“The theft has been committed by a person outside the Ministry.”
“Who—do tell me who, signore,” he cried eagerly.
“Not at present. I can say nothing. I am only here to obtain further information, so that I may make a complete report to His Majesty and explain of what assistance Your Excellency has been to me.”
The General—the man who had accepted bribes from every quarter—hesitated for a few seconds. This man whom he had hitherto regarded as his enemy was, he thought, evidently his friend, after all!
“The tracings of the key were purposely upon a smaller scale, so that they would have to be enlarged by photography, or re-drawn, to be of any use,” he said. “Three days ago they were examined by the Committee of National Defence in view of the theft of the plans themselves; my secretary placed them in the safe prior to being returned to the Department of Fortifications.”
“Then I take it that the missing plans are quite useless to any outsider without the measurements and calculations upon the key?”
“That is so.”
“You have never stated this before,” remarked Waldron in surprise.
“No question has been put to me.”
“But the plans were stolen and the consequences extremely grave.”