‘Am I to go to his Majesty, and ask him if you have permission to leave this room when you please, without taking any precautions against the unauthorised use of the wire?’ Herr Zeiss quickly changed his tone. ‘That is not a thing of which I am ever guilty,’ he protested. ‘You have been guilty of it just now,’ I retorted. ‘I have not been away two minutes. No one could have taken advantage of my absence.’ ‘Nevertheless, advantage has been taken of your absence.’ ‘I don’t believe it!’ ‘Ask the Central Office to repeat the message you have just sent them, then.’ Casting a frightened look at me, the man complied. I have seldom seen an expression of deeper astonishment and terror on a man’s face than that which marked the unfortunate operator’s as my despatch came back to him, word after word, ending with the Imperial signature. ‘My God!’ he cried out. ‘Who has done this? I shall be ruined!’ ‘Whether you are ruined or not depends entirely on yourself,’ I said sharply. ‘It is in my power to save you, but only upon one condition.’ [Illustration: “‘My God!’ he cried out. ‘Who has done this? I shall be ruined.’”] Herr Zeiss turned on me a gaze of mute appeal. ‘You must tell me the exact truth,’ I proceeded, ‘and you must tell me everything. How often have you left this room without taking precautions against the misuse of the wire in your absence during the last two days?’ Zeiss considered for a moment. Then his face brightened up. ‘Not once, I can assure you positively of that, Herr Inspector.’ This answer, given so confidently, came as a severe check to me. I looked at the man sternly, as I responded, with assumed confidence-- ‘And I am positive that you are mistaken. An unauthorised use _has_ been made of this wire, and I am determined to know by whom.’ The operator’s face fell once more. He appeared to me to be honestly at a loss. ‘Come,’ I put in, ‘think again. Begin by recalling any occasions on which you have been called away hurriedly, and have perhaps omitted to lock the door.’ ‘But there has been no such occasion. I swear to you that I have not once left this room without taking ample precautions.’ I fancied I discerned a touch of hesitation, rather in the operator’s tone than in his actual words. ‘Speak more plainly,’ I said. ‘What do you mean by precautions?’ ‘Either the door was locked, or else----’ This time the hesitation was palpable. ‘Or else what?’ ‘It was left in the charge of a trustworthy person.’ ‘And that trustworthy person, who was he?’ I found it hard to suppress all signs of excitement as I put this question. ‘The gentleman who will shortly be my brother-in-law.’ ‘Ah! Perhaps this gentleman is an employee in the same department as yourself?’ ‘Not at all,’ Zeiss protested earnestly. ‘He is a teacher in the Military College. He knows nothing of telegraphy; in fact, he has sometimes asked me questions on the subject which have convinced me that he is quite a fool where electricity is concerned.’