"You had better speak to Frayling upon that point," observed Lord Warnham. "It may prove important. At any rate, Deedes, perhaps, after all, I have been just a trifle unjust in condemning you, therefore consider yourself reinstated in the same position as before, although I must admit that my previous confidence in your integrity is, to say the least, seriously--very seriously--impaired." "I hope it will not remain so long," I said. "If there is anything I can do to restore your belief in my honesty, I will do it at whatever cost." "There is but one thing," he exclaimed. "Discover the identity of the spy." "I will regard that the one endeavour of my life," I declared earnestly. "If the mystery is to be fathomed I will accomplish it." "While we've been talking," the Premier interposed, "a thought has occurred to me, and for mentioning it I hope you, Deedes, will pardon me. It has struck me that if, as seems even more than likely, this man Ogle was actually a spy who had carefully cultivated your acquaintance with an ulterior motive, is it not within the range of possibility that the lady, who was also your most intimate friend, as well as his, either knew the true facts, or had a hand in the affair?" "I can trust Ella," I said, glancing at him resentfully. "She is no spy." The elderly statesman stroked his beard thoughtfully and smiled, saying, "Ah, I expected as much. I myself was young once. When a man loves a woman he is very loth to think her capable of deceit. Yet in this instance we must not overlook the fact that more than one female spy has been brought under our notice." "I am aware of that," I replied, angry that he should have made such a suggestion against my well-beloved, yet remembering her strange utterances when she heard the news of impending war shouted in the street. "But I have the most implicit faith in the woman who is to be my wife." "Has she explained, then, the character of the secret existing between herself and Ogle?" asked Lord Warnham, raising his grey, shaggy brows. "From the evidence at the inquest it was plain, you will remember, that there was some mysterious understanding between them. Has she given you her reasons for declaring that Ogle has been murdered?" For a moment I was silent; afterwards I was compelled to make a negative reply. "That doesn't appear like perfect confidence, does it?" the Foreign Minister observed, with a short, hard laugh. "Depend upon it, Deedes, she fears to tell you the truth." "No, she fears some other person," I admitted. "Who it is I know not."