r in this. I have had my
ambitions--and I have had them realized, too. But I found means to
transplant them where they belonged. Having transplanted them, I do
not propose to take them out of good heavenly soil and put them back on
the earth again. As they are quite well grown now in the garden of
God, I am not going to risk losing them by making a change, if I can
help it. I shall stay in Sihasset if I am permitted to do so. Should
I be called away, that is a different matter. Please God, when I go
out--to quote my friend, Father Daly--I'll go out feet first."

"I suppose you're right, Father," said Saunders, "I suppose you're
right. Anyhow, I'm glad that you're going to stay. By the way, now
that you've told me one secret, won't you tell me another?"

Father Murray became very cheerful again. "I bet I can guess what you
want to know now, Saunders."

"Well, I'll give you one guess," answered the detective.

"You want to know," said Father Murray, "why the Minister gave up so
easily."

"I do," replied Saunders. "That's just what I want to know. You must
have told the Baron, but you have never told me. I want to know what
magic you worked."

"I suppose I shall have to tell you. Being a detective, you have
learned to keep your mouth shut. Here is the whole story: As I told
you, I had a friend in the State Department. Well, I went to him and,
for old times' sake, he tried to help, and did. When I told him my
story, he believed me, but he very frankly informed me that the matter
was a delicate one and that, officially, he could do nothing. He
wasn't entirely ignorant of the young Italian, but he said that would
probably have to be 'forgotten.' He pointed out that the body had
disappeared, that the man was absolutely unknown here, and that to
prove murder would be practically impossible. Still, he agreed that
our knowledge of the murder would be a powerful help toward making His
Excellency reasonable. He outlined how that game should be played, and
before I left he had arranged for someone to meet the Minister at the
banquet that night, and delicately suggest that the State Department
had had some inquiry regarding the disappearance of a brilliant young
Italian officer. Knowing what would happen at the banquet, I was ready
to meet the Minister. But it wasn't necessary to rely wholly on that.
Late that night--after my return from Brookland--my friend sent for me
to come to him at once. I went, a