signedcontracts in return for bundles of bank-notes. Ah! what a world isours!
But alas! is there not corruption in every Ministry of every EuropeanPower. What contractor to-day can hope to do a legitimate businesswithout placing apart a sum for palm-oil? Disguise it as you will,business morality is in these days of grab and get-rich-quick, at a verylow ebb, for too often, alas! honesty spells bankruptcy.
A pretty young Countess was talking with Hubert as he stood watching HisExcellency. Was the General, he wondered, the man who had hired the tworuffians, Merlo and Fiola, to make that murderous attack upon him? Orwas it Ghelardi, as the detective, Pucci, had that night declared.
Was it possible that the Chief of Secret Police had now found out thestrenuous efforts he was making towards the elucidation of the problemof the stolen plans, and in consequence his jealousy had been aroused.
Of which theory to accept he was utterly undecided.
He was listening to the pretty woman's inane chatter, hardly aware ofwhat she said. His mind was far too full of the grave peril of theinternational situation.
Suddenly his eyes wandered around to find Lambarini. He was there a fewmoments before, but he seemed to have left and passed into one or otherof the ante-rooms. A point had arisen in his mind regarding the plansearlier that evening, and upon it he wished to ask him a question.
The Council Chamber was now hot and stifling, and the mingled odours ofthe chiffons of the women nauseated him. He would have preferred to bein the quiet comfort of his own rooms, now that Lola had sent him away.Yet was not his duty to be seen at that official reception?
Dawson, the British military attache, conspicuous in his Guards'uniform, came up to him, saying in a low voice:
"Hallo, Hubert, you look a bit bored, my dear boy. So am I. Couldn'twe clear out, do you think? I'm going to play bridge down at the club.Come?"
"Not to-night, old chap," Hubert answered. "I shall stay anotherquarter of an hour, and then toddle home."
"Sure you won't--eh?"
"No, not to-night. I'm tired."
"Right-ho! Good night," answered the attache cheerily, and was nextmoment lost in the crowd. Waldron pushed his way through the thronginto the ante-chamber, vainly searching for Lambarini. Pironti, theunscrupulous secretary of the Minister was there, surrounded by women--wives of officers and others who hoped to secure the man's good gracesto procure better appointments for their husbands. In the army it wasopenly declared that Pironti was necessary in order to secure HisExcellency's ear, and many a man had been passed over his superior'sheads and given lucrative jobs because Pironti's palm had been crossedby a few bank-notes.
Presently, tired to death of the incessant laughter and chatter, Hubertleft by a door which he knew led to a long corridor, which ended with aflight of stairs to the first floor.
On the nights of Ministerial receptions the sentries had orders to allowguests to pass without hindrance and unchallenged throughout thebuilding, therefore, as Hubert ascended the stairs the soldier stood atattention.
Above, was another wide corridor leading right round the first floor towhere was situated General Cataldi's private cabinet in the centre ofthe huge, handsome pile overlooking the broad Via Venti Settembre.
To that part of the building few of the guests penetrated, save perhapssome officials who took their wives to see the fine suite of roomsoccupied by His Excellency the Minister.
Hubert was still in search of Lambarini, and was wondering if he hadgone in that direction.
At some distance down the corridor from the door of His Excellency'sprivate cabinet two sentries, their duties relaxed that night, stood atease chatting, but as Hubert passed they drew themselves to attention,while around a corner from another corridor which ran at right angles awaiter with a silver salver in his hand hurried by.
The man's face struck Waldron as peculiarly familiar, yet he saw it onlyfor a second, as the man seemed in a great hurry.
It was not Pucci, for he had not seen him since he had first entered thebuilding.
Hubert halted and looked after the receding figure, much puzzled. Hisclothes did not fit him, for the tails of his dress-coat were too long,and the trousers also were too big. Apparently, he seemed ofmiddle-age, with a short moustache turning slightly grey, yet in hiseyes, in that brief second when their glance had met, there was anexpression that was familiar.
"Who can he be?" murmured Hubert to himself. "I know him. But for thelife of me I can't recollect where we've met before."
The man who travels comes frequently across familiar waiters in allsorts of out-of-the-way places. Therefore, after reflection, he came tothe conclusion that it must be a man who had served him somewhere orother in the past.
And he went forward to His Excellency's rooms--that room wherein, on thelast occasion, he had discussed the stolen plans with Cataldi and thetwo secretaries.
No one was nigh. The sentry still stood gossiping at the other end ofthe corridor. He would enter and have yet another look at that big safewhich had been so mysteriously opened, though no one appeared to haveentered there.
He turned the handle of the big door of polished mahogany. It yieldednoiselessly, and pushing it open, he stood upon the thick, Orientalcarpet in the too familiar room.
He halted upon the threshold, scarce believing his own eyes.
Before the Minister's safe--the same one from which the plans had beenstolen--stood a woman--Lola!
The safe door stood open, and as he looked he watched her abstract anenvelope, which she folded hurriedly with nervous hands and thrust intothe breast of her gown, at the same time producing a similar envelopewhich she put in the place of the one she had stolen.
So noiselessly had he entered that she was all unconscious of hispresence.
His heart gave a great bound and he held his breath. His senses werefrozen by the amazing and horrifying discovery.
With staring eyes he watched her breathlessly, as with hurried hands sheclosed the heavy safe door, turned the small key twice and then slippedit into her long white glove, at the same time crushing the stolenenvelope deeper down into the breast of her low-cut dress.
For a second she remained motionless. Then she tried the safe door inorder to reassure herself that it was securely locked, and turned toleave.
But as she did so a low cry escaped her hard, white lips.
She found herself face to face with Hubert Waldron.
CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT.
THE EYEWITNESS.
"Princess!"
"You!" she gasped, staring at him, her face white as death, andclutching at the back of a chair for support.
"Yes. I see now why you were so anxious that I should not remain inyour company this evening," he said in bitter reproach.
"Then--_then you know_!" she cried. "You--_you saw me_!"
"Yes. I have been watching you, and I can only say that I am surprisedto find you tampering with His Excellency's safe!" he said in a low,hard tone, while, as ill-luck would have it, old Ghelardi, in uniform,with a glittering star upon his coat, entered the room just at thatmoment and overheard part of the diplomat's words.
"Ah!" said the crafty Chief of Secret Police, affecting not to haveoverheard anything. "Ah! these assignations--eh?"
She raised her hand towards him in a quick gesture, but from her glove,there fell the small key.
Ghelardi stooped and picked it up.
"Hallo!" he exclaimed, "what does this mean, Your Highness? A safekey!"
The unhappy girl, white as death, nodded in the affirmative.
The white-haired official stepped across, drew the brass cover asidefrom the keyhole, and tried the key. It yielded.
"And may I ask Your Royal Highness why I find you here, in HisExcellency's room, with a key to his private safe wherein, I believe,many secrets of our defences are kept?" he asked of her.
"I refuse to answer you, Signor Commendatore," was her bold reply, asshe drew herself up and faced him. "You have no right t
o question me.I shall answer only to His Majesty for what I have done."
This bold declaration took Hubert aback.
"Very well," replied the old man, pocketing the key and smiling thatstrange, cunning smile of his. "Your Highness shall be compelled toanswer to him--and without very much delay."
And he turned on his heel and without a word left the room.
"Ah! Mr Waldron," she cried, wringing her hands, "what must you thinkof me? I know I have acted very foolishly--that I am mad--that I--"
"Hush, Princess!" he said, his heart full of sympathy for her in herwild distress. "You have acted wrongly, it is true--very, very wrongly.Yet I am still your friend. I will see you safely out of thisimpasse--if you will only allow me. What is that document you haveabstracted from the safe?"
She made no response, but placing her hand within her breast she