"Oh, I am not objecting, General! The plan is excellent, and should yield much profit to our country. As for these Belgians, they have brought it on themselves by their foolish obstinacy. Ha, ha! A large part of the securities I am about to hand to you, General, were, by the explicit instructions of the widow of Monsieur Durend, to have been sent into Holland for her use. I thought I could find a better use for them than that, however, and they will doubtless be made to render important service to the Imperial Government. Only two days ago, too, that young English cub, Monsieur Durend's son, attacked me in this room and demanded money for his mother's use. I told him to go and work for her, and sent him about his business." There was a rumble of laughter, and the desk creaked as one of the officers--there seemed two men beside M. Schenk--sat down on the side of it. "And what sum will it be, Herr von Schenkendorf? It must be a large one. My Government will expect much from so large and prosperous a business." "I can give you 1,500,000 marks in money and securities," replied the manager as he drew his keys from his pocket and approached the safe. "If you wish I will hand the sum to your aide-de-camp now." "I do wish it, Herr von Schenkendorf," replied the officer decisively. Max and Dale held their breaths in suspense as they heard the key turn in the lock and the door of the safe swing heavily open. There was a sharp exclamation, followed by a dull sound as though the manager had flung himself down on his hands and knees, the better to peer into the inside. "Mein Gott!" he cried in a strangled voice. "Gone--all gone!" "No tricks, sir!" cried the general in a rasping voice, getting up suddenly from the desk on which he had been sitting. "I will not be trifled with." The manager made no reply, but Max could hear him breathing heavily and fancied he caught a groan. "What is the matter, von Schenkendorf? Have you been robbed?" demanded the officer. "Yes, General," replied the manager after a pause in which he vainly endeavoured to find his voice. "Mein Gott--yes--robbed! How--I know not. Last evening I left all----" "Bah! You _are_ trifling with me!" cried the officer in a stern voice. "This is altogether too opportune to be the result of accident. I come to you demanding a contribution to His Imperial Majesty's exchequer and you tell me you have just been robbed. I begin to have grave doubts of your faithfulness to our cause." "General," cried Schenk in a voice which positively trembled with vexation, "General, I assure you that it is a pure coincidence. Never before has the firm been robbed, and how or why it should happen now I do not know. But it shall be fully investigated and I will leave no stone unturned to recover possession of the valuables--be assured of that."