Here I found that my boy had my
traveling bag ready with his usual completeness. One does not take
much baggage on these trips. Pajamas, slippers, smoking cap, tooth
brush, have seen me three-quarters around the globe, and I never
carried a six-shooter in my life. In all my experience I have seen
few secret agents who do carry it. The only protective article I ever
carried was a little silk bag containing a mixture of cayenne pepper,
snuff and certain chemicals. It is very effective to throw into the
faces of those who attack you.
Soon there came a messenger from Wedel with the promised funds, a
thousand francs and two thousand pesos. It lacked a half hour to
three-thirty, so I made my way to the Friedrichstrasse depot on foot.
Experience has taught me that the Orient Express is generally
overcrowded and that unless one reaches the depot early and uses a
good deal of palm oil, it is impossible to secure a decent seat. A
judicious oiling of palms enabled me to get a very pleasant window
seat in the middle compartment. After making myself at home I took a
tour through the train. It is my invariable custom to take stock of
my fellow travelers and in this case it was most imperative.
Nothing happened until we pulled in at Frankfort-on-the-Main, the
second last stop for the express in Germany. Glancing out of the
window I saw a party of three entering the carriage.
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