It bore these names in his handwriting:
Viscount Haldane, Winston Spencer Churchill, Admiral von Tirpitz,
General von Heeringen, General Moritz Ritter von Auffenberg, Herr von
Kinderlen-Waechter.
I suppose, had it been my first Secret Service mission instead of the
climax of eleven years in the service, I could not have controlled my
surprise. These men, all meeting in a lonely spot in Taunus Hills
region, foretold a grave situation. Especially was this true in view
of the newspapers of Europe. Here was all the press having Germany
and England ready to rush at each other's throats in war. It was the
time of the German spy scare in England. And now here were the two
powerful members of the English Cabinet meeting the Kaiser's Minister
of War secretly.
I also knew of a secret visit Churchill and Haldane had made at the
Foreign Office's invitation. Significantly these English diplomats
had been shown certain of Germany's preparations for war, notably war
in the sky.
But von Wedel was not yet through.
"These gentlemen," he said, "will meet at Schlangenbad about the
middle of this month. You know the place, in the Taunus Hills--one of
the Emperor's hunting lodges. I suggest that you get down there
to-morrow and have everything ready. You thoroughly know what is
required of you, Doctor?"
On my assenting I was dismissed. I lost no time in getting home to my
quarters and into comfortable togs.
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