d been the night steamer----"

"Bobby!" exclaimed Edith.

"Oh, I meant, of course," stammered Fairholme, "that by night Gaultier
might have been more easily mistaken."

"Well, and what happened at the Foreign Office?"

Brett's question recalled the younger people to the gravity of the
conclave.

"First of all," said Talbot, "Fairholme drove me straight home, where it
was necessary to give some slight preliminary explanation before I made
a too sudden appearance, so I remained in the cab outside whilst
Fairholme went in and found Edith."

"Ah!" said Brett, still surveying the ceiling; but there was so much
meaning in his voice that this time it was the turn of the young couple
to blush.

"We did not take long to explain matters," continued Talbot. "I sent off
messengers post-haste to the Under-Secretary and others suggesting that
if possible we should meet at the Foreign Office. Within an hour my
chiefs were good enough to fall in with my views, and therefore I had an
opportunity to tell them my story exactly as I have repeated it to you.
The result is that I carry with me a letter from the Under-Secretary in
which he explains his views. I am already acquainted with his reasons,
but I have no doubt that he puts them before you quite clearly."

He handed a letter to Brett. Its contents were laconic, but
unmistakable--

"The inquiry in which you are engaged," it read, "must be conducted with
the utmost secrecy and discretion. The gravest political importance is
attached to its outcome. No trouble or expense should be allowed to
interfere with the restoration of the diamonds to their rightful owner.
The British Government will regard this as a most valuable service to
the State, and Mr. Talbot is commissioned to place at your disposal the
full resources of the Foreign Office. You will also find that his
Majesty's Ministers throughout Europe have been advised to give you
every assistance, whilst there is little reason to doubt that the
various European Governments will be ready to offer you all possible
support. The first consideration is the restoration of the gems intact
to the Sultan; the second, absolute secrecy as to the whole of the
circumstances."

"Whew!" whistled Brett. "Read between the lines, this communication
shows the serious nature of our quest. If those diamonds are not
recovered, a revolution in Turkey is the almost certain outcome, and
Heaven alone knows what that means to the European Powers m