“It was characteristic of the man’s faithfulness that on his death bed he made his wife promise to deliver the balance of the plans and an important book of codes to us as early as she could find an opportunity to do so.  Mrs. Burrows had previously been in her husband’s confidence and knew he was employed by us while holding his position with the government, so she readily promised to carry out his wishes, perhaps never dreaming of the difficulties that would confront her or the personal danger she assumed.  But she was faithful to her promise and afterward tried to fulfill it.

“Her father, the James J. Hathaway above mentioned, in whose mansion Mrs. Burrows lived with her only child, is a staunch patriot.  Had he known of our plot he would have promptly denounced it, even sacrificing his son-in-law.  I have no quarrel with him for that, you may well believe, as I value patriotism above all other personal qualities.  But after the death of John Burrows it became very difficult for his wife to find a way to deliver to me the packet of plans without being detected.  Through some oversight at the government office, which aroused suspicion immediately after his death, Burrows was discovered to have made duplicates of many documents intrusted to him and with a suspicion of the truth government agents were sent to interview Mrs. Burrows and find out if the duplicates were still among her husband’s papers.  Being a clever woman, she succeeded in secreting the precious package and so foiled the detectives.  Even her own father, who was very indignant that a member of his household should be accused of treason, had no suspicion that his daughter was in any way involved.  But the house was watched, after that, and Mrs. Burrows was constantly under surveillance—­a fact of which she was fully aware.  I also became aware of the difficulties that surrounded her and although impatient to receive the package I dared not press its delivery.  Fortunately no suspicion attached to me and a year or so after her husband’s death I met Mrs. Burrows at the house of a mutual friend, on the occasion of a crowded reception, and secured an interview with her where we could not be overheard.  We both believed that by this time the police espionage had been greatly relaxed so I suggested that she boldly send the parcel to me, under an assumed name, at Carver’s Drug Store, where I had a confederate.  An ordinary messenger would not do for this errand, but Mr. Hathaway drove past the drug store every morning on his way to his office, and Mrs. Burrows thought it would be quite safe to send the parcel by his hand, the man being wholly above suspicion.

“On the morning we had agreed upon for the attempt, the woman brought the innocent looking package to her father, as he was leaving the house, and asked him to deliver it at the drug store on his way down.  Thinking it was returned goods he consented, but at the moment he delivered the parcel a couple of detectives appeared and arrested him, opening the package before him to prove its important contents.  I witnessed this disaster to our plot with my own eyes, but managed to escape without being arrested as a partner in the conspiracy, and thus I succeeded in protecting the good name of my beloved country, which must never be known in this connection.