"Do not misunderstand me," Sir James went on, speaking a little more
kindly. "The money, after all, in comparison with what it was
destined to purchase, is nothing. We might even count it a fair
risk if it was lost."

"It shall not be lost," Bellamy promised. "If Von Behrling has
played the traitor to us, then he will go back to his country. In
that case, I will have the money from him without a doubt. If, on
the other hand, he was honest to us and a traitor to his country,
as I firmly believe, it may not yet be too late."

"Let us hope not," Sir James declared. "Bellamy," he continued, a
note of agitation trembling in his tone, "I need not tell you, I
am sure, how important this matter is. You work like a mole in the
dark, yet you have brains, - you understand. Let me tell you how
things are with us. A certain amount of confidence is due to you,
if to any one. I may tell you that at the Cabinet Council to-day a
very serious tone prevailed. We do not understand in the least the
attitude of several of the European Powers. It can be understood
only under certain assumptions. A note of ours sent through the
Ambassador to Vienna has remained unanswered for two days. The
German Ambassador has left unexpectedly for Berlin on urgent
business. We have just heard, too, that a secret mission from
Russia left St. Petersburg last night for Paris. Side by side with
all this," Sir James continued, "the Czar is trying to evade his
promised visit here. The note we have received speaks of his
health. Well, we know all about that. We know, I may tell you,
that his health has never been better than at the present moment."

"It all means one thing and one thing only," Bellamy affirmed. "In