d in Cologne that night. Not a single faint gleam of light came
from a window. I am confident that if I had dared to strike a match I
should have been surprised by a volley of bullets from all directions.

Cologne was indeed a city of darkness and of the dead. Only the
footfalls of the guard and the clank of rifles were to be heard. To
proceed was impossible. I concluded that before I had gone very far in
my wanderings I should be arrested and find myself in the privacy of a
prison cell. Moreover I was absolutely exhausted. Sore at heart I
returned to the station, and walking up to the first officer I saw,
introduced myself as "Mahoney, late of Sennelager Camp."

At this revelation the officer stared as if confronted by an apparition
and sternly demanded my authority for being at large. I drew out my
"pass," together with the address of K----, for which I was searching so
vainly.

Thrusting my "pass" into his pocket the officer gruffly ordered me to
follow him. I demanded the return of the small piece of paper which
constituted my sole protection, but he rudely declined to accede to my
request. I followed him and we turned into a room at the station which
happened to be the sleeping quarters of the night guard.

Here I was again interrogated somewhat sharply, but taking the bull by
the horns I boldly declared that I was an Englishman and had been
arrested and imprisoned upon the charge of being a spy!

My candid statement amazed the officer, who appeared to consider that he
had made a most fortunate capture. An interpreter, who understood only a
little English, was summoned to my assistance, and we contrived to
understand one another. He was visibly impressed by my distressed and
sickly appearance and enquired if I were in need of something to eat. I
said I was famished and he explained the situation to the officer. The
upshot was that a few of those present gave me some bread and cold rice,
which I devoured ravenously.

I was handed over to a guard who was instructed to take me--somewhere?
We set out through the dark streets, and it was an eerie journey.
Sentries were stationed at intervals of a few yards and in crossing the
bridge we were frequently stopped and not permitted to proceed until my
guardian, although in uniform and armed, had given the password. In due
course we reached a towering building which I discovered to be the
Polizei Prasidium. Here I was handed over to the official in charge, my
military g