"I bear you no ill will," he said.
The officer glanced at him searchingly for a moment, and then took the hand.
"I have done you and your friend an injustice," he said. "I am sorry."
"Say no more about it," replied Chester.
Colonel Fuesco also shook hands with Hal.
"But what of my paper?" he demanded of the general.
"I can give you a description of the man who took it," said Hal, and did so. When he mentioned that the man had a scar on his face, the two Italian officers uttered a cry.
"Hans Robard!" they exclaimed.
"You know him, then?" asked Chester.
"Rather," said the general dryly. "He is an Austrian, and attached to the Austrian embassy here. Of course there has as yet been no formal declaration of war between Italy and Austria, but it has been known for days that war was sure to come. Colonel Fuesco here has been entrusted with important documents relating to troop movements, and it is this document that Robard has stolen. It must be recovered."