"You can be perfectly certain, for I stole it from the War Office!"
"Indeed. That is certainly first hand. But how did you, an American, get into the War Office?"
"I have been a porter there for some time," said Dobbs, glibly. "I am allowed access to all the rooms. I saw those papers on a desk, and I took them. Mazaroff told me you paid well, so--well, I came to you. Come, now, you shall have them for five hundred pounds."
"Too much, Mr. Dobbs."
"Three hundred," said the man, trembling with eagerness.
"Ah, that's more reasonable. Have you the papers with you?"
"No, but if you will come to my lodgings I will give them to you. But I must have the money first."
"Certainly. Will a check do?"
"Oh, yes, a check will do right enough."
Van Zwieten produced a check-book and bent over it to hide a smile. He drew the check, but before signing it looked up. "Of course this rather inculpates you," he said. "I suppose you know what it means if you were caught at this game?"