Evening star., 1921-07-31

were alert. They were listening.
He ought to be here any minute
now" said Mr.. Llewellyu John' the
prime minister. taking out his watcn
for the hundredth time
Sir Lyster Grayne. first lord OF the
admiralty, shook his head.
He should do 1t in an hour. SAID
Lord Beamdale, the secretary Of war
LIZ he's cot a man who knows the
road"
..Sare is sure" began Sir Lyster:
then he stopp abruptly. and turned
in the direction of the farther window
The others heard the sound Of the
window being raised and then closed
again. A moment later Malcolm sage
appeared. followed by Sir Lyster, VINO
once more drew the curtain.
THANK God you've come, Sage!
cried MIR. Llewellyn John. with q s.sn
of relief as he grasped Malcolm Sases
hand as ii it had been lifebelt and
he a drowning man: think Sou
have met Lord Beamdale." he added.
Malcolm Sage bowed to the war
minister. then with great deIDeratioii
removed his overcoat. carefully loid-
ed it, and placed II upon CHAIR. lay
ing his cap on top. He then selected
q chair at the table that gave Elm
clear view of the faces of the three
ministers. and sat down.
why did you come to the WIN
resumed his own seat ..pid you know
this was the library? SO
the curtains" replied Malcolm Sage
1T may be desirable that no ope
should know l have been here ne
added.
Something terrible has happsened
his voice shaking with excitement.
He had with difficulty contained him.
self whilst Malcolm Sagegwas taking
off his overcoat and explaining hts
reason for entering by the window.
.Tt's-its-" His voice broke.
Perhaps Sir Lyster will tell me,
suggested Malcolm Sage.
.sSI>HE prime minister and Lord
, Beamdale came down with
me on Thursday night to spend the
week end" he said Incidentally we
were to discuss a very important. mat
ter connected with this country Ser
foreign policy TIE hesitation
was only momentary. "Lo"d Beam
dale brought with him document
of an extremely private nature. This
had sent to him earlier in the week
for consideration and comment.
"If that document were, to get to
. certain embassy in London no
one can foretell the calamitous re-
other war if not now certainly later.
It was. I should explain. Of private
and confidential nature. and conse-
quently quite frankly expressed.
Just over IN hour and half ago,
that is to say. soon after IL o'clock
n hot
in question was missing. and In its
place had been substituted number
of sheets of blank paper"
-Where was the document kept:
inquired Malcolm Sage his long, SEN !
sitive fingers stroking the back OF the |
"In the safe" replied Sir Lyster, in
dicatSng with a nod small safe let
% You e are in the habit ~ Using it !
for valuable documentS!SrI,Q ,Querleo |
Malcolm Sage.
"As matter of fact. very seldom. !!
1t is mostly empty was the reply !
WHY
II have a larger safe in my dressing |
room in which / keep my papers. !
During the day I occa sionaliy use i
this to save going up and down ,
stairs
"Where do you keep the ksy?
when there is anything In the safe !
j always IL ooout W." i'N'
"And at other times? |
sometimes in drawer in my |
writing table said Sir Lyster; but !,
generally / have it on me-
when was the document put into /:
the safe?"
"At a quarter to eight tonight. just |
n the second dressing gong was
sounding" u
"And you yourself put it in. locked |
the door. and have retained the Key
F-I- SacY
hausted the interest OF the SPHINX
and was now drawing diagrams with ,
his forefinger upon the morocco sur /
face of the table.
II put the key in the pocket or
INV evening vest when ] changed. he !
said AFTER the other guests had :
retired, the prime minister raised
r,oint that necessitated reference TO |
the document itself. 1t was then /
discovered the substitution.
"Rut for that circumstance the safe
would not have been opened until
when?" aueried Malcolm Sage.
I"I,ate tonight, when I should have
transferred the packet to the sa1e
In my dressingroom."
would you have examined t"e
-contents?''
mo. 1t is my rule to cut adrift
from official matters from dinner
tJrne on Saturday until after oreak-
fast on Monday. 1t was only IN oel-
erence to the prime minister's par
ticular wish that we referred to the
document tonight" !
"I take II that the rule you men,
tion is known to your guests ana
servants?"
Certainly"
"Tbere is no doubt that it was the
document itself that you put IN the
safe?"
Lord Reamdale saw me do It,.
"No doubt whatever" corroborased
Mr.. IIewellyn John. while LORD
ReamdaIe wagged his head like
mandarin. :. :.
q short pa'.se-
Sir Ly.ter shook his head
sThe servants. Of course, have ac-
cess to this room?
"Yes: hut only Walters. my butter.
ia likely to come here In the even
ing. except. of course. my secretary.
.Where does he dine?
..Miss Blair" corrected Sir Lyster'
always takes her meals In her own
sitting room. where she works. IL is
sjtuated at the back of the house on
the ground floor.
at length. addressing Sir Lyster. only
three people in the house were &C
ouajnted with the existence OF the
document: you. the primes minister
and Lord Eeamdale.
you are certain of that? Malcolm
Sage looked up swiftly and keenly.
'.Your secretary and Lady Grayne. for
instance. they knew nothing about
it,
Nothing; of that I am absolutely