South America. I charge them
with being guilty of the plot for assassination and for dynamite in this
house. I say that their names are Jose Cano and Manoel Silva. I say it
was I who commuted the death sentence of these men to perpetual
imprisonment, and I say that in my firm conviction they have been let
loose to do these crimes.'

Sir Rupert seemed thunderstruck.

'My dear Ericson,' he pleaded. 'These gentleman are my guests.'

'I never remembered their names until this moment,' Ericson said. 'But
they are the men--and they are the murderers.'

The face of Professor Flick was livid with fear. Great pearls of
perspiration stood out on his forehead. Mr. Copping of Omaha stood
composed and firm, like a man with his back to the wall who just turns
up his sleeves and gets his sword and dagger ready and is prepared to
try the last chance--the very last.

'We are American citizens,' he said stoutly; 'the flag of the Stars and
Stripes defends us wherever we go.'

'God bless the flag of the Stars and Stripes,' Ericson exclaimed, 'and
if it shelters you I shall have nothing more to say. But only just try
if it will either claim you or shelter you. I remember now that you both
of you did take refuge for a long time in Southern California, but if
you prove yourselves American citizens, then you can be made to answer
to American reading of international law, and the flag of the Great
Republic will not shelter convicts from a prison in Gloria when they are
accused of dynamite outrage in England. Sir Rupert, Mr. Coroner, I have
only to ask you to do your duty.'

'This will be an international question,' Mr. Andrew Copping quietly
said. 'There will be a row over this.'

'No there won't,' Professor Flick declared abruptly. 'Look here, we have
made a muddle of this. My comrade in this business has been managing
things pretty badly; he always wanted to boss the show too much. Now I
am getting sick of all that, don't you see? I have had the dangerous
part always, and he has had the pleasure of bullying me. Now I am tired
of all that, and I have made up my mind, and I am just going to have the
bulge on him by turning--what do you call it?--Queen's evidence.'

Then Mr. Andrew Copping suddenly thrust himself into the front.

'No you don't--you bet you don't!' he exclaimed. 'You are a coward and a
traitor, and you shall never give Queen's evidence or any other evidence
against me.'

Those who stood around thought he was going to