Fenianism, but that Irish rebellion receives its support and comfort from
the present Cabinet. Grave as this charge is, and momentous as would be
the consequences of such an allegation if unfounded, we repeat that such a
document is in existence, and that we who write these lines have held it in
our hands and have perused it."

'The _Banner_ copies the paragraph, and adds, "We give all the publicity
in our power to a statement which, from our personal knowledge, we can
declare to be true. If the disclosures which a debate on this subject
must inevitably lead to will not convince Englishmen that Ireland is now
governed by a party whose falsehood and subtlety not even Machiavelli
himself could justify, we are free to declare we are ready to join the
Nationalists to-morrow, and to cry out for a Parliament in College Green,
in preference to a Holy Inquisition at Westminster."'

'That fellow has blood in him,' cried Kearney, with enthusiasm, 'and I go a
long way with him.'

'That may be, sir, and I am sorry to hear it,' said Walpole coldly; 'but
what I am concerned to tell you is, that the document or memorandum here
alluded to was among my papers, and abstracted from them since I have been
here.'

'So that there _was_ actually such a paper?' broke in Kearney.

'There was a paper which the malevolence of a party journalist could
convert to the support of such a charge. What concerns me more immediately
is, that it has been stolen from my despatch-box.'

'Are you certain of that?'

'I believe I can prove it. The only day in which I was busied with these
papers, I carried them down to the library, and with my own hands I brought
them back to my room and placed them under lock and key at once. The box
bears no trace of having been broken, so that the only solution is a key.
Perhaps my own key may have been used to open it, for the document is
gone.'

'This is a bad business,' said Kearney sorrowfully.

'It is ruin to _me_,' cried Walpole, with passion. 'Here is a despatch from
Lord Danesbury, commanding me immediately to go over to him in Wales, and I
can guess easily what has occasioned the order.'

'I'll send for a force of Dublin detectives. I'll write to the chief of
the police. I'll not rest till I have every one in the house examined on
oath,' cried Kearney. 'What was it like? Was it a despatch--was it in an
envelope?'

'It was a mere memorandum--a piece of post-paper, and headed, "Draught
of instruction touc