"Well, Stammer?"

"This is Dr. Graver, your Excellency."

"Ah, yes. Sehr schön. Convey my thanks to Captain Tappken,
Stammer."

Stammer then bowing himself out, I was asked to step into an anteroom.
There a secretary took me in hand and informed me that the tall, thin,
iron-gray gentleman was Graf Botho von Wedel, Wirklicher Geheimrat and
Vortragender Rab Botho Kaiser--(Privy Councilor to the German
Emperor).

So--Count Wedel. H'm! Although this was the first time I had seen
the Count, I had heard a great deal about him. The Emperor's Privy
Councilor and right hand was the head of the political sections of the
Secret Service. This promised to be interesting. I wondered what the
likely upshot would be, but I was interrupted in my soliloquy by a
summons to reenter the Count's chamber.

I was shown to a seat. Graf Wedel looked me over carefully and
minutely for a considerable length of time with a frank stare of
appraisal.

"How old are you, Doctor?"

I must confess my extreme youth always made this question one of
secret annoyance.

"Twenty-five, your Excellency."