He had planned an attempt to reach her in Brussels or wherever she might be, from the autumn of 1914 onwards.  The most practicable way of doing so seemed to be to pass as an American engaged in Belgian relief work, in the distribution of food.  Direct attempts to be enrolled for such work proved fruitless, only caused suspicion; so he lay low.  In course of time he made the acquaintance of one of those American agents of Mr. Hoover—­a tousle-haired, hatless, happy-go-lucky, lawless individual, who made mock of laws, rules, precedents, and regulations.  He concealed under a dry, taciturn, unemotional manner an intense hatred of the Germans.  But he was either himself of enormous wealth or he had access to unlimited national funds.  He spent money like water to carry out his relief work and was lavishly generous to German soldiers or civilians if thereby he might save time and set aside impediments.  He took a strong liking to Bertie, though he showed it little outwardly.  The latter probably in his naivete and directness unveiled his full purpose to this gum-chewing, grey-eyed American.  When the news of Mrs. Warren’s death had reached Bertie through a circuitous course—­Praed-Honoria-Rossiter—­he had modified his scheme and at the same time had become still more ardent about carrying it into execution.  In fact he felt that Mrs. Warren’s death was opportune, as with her still living and impossible to include in a flight, Vivie would probably have refused to come away.

Therefore in the summer of 1916, he asked his American friend to obtain two American passports, one for himself and one for “his wife, Mrs. Violet Adams.”  Mr. Praed had sent him a credit for Five hundred pounds in case he could get it conveyed to Vivie.  Bertie turned the credit into American bank notes.  This money would help him to reach Brussels and once there, if Vivie would consent to pass as his wife, he might convey her out of Belgium into Holland, as two Americans working under the Relief Committee.

It had been excessively difficult and dangerous crossing the War zone and getting into occupied Belgium.  There was some hint in his talk of an Alsatian spy who helped him at this stage, one of those “sanspatries” who spied impartially for both sides and sold any one they could sell (Fortunately after the Armistice most of these Judases were caught and shot).  The spy had probably at first blackmailed him when he was in Belgium—­which is why of the Five hundred pounds in dollar notes there only remained about a third in his possession when he reached Brussels—­and then denounced him to the authorities, for a reward.

But his main misfortune lay in the long delay before he reached Brussels.  During that time, the entire American diplomatic and consular staff was leaving Belgium; and the Emperor was arriving more or less secretly in Brussels (it was said in the hope that a personal talk with Brand Whitlock might stave off the American declaration of war).