etiquette prevents an ambassador or consul
from acting in such a capacity.

In this age of rapid developments the need of quick and accurate
information is even more pressing. Europe to-day is a sort of armed
camp, composed of a number of nations of fairly equal strength, in
which the units are more or less afraid of each other. Mutual
distrust and conflicting interests compel Germany, England, France and
Russia to spend billions of money each year on armaments. Germany