Ned held up the seal.
"This was not used?" he asked.
"It was not used."
"Why not?"
"Because the representative of that nation refused to consider the terms offered him."
Ned held forth the sealing wax.
"This shows that the seal of another nation was used. Where is the paper to which the seal was attached?"
"Destroyed!"
"Is that true?" asked Ned.
"It is true, they all deserted me. They all ran away when they knew you were in the country, but I brought them back, and held them until the incident at the house where you found those things."