“Yes, sir,” muttered the broker grimly, “that was Hargus.”

There was a long silence. Then at last Gretry exclaimed briskly:

“Well, here’s what I want to see you about.”

He lowered his voice: “You know I’ve got a correspondent or two at Paris⁠—all the brokers have⁠—and we make no secret as to who they are. But I’ve had an extra man at work over there for the last six months, very much on the quiet. I don’t mind telling you this much⁠—that he’s not the least important member of the United States Legation. Well, now and then he is supposed to send me what the reporters call ‘exclusive news’⁠—that’s what I feed him for, and I could run a private steam yacht on what it costs me. But news I get from him is a day or so in advance of everybody else. He hasn’t sent me anything very important till this morning. This here just came in.”

He picked up a despatch from his desk and read: