We had spoken together too often, during the past few weeks, of my duty in the event of hostilities, for any long discussion to be necessary now. I asked for and received all that I believed to be necessary—a leave of absence for six months with the privilege of extension. The next day, August 3, 1914, I said good-bye to my troops and to my commander and hastened north to El Paso. At the Hotel el Paso del Norte, I met my former enemies, Kueck and his stout secretary. We had dinner together and he gave me letters containing instructions to proceed to New York and to place myself at the disposal of Captain Franz von Papen, the German military attaché at Washington. “When will Captain von Papen be in New York?” I asked. “I have just received a communication from Papen,” replied Kueck, adding with a gratified smile, “I am keeping him informed of conditions along the border. He will be in New York two weeks from to-day.” There was no necessity for haste then, and I remained in El Paso for five days longer, keeping my eyes and ears open and learning, among other things, more “facts” about Mexico than I could have acquired in Mexico itself in a life time. “There are lies, damned lies and El Pasograms,” some one has said. I collected enough of the last-named to cheer me on my way to Washington and to make me marvel that Rome had ever been called the father of lies. No wonder newspaper correspondents like to report Mexican news from El Paso. [Illustration: Dr. Kraske’s letter addressed to “Baron von der Goltz,” arranging for an appointment with Captain von Papen. Translated it reads: New York, August 21, 1914. DEAR HERR VON DER GOLTZ: I am very sorry not to have found you in after another engagement. I was unable to come round and try to catch you. I had arranged a meeting for yesterday morning between you and a gentleman who is interested in you. If you call on me to-morrow morning at whatever time is convenient to you, I shall probably be able to arrange another interview. I am, etc., DR. KRASKE.] Washington was technically on vacation at the time, but there was an unwonted air of excitement about the city—far greater than formerly existed when Congress was in full session. At the German Embassy I found only a few clerks; but letters from Newport, to which the Ambassador and his staff had gone for the summer, informed me that Captain von Papen would meet me in New York in a fortnight. And then I learned for the first time that it was impossible for me to reach Germany, but that I was to be assigned to work in the United States.