"Ducaine," he said, "forgive me that I did not come to your aid. I will see that you do not suffer later on. But what in Heaven's name is the meaning of this last abstraction' from the safe?"
I shook my head.
"The woman could never have guessed the word!" I said.
"Impossible!" he agreed. "Ducaine, do you know why Lord Blenavon left
England so suddenly?"
"Colonel Ray knows, sir," I answered. "Ask him!"
Lord Chelsford became very thoughtful.
"Ducaine," he said, "we are in a fix. So far your plan has worked to perfection. Paris has plenty of false information, and your real copies have all reached me safely. But if you leave, how is this to be carried on? I do not know whom I mistrust, but if the day's work of the Board is really to be left in the safe, either here or at Braster—"
"You must choose my successor yourself, sir," I interrupted.
"The Duke has always opposed my selections. Besides, you have prepared your false copies with rare skill. Even I was deceived for a moment just now by your summary. You don't overdo it. Everything is just a little wrong. I am not sure even now whether I should not do better to tell Ray and the Duke the truth."
"I am in your hands, sir," I answered. "You must do as you think best."