Rivers took the middle box across to the window, then drew up the blind and waited. The red-coated sentry passed. Could he manage it before the soldier was round again? Ah! here was his chance. He opened the window gently. "Hi!" he called out to the passing hansom. The man pulled up, got down, and came to the window. "I want you to take this box straight to Lord Ancoats. He lives in Eaton Square. Tell him Mr. Birket Rivers sent it, and he must open it at once. I will see him in the morning about it. Here's a sovereign. If Lord Ancoats gets it within an hour, I'll give you another sovereign to-morrow. Here you are. Cut along. Drive like blazes." As the man mounted his seat, the sentry came round the corner. Rivers cautiously closed the window, and drew the blind. He then pulled a chair behind the curtain, and went to sleep on it till four o'clock, when he made his way to his own room. First thing in the morning he sent a message to John Parker, who turned up in good health at ten o'clock, and claimed his post back. Half an hour later Rivers left, assured of Mr. Bradshaw's offer of the next vacancy in the household. He drove straight to the Albany, and then to Eaton Square. The Earl was at the Foreign Office. Within the hour his lordship received him. "Well, Mr. Rivers," said Lord Ancoats, producing the despatch box from a safe. "What is the meaning of this?" [Illustration: "INSTEAD OF THE DRAFT, THERE, ON A PURPLE VELVET CUSHION, WAS THE GLITTERING ORDER OF THE LION AND THE SUN." (_p. 178._)] "It explains itself, my lord." "Indeed," said the statesman drily. "What do you think it contains?" "The draft of a new treaty between Russia and Persia." "Open it." Rivers did so, and, instead of the draft, there on a purple velvet cushion was the glittering Order of the Lion and the Sun! Rivers was stupefied. "Was there nothing else?" he asked in bewilderment. "No, sir; and perhaps you will now explain how you came into possession of this, and why you sent it to me. It is surely the property of the Persian Mission." Lord Ancoats' demeanour was not reassuring, but Rivers plunged boldly into the matter. "Last night, at Denton House, Count Moranoff visited the Persian Vizier," he commenced. "How do you know that?" "I saw him. I was present at the interview--unknown, of course. He brought with him the draft of a treaty supplementing the last one. It had chiefly reference to the acquisition of a Russian port in the Persian Gulf." "Ah!" said Lord Ancoats, "that's a bold move. Go on, please." "The Vizier placed the draft in one of three despatch boxes like this. I thought this was the one, and I sent it here so that your lordship could read the treaty for yourself. I deeply regret that I made a mistake in the box, but I can give the gist of the treaty from memory." "Please do so now."