a cosmopolitan, and
to be dubbed an adventurer by those in ignorance. That had been years
ago, and now he held the position of being the most trusted man in any
Government department, the confidant of each member of the Cabinet, and
even of the Sovereign himself, who frequently received him in private
audience.

"You have reasons for not telling them at Scotland Yard--eh?" asked the
Foreign Minister.

"Strong ones," replied the other, pulling hard at his cigar. "A woman
who, I have ascertained, was on one occasion very useful to us, would be
dragged into it--perhaps incriminated. And you know we are never anxious
to court publicity."

"Ah! A woman--eh?"

"Yes; a young, and rather pretty, woman."

"And you've come all the way from London, and got here at eleven o'clock
at night, to tell me this?"

"I have something else--of greater gravity."

"Well, let's hear the worst," said the Earl with a sigh. "Every day
brings its troubles. Look yonder!" and he pointed to the table. "Those
are despatches from all the Embassies. The eternal Balkan trouble seems
threatening to break out, unless we take strong action. Bulgaria is
mobilising again, and Turkey is protesting."

"There has been a leakage from the Admiralty. How, I cannot explain. A
copy of the secret report upon our last naval manoeuvres is in the
hands of our friends in the Wilhelmstrasse."

"What?" cried the Earl, starting, his face pale with alarm.

"I repeat that the report is known in Germany--every word of it!"

"And our weakness is thereby revealed?"

"The exact position is known."

"But the confidential report has not yet come through to me!"

"And yet it has somehow leaked out from Whitehall," Darnborough replied,
drily.

"A full and drastic inquiry must be ordered. I will telephone at once to
the First Lord."

"He already knows. I saw him this afternoon," was the quiet reply of the
head of the Secret Service, a man whose coolness in great crises was
always remarkable. When danger threatened he was always far more cool
and collected than when all was plain sailing.

"But what are the main features of the report? Tell me, Darnborough. You
always know everything."

"The chief points of the secret report reached me from one of my agents
in Berlin this morning. It was brought over by messenger," replied the
Earl's visitor, seating himself and puffing thoughtfully at his cigar.
"You will recollect that two fleets were engaged in the North Sea,