“He enclosed it in a note to my cousin asking him to see that it was delivered to me at once on my arrival.”
“Has it occurred to you that Senator Carew’s missing letter, which Brett is so anxious to find, may have been addressed to you?”
“I never thought of that!” exclaimed Douglas, “I was so thoroughly convinced that he had tried to communicate with you.”
“I would inquire about your mail if I were you, Mr. Hunter.”
“I will do so at once,” Douglas half rose.
“No, no, sit down.” The Secretary waited until Douglas had resumed his seat. “Where are you stopping?”
“At the Albany.”
“You have brought me very serious news, Mr. Hunter. So serious that I must insist on some verification of your statements about Japan before you leave me.”
Douglas took from a cleverly concealed pocket in the lining of his coat a number of sheets of rice paper and handed them to the Secretary, who studied the closely written papers long and intently. Suddenly he pulled open a desk drawer and took out his strong box.
“I will keep these papers, Mr. Hunter, for future reference,” he announced, unlocking the box and placing the rice papers in it. Then, with equal care, he replaced the box in the drawer, which he locked securely. “We must go slowly in this matter. A slip on our part, and two great nations may become involved in a needless and bloody war.”