In the silence they heard the telegraph boy disappearing rapidly into the distance, ringing his bell a very unnecessary number of times. When it could be heard no longer, Lady Ingleby lifted her head. "Michael is alive," she said. "Great Scot!" exclaimed Ronnie, and took a step forward. Billy made no sound, but he turned very white; backed to the door, and leaned against it for support. "Think what it means to Jim Airth!" said Lady Ingleby. "Think of the despair and misery through which he passed; and, after all, he had not done it." "May we see?" asked Ronald eagerly, holding out his hand for the telegram. Billy licked his dry lips, but no sound would come. "Read it," said Myra. Ronald took the telegram and read it aloud. "_To Lady Ingleby, Shenstone Park, Shenstone, England._ "_Reported death a mistake. Taken prisoner Targai. Escaped. Arrived Cairo. Large bribes and rewards to pay. Cable five hundred pounds to Cook's immediately._ "_Michael Veritas._" "Great Scot!" said Ronnie again. Billy said nothing; but his eyes never left Lady Ingleby's radiant face. "Think what it will mean to Jim Airth," she repeated. "Er--yes," said Ronnie. "It considerably changes the situation--for him. What does 'Veritas' mean?" "That," replied Lady Ingleby "is our private code, Michael's and mine. My mother once wired to me in Michael's name, and to Michael in mine--dear mamma occasionally does eccentric things--and it made complications. Michael was very much annoyed; and after that we took to signing our telegrams 'Veritas,' which means: 'This is really from me.'" "Just think!" said Ronnie. "He, a prisoner; and we, all marching away! But I remember now, we always suspected prisoners had been taken at Targai. And positive proofs of Lord Ingleby's death were difficult to--well, don't you know--to find. I mean--there couldn't be a funeral. We had to conclude it, because we believed him to have been right inside the tunnel. He must have got clear after all, before Airth sent the flash, and getting in with the first rush, been unable to return. Of course he has reached Cairo with no money and no means of getting home. And the chaps who helped him, will stick to him like leeches till they get their pay. What shall you do about cabling?" Lady Ingleby seemed to collect her thoughts with difficulty. "Of course the money must be sent--and sent at once," she said. "Oh, Ronnie, _could_ you go up to town about it, for me? I would give you a cheque, and a note to my bankers; they will know how to cable it through. Could you, Ronnie? Michael must not be kept waiting; yet I must stay here to tell Jim. It never struck me that I might have gone up to town myself; and now I have wired to Jim to come down here. Oh, my dear Ronnie, could you?"