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 almost too good to be true, and he was painfully conscious that such an astute antagonist was not likely to have thrown all his cards on to the table.

The fact, however, remained that the schemers had been deprived of their spurious bonds, without which their carefully planned design to obtain possession of the genuine ones fell to the ground.

“And their blood-feud against the poor chap will surely cease, now that there is no crime, past or contemplated, for which he can denounce them,” Forsyth comforted himself as he stepped from the door at the head of the stone stairs and hastened along the dimly lit corridor, limping no longer. His destination was the smoking-room, where he guessed that the General would be eagerly awaiting news.