t when I tell of powers beyond your
understanding?"

Truly I was amazed, though I could not half understand. The
circumstances of the loss of the Admiralty code had been so
inexplicable, and now these incredible suggestions of the prime
actor in the matter were more mysterious still.

"Ha! you are amazed," he went on, "but if you will come further into my
counsels I will amaze you more. What are you now? A drudge of a
journalist, and if ever you make a thousand a year to feed yourself with
you will be lucky. Come to me and you shall be a man of power. There is
a place beyond the sea where I may be king, and you a viceroy. Don't
think I am raving! It is true enough that I am an enthusiast, but I have
power, power to do anything I please, I tell you! What are the greatest
powers among men on this earth? Some will say the pen, or the sword, or
love, or what not. Men of the world will say, money and lies; and they
will be very nearly right. Money and lies will move continents, but I
have one greater power still--the very apex of the triangle! That power
I revealed to Jacob Mason. He thought to betray it, and it killed him.
That power I will reveal to you, if you will accept the alternative I
offer."

"The alternative?"

"Yes, the alternative, for an alternative it is, of course. If you will
go through the form of initiation, I shall keep you here a little till I
can trust you--which will be very soon. But if not--well, Mr. Brett, I
wish to be as friendly as you please, but having been at the trouble of
catching you, and having got you here safely, you who know so much now,
you who could be so dangerous if you ever got away--eh? Well, you know
my methods, and you have seen them exemplified, and you will
understand."

There was no anger in his voice as he uttered this threat, nor even, I
thought, in his eyes. But what there was was worse.

"But I'm sure you will not make things unpleasant," he concluded. "You
will go through the little form I have arranged, if only for curiosity.
Just think over it for a moment, while I go to close my little office."

He took the lamp and turned away, but as he reached the angle of the
passage, there came a sound that checked his steps. I could hear a noise
of feet and hurried voices, and then suddenly arose a shout in a voice
which seemed to be Plummer's. "Here!" it cried. "Help! This way, Hewitt!
Brett!"

I shouted back at the top of my voice, wondering where Plummer was, and
wha