ing of the caps which we will use is known only to us; _the tuning of
the caps which they will use is also known to us_! The addition to the
wireless apparatus which they will use is such that they _can not_, even
by accident, explode a mine guarding our seaports; but, on the other
hand, the addition to the wireless apparatus which _we_ will use permits
of the extreme high charge which will explode their mines. To make it
clearer, we could send a navy against such a city as New York or
Liverpool, and explode every mine in front of us as we went; and
meanwhile our mines are impervious.

"Another word, and I have finished. Five gentlemen, whom I imagine are
present now, have witnessed a test of this cap, by direct command of
their home governments. For the benefit of the others of you a simple
test has been arranged for to-night. This cap on the table is charged;
its inventor is at his wireless instrument, fifteen miles away. At three
o'clock he will turn on the current that will explode it." Four of the
eleven men looked at their watches. "It is now seventeen minutes past
two. I am instructed, for the purposes of the test, to place this cap
anywhere you may select--in this house or outside of it, in a box,
sealed, or under water. The purpose is merely to demonstrate its
efficacy; to prove to your complete satisfaction that it can be exploded
under practically any conditions."

His entire manner underwent a change; he drew a chair up to the table,
and stood for an instant with his hand resting on the back.

"The compact is written in three languages--English, French and
Italian. I shall ask you to sign, after reading either or all, precisely
as the directions you have received from your home government instruct.
On behalf of the three greatest Latin countries, as special envoy of
each, I will sign first."

He dropped into the chair, signed each of the three parchment pages
three times, then rose and offered the pen to the cowled figure at one
end of the semicircle. The man came forward, read the English
transcript, studied the three signatures already there with a certain
air of surprise, then signed. The second man signed, the third man, and
the fourth.

The fifth had just risen to go forward when the door opened silently and
Mr. Grimm entered. Without a glance either to right or left, he went
straight toward the table, and extended a hand to take the compact.

For an instant there had come amazement, a dumb astoni