"I am entirely in your hands. Communicate direct with my chamberlain,
or if necessary to use cable, I shall arrange with your chief in
Berlin for forwarding facilities. Be good enough to wait and I shall
send you my secretary." Slapping me on the shoulder, "You'll not
regret it, helping us out of this quandary."

Neither did I. The Grand Duke stalked out. A flunky appeared and
conducted me to a private little dining-room where cold game and wine
were served and at the end of which the secretary came in and handed
me an envelope with the Grand Duke's compliments and a request to
start at once on my mission. Assuring him I would be on the road that
same night, I returned to Berlin. I got Stammer of the Wilhelmstrasse
on the telephone and requested a preliminary two months' leave of
absence. I then caught the Hook of Holland Express en route for
London.

Upon opening the Grand Duke's letter I had found it contained three
bank notes of 1000 marks each and a draft for 500 pounds on the
English, Scottish and Colonial Bank, with a note saying that any
future request would be honored at three days' notice to the same
bank. Thus I would have all the money I wanted in London.

On the way over, I followed my usual custom and considered the
situation in detail. The lady in question was in society and the
first thing to do was to try to get in touch with the little circle or
clique in which she moved. This might have been difficult in any
other city but London. But a man of appearance, culture and money,
setting his stage right, can with tact and persistence force an entry
into any clique of London society.