Carefully concealed as such ideas were supposed to be from the members of the American Army of Occupation, there were United States officers who appreciated that there were groups of prominent Germans at this time desiring the return of the Kaiser and some form of monarchial control. It was not known in March that the Kaiser might be tried by an international court.
Quietly Major Hersey had been informed that the United States Secret Service was endeavoring to discover the men who had been the Kaiser's closest friends in Coblenz before his inglorious departure into Holland.
There were still, Major Jimmie reflected, many interesting ways to serve one's country, even if the great war were past.
This afternoon it struck him that this might become more of a sacrifice than he had anticipated, but notwithstanding his country must always remain first!
At the threshold of his own door he stopped, slightly puzzled. Some one was already in his sitting-room, which was unusual at this hour. His rooms were cleaned in the morning and he was seldom interrupted afterwards either by a servant or any member of the household.
But probably a fellow officer had dropped in to see him and was awaiting his return.
Suddenly, with this idea in mind, Major Hersey thrust his door open.
Then he stood stock still in a slightly apologetic attitude.
His room was occupied and by the head of the German household in which he was at present living, Colonel Liedermann.
Major Hersey had not come into contact with him but once since his own arrival in Coblenz several months before.