One or two more tokens interchanged left me no doubt that the claim
was genuine, and, of course, irresistible.
"Enough," I replied. "You may take entire charge on the usual terms,
which, doubtless, you know better than I."
"You trust me then, absolutely?" he said, in a tone of some little
surprise.
"In trusting you," I replied, "I trust the Zinta. I am tolerably sure
to be safe in hands recommended by them."
"You are right," he said, "and how right this will prove to you," and
he placed in my hand a small cake upon which was stamped an impression
of the signet that I had seen on Esmo's wrist. When he saw that I
recognised it, he took it back, and, breaking it into fragments,
chewed and swallowed it.
"This," he said, "was given me to avouch the following message:--Our
Chiefs are informed that the Order is threatened with a novel danger.
Systematic persecution by open force or by law has been attempted and
defeated ages ago, and will hardly be tried again. What seems to be
intended now is the destruction of our Chiefs, individually, by secret
means--means which it is supposed we shall not be able to trace to the
instigators, even if we should detect their instruments.
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