xcellency," he grunted.

"What, you didn't transmit it?"

"No," the man answered boldly. Seeing the volcanic wrath awakening
behind the Minister's sleepy eyes, he hastened to explain.

"I went to his room," he said, pointing fiercely at Carter, "he gave me
a sealed envelope. After I had taken it he handed me a large sum of
money--a fortune to a peasant. He told me to let no one see it but the
telegraph operator at Schallberg."

"That is true," said Carter. "It was a business transaction, a
communication relating to my personal affairs."

"I am an ignorant man," whimpered the messenger, stimulated by a mental
contemplation of his supposed injuries, "but I was made the tool of that
traitor--that spy." His eyes, red from excessive potations, glared with
hatred as he pointed to Carter.

"Be careful, sir," broke in indignant Trusia, "remember the gentleman is
one of our Aides and bears a commission in the royal army. Would you
taste the whip?"

"Better that than the noose he planned for me," sulkily retorted the
peasant.

"You had better be precise," said Sobieska.

"Well, if you will have it, I'll tell you," the man answered.
Emboldened by an encouraging murmur from Josef he continued.

Carter held up his hand. "Wait a moment," he exclaimed as he turned
appealingly to Trusia. "Highness, this may be of greatest interest to
some one not present when Johann, the messenger, was apprehended. It may
also be of secret importance to Krovitch, to Your Highness. Is Josef
necessary here? Surely he can offer neither testimony nor
enlightenment."

Though cautioned to stay within call, Josef was dismissed to his
unrevealed disappointment.

"Now, go ahead, Johann," commanded the Privy Counselor, when the sound
of receding footsteps assured him that Josef was no longer in earshot.

"I never had so much money at one time," continued the messenger,
manifestly ill at ease since the departure of Josef. "I began to wonder
why the stranger had given it to me for so simple a service. When the
dumb man ponders overlong he seeks counsel. That was my case. My friend
and I sat and talked of it and as we talked we drank.

"My friend said that the reason for keeping it secret was the person to
whom it was written. At first I laughed at him. It could mean nothing.
He pushed the brandy toward me and laughed too. I supposed he thought
the same. Then I began to turn it over in my head, and as it seemed
possible it might mean something, I