"Of course I will do my best in Your Majesty's interests," declared Waldron. "But do please tell me more. What happened after the doc.u.ments were placed in Lambarini's hands?"

"He put them at once in the safe in His Excellency's room."

"Then he has a key to the safe?"

"It is a safe used for confidential doc.u.ments when they are taken from the strong-room in the bas.e.m.e.nt up to the Ministry, in order to be inspected. The safe is actually in General Cataldi's private cabinet."

"How many keys are there?"

"Three. The General has one," replied His Majesty. "There is a system of keeping confidential doc.u.ments, for if one is removed for any purpose, a slip of paper is left in its place bearing the signature of one or other of the three persons who have the key."

"And has no one access to this safe except the persons Your Majesty has mentioned?"

"No one," was the King's reply.

"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 doc.u.ments, 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."

"Alas! Your Majesty, in every country there are to be found black sheep. Even in our patriotic England we have them, as recent prosecutions have revealed."

"Ah, yes, I know! But, Waldron, we must find this traitor who has no doubt stirred up against us once more the bitter enmity of Vienna.

Three years ago our Secret Service reported a cunning and crafty move by Austria--an intention on her part to encroach into Venetia. There was a deep conspiracy afoot against us just as there was last year against Servia in the Balkans. Had we not discovered it we might have awakened to find Venice and Milan in the enemies' hands. As it was, Ghelardi-- though then in the German Service, but still a patriotic Italian--gave us a timely warning, and we were able to turn the tables upon our enemy.

After this discovery the Council of War decided to strengthen our frontier defences in secret--the secret which is now, unfortunately, betrayed to those who wish to crush us."

"And does Your Majesty desire me to make inquiries independently of the Commendatore Ghelardi--or in a.s.sociation with him?" inquired Waldron thinking deeply, for the problem was a complex one.

"Just as you deem best, Waldron. Act as your own discretion directs you," the King replied, taking from the table a slip of yellow official paper whereon was scribbled some memoranda.

"I presume that I shall have no difficulty in obtaining the name of the sentry who was on duty outside His Excellency's door?" the diplomat remarked after a brief silence.

"I have it here," responded His Majesty. "It is Corporal Tonini, of the 19th Regiment of Bersiglieri--a loyal soldier."

Hubert took the little gold pencil attached to his watch-chain and scribbled the name on the cuff of his dress-shirt, together with that of the secretaries of Minister of War and that of the Council of Defence.

"I will order Ghelardi to give you every a.s.sistance and information, as I desire, Waldron, that you will inquire into this matter upon my own personal behalf. I ask you to do this as a favour--as one who will be very grateful to you for your services. You are independent, and a foreigner, and you have no axe to grind as, alas! they all seem to have who surround me. A king is always the centre of human avarice, of base unscrupulousness, of jealousies, and of the fierce struggle for undeserved honours and emoluments." Then with a sigh he added: "When one is a Sovereign there is, unfortunately, revealed all the worst side of human nature."

"Is there any suspicion of a spy of Austria being at present in Rome?"

Waldron inquired after a silence broken only by the tramp of the soldiers returning to their quarters on the opposite side of the great paved courtyard.

"Austrian agents are, of course, always among us. A dozen or so are known as residing in the north. But Ghelardi and his staff are ever watchful. You know him, I suppose?"

"I have met him," replied Hubert vaguely. He dare not tell His Majesty the curious story of their acquaintance, or the circ.u.mstances in which he had met his madcap niece.

"Ah! then you will want no introduction. You will find him at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. But perhaps I had better give him instructions," he added, and turning to his table he scribbled a hasty note, which he enclosed in an envelope and addressed. "If you wish to consult him or others that will prove an open sesame," smiled His Majesty.

Waldron took the royal mandate with a word of thanks, and placed it securely in his inner pocket.

"Remember," His Majesty urged very seriously, "in this affair, I beg of you, Waldron, to spare no effort. We must save the situation at all hazards, and though Ghelardi and his agents may make their own inquiries, I rely upon you alone to tell me the truth. Go to your Chief and ask him to relieve you of your present duties for a short time.

Tell him that you are carrying out a personal mission for myself, the friend of your youth, and I feel sure he will raise no objection. Great Britain is ever the firm and true friend of myself, and of my beloved nation. But please keep the secret of our loss entirely to yourself."

"I respect Your Majesty's confidence as fully and entirely as though it were that of my own Sovereign," was Waldron's earnest response.

"I know that I can trust you implicitly," declared the monarch upon whose countenance the diplomat noted a dark cloud of apprehension. The situation was indeed one of extreme gravity, for the relations between Austria and Italy--never very cordial--had for the past year been much overstrained.

Whatever was the truth concerning the theft of those confidential plans, Waldron suspected from the very outset that one or other of the higher officials had had a hand in it. The onus might be placed upon secretaries, clerks, or sentries, but with the recollection of the many and constantly recurring political scandals in Rome he was inclined to a distinct belief that even one or other of the members of the Council of Defence might be the guilty person who had basely betrayed his country for Austrian gold.

"Then Your Majesty can give me no further details regarding this mysterious disappearance?" Hubert remarked after a pause, during which the King had been toying pensively with his fountain pen, his dark, deep eyes fixed upon the pile of doc.u.ments awaiting his signature before he retired to rest.

"No. What I have told you comprises the whole facts as reported to me to-day. I have not sought to go further into any detail, for I considered that a shrewd, active man like yourself--and I have heard what your past record in elucidating diplomatic mysteries has been-- would have greater chance of getting at the truth if allowed to make inquiries quite independently."

"And Ghelardi?"

"I have not told him that I intended to consult you."

"But he may resent it--most naturally he will."

"Probably. But surely you, as my personal and private agent, will take no heed. Remember that you are working on my behalf alone."

"But I fear, sir, that he may endeavour to place obstacles in my way,"

Waldron remarked.

"And if he does then report instantly to me. I will warn him at once that you are to be given every a.s.sistance. Indeed, if you require his services, he shall himself act under your instructions, for am I not Sovereign--and I tell you I intend at all hazards to know the truth regarding this dastardly theft!" cried His Majesty with some warmth.

"I will promise to do my very utmost towards that end," was Hubert's reply. "Your Majesty trusts me, and I will in return carry out the mission to the very best of my ability."

"Those words of yours are all-sufficient for me," replied the King, rising and gripping his visitor's hand. "Do your best. Leave no stone unturned, Waldron, and spare no expense on my behalf. Report to me frequently, as I shall be full of anxiety until this matter is cleared up. Count del Grillo will admit you to private audience at any hour. I will give him instructions. Go," the monarch added. "Do your best on my behalf, and may every good fortune attend you. Upon your efforts will mean the averting of a long and disastrous war. _Addio_!"

And he again pressed the diplomat's hand.

The latter bowed low, and with a repeated promise backed out of the royal presence, closing the door after him.