"On the contrary, he left me quite in the dark about it," Forsyth made answer. "All I understood was that I was to fetch something which you would hand me in person."
Ziegler took a leisurely survey of the young Scotsman through his green glasses. "Then you did not come here expecting to have to use your own discretion in any way—to traffic with me, in fact?" he presently asked.
"Certainly not," Forsyth replied. "I gathered that the part I was to play was solely that of a trusted messenger who could be relied on to say nothing about his errand afterwards."
"Not even to General Sadgrove?" flashed back the answering question so swiftly that for an instant Forsyth was taken aback.
"I am not one to betray my employer's secrets—even to my uncle, General Sadgrove," he said, recovering himself quickly.
"Very good!" was the croaking comment. "I deemed it necessary to sound you because we are aware of the foolish meddling—I might also say muddling—of that mischievous old man. We know also that you have aided and abetted him in an attempt to swim against a tide that is far too strong for both of you."
"I quite admit that," responded Forsyth, boldly. "My uncle has been doing his best to protect the Duke's life, and as in duty bound I have used my efforts to assist him—up to a certain point."
"What do you mean—up to a certain point?"
"I mean that as the Duke seems now to have taken matters actively into his own hands by opening up communication with you, I am naturally rather at the disposition of my employer than of anyone else."
"Truly a faithful servant," said Ziegler, with a strong suspicion of a sneer. "And now, Mr. Forsyth, I have a question to ask which you are at liberty to answer or not as you please, but on which the future security of his Grace will probably depend. I shall draw my own deductions from a refusal to answer, and take it as an affirmative. Has the Duke disclosed to either you or General Sadgrove, or, as far as you are aware, to anyone else, the reason of his recent differences with us?"