ever get it!" rasped Oppner.

"No? Well let us weigh the possibilities, one against the other. There
have been protests, from rival journals, against the _Gleaner's_
acceptance of foreign money for British national purposes. This I had
anticipated, but such donations have had the effect of stimulating the
British public. If the cheques already received, and your own, which you
are about to draw, are not directly devoted to the purpose for which
they are intended, I can guarantee that you shall not be humiliated by
their return!"

"Ah!" sighed Oppner.

"The _Gleaner_ newspaper has made all arrangements with an important
English firm to construct several air vessels. The materials and the
workmanship will be British throughout, and the vessels will be placed
at the disposal of the authorities. The source of the _Gleaner's_ fund
thus becomes immaterial. But, in recognition of the subscribers, the
vessels will be named 'Oppner I.,' 'Oppner II.,' 'Hague I.,' etc."

"Yep?"

"At some future time we may understand one another better, Mr. Oppner.
For the present I shall make no overtures. I have no desire unduly to
mystify you, however. The men whom Mr. Martin of Pinkerton's, found
surrounding this house were not the men from Sullivan's Agency, but
friends of my own. Sullivans were informed at the last moment that the
raid had been abandoned. The car, again, which you observed, is my own.
I caused it to be driven to and fro between here and Richmond Bridge for
your especial amusement, altering the number on each occasion. Finally,
any outcry you may care to raise will pass unnoticed, as The Cedars has
been leased for the purpose of a private establishment for the care of
mental cases."

"You're holding me to ransom?"

"In a sense. But you would not remain here. I should remove you to a
safer place. My car is waiting."

"You can't hold me for ever." Mr. Oppner was gathering courage. This
interview was so very businesslike, so dissimilar from the methods of
American brigandage, that his keen, commercial instincts were coming to
the surface. "Any time I get out I can tell the truth and demand my
money back."

"It is so. But on the day that you act in that manner, within an hour
from the time, your New York mansion will be burned to a shell, without
loss of life, but with destruction of property considerably exceeding in
value the amount of your donation to the _Gleaner_ fund. I may add that
I shall continue to force you