ps
half an hour."

"You had no idea as to their origin?"

"We thought that perhaps the English were tuning up a new and very
powerful instrument at Gibraltar."

"You had no way of verifying this?"

"We did not try to do so."

"Was this interruption repeated?"

"Yes; our automatic recorder shows that the signals began again a little
before five o'clock yesterday morning and continued for nearly two
hours."

Crochard's eyes were shining.

"At what hour was _La Liberte_ destroyed?" he asked.

"The first explosion was at 5:50. There were two others, a few minutes
apart. The main magazine exploded at very close to six o'clock."

"So that these signals began at least an hour before and continued
nearly an hour past that time?"

"That is so, sir," assented Marbeau, in surprise; "but I can imagine no
connection--"

"Do not imagine anything," broke in Delcasse quickly, his voice
quivering with excitement. "Perhaps there is no connection; but
nevertheless I think these signals should have been reported to me. Come
in," he added, as a tap sounded at the door.

His secretary entered and handed him a telegram. Delcasse's eyes were
positively gleaming as he read it.

"Better and better!" he cried. "Oh, this is a game after my own heart!"
and he tossed the telegram to Lepine. "Read it aloud!" he added, "that I
may be sure my eyes have not deceived me!"

And Lepine picked up the message and read:

"Note B162864R, one hundred francs, one of series of three
hundred such notes sent to Imperial Bank, Berlin, September
8.

"LINNE, Governor Bank of France."

There was a moment's silence, Marbeau staring blankly, but the other
three gazing into each other's faces with shining eyes.

"Perfect, perfect!" murmured Delcasse, and seized the telegram and read
it again.

"The next step, sir," said Crochard quietly, "is to instruct every bank
in France to report immediately the receipt of any of the other two
hundred and ninety-nine!"

Delcasse drew a deep breath, pulled a pad of blanks toward him, and
scribbled a few words.

"See that this is sent at once," he said, and the secretary took the
message and hastened away.

Then Delcasse did something which he had not done since that night, five
years before, when word came that England had signed the secret treaty:
he removed his great glasses, got out his handkerchief, and deliberately
wiped his eyes.

"Your pardon, gentlemen," he said, with a