from his
bedroom, with a great pile of letters before him, and an empty postbag.
He was leaning forward, his elbow upon the table, his head resting upon
his right hand. Engrossed as I was with my own terrible discovery, I
was yet powerfully impressed by his unfamiliar appearance. In the clear
light which came flooding in through the north window he seemed to me
older, and his face more deeply lined than any of my previous
impressions of him had suggested. His eyes were fixed upon the mass of
correspondence before him, most of which was as yet unopened, and his
expression was one of absolute aversion. At my entrance he looked up
inquiringly.

"What do you want, Ducaine?" he asked.

"I am sorry to have disturbed your Grace," I answered. "I have come to
place my resignation in your hands."

His face was expressive enough in its frowning contempt, but he said
nothing for a moment, during which his eyes met mine mercilessly.

"So you find the work too hard, eh?" he asked.

"The work is just what I should have chosen, your Grace," I answered.
"I like hard work, and I expected it. The trouble is that I have
succeeded no better than Lord Ronald."

My words were evidently a shock to him. He half opened his lips, but
closed them again. I saw the hand which he raised to his forehead
shake.

"What do you mean, Ducaine? Speak out, man."

"The safe in the study has been opened during the night," I said. "Our
map of the secret fortifications on the Surrey downs and plans for a
camp at Guilford have been examined."

"How do you know this?"

"I tied the red tape round them in a peculiar way. It has been undone
and retied. The papers have been put back in a different order."

The Duke was without doubt agitated. He rose from his chair and paced
the room restlessly.

"You are sure of what you say, Ducaine?" he demanded, turning, and
facing me suddenly.

"Absolutely sure, your Grace," I answered.

He turned away from me.

"In my own house, under my own roof," I heard him mutter. "Good God!"

I had scarcely believed him capable of so much feeling. When he resumed
his seat and former attitude I could see that his face was almost gray.

"This is terrible news," he said. "I am not at all sure, though, Mr.
Ducaine, that any blame can attach itself to you."

"Your Grace," I answered, "there were three men only who knew the secret
of that combination. One is yourself, another Colonel Ray, the third
myself. I set the lock l