Italianexceedingly well--evidently an officer."
"Most of the men in the French secret service are recruited from thearmy or the detective police," he remarked. "But I intend that Italy,like Russia, shall in future rely upon the shrewdness of clever womenlike yourself. This Frenchman said nothing regarding Solaro?"
"He merely remarked that he supposed the captain trusted me implicitly,and I, of course, replied in the affirmative. He wrote to me from theHotel National in Lucerne, making the appointment in the Montagnola,indicating a certain seat, which showed that he was well acquainted withBologna."
"Did he mention me?"
"No. He urged me, however, to deny all knowledge of the mysteriouspacket if taxed with receiving it. From that I concluded that he was inignorance of how the whole affair had been arranged."
"Of course," he answered, with a laugh. "It would never do for Franceto learn our motives. We allow them to have the secrets of Tresentabecause we have other ends in view. What they are you will know later."
"And in the meantime Felice Solaro is dismissed the army in disgrace?"
The sallow-faced man nodded. He did not tell her that he had beensentenced to fifteen years' imprisonment, for he knew how soft-heartedwomen are towards the innocent.
"Do you know," she said presently, "I have a suspicion which I think Iought to tell you. It is that the address upon the envelope whichcontained the packet of papers was not in Captain Solaro's ownhandwriting."
He looked quickly into her face, frowning slightly and saying--
"Suspicions do not concern you, signorina. When I give you orders, itis for you first to execute them as secretly and expeditiously aspossible, and secondly to have a care that your association with me isnever discovered. You understand? I am merely Filipo Florena, shippingagent, of Genoa, and you write to me always to my office in the ViaBalbi. Should you ever be in real peril, you have that code address bywhich a telegram will find me, either at home or abroad."
She saw that her remark caused him annoyance, therefore she began toapologise and declare her readiness to serve the War Department of hercountry in every way possible.
"As I have already said," he remarked in a quiet voice, obtaining herpermission to smoke, "you have shown yourself in every way adapted tothe responsible office I intend that you shall hold. You come of goodfamily, although at present in straitened circumstances; you possessgood looks, and you are a perfect model of all the virtues. Yourmother, the widow of my old friend, Colonel Nodari, would, of course,object to the capacity in which you have once or twice served Italy.Yet it is for the honour and safety of your country, recollect. You arean agent of the Ministry of War, and being in its employ should actobediently, without expressing any surprise at the information you areasked to obtain, or attempting to deduct any logical conclusion."
She sat silent, listening to the advice the schemer gave her. Her latefather, a colonel of cavalry, had been the Under-Secretary's friend, andthe latter had been a frequent guest at their house. Indeed, she hadknown General Borselli ever since she had been a child, and of late, byclever ruses, this man had contrived to use her quick woman'sintelligence for his own ends. In recognition of her services, he hadsent her small sums of money, which she found very useful for her dressbills, and on one or two occasions had sent her little trinkets, whichshe had locked up carefully from her mother's prying eyes.
The Under-Secretary for War, far-seeing and deeply scheming always,recognised in her a very valuable assistant. She was known to theofficers of a dozen garrisons, for she had been reared in the militaryatmosphere, therefore she was enabled to discover for him facts aboutpersons that it would otherwise have been impossible for the Ministry toobtain.
A dozen times had she been successful in elucidating various sources ofdiscontent, and gaining other information of greatest value to the WarOffice in Rome, information which Borselli used for his own ends andwith the purpose of undermining the power of the Minister CamilloMorini. As the dead colonel's daughter, and very popular on account ofher bright disposition and good looks, she was the last person suspectedof collecting that information which so mysteriously found its way toheadquarters. And yet, under Borselli's secret tuition, she had becomeas clever and ingenious an agent as any the Government employed.
Truth to tell, however, the part she had played in the Solaro affair,now that she realised how the unfortunate captain had been entrapped,caused her a deep pang of conscience. Several months before, in thatvery room, she had met the Under-Secretary by appointment, and he had,after some preliminaries, remarked upon her acquaintance with CaptainSolaro, whereupon she blushingly explained that they had known eachother for some years, ever since her father was in garrison on thefrontier at Ventimiglia. He put some direct questions to her, anddiscovered that, although they corresponded frequently, she was in noway in love with him. Then he gave her instructions how to act,declaring that the captain was strongly suspected of secret dealing witha French agent, and that if she received a sealed packet by post fromthe Alpine garrison she was to hold it, and deal with it exactly in themanner which the captain ordered, but in the meantime she was also tocommunicate with the supposed shipping agent in the Via Balbi in Genoa--himself. In brief, she was to appear very friendly with the captain,inspire him with every confidence, and yet betray him into the hands ofthe authorities. To her, the suggestion was a very unwelcome one, butBorselli urged her to carry out the delicate negotiation from patrioticmotives--as daughter of a brave soldier who had served Italy sofaithfully and well in the struggles of the sixties. It was thisclaptrap appeal to her loyalty that had caused her to become a secretagent of the Under-Secretary, which had now resulted, she knew, in thedisgrace of an innocent man.
Why had the trap been baited so cunningly? she wondered within herself.There was some hidden motive in the expulsion of Solaro from the army;what could it be? Surely that packet she had given the polite Frenchmanhad not really contained plans, for it was not likely that the WarOffice would actually connive at its own betrayal to France?
"I know that this recent little affair in the north has puzzled you,signorina," the general remarked slowly, his eyes fixed upon her. "Butyou will see that we have right on our side one day. Act with care,exercise a wise discretion always, and you will not only be able toassist us, but you will, in future, receive a secret payment from theMinistry of seven thousand lire per annum, together with a fairallowance for expenses. The first payment has already been made to youin recognition of your tact towards Solaro," he added, and taking fromhis wallet a slip of paper, he handed it to her, adding, "This is adraft on the Bank of Italy for the amount. Leave it in the bank if youwish--you will probably find it useful one day. You see it is upon theprivate account of Filipo Florena."
She, wondering, held the draft between her fingers. It was the firstshe had ever seen, and she told him so.
"Put it away in your writing-desk or your jewel-case. And when you wantit you can cash it on sight at any branch of the Bank of Italy--or,indeed, at any moneychanger's."
She folded it carefully, and slowly placed it in her purse, while he,glancing at her furtively and seeing that possession of such a sum hadgiven her confidence, suddenly exclaimed--
"And now let me tell you the real reason why I am here."
CHAPTER TWELVE.
CONCERNS SOME CURIOUS INSTRUCTIONS.
"Well?" she asked, as he paused and looked at her. "Why are you inBologna?"
"I am here," he answered, "for the purpose of sending you to England."
"To England!" she echoed, half rising from her chair.
"Yes. You speak English quite well, therefore I have obtained for you asituation as governess in a highly respectable and wealthy family," hesaid. "You remember you asked me a year ago to arrange that you mightleave home and become your own mistress, for you told me you were tiredof living on your mother's narrow means."
"But I--"
"As I have already said, signorina," he interrupte
d, "there are no butswhere the safety of Italy is concerned. You are wanted to go to Englandfor two reasons: the change will be beneficial to you, and you willrender a service to the Ministry."
"Then I am to accept the post with an ulterior object in view?" sheremarked quickly.
"Of course," he replied, with a smile. "There are certain matters ofwhich we desire information, and it lies with you to supply it. You arewell educated, a good linguist, and just the stamp of young lady whogoes as governess in a wealthy family. Therefore, the post beingvacant, I at once secured it for you by giving you a very strongrecommendation."
"I would rather remain in Italy," the girl implored, recognising almostfor the first time how entirely she was in that man's
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