"Good heavens!" exclaimed Mr. Llewellyn John, "we must——"
"Depend entirely upon the advertisements," said Sage, rising. "You will of course regard this as strictly confidential, and to be told to no one. I cannot tell you how important it is." There was an unaccustomed note of seriousness in Sage's voice, which did not fail to impress Mr. Llewellyn John.
"But the questions in the House as to why we are offering this reward?" persisted Mr. Llewellyn John. "What reply are we to make?"
"You might fall back on the old cliché, sir: 'Wait and see.'"
Mr. Llewellyn John smiled.
"That phrase," continued Sage, "was a great asset to one party, why should it not be to another?"
"Look at this." Mr. Llewellyn John held out a slip of paper, which Colonel Walton took and read aloud.
"Has the attention of the Home Secretary been drawn to a statement in The Tribune to the effect that it is the Government that is offering the reward of £10,000 for information that will lead to the discovery of the whereabouts of Mr. John Dene of Toronto, and if so can it justify the offer of so large a sum of public money?"
"They haven't lost any time," remarked Sage quietly.
"They never do." There was an unaccustomed note of irascibility in Mr. Llewellyn John's voice. "These questions are a scandal."