He rose from his chair and thoughtfully paced the room, his hands locked behind his back, as was his habit when thinking deeply. The statement contained in the despatch had alarmed him. He scented danger, and his brow was clouded. The whole thing was so unexpected and so extraordinary that he could scarcely credit it, although the signature to the despatch was that of his Chief, Lord Stockbridge. The matter was one demanding his immediate attention, and yet he had allowed the despatch to remain unopened all day. Up and down the polished floor he paced, plunged in apprehensive reflections. It appeared that after he had left the Foreign Office on the previous day the Minister had attended there and had sent him that startling despatch under seal. He paused at the table, and taking up the envelope for the first time discovered that it had not been through the post. Then he touched the bell, and of the man who entered he asked: "Did a messenger from London leave anything for me this morning, Riggs?" "Yes, sir. Two official letters, sir. He arrived at six o'clock, and I placed the letters on the breakfast-table." "Oh, very well," his master answered. "You signed the receipt?" "Yes, sir. It was Mr. Forbes who brought them, sir. He said he couldn't wait till you came down as he was driving back to Shrewsbury to catch the eight-ten up to London." "He didn't say they were important, or make any remark?" "No, sir." "Very well." And then the man, a smart, middle-aged servant in the Chisholm livery, withdrew. "Curious--very curious!" exclaimed Dudley in a low, half-frightened whisper when the man had closed the door. "It's certainly a matter that requires the most searching investigation, otherwise we shall infallibly find ourselves checkmated, Lord Stockbridge writes. I wonder what it can all mean? Even Stockbridge himself doesn't see any light through it, apparently." Again he read the puzzling document, which bore the signature known to every court of Europe as that of the greatest of living statesmen. It bore a postscript also, written by his lordship's own quill: "When read, please destroy." He replaced it on the table, and, crossing to the ancient hearth where the big logs were burning, he stood motionless, gazing blankly at the fire.