CHRONICLER'S NOTE


On Friday afternoon, July 31, 1914, I shook hands in farewell with my
friend Henry C. Mahoney. He was going to Warsaw and was full of
enthusiasm concerning the new task which was to occupy him for at least
three months. Owing to his exceptional skill and knowledge, practical as
well as theoretical, of photography in all its varied branches, he had
been offered, and had accepted an important appointment abroad in
connection with this craft--one which made a profound appeal to him.
Despite the stormy outlook in the diplomatic world he felt convinced
that he would be able to squeeze through in the nick of time.

Although he promised to keep me well informed of his movements months
passed in silence. Then some ugly and ominous rumours came to hand to
the effect that he had been arrested as a spy in Germany, had been
secretly tried and had been shot. I did not attach any credence to these
vague, wild stories. I knew he had never been to Germany before, and was
_au courant_ with the harmless nature of his mission.

A year elapsed before I had any definite news. Then to my surprise I
received a letter from him dispatched from the Interned British
Prisoners Camp at Ruhleben. As a matter of fact I learned subsequently
that he had previously written six letters and post-cards to me, but
none had reached me; most likely they had been intercepted and
suppressed by the German authorities.

The letter intimated that he had prepared a voluminous account of his
experiences. Two or three days later I learned from another source that
he had been "having a hard, rough, and exciting time," and that he