p his regular passport which
was made out to cover travel in Germany; to give him an emergency
passport valid for one month and good only for the return to the United
States; and to use all proper means to get him back to New York at the
earliest possible date.

Having found out that he was lodged at a certain hotel I sent him a
courteous invitation to call at the Legation on business of importance.
He came promptly and we sat down in the library for a conversation which
you will admit had its delicate points.

He began by saying that he supposed I had seen the newspaper accounts of
what happened to him at Falmouth; that he was greatly surprised and
chagrined about the matter; that he had been entirely ignorant of the
contents of the documents found in his possession; that he had
imagined--indeed he had been distinctly told--that they were innocent
private letters relating to personal and domestic affairs; that he did
not know there was any impropriety in conveying such letters; that if he
had suspected their nature or known that they included official
despatches he would never have taken them.

I replied that his personal statement was enough for me on that point,
but that it seemed to throw rather a dark shadow on the character and
conduct of his friends in the German and Austrian Embassies who had
knowingly exposed his innocence to such a risk. I added that it was
probably with a view to obtaining his help in clearing up the matter
that the Department of State had instructed me to take up his passport.

"But have you the legal right to do that?"

"Under American law, yes, unquestionably."

"But under Dutch law?"

"Probably not. But I hope it will not be necessary to invoke that law.
Simply to inform the Dutch Foreign Minister of the presence of an
American whose passport had been revoked but who refused to give it up,
would be sufficient for my purpose."

He reflected for a moment, and then said, smiling:

"I don't refuse to give it up. Here it is. Now tell me what I shall do
without a passport.

"Thank you. Fortunately I have authority to give you an emergency
passport, good for a month, and covering the return voyage to America."

"But I don't want to go there. I want to go on to Berlin."

"Unfortunately I fear that will be impossible. Your old passport is
invalid and will not carry you over the Dutch border. Your new passport
cannot be made out for Germany. Your best course is to return home."

"I