Sant of the Secret Service by William Le Queux

"Ah! my dear Hecq -- you have now set me a very difficult task -- very difficult indeed! " I found myself saying a few weeks later, after I had mastered, with a good deal of trouble, a formidable dossier which had been laid before me by the astute chief of the French Secret Service, now promoted, by the way, to be chief of the International Secret Service Bureau of the Allies.

Though the time had been short since my return from Spain, much had happened. At length "unity of command" in contra-espionage work had been realised as an absolute essential for securing a definite mastery over the incessant plottings of the Huns, and, with the cordial goodwill of all, Armand Hecq -- whose brilliant abilities had given him a commanding position -- had been unanimously chosen for the much coveted post.