Major Copely Brane is a freelance agent.
This American who plies his trade throughout the world but seems most comfortable in the Far East "due in part to the extreme rapidity with which that situation was changing from day to day", is referred to in the recorded adventures as a "freelance diplomat" at various times, said term used in polite circles for an undercover operative who works for whomever he pleases, almost always for a decent return on his efforts. Quite often his trade description is joined with terms like "adventurer" and "soldier of fortune". It would not be unreasonable to assume less civil descriptions are used on occasions by those who secrets he provided others.
"His services were available to various and sundry. He had accepted employment from a partiotic German who wished toa scertain certain information about the Frnech atttude toward reparations, that the fee he ad received from the German upon the successful completion of his task was exactly the amouth which he had previously charged a French banker for obtaining confidential information from the file of a visiting ambassador as to the exact proposals which the German government was prepared to make as a final offer".
We are told that "in short, Major Brane worked for various governments and various individuals. Those who had the price could engage his services. There was only one requirement: the task must be within the legitimate field of diplomatic activity. Major Brane was a clearing house of international and political information, and he took pride in doing his work well. Those who employed him could count upon his absolute loyalty upon all matters connected with the employment, could bank upon his subsequent silence; and best of all, they could rest assured that if Major Brane encountered any serious trouble in the discharge of his duties, he would never mention the name of his employer."
Good Lines:
- Regarding the harshness of Chinese tobacco - it "will eat the membranes from an uneducated throat".