nued.

"Rather a confession of weakness, my dear Superintendent," jeered the
prisoner.

* * * * *

"Oh don't worry about that! The Government has unravelled a good deal
of the conspiracy. It knows that you and your international associates
are planning to strike at civilized government throughout the world,
in the effort to restore the days of autocracy. It knows you are
planning a world federation of states, based on the principles of
absolutism and aristocracy. It is aware of the immense financial
resources behind the movement. Also that you have obtained the use of
certain scientific discoveries which you believe will aid you in your
schemes."

"I was wondering," jeered the prisoner, "how soon you were coming to
that."

"They didn't help you in your murderous scheme," the Superintendent
thundered. "You were found in the War Office by the night watchman,
rifling a safe of valuable documents. You shot him with a pistol
equipped with a silencer. You shot down two more who, hearing his
cries, rushed to his aid. And you attempted to stroll out of the
building, apparently under the belief that you possessed mysterious
power which would afford you security."

"A little lapse of judgment such as may happen with the best laid
plans," smiled Von Kettler. "No, Superintendent, I'll be franker with
you than that. My capture was designed. It was decided to give the
Government an object lesson in our power. It was resolved that I
should permit myself to be captured, in order to demonstrate that you
cannot hang me, that I have merely to open the door of my cell, the
gates of this penitentiary, and walk out to freedom."

"Have you quite finished?" rasped the Superintendent.

"At your disposal," smiled the other.

"Here's your last chance, Von Kettler. Your persistence in this absurd
claim has actually shaken the expressed conviction of some of the
medical examiners that you are sane. If you will make that complete
written confession that the Government asks of you, I pledge you that
you shall be declared insane to-night, and sent to a sanitarium from
which you will be permitted to escape as soon as this affair has blown
over."

* * * * *

"The United States Government has sunk pretty low, to involve itself
in a deal of this character, don't you think, my dear Superintendent?"
jeered Von Kettler.

"The Government is prepared to act as it thinks best in the