ld have the right to keep him confined; we
would merely have to hand him over to the Italian embassy and demand his
punishment. And, of course, all that makes him more dangerous than
ever."

"Yes, I know that," said the chief a little impatiently. "But who is
this man?"

"Who is this man?" Mr. Grimm repeated as if surprised at the question.
"I was looking for Prince Benedetto d'Abruzzi, of Italy. I have found
him."

Mr. Campbell's clock-like brain ticked over the situation in detail.

"It's like this," Mr. Grimm elucidated. "He has credentials which he
knows will free him if he is forced to present them, but I imagine they
were given to him more for protection in an emergency like this than for
introducing him to our government. As the matter stands he can't afford
to discover himself by using those credentials, and yet, if the Latin
compact is signed, he must be free. Remember, too, that he is accredited
from three countries--Italy, France and Spain." He was silent for a
moment. "Naturally his escape from prison would preserve his incognito,
and at the same time permit him to sign the compact."

There was silence for a long time.

"I believe the situation is without precedent," said Mr. Campbell
slowly. "The special envoy of three great powers held for attempted--!"

"Officially we are not aware of his purpose, or his identity," Mr. Grimm
reminded him. "If he escaped it would clarify the situation
tremendously."

"If he escaped!" repeated Mr. Campbell musingly.

"But, of course, the compact would not be signed, at least in this
country," Mr. Grimm went on tentatively.

Mr. Campbell gazed straight into the listless eyes of the young man for
a minute or more, and gradually full understanding came home to him.
Finally he nodded his head.

"Use your own judgment, Mr. Grimm," he directed.

XVII

A CALL ON THE WARDEN

The restful silence of night lay over the great prison. Here and there
in the grim corridors a guard dozed in the glare of an electric light;
and in the office, too, a desk light glimmered where the warden sat at
his desk, poring over a report. Once he glanced up at the clock--it was
five minutes of eleven--and then he went on with his reading.

After a little the silence was broken by the whir of the clock and the
first sharp stroke of the hour; and at just that moment the door from
the street opened and a man entered. He was rather tall and slender, and
a sinister black mask hid hi