“Yes,” I admitted, racking my wits for a possible explanation of the affair. “Why was it issued?” I had an inspiration. “Von Papen gave it to me to go to Europe and join the army—but you see I didn’t——” “Ah! Von Papen gave it to you.” I was doing quick thinking. My first fright was over, but I realized that that little check might easily be my death warrant. I knew that von Papen had many reports and instructions bearing my name. I was afraid to admit to myself that after all these months of security, I had at last been discovered. Von Papen’s check proved that I had received money from a representative of the German Government. There might be other papers which would prove every thing needed to sentence me to execution. I was groping around for an idea—and then in a flash I realized the truth. It angered and embittered me. There passed across my memory the year and more of solitary confinement, during which I had held my tongue. I swung around on the Englishmen. “Are you the executioners of the German Government?” I asked. “Are you so fond of von Papen that you want to do him a favor? If you shoot me you will be obliging him.” The four grave faces looked at me. “We are going to prosecute you on this evidence,” was the only answer. “You English pride yourselves,” I said, “on not being taken in. Von Papen is a very clever man. Are you going to let him use you for his own purposes? Do you think he was foolish enough not to realize that those papers would be seized? Do you think”—this part of it was a random shot, and lucky—“do you think it is an accident that the only papers he carried, referring to a live, unsentenced man in England refer to me? Just think! Von Papen has been recalled. The United States can investigate his actions now without embarrassment. And he, knowing me to be one of the connecting links in the chain of his activities, and knowing that I am a prisoner liable to extradition, would ask nothing better than to be permanently rid of me. And in the papers he carried he very obligingly furnished you with incriminating evidence against me. You can choose for yourselves. Do him this favor if you want to. But I think I’m worth more to you alive than dead. Especially now that I see how very willing my own government is to have me dead.” The four men exchanged glances. I had made the appeal as a forlorn hope. Would they accept it and the promise it implied? I could not tell from their next words. “We shall discuss that further,” said Captain Carter. “You will return to Reading.” The next few days were full of anxiety for me. I could not tell how my appeal had been regarded, but I knew that it would be only by good fortune that I should escape at least a trial for espionage—for that is what my presence in England would mean. Finally I received a tentative assurance of immunity if I should tell what I knew of the workings of German secret agencies.