situation at allhazards, and though Ghelardi and his agents may make their owninquiries, I rely upon you alone to tell me the truth. Go to your Chiefand ask him to relieve you of your present duties for a short time.Tell him that you are carrying out a personal mission for myself, thefriend of your youth, and I feel sure he will raise no objection. GreatBritain is ever the firm and true friend of myself, and of my belovednation. But please keep the secret of our loss entirely to yourself."
"I respect Your Majesty's confidence as fully and entirely as though itwere that of my own Sovereign," was Waldron's earnest response.
"I know that I can trust you implicitly," declared the monarch uponwhose countenance the diplomat noted a dark cloud of apprehension. Thesituation was indeed one of extreme gravity, for the relations betweenAustria and Italy--never very cordial--had for the past year been muchoverstrained.
Whatever was the truth concerning the theft of those confidential plans,Waldron suspected from the very outset that one or other of the higherofficials had had a hand in it. The onus might be placed uponsecretaries, clerks, or sentries, but with the recollection of the manyand constantly recurring political scandals in Rome he was inclined to adistinct belief that even one or other of the members of the Council ofDefence might be the guilty person who had basely betrayed his countryfor Austrian gold.
"Then Your Majesty can give me no further details regarding thismysterious disappearance?" Hubert remarked after a pause, during whichthe King had been toying pensively with his fountain pen, his dark, deepeyes fixed upon the pile of documents awaiting his signature before heretired to rest.
"No. What I have told you comprises the whole facts as reported to meto-day. I have not sought to go further into any detail, for Iconsidered that a shrewd, active man like yourself--and I have heardwhat your past record in elucidating diplomatic mysteries has been--would have greater chance of getting at the truth if allowed to makeinquiries quite independently."
"And Ghelardi?"
"I have not told him that I intended to consult you."
"But he may resent it--most naturally he will."
"Probably. But surely you, as my personal and private agent, will takeno heed. Remember that you are working on my behalf alone."
"But I fear, sir, that he may endeavour to place obstacles in my way,"Waldron remarked.
"And if he does then report instantly to me. I will warn him at oncethat you are to be given every assistance. Indeed, if you require hisservices, he shall himself act under your instructions, for am I notSovereign--and I tell you I intend at all hazards to know the truthregarding this dastardly theft!" cried His Majesty with some warmth.
"I will promise to do my very utmost towards that end," was Hubert'sreply. "Your Majesty trusts me, and I will in return carry out themission to the very best of my ability."
"Those words of yours are all-sufficient for me," replied the King,rising and gripping his visitor's hand. "Do your best. Leave no stoneunturned, Waldron, and spare no expense on my behalf. Report to mefrequently, as I shall be full of anxiety until this matter is clearedup. Count del Grillo will admit you to private audience at any hour. Iwill give him instructions. Go," the monarch added. "Do your best onmy behalf, and may every good fortune attend you. Upon your effortswill mean the averting of a long and disastrous war. _Addio_!"
And he again pressed the diplomat's hand.
The latter bowed low, and with a repeated promise backed out of theroyal presence, closing the door after him.
And carrying with him the secret of Italy's peril, he descended thegreat marble staircase, where at the foot stood the two gorgeousflunkeys in the royal livery who bowed low as he passed out.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN.
IS MAINLY PROBLEMATICAL.
Hubert Waldron, after a sleepless night, determined to begin hisinquiries independently of the famous Chief of Police, Ghelardi, whom hehad not met since that memorable evening in Shepheard's.
It was news to him that the famous European spy had resigned from theservice of his masters in Berlin, and returned to the land of his birth.At least, however, there was one consolation, namely, that he would, inhis new position, no longer be antagonistic to England.
Waldron's first impulse when he dressed that morning was to go over tothe Ministry and seek him, but on reflection he feared that the old manmight be jealous of his interference in the affair. Hence it would bestto act independently.
With that object he first went along to the Embassy and had a chat withhis Chief and then called upon General Cataldi at the handsome Ministryof War in the Via Venti Settembre. There he explained matters to theshort, alert, little white-haired man who, in his smart uniform,received him in his private cabinet. His Excellency was at first muchsurprised to learn that the Englishman knew so much, but soon expressedhis readiness to assist him by every means in his power.
"My first object is to have an interview with Corporal Tonini, of the19th Bersiglieri," Hubert said in Italian.
"With pleasure, signore," replied the dapper Minister who was enjoyingone of those long Toscanos so dear to the Italian palate, and he at oncepressed a button.
A sentry appeared instantly.
"Tell Major Brusati I wish to see him at once," he said.
"Yes, Excellency," replied the man, who saluted and retired.
"This affair, Signor Waldron, is a most serious one for us," he said afew moments later. "You see yonder. There is the safe in which theplans were--"
At that moment he was interrupted by the entrance of a burly major ofartillery in dark blue uniform with the broad yellow stripe down hisblue-grey trousers.
"Brusati, I want Corporal Tonini, Number 34876 19th Regiment ofBersiglieri to be called here at once. This gentleman, Signor Waldron,of the British Embassy, desires an interview with him in private."
"_Benissimo_, Excellency," replied the Major, saluting. "I willtelephone over to the barracks at once."
"And let me know as soon as he arrives."
"Immediately, Excellency."
And the officer turned upon his heel and left.
"Your Excellency was pointing out the safe when we were interrupted,"Hubert remarked, noticing that there were three safes in the room. Twowere large, heavy ones of a well-known English make, painted dark green,against the left-hand wall, while the other was a smaller one embeddedin the wall behind the Minister's chair.
"It is this," replied the General rising and approaching the safe in thewall. "From this the documents mysteriously disappeared."
Hubert also rose from his chair, and going behind the writing-table,stood beside the Minister of War examining the steel door carefully.
"Has Ghelardi been here?" he inquired of His Excellency.
"He was here last night."
"What did he do?"
"He made a complete examination of it and took photographs of somefinger-prints upon the knob and door," responded General Cataldi,placing his own key in the lock and turning the handle twice, opened theheavy, steel door, disclosing a number of pigeon-holes, wherein reposedquantities of papers.
Waldron carefully inspected the door, and saw that it was by the sameexcellent maker as the other two.
"There is no question of the papers having been put in one or other ofthe racks," the General said. "Confidential papers are always placed inthis drawer," and he opened a small, steel drawer in the bottom of thesafe. It was empty.
"Have all these papers been examined?"
"With my secretary, Colonel Pironti, I examined each one last night.The documents in question have undoubtedly disappeared."
Hubert Waldron stood before the open safe in pensive silence.
Then he bent, and taking his gold, half-hunter watch from his pocket andopening it, used the small lens as a magnifying glass with which hecarefully examined the lock of the safe.
"There are no marks of the lock having been tampered with," he remarkedto His Excellency. "A false key must evidently have been used."
&nb
sp; "That is Ghelardi's opinion."
Then the diplomat, with His Excellency's permission, removed the wholeof the papers from the safe, and carefully examined the sides and backof the interior, satisfying himself that they were all intact.
"Which wall is this?" he asked, tapping it with his hand.
"The outer wall--in the courtyard," was the Minister's prompt reply."It could not have been attacked from behind, as we are fifty feet fromthe ground. The exterior wall has already been examined."
Waldron made no reply. He was thinking deeply--wondering whether, afterall, His Excellency, General Cataldi, Minister of War, knew more aboutthe affair than he had admitted? The corruptness of Monte Citorio wastoo universally known, and Austria would,