No doubt you will have a
schedule of the contents of the dispatch, Sir Terence?"
"Certainly. It is in your possession, I think, Tremayne."
Tremayne turned to his desk, and a brief search in one of its
well-ordered drawers brought to light an oblong strip of paper
folded and endorsed. He unfolded and spread it on Sir Terence's
table, whilst Captain Stanhope, producing a note with which he
came equipped, stooped to check off the items. Suddenly he
stopped, frowned, and finally placed his finger under one of the
lines of Tremayne's schedule, carefully studying his own note for
a moment.
"Ha!" he said quietly at last. "What's this?" And he read: "'Note
from Lord Liverpool of reinforcements to be embarked for Lisbon in
June or July.'" He looked at the adjutant and the adjutant's
secretary. "That would appear to be the most important document of
all - indeed the only document of any vital importance. And it was
not included in the dispatch as it reached Lord Wellington."
The three looked gravely at one another in silence.
"Have you a copy of the note, sir?" inquired the aide-de-camp.
"Not a copy - but a summary of its contents, the figures it
contained, are pencilled there on the margin," Tremayne answered.
Pages:
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173