urprised.

"And what," he asked, "was the conclusion you arrived at?"

"Why, simply this: that whilst the messenger bore some letter from
Vitelli to Ramiro that should serve to lull the suspicions of any who,
wondering at so much traffic between these two, should be moved to take
a peep into those missives, the true letter with which the courier rides
is concealed within the lining of his hat--probably unknown even to
himself."

He stared at me as though I had been a wizard.

"Messer Boccadoro--" he began.

"My name," I corrected him, "is Biancomonte--Lazzaro Biancomonte."

"Whatever be your name," he returned, "of the quality of your wits there
can be no question. You have guessed for yourself the half of what I was
come to tell you. Has your shrewdness borne you any further? Have you
concluded aught concerning the nature of those letters?"

"I have concluded that it might repay some trouble to discover what is
contained in letters that are sent with so much secrecy. I can conceive
nothing that might lie between the Lord of Citta di Castello and this
ruffian of Cesena, and yet--treason lurks often where least it is
expected, and treason makes stranger bed-fellows than misfortune."

"Lampugnani was no fool, and yet a great fool," the old man murmured. He
surmised what you have surmised. With each of the messengers Ramiro
has dealt in the same manner. He has sent each to be fed and refreshed
whilst waiting to return with the answer he was penning. For their
refreshment he has ordered a very full, stout wine--not drugged, for
that they might discover upon awaking; but a wine that of itself would
do the work of setting them to sleep very soundly. Then, when all slept,
and only he remained at table, like the drunkard that he is, it has been
his habit to descend himself to the kitchen and possess himself of
the messenger's hat. With this he has returned to the hall, opened the
lining and withdrawn a letter.

"Then, as I suppose, he has penned his answer, thrust it into the
lining, where the other one had been, and secured it, as it was before,
with his own hands. He has returned the hat to the place from whence he
took it, and when the courier awakens in the morning there is another
letter put into his hand, and he is bidden to bear it to Vitelli."

He paused a moment; then continued: "Lampugnani must have suspected
something and watched Ramiro to make sure that his suspicions were well
founded. In that he was wis