the dog on him? We were walking down the
street, and I kicked the dog's pup to death. When she charged, I pushed
Rellos in her path, and it was him the dog killed."

"Ah! Good! Very unusual! Most ... uh ... ingenious!" The Leader seemed
pleased, but slowly his smile died and he frowned again. "All this makes
me want to believe you, Hanlon, but somehow I can't seem to rid myself
of the belief that you still are connected with the Corps. Oh, I know,"
as Hanlon started to protest, "all about your dismissal and disgrace,
and the fight you had with some of your former classmates a few days
later. Incidentally, wasn't it rather straining coincidence that it was
an admiral who came along just in time to save you? You see, all that
could easily have been done on purpose. I'm ... uh ... not that simple,
young man."

"No, but you're nuts, figuring that way!" disgustedly.

"I think you will find out differently," the tone sent shivers through
the young SS man's nerves, and he had difficulty controlling the impulse
to wet his suddenly dry lips. "I may be wrong--I hope most sincerely
that I am--but I haven't so far been able to bring myself to feel so.
But I intend to know for sure before we leave this room. Panek, bring in
our other ... uh ... guest."

Hanlon heard the gunman leave, and in a moment return. He appeared in
Hanlon's line of vision, pushing before him a manacled man.

At sight of that other man, Hanlon had to gasp.

Chapter 19

"Oh!" the Leader said triumphantly as he saw George Hanlon's start of
surprise. "I see you recognize our guest."

"Sure I know him," Hanlon snapped, rigidly forcing himself into control.
"That's Abrams. I thought I killed him."

"Ah, now, did you so?" Again the Leader smiled, but this time grimly.
"Now we come to the meat of the matter. You say you thought you killed
him, but you know you didn't. Your pretended assassination in such a
clever manner was all a ruse--you didn't poison him at all. You merely
pretended to put something in his cup."

"That's a lie. Maybe it didn't work on him, but I did ..."

"Sorry, Mr. Hanlon," the trembling Abrams whined the interruption. "I
was forced to tell the whole story to His Highness after he found out
where I was hiding."

His Highness!

So this was the fabulous monster of whom everyone was so afraid.
Hanlon's heart sank to his knees. What chance did he have now? He would
never get out of this alive, nor get his report to the Corps