e."

"Woldington!" cried Mr. Llewellyn John in astonishment. "Why."

Sir Lyster looked surprised, whilst Lord Beamdale appeared almost
interested.

"Because we shall probably require his help."

"How?" enquired Sir Lyster.

"Well, it's rather dangerous to tamper with His Majesty's mails
without the connivance of St. Martins-le-Grand," was the dry retort.

"But----" began Mr. Llewellyn John, when suddenly he stopped short.

Malcolm Sage had walked over to where his overcoat lay, and was
deliberately getting into it.

"You're not going, Mr. Sage'?" Sir Lyster's granite-like control
seemed momentarily to forsake him. "What do you advise us to do?"

"Get some sleep," was the quiet reply.

"But aren't you going to search for----?" He paused as Malcolm Sage
turned and looked full at him.

"A search would involve the very publicity you are anxious to
avoid," was the reply.

"But----" began Mr. Llewellyn John, when Malcolm Sage interrupted
him.

"The only effective search would be to surround the house with
police, and allow each occupant to pass through the cordon after
having been stripped. The house would then have to be gone through;
carpets and boards pulled up; mattresses ripped open; chairs----"

"I agree with Mr. Sage," said Sir Lyster, looking across at the
Prime Minister coldly.

"Had I been a magazine detective I should have known exactly where
to find the missing document," said Malcolm Sage. "As I am not"--he
turned to Sir Lyster--"it will be necessary for you to leave a note
for your butler telling him that you have dropped somewhere about
the house the key of this safe, and instructing him to have a
thorough search made for it. You might casually mention the loss at
breakfast, and refer to an important document inside the safe which
you must have on Monday morning. Perhaps the Prime Minister will
suggest telephoning to town for a man to come down to force the safe
should the key not be found."

Malcolm Sage paused. The others were gazing at him with keen
interest.

"Leave the note unfolded in a conspicuous place where anyone can see
it," he continued.

"I'll put it on the hall-table," said Sir Lyster.

Malcolm Sage nodded.

"It is desirable that you should all appear to be in the best of
spirits." There was a fluttering at the corners of Malcolm Sage's
mouth, as he lifted his eyes for a second to the almost lugubrious
countenance of Lord Beamdale. "Under no circumstances refer to the