, the Central Criminal Court, to disregard this
apparition, which displayed no part in bringing Boundary to justice.

"The contention of the Crown is, as I say, that Boundary, by means of
terrorisation and blackmail, through the medium and assistance of his
creatures, has from time to time secured a hold over rich and foolish
men and women, and from these has acquired the enormous wealth which is
now his and his associates'. As to these latter, their prosecution
depends very largely upon the fate of Boundary. There are, I believe,
some of them in court at this moment, and though they are not arrested,
it will be no news to them to learn that they are under police
observation."

"Swell" Crewe, sitting at the back of the court, shifted uneasily and,
turning his head, he met the careless gaze of the tall, military-looking
man who had "detective" written all over him.

There had been a pause in the Attorney-General's speech whilst he
examined, short-sightedly, the notes before him.

"In the presentation of this case, your Worship," he went on, "the Crown
is in somewhat of a dilemma. We have secured one important and, I think,
convincing witness--a man who has been closely associated with the
prisoner, a Scandinavian named Hanson, who, considering himself badly
treated by this gang, has been for a long time secretly getting together
evidence of an incriminating character. As to his object we need not
inquire. There is a possibility suggested by my learned friend, the
counsel for the defence, that Hanson intended blackmailing the
blackmailers, and presenting such a weight of evidence against Boundary
that he could do no less than pay handsomely for his confederate's
silence. That is as may be. The main fact is that Hanson has accumulated
this documentary evidence, and that that documentary evidence is in
existence in certain secret hiding-places in this country, which will be
revealed in the course of his examination.

"We are at this disadvantage, that Hanson has not yet made anything but
the most scanty of statements. Fearing for his life, since this gang
will stick at nothing, he has been closely guarded by the police from
the moment he made his preliminary statement. Every effort which has
been made to induce him to commit his revelations to writing has been in
vain, and we are compelled to take what is practically his affidavit in
open court."

"Do I understand," interrupted the magistrate, in that weary tone which