In Parliamentary White Paper, Miscellaneous No. 13, (1916), you will find a statement which explains my next step. “Horst von der Goltz,” it says, “arrived in England from Holland on the fourth of November, 1914. He offered information upon projected air raids, the source whence the Emden derived her information as to British shipping, and how the Leipsic was obtaining her coal supply. _He offered to go back to Germany to obtain information and all he asked for in the first instance was his traveling expenses._” What is the meaning of these amazing statements? Simply this. I realized that even if the story I had concocted were believed it would mean a considerable delay and ultimate deportation. And as I had no mind to submit to either of these things if I could avoid them, I decided to forestall my Russian friend by taking the only possible step—one commendable for its audacity if for nothing else. Accordingly I walked straight to Downing Street and into the Foreign Office. I asked to see Mr. Campbell of the Secret Intelligence Department. This was walking into the jaws of the lion with a vengeance. I told Mr. Campbell that I wished to enter the British Secret Service; that I was in a position to secure much valuable information. “Upon what subject?” asked Mr. Campbell. [Illustration: The check which almost cost von der Goltz his life. It was this “Scrap of Paper” which was found among von Papen’s effects and which enabled the British authorities to prove von der Goltz’s connection with the German Government. In the British White Paper, Miscellaneous No. 6 (1916) is to be found this comment: Mr. Bridgeman Taylor: This person came over to England to offer himself for work under His Majesty’s Government. His real name is von der Goltz, and he is now in England.] Zeppelin raids, I told him. I choose that subject first, because it was the least harmful I could think of in case my “traitorous” offer ever reached the ears of Berlin. No one knew better than I how impossible it was to obtain information about Zeppelins. I reasoned that the officers in command of Abteilung III B in the General Staff would know that I was bluffing when I offered to get information upon that subject for the English. They would know that I was not in a position to have or to obtain any such knowledge, for in Germany no topic is so closely guarded as that. Also, I reasoned that it was a topic in which the English were vastly interested. They were. Mr. Campbell was hesitating, so I added two other equally absurd subjects, the movements of the _Emden_ and the _Leipsic_, about which I knew—and the service chiefs knew that I knew—absolutely nothing. Mr. Campbell was plainly puzzled. My intentions seemed to be good. At any rate, I had come to him quite openly, and any ulterior motives I might have had were not apparent. Then, too, I had offered him the key of my safe deposit box, telling him what it contained. He considered a moment.