"Do you imagine that Dene slipped off to the north to trick the Germans?" "That wouldn't trick them, sir," said Malcolm Sage quietly. "John Dene would never have been allowed to reach Auchinlech alive. That was settled. I may add that I have every reason to believe that the taxi and its occupant did not go fifty miles from London." "And that he is a prisoner?" Mr. Llewellyn John jumped from his chair. Malcolm Sage inclined his head in the affirmative. "Good heavens!" exclaimed Mr. Llewellyn John, "we must----" "Depend entirely upon the advertisements," said Sage, rising. "You will of course regard this as strictly confidential, and to be told to no one. I cannot tell you how important it is." There was an unaccustomed note of seriousness in Sage's voice, which did not fail to impress Mr. Llewellyn John. "But the questions in the House as to why we are offering this reward?" persisted Mr. Llewellyn John. "What reply are we to make?" "You might fall back on the old cliche, sir: 'Wait and see.'" Mr. Llewellyn John smiled. "That phrase," continued Sage, "was a great asset to one party, why should it not be to another?" "Look at this." Mr. Llewellyn John held out a slip of paper, which Colonel Walton took and read aloud. "Has the attention of the Home Secretary been drawn to a statement in _The Tribune_ to the effect that it is the Government that is offering the reward of L10,000 for information that will lead to the discovery of the whereabouts of Mr. John Dene of Toronto, and if so can it justify the offer of so large a sum of public money?" "They haven't lost any time," remarked Sage quietly. "They never do." There was an unaccustomed note of irascibility in Mr. Llewellyn John's voice. "These questions are a scandal." "Except when one happens to be in opposition, sir," said Sage, apparently absorbed in examining the nails of his left hand. Mr. Llewellyn John made no response, and Colonel Walton handed back to him the slip, which he tossed upon the table. "Well," he demanded, looking from Colonel Walton to Sage, "what are we to reply?" "The answer is in the affirmative, sir," said Malcolm Sage. For a moment Mr. Llewellyn John looked at him, frowning, then he broke into a smile. "That's all very well, Sage, but it's not sufficient." "If I may venture a suggestion----" began Sage. "Do--do, that's why I sent for you--both," he added, as if in deference to Colonel Walton. "I would say that for reasons not unconnected with the prosecution of the war, the discovery of Mr. John Dene's whereabouts is imperative." "But that would be giving us away more than ever." "I think it would be desirable to temporise," said Sage. Mr. Llewellyn John made a movement of impatience. "You might reply that it is not in the public interest to answer the question," continued Sage. "But that would be tantamount to acknowledging that we are offering the reward," said Mr. Llewellyn John with a suspicion of irritation in his voice.