“MISS HOOK.”

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume X, Issue 18, 5 January 1920, Page 3

“MISS HOOK.”

GET-RICH-QUICK GIRL. CORNERED AT LAST AND CAGED. LEAVING BRITAIN FOR COUNTRY’S GOOD. A bewitching young neutral, with alluring blue eyes and an angel-like presence, who narrowly escaped shooting for her treachery during the war, has been temporarily held up in this country until such time as a ship can be found to take her to a far-off land. All being well she will turn her back on Britain in a few days, and she will leave London a sadder and wiser girl, says a mid-November exchange from London. The guests at a West End boardinghouse, with whom she mixed freely, had no _ idea of her identity, but had the patient sleuth who guarded hit ■hititv prisoner cared to speak he would have thrilled them with one of the most engaging stories of tho Great his charge was none other than a famous girl spy, the sweetheart of an j’ c:--lieutenant, who was killed in one □i the German airships brought down ■’ hi! j raiding Ixmdon. She had just completed a :to;n sentence, and rather than face her own people expressed a wish f.j be sent thousands of miles an a - vli ire she could start life afresh w! forget tho past. They caller! her “Miss Hook of Holland,” for she was born in a little cottage on tho banks of the Zuyder Zee. Her parents were poor folk, but nature had endowed her with good looks, which she quickly turned to advantage on the stage. She was only a slip of a girl when the war broke out, and the dangerous game in which she was subsequently induced to take a hand appealed to her more as an exciting adventure than anything else. The crafty, calculating German agents who poured into Holland after the outbreak of hostilities, with no thought for the future of an innocent and inexperienced girl, tempted her with irresistible offers of jewellery and luxury, and in a moment of weakness she agreed to undertake a journey full of peril.

CONTEMPT FOR DANGER. With a fine contempt for danger she set but, and, having obtained iorgeci passports, sue left lor London. Fortunato enough not to be intercepted on her arrival in this country, “Miss elook’ sat happy and contented in the lounge of a big hotel. Presently she was joined by an elderly gentleman, who was to act us her guide and friend .u the enterprise that was to bring her . iches and money. They, chatted together for some time and then adjourned lor dinner. The disparity of their ages struck many people, none more so than the quiet-mannered observant man whose duty it was to keep a watchful eye on strangers and visitors at this particular rendezvous. Obviously they were not father and daughter, and a close examination of their features assured him that there was no relationship. Neithei were they man and wife, and the courtesy and kindness with which the elderly gentleman treated the little lady suggesteO nothing more than that he was chaperoning her in the absence of her parents. Tho pair remained at the hotel tor some days, and meantime “34iss Hook oecume "a general favourite with other guests. Alter dinner each evening a little crowd, mostly women, would ■ "ather round her, and she would amuse them for hours by telling fortunes out of tea cups or by reading the lines on their hands. . There- was .nothing in all this to excite suspicion, but the quiet man puffing a big cigar did not relax his vigil. He looked and wondered and course “Miss Hook” left the hotel with her chaperon. Months passed and nothing more was heard ot her titt ono day the premises of a clairvoyant in the "West End were raided and “Miss Hook” was among those found there. . It transpireS that she was acting as an assistant to a notorious Egyptian, who was making a fat living by reading the future for susceptibly young naval and military officers. ‘‘Miss Hook played the role of a mystical maid, and she astonished viators by the with which she foretold certain happenings in various theatres of war. ENTER THE FOOLS.

Gradually she was surrounded by a little coterie of admirers, including some foolish young men employed in official positions. She made love to them all, and each in turn was promised her heart and hand. It was at this stage she seriously entered the game that proved her und°Her elderly chaperon, realising the opportunities for obtaining scraps or intelligence useful to the enemy, promptly tutored his pretty pupil in her craft. And from that moment _ Miss Hook” devoted all her energies to ascertaining news of a certain characWith so many naval and military friends, nothing was easier than to secure a post where she could carry on to her heart’s content. And accordingly she became a chauffeuse. Day after day she drove highly-placed officials round London, from this, aerodrome to that, with occasional visits to munition centres. “Miss Hook” made a careful note of all that came under her observation, and then in the evening, when her work was done, she would meet an elderly chaperon and communicate any discoveries of interest "she had made. About this time the Huns, had started a very determined series of raids on London, and novel measures were being taken to defend the coast. The disposition of eirnaen was, therefore, a matter of vital importance to the enemy, and “Hiss Hook” attempted, unsuccessfully, it may be remarked to find out what new shape the defence of London was taking. Her curiosity, so pronounced, aroused more than a suspicion in the mind of one of the commanders, and he decided to put her to the test. He prepared a laked map, outlining the position of dummy guns, and points at which airmen would descend in the event of a raid. Then he asked “Miss Hook” to drive him to an aerodrome in the north-west of London- As he left the car he left the map in such a position that it was within the easy reach of the beautiful spy- Concealiug himself behind the gates of the aerodrome, he whipped out a pocket camera and took a snapshot of his chauffeuse diligently copying the map into a pocket notebook. THE FINAL TEST.

In u quarter of an hour he returned and politely told “Miss Hook” to drive him back to headquarters. The commander did not disguise his anxiety, and he informed his superiors of all that came under his notice.

That evening, as “Miss Hook” left her garage, she was accompanied ut a respectful distance by someone who was to seal her fate.. Sho was seen to visit the hotel and speak to the elderlygentleman who was thought to be her chaperon. And then, in a quiet corner, sho passed him the pocketbook in which she had made a copy of the taked map- An unexpected visitor suddenly appeared on the scene, and a few minutes later the pair were bundled away to a detention barracks. Both declared their innocence till “Miss Hook” was confronted with the faked map. She then realised that the game was up and there was nothing to du but. to make a clean breast of all her activities.

Her companion's history was thoroughly sifted, and revealed him as one of the cleverest secret agents who ever set foot in this country. He paid the forfeit with his life, and “Miss Hook” was sent <»j n, couple of years’ penal servitude