“You certainly have. You’ve cheered up wonderfully. Did your visitor bring you good news, or what?”

“Knowles? Nothing to speak of. Now, who on earth has been mucking about with my pen? Beastly thing won’t write.”

Linckes leaned forward a little in his chair, eyes narrowed suddenly. “You said how well it did write a moment ago,” he said deliberately.

Winthrop turned the pen round in his hand, scrutinising the bent nib-end that bore unmistakable evidence of having been jabbed down into some hard substance. Winthrop looked up quickly, and for an instant their eyes met.

“I don’t remember saying any such thing,” he replied.

A tiny smile hovered about the corners of his mouth, as if of triumph.

“But you did!” insisted Linckes. “What an appalling bad memory you’ve got!”

“My dear Linckes, it’s your memory that’s at fault. I believe I cursed the pen.”

He glanced up again, one eyebrow raised quizzingly.

“Did you?” Linckes laughed. “I must be going to pieces. Yes, I think you did. Still, you did say that you always liked a quill, didn’t you?”

“Of course I did! It’s true, too. Well, I’ll see what I can do for you in the matter of Burton, Caryu’s secretary, that you were asking about. Anything else?”

“No, not at present, thanks. I must be getting along.”

Winthrop laughed, and held out his hand.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, I suppose?”

“Oh, I’m sure to come along to report,” Linckes answered, and went out, his temples throbbing with excitement.

IV.

A MONTH later Linckes was shown into Caryu’s study. Caryu looked at him hopefully, for there was a glitter in Linckes’ eyes, and a very purposeful look.

“You’ve got a fresh suspicion?” he said, with the glimmer of a smile.

Linckes sat down opposite him.

“Yes, sir, I have. And I’ve come to ask your help.”

“Have you, indeed? I’m sure I have to imitate the famous Watson, haven’t I? I shall meekly do your bidding, being myself quite in the dark.”

Linckes laughed.

“That is about the size of it, sir,” he confessed. “But I really believe I’ve got on to the right track at last.”

“Any clue?”

“No, sir. Pretty strong suspicion, though.”

A shadow crossed Caryu’s face.

“Only a suspicion, Linckes? I seem to have listened to so many.”

“This time it amounts to a conviction, sir. And, because I’m practically certain in my own mind, I’m going to have the cheek to ask you to do something that’ll seem quite insane to you.”

Caryu moved a paperweight uncertainly.

“I’m not at all sure that I shall comply, then. What is it?”

Linckes clasped and unclasped his fingers rather nervously.

“Sir, you’ve got the plans of the new plane here, haven’t you?”

The elder man smiled a little.

“You ought to know, Roger. You and your colleagues are supposed to be keeping an eye on them. But if you imagine they can be taken out of this new safe, you’re wrong. No one knows the secret of the combination except myself.”