Pineda was a handsome-looking fellow who bore himself well, dressed immaculately, and was received at Court and by the best society. Unquestionably, so far as birth and antecedents were concerned, he was a Spanish Grandee of the first water. And his manners were charming. But, all the same, there were certain whispers about him. To begin with, it was well-known that he was impecunious. And a Spanish duke, like an English one, is always looked at askance when he is suspected of impecuniosity. A Duke has no reason to be short of ready money. Stonehenge, who had watched the growing intimacy between the two men, spoke to Rossett one day about it. "You seem very great friends with Pineda, I observe, Guy." The Ambassador had fallen into the habit of calling him by his Christian name. Rossett looked at his chief squarely. "Yes, sir, we go about a good deal together. Of course, you have a reason in putting the question." "He is not on the list of `suspects' you gave me." Guy smiled quietly. "No, but I think he will be very soon." Mr Stonehenge gave a sigh of relief. "I see you know your business. I don't know that Pineda has yet definitely decided, but he will swim with the tide. If there is a revolution he will try to lead it, like Mirabeau. In the meantime, he keeps in with both parties." "I have led him on to a few disclosures already," observed Rossett. "Ah, that is good. I can see that if you stick to it, you will fly high. Of course, you know he is as poor as a church mouse." There was a little grimness in Rossett's smile as he answered: "I am quite sure of that." Stonehenge looked at him keenly. "Ah, I don't want to be curious, but he has borrowed money of you?" The other nodded. "A trifle, sir. I thought it was worth it. I shall lose it, of course, and although I have done it in the interests of my country, I don't suppose the Government will make it up to me." The Ambassador laughed. "Virtue is its own reward in this profession, my dear Guy. They can subscribe any amount to the party funds, but they won't give an extra penny to the men who serve them well. Anyway, I am glad you have taken the measure of Pineda. He has really no brains." "An absolute ass," corrected Rossett, "an absolute ass, with more than a normal share of vanity." "A most accurate description," assented the chief. "But, with his birth and connections, he might temporarily make a decent figurehead. Monarchies have had their _rois faineants_. Revolutions when they start have upper class and middle-class puppets to lead them. Afterwards, as we know, these are displaced by the extreme element." Rossett had found no difficulty in financing the impecunious Spanish grandee. For Great-Aunt Henrietta, on hearing of his promotion, had forwarded him a very substantial cheque.