Part 7 (1/2)

”They must have if she's borne with his quips and sneers all these years. I can see very readily what Warwick meant when he said you'd not wonder at his lack of interest in Dr. Morse if you knew the man.”

”When Warwick came into the room where we were awaiting him last evening, did you notice anything in his manner?”

”He _did_ seem rather agitated, now that I think of it. His face was flushed and his voice trembled a bit--just as though he had been quarreling with some one.”

Again the secret agent nodded.

”But with whom?” said he. ”Not Miss Corbin, I feel sure; and scarcely the old servant woman.”

”You think it was with Dr. Morse?” eagerly.

”I don't know. But when Morse was heard entering the house, the girl whispered something to Warwick, rather pleadingly I thought, and he brusquely denied having any intention of doing--whatever it was that she spoke of.”

”Humph,” said Fuller.

After some hours the train drew into the station at Was.h.i.+ngton; at once they took a taxi-cab and whirled to a government building. Ashton-Kirk was shown through a s.p.a.cious suite and into a room where a handsome white-haired gentleman sat at a huge mahogany desk.

”It was kind of you, Mr. Secretary, to put yourself out,” said the secret agent.

The white-haired gentleman arose and shook his hand cordially.

”I have had such telegrams from you before,” he said, ”and they have never failed to be followed by matters of some interest.”

Ashton-Kirk sat down; the secretary pushed a box of long loosely wrapped cigars toward him.

”They are Porto Ricos,” said he. ”You may fancy their flavor.”

For a little time after lighting the cigars they sat in silence watching the smoke drifts and enjoying the aroma. Then Ashton-Kirk spoke.

”Yesterday,” said he, ”my attention was called to a rather interesting train of circ.u.mstances.”

”If _you_ cla.s.s it as interesting,” said the statesman, ”there is nothing more to be said. I recall several matters which you handled in a somewhat bored fas.h.i.+on; and yet, to me, they were in many ways really amazing.”

”That is, perhaps, because you held to the point of view of the spectator. There is a broad element of drama in most things of this sort, and as a looker-on, this appealed to you. But this present affair,” leaning a trifle forward, ”may have a greatly increased interest for you, for the indications are that it will lead directly to your department.”

The secretary knocked a narrow rim of ash from his cigar; he examined the red end carefully, and then said:

”Indeed?”

”All countries have had their secrets,” said Ashton-Kirk, after a pause.

”Some never see the light--others are only made known after centuries.

If the hidden archives of the nations were thrown open to the world, history, perhaps, would have to be rewritten. Of course,” with a wave of one long finger, ”some governments have more of these state secrets than others; the Italian republics probably were in the lead; the United States I should place almost last.”

”You are very good,” smiled the secretary.

”But, still, we have some. Even in a democracy, it is not possible to make public all the details of government. Things are handed from one administration to another which must await the time of ripening and fulfilment.”

The secretary smoked quietly, but he said nothing.

”These matters,” continued Ashton-Kirk, ”are not, of course, to be disclosed--they are scarcely to be hinted at. But the case which I bring to your attention perhaps involves a delicate point of international relations.h.i.+p; if my reasoning holds, I do not require you to make any admissions. That you consider the affair important and worth following out will be enough.”