s silent again,
waiting in an agony of suspense for what Rendel's next words would be.
Rendel, scarcely less agitated, was trying to choose them carefully.

"I am very sorry," he began, "to have to tire and worry you about this
when you are not well, but I have a particular reason for talking to you
about it."

"Pray go on," Gore managed to say under his breath.

"I have a special reason," said Rendel, "for wanting to remember what
happened in my study yesterday afternoon."

"Yesterday afternoon?" said Gore. "Did anything particular happen?"

"That is what I want to know," said Rendel, trying to speak calmly and
quietly. "You will oblige me very much if you will try to remember
exactly what happened all the time, from the moment you came into the
room until you left it."

Gore made an effort to pull himself together. There was no difficulty,
alas! for him in remembering every single thing that had taken
place--the difficulty was not to show that he remembered too well.

"When I came in," he said, endeavouring to speak in an ordinary tone,
"you were at your writing-table."

"I was," said Rendel, watching him.

"And then I sat down in an armchair and read the _Mayfair Gazette_----"
and he stopped.

"Yes. All that," Rendel said, "I remember, of course. Thacker came in
telling me Lord Stamfordham was there, and I rushed out, shutting the
roller top of my writing-table, which closes with a spring. I was
especially careful to shut it, as it had valuable papers in it."

"Indeed?" said Sir William, almost inaudibly.

"Yes, and among them," Rendel said, watching the effect of his words, "a
map--that map of Africa which is reproduced this morning in the
_Arbiter_."

"In your writing-table?" Gore said, with quivering lips.

"Yes, in my writing-table, out of which it must have been taken."

"That is very serious," Gore forced himself to say.

"It is very serious," said Rendel, "as you will see. When I came back
and had finished my work on the papers I did them up myself in a packet
and sent them to Lord Stamfordham."

"Your messenger was not trustworthy, apparently," said Gore, recovering
himself.

"My messenger was Thacker," Rendel said, "who is absolutely trustworthy.
Lord Stamfordham himself told me that he had received the packet with my
seal intact."

"Still," said Gore, "servants have been known to sell State secrets
before now."

"But not Thacker," said Rendel. "However, of course I shall ask him; I