interests
of humanity. It knows that the death of one wretched murderer such as
yourself is not worth the lives of thousands of innocent men!"

"And there," smiled Von Kettler, without abating an atom of his
nonchalance, "there, my dear Superintendent, you hit the nail on the
head. Only, instead of thousands, you might have said millions."

Von Kettler's aspect changed. Suddenly his eyes blazed, his voice
shook with excitement, his face was the face of a fanatic, of a
prophet.

"Yes, millions, Superintendent," he thundered. "It it a holy cause
that inspires us. We know that it is our sacred mission to save the
world from the drabness of modern democracy. The people--always the
people! Bah! what are the lives of these swarming millions worth when
compared with a Caesar, a Napoleon, an Alexander, a Charlemagne?
Nothing can stop us or defeat us. And you, with your confession of
defeat, your petty bargaining--I laugh at you!"

"You'll laugh on the gallows to-morrow night!" the Superintendent
shouted.

Again Von Kettler was the calm, superior, arrogant prisoner of before.
"I shall never stand on the gallows trap, my dear Superintendent, as I
have told you many times," he replied. "And, since we have reached
what diplomacy calls a deadlock, permit me to return to my cell."

The Superintendent pressed a button on his desk; the guards, who had
been waiting outside the office, entered hastily. "Take this man
back," he commanded, and Von Kettler, head held high, and smiling,
left the room between them.

* * * * *

The Superintendent pressed another button, and his assistant entered,
a rugged, red-haired man of forty--Anstruther, familiarly known as
"Bull" Anstruther, the man who had in three weeks reduced the
penitentiary from a place of undisciplined chaos to a model of law
and order. Anstruther knew nothing of the Superintendent's offer to
Von Kettler, but he knew that the latter had powerful friends outside.

"Anstruther, I'm worried about Von Kettler," said the Superintendent.
"He actually laughed at me when I spoke of the possibility of another
medical examination. He seemed confident that he could not be hanged.
Swore that he will never stand on the gallows trap. How about your
precautions for to-morrow night?"

"We've taken all possible precautions," answered Anstruther. "Special
armed guards have been posted at every entrance to the building.
Detectives are patrolling all street