Kent-Lauriston was the first to recognise him, and seeing at a glance that his clothes were torn and spotted with blood, he sprang forward to assist his friend and helped him into the hall.
"Where's my letter, you thief?" cried Darcy.
"You've come too late," replied the Secretary, recovering himself. "You've come too late. The treaty will go through."
Darcy growled an oath as the measure of the Secretary's knowledge became known to him.
"I know who's put you on to it," he cried. "It's that cursed Irish——!"
"Go!" cried Stanley, in a burst of wrath at this insult to a woman. "Go, before I knock you down, and as you value your safety, meet me here at eleven to-morrow morning. You've held the whip hand long enough. It's my turn now."
CHAPTER XXXV
THE SHORT WAY OUT
"I suppose it's hardly necessary to ask if you found Darcy's letter?" said Kent-Lauriston to the Secretary, as they were returning to the house about an hour later from a trip to the telegraph office, whither Stanley had gone to send a long message in cipher to his Chief.