The man who had entered noiselessly and stood there watching him was none other than the man who, up the Nile, had passed as Lola’s uncle, Jules Gigleux—but whose real name was Luigi Ghelardi, the most renowned Secret Service Chief in Europe.
“Well, signore,” exclaimed the shrewd, cunning old man in Italian with his grey brows knit, “this is certainly a surprise! I did not expect when I entered here in search of His Excellency the General that I should make this very interesting discovery?”
Waldron sprang to his feet much confused and altered in the same language:
“Her Highness has unfortunately fainted.”
“And you were trying to restore her—eh?” he laughed with bitter sarcasm.
There was a look of distinct evil in the man’s small cunning eyes.
“Yes. And I have failed,” Waldron answered.
“Had you not better ring for the servants? I think so.”
And the chief spy of Italy pressed the electric button near at hand.
In response, a tall sentry appeared at once and saluted.