“There must be a false key.”
“Even if one existed that would be useless, for a sentry is on duty outside the Minister’s private cabinet day and night.”
“And has this sentry been questioned?”
“I believe so.”
“By Ghelardi, most probably?”
“I think so.”
“Is Your Majesty aware of the views held by your Chief of Secret Police?”
“He simply declared the whole affair to be a mystery. His suspicion first fell upon Lambarini, just as yours has done. But he afterwards agreed with me that the official named is no traitor.”
“Well—there must be clever espionage at work somewhere,” said Waldron. “A substantial sum must have been paid for those documents, that’s certain. If we could trace money, we could place our hands at once upon the culprit.”
“Agreed,” exclaimed His Majesty, a dark cloud upon his brow. “But I hate to think that any Italian should sell his country’s secrets for foreign gold.”