L. T. Meade and Robert Eustace

“ A sudden animation lit up his face and gleamed in his eyes.
"You are thinking of the last sentence in Sir James Noel's letter," I remarked.
"Possibly I am," he answered; "but do you not see for yourself the immense advantage we shall gain by being once more in touch with the enemy?"
"But how shall we be in touch? I fail to understand."
"Judging from information received, I shall be much surprised if Mademoiselle Delacourt is not poking her delicate little thumb into War Office secrets. You must accept, and at once, Phenays." ”

“ I saw him first, for he came here, and he gave me, when no one was by, a letter from Mademoiselle.
"‘You are in my power,' she wrote. 'Use your influence to get the post he covets for Reginald Monck.'
"I read the letter in his presence and looked my astonishment, and he explained horribly. I was frightened, terrified! I fell into the trap. From that moment my life was hell. I was in his power as well as hers. For a time he was careful, and nothing apparently happened; but this year the work of treachery began. I knew that my father's secrets were betrayed, and I knew that he was the traitor. ”

“ But why should I talk of my private affairs? The disaster to the country at large is what one has to guard against."
"Your position is a very grave one," said Pinheiro, "and you will have to use the utmost caution, remembering the system of espionage to which you are doubtless subjected. Now, I am taking up this matter, and shall work with Inspector Scott, and will not trouble you with any further discussion. I by no means despair of solving the riddle—perhaps before your wedding-day, sir." Here Pinheiro bowed to Monck. ”

“ To the outward eye he was only a very thin, hollow-cheeked, dark-looking man, in apparently bad health. It was difficult to realise that he was in reality one of the keenest detectives in Europe—a man to be trusted as men trust those they care most for.
We arrived at Warleigh Court just in time to dress for dinner. I was down before Pinheiro, and had scarcely spoken to Lady Noel and Evelyn before Monck appeared. I was naturally interested in the man who was to marry Evelyn, and whose place I was to take as Noel's private secretary. He was tall, good-looking, and self-possessed. ”

“ I smiled. "I wish I could agree with you," I answered; "but the more I think of that woman, the more she overpowers me, and the more I feel that she will always elude us."
"No," he answered, "not for ever; we shall have her yet." ”

“ Monck has lately come in for a considerable property, and will leave me immediately after the wedding. I want someone to take his place, and it has occurred to me that you might like the post. It is essential that I should have a man with me on whom I can absolutely rely. We cannot shut our eyes to the fact that hostilities between this country and the Transvaal are more than likely. Will you wire me your answer on receipt of this? I beg you to come if possible. There is more in my request than meets the eye.
"Yours, in haste,
"James Noel." ”

“ The best detectives are hard at work to discover their whereabouts and modes of operation, but can do nothing. Listen. This is what has just happened—it is worrying me to my grave. On two occasions lately we have discovered that some of our most private secrets in connection with our armaments and reserves have found their way to the. Transvaal through French channels, and the horror of the whole thing is that they are secrets for which I alone am responsible. Everything conceivable has been done to discover the traitor, but the man to do so has yet to be found. ”

“ She is little more than a child—the man is double her age. What could have induced her father to consent to the engagement? Why, the girl is not even happy."
"What eyes you have, my friend!" I could not help remarking.
He smiled.
"Practice," he said, shrugging his shoulders.
I left him and went to my own room; but, although very tired after my long journey, I could not sleep. Evelyn's words haunted me.
"Discover the truth," she had said. How was I to do so?
The next day Sir James, Pinheiro, and Monck went up to town, but I remained at Warleigh Court. ”

“ His face was the colour of clay.
"What does it mean?" he exclaimed. "You prove that there is arsenic in the ink of certain writing. What has that got to do with my friend? Monck, speak, man, speak! You look as if a devil had struck you. What is wrong? Why, you were just about to become my child's husband! Pinheiro, explain matters, or I shall go raving mad!"
Pinheiro glanced at me nodded emphatically, and then stepped forward.
"My explanation is quickly given," he said. "It scarcely needed a wise man to be sure that you had a traitor in the camp. Sir James. ”

“ Sir James rubbed his hands with pleasure.
"The arrival of your friend is most opportune," he said; "but we must move rapidly. Now listen! In affairs of such immense importance I cannot employ Pinheiro without getting permission from Scotland Yard. This is a mere form, of course, and I will go there immediately. Phenays, you and Pinheiro must come down to Warleigh Court to-night and dine and sleep. You will be glad to see Evelyn and my wife again, and I want to introduce you both to Monck—my present secretary. ”

“ Without taking any further notice of him, Pinheiro now produced some chemical apparatus from his bag. He proceeded to arrange it. When everything was in order, he looked straight up at Monck, and said in a short, jerky voice—
"I propose, sir, to give you this as your wedding present. Now, pray listen. I must crave your earnest attention, gentlemen. I have here in this glass vessel some zinc trimmings. Observe that I add some diluted sulphuric acid to the trimmings. Hydrogen gas is now evolved. ”

“ I will moisten a portion of this letter" (here he tore off a piece from the letter which he had taken from the blue envelope, and dipped it into water) . "I add this paper to the contents of the glass vessel. If now this pale blue flame is changed to lilac colour, and gives me a black deposit at the bottom of this plate that I hold over the flame" (he raised an ordinary dinner-plate in his hand as he spoke) , "arsenic is proved to be present in the ink with which it is written." ”

“ As I watched his deft white fingers and the eager expression on his face, while he made his passes, rattling off a patter with each new trick, I could not help thinking of the Great Conjuring Trick, involving tremendous issues, in which he was himself engaged.
"And now," he said, after he had amused us with his clever performances for about a quarter of an hour, "I mean to give you my last and, I hope, my most remarkable trick.
"Will someone in the room write a sentence—any sentence will do? ”

“ Inspector Scott welcomes your co-operation and authorises me to give you my fullest confidence."
"You can depend on my doing my best," answered Pinheiro. "And now," he added, "I have something to say on my own account. ”