happen to know more than any one else about this matter," Nigel
urged,--"more, even, than I thought it advisable to mention at the
inquest--and I beg you to listen to me, Mr. Mervin Brown. I know that
you considered my uncle to be in some respects a crank, because he was
far-seeing enough to understand that under the seeming tranquillity
abroad there is a universal and deep-seated hatred of this country."

"I look upon that statement as misleading and untrue," the Minister
declared. "Your late uncle belonged to that mischievous section of
foreign politicians who believed in secret treaties and secret service,
and who fostered a state of nervous unrest between countries otherwise
disposed to be friendly. We have turned over a new leaf, Lord
Dorminster. Our efforts are all directed towards developing an
international spirit of friendliness and trust."

"Utopian but very short-sighted," Nigel commented. "If my uncle had
lived to finish decoding the report upon which he was engaged, I could
have offered you proof not only of the existence of the spirit I speak
of, but of certain practical schemes inimical to this country."

"The papers you speak of have disappeared," Mr. Mervin Brown observed,
with a smile.

"They were taken away by the person who murdered my uncle," Nigel
insisted.

The Right Honourable gentleman nodded.

"Well, you know my views about the affair," he said. "I may add that
they are confirmed by the police. I am in no way prejudiced, however,
and am willing to listen to anything you may have to say which will not
take you more than a quarter of an hour," he added, glancing at the
clock upon his table.

"Here goes, then," Nigel began. "My uncle was a statesman of the old
school who had no faith in the Utopian programme of the present
Government of this country. When you abandoned any pretence of a
continental secret service, he at his own expense instituted a small one
of his own. He sent two men out to Germany and one to Russia. The one
sent to Russia was the man Sidwell, whose murder in a Petrograd cafe you
may have read of. Of the two sent to Germany, one has disappeared, and
the other died in hospital, without a doubt poisoned, a few days after
he had sent the report to England which was stolen from my uncle's desk.
That report was brought over by Lady Maggie Trent, Lord Dorminster's
stepdaughter, who was really the brains of the enterprise and under
another name was acting as governess to the c