"The Minister of Justice is determined that the matter shall be probed to the bottom," rejoined Lord Prestonkirk. "He is therefore sending to Camajore no less a person than his Deputy-Minister. I was rather surprised to hear it, for the Deputy-Minister is quite a great man, but it indicates the importance the Minister attaches to the investigation, and you may be sure it will be thorough." "I am very glad to hear it," said Gilbert, but he had hardly uttered these words when a sort of dread came over him that Silwood's body might be found in the grave. He steadily refused, however, to let his mind dwell on this idea. "All that remains for me to do now, Mr. Eversleigh," said the Ambassador, "is to give you a line to the Minister of Justice by way of introduction; you had better go and call on him at once." "Yes, I will do so." Lord Prestonkirk wrote a short note, and handing it to Gilbert, wished him good-bye and good luck. "Don't forget to let me know--eh--the sequel," smiled the Ambassador, as he shook hands with Gilbert. Arrived, within a few minutes of his leaving the Embassy, at the Ministry of Justice, Gilbert was almost immediately ushered into the presence of Signor Fava, the Minister. Finding that Gilbert did not know Italian, Signor Fava conversed with him in English. "You believe Ucelli to be in a plot," said the Minister, after some discussion, "to screen this Mr. Silwood? Yes; but there is one question I must ask: Why has he tried to screen Mr. Silwood? What was, or is, the consideration?" "I do not know what was, or is, the connection between the two," replied Gilbert. "Ucelli must have been offered some strong inducement." "That is probable, most probable." "It must be inquired into, it must!" The Minister touched an electric bell, and his Secretary entered the room. "Please request Signor Vinci to come to me," the Minister said in Italian to his subordinate, who forthwith withdrew. "Signor Vinci," the Minister explained to Gilbert, "is my Deputy. I merely desire to introduce you to him. I have already asked him to arrange with you when to go to Camajore. When do you intend to go?" "I should like to go at once--that is, if it is convenient to Signor Vinci." "How would to-morrow do?" "Capitally." A tall, swarthy man, with a determined-looking face, now came in. "Mr. Eversleigh," said the Minister, "this is the Deputy-Minister, Signor Vinci. He has already received his instructions, and if you can go to-morrow, so can he. And you will find that he can speak English as well as or better than I." "Oh no, Excellency," protested the Deputy. "But I am certainly quite ready to go with Mr. Eversleigh to-morrow, if that suits him." And so it was arranged. Before setting out next morning, Gilbert received a telegram from his brother Ernest, which made him very sad. It ran--