He spun a specious tale about pretending to the French
to have French sympathies, and winning the confidence of
high-up men, by serving as a surgeon on several fronts. To
prove his German patriotism he had notes to show, realistically
made on thin silk paper, and hidden inside the lining of his
coat.
"Herter's mission in Boschland isn't my business or yours;
but I'm allowed to say that it was concerned with aeroplanes.
There was something he had to find out, and he _has_ found it
out, or he wouldn't be back on this side of the lines. Because he
hoped to be among German flying-men, he hinted to you that
he might be able to do you some service. It occurred to him
that he might learn where my grave was and let you know.
Nothing further was in his thoughts then--or until he happened
to draw out a piece of unexpected information in a roundabout
way.
"His trick of getting across to the flying-men was smart, like
all his tricks. The valuable (?) notes he'd brought into Germany
mostly concerned new French and American inventions in that
line. That was his 'speciality.' And when he had handed the
notes over with explanations, he continued his programme by
asking for a job as surgeon in a field hospital. (You see, he hoped
to get back to France before the worthlessness of his notes was
discovered.) When he'd proved his qualifications, he got his
job like a shot. They were only too glad of his services.
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