"Ah, I regret that at this juncture I am not at liberty to say! The matter is still in the most confidential stage. The slightest betrayal of our knowledge may result in disaster. It is the chief's policy to retain the facts we have gathered and act upon them as soon as the inquiry is complete. For the past three weeks all my endeavours and those of my staff have been directed towards unravelling the mystery presented by the document I have mentioned. In every capital active searches have been made, copies of correspondence secured, prominent statesmen sounded as to their views, and photographs taken of certain letters and plans, all of which go to show the deep conspiracy that is in progress, with the object of striking a staggering blow at us. Yet, strangest of all, there is mention of a matter which is hinted at so vaguely that up to the present I have been unable to form any theory as to what it really is. To put it plainly," he added, with his eyes fixed upon Chisholm's face, "in certain parts of the correspondence the name of Mayne Lennox is mentioned in connection with your own." "In connection with my own!" gasped Dudley, his face blanching again in an instant. "What statements are made?" "Nothing is stated definitely," replied his shabby visitor. "There are only vague hints." "Of what?" "Of the existence of something that I have up to the present failed to discover." Dudley Chisholm breathed more freely, but beneath that cold, keen gaze of the man of secrets his eyes wavered. Nevertheless, the fact that Cator was still in ignorance of the truth reassured him, and in an instant he regained his self-possession. "Curious that I should be mentioned in the same breath, as it were, with a man whom I know so very slightly--very curious," he observed, as though reflecting. "It was because of this that I have sought you here to-night," the confidential agent explained. "I must find this man Lennox, for he alone can throw some light upon the strange hints contained in two of the letters. Then, as soon as we know the truth, the chief will act swiftly and fearlessly to expose and overthrow the dastardly plot. Until all the facts are quite plain it is impossible to move, for in this affair the game of bluff will avail nothing. We must be absolutely certain of our ground before making any attack. Then the whole of Europe will stand aghast, and England will awake one morning to discover how she has been within an ace of disaster." "But tell me more of this mention of myself in the confidential correspondence of our enemies," Dudley urged. "What you have told me has aroused my curiosity."