ter. We
have plans for this young man's disposal."

The puzzled wonder that had clouded the steady eyes of Walter Harkness
was replaced by cold anger and more than a trace of contempt.

"You can forget those plans," he told Schwartzmann. "I have plans of
my own."

"Poof!" exclaimed the heavy, bearded man. "We will crush you like
that!" He struck one heavy fist upon the desk. "And what will you do?"

"Several things," said Harkness evenly. "I shall rid the upper levels
of the monsters: I have a gas that will accomplish that. I shall
restore the world's flying to normal. And, with that attended to, I
will give you my undivided attention--raise forty kinds of hell with
Herr Schwartzmann and the interests he represents.

"Forgery! Theft! The seizing of my properties by virtue of a lying
document! You shall see what this leads to. Your companies will be
wrecked; not a decent man or woman engaged in the business of a decent
world will deal with you: that is a small part of what I plan."

The dark face of Herr Schwartzmann was flushed with anger. "You will
never leave this place--" he began. But Harkness would not let him go
on: his voice was as hard as the metal of his ship.

"You and your assassins!" he said contemptuously. "You don't dare
touch me. There is another man who knows--and Diane, too." He paused
to look into the eyes of the girl, which were regarding him with an
inscrutable expression. "I do not know why she brought me here, but
Diane also knows. You can't throttle us all."

"Diane!" The exclamation was wrung involuntarily from Schwartzmann's
lips. "You speak of Mademoiselle Vernier so familiarly?"

* * * * *

The girl's cool voice broke in. She had watched the meeting of the men
in silence; she spoke now as one taking matters into her own quite
capable hands.

"You may omit the incognito, Herr Schwartzmann," she said; "it is no
longer required. I have enjoyed a birthday since last we met: it was
passed in a place of darkness and anguish, where strong men and brave
forgot their own suffering to try by every means to bring comfort to a
girl who was facing death. For that reason I say that I enjoyed it.... And
that birthday was my twenty-first. You know what that means."

"But Mademoiselle Vernier--pardon!--Mam'selle Delacoeur, surely you
will support me. My trustee-ship during all these successful years--"

"Is at an end," said the cool voice.

"I learned more than y