Chapter 1: Out of the Hangman's Hands

“You speak,” said Von Kettler, jeering, “as if you really believed that you had the power of life and death over me.”

The Superintendent of the penitentiary frowned, yet there was something of perplexity in the look he gave the prisoner. “Von Kettler, I think it is time that you dropped this absurd pose of yours,” he said, “in view of the fact that you are scheduled to die by hanging at eight o’clock to-morrow night. Your life and death are in your own hands.”

Von Kettler bowed ironically. Standing in the Superintendent’s presence in the uniform of the condemned cell, collarless, bare-headed, he yet seemed to dominate the other by a certain poise, breeding, nonchalance.

“Your life is offered you in consideration of your making a complete written confession of the whole ramifications of the plot against the Federal Government,” the Superintendent continued.

“Rather a confession of weakness, my dear Superintendent,” jeered the prisoner.

“Oh don’t worry about that! The Government has unravelled a good deal of the conspiracy. It knows that you and your international associates are planning to strike at civilized government throughout the world, in the effort to restore the days of autocracy. It knows you are planning a world federation of states, based on the principles of absolutism and aristocracy. It is aware of the immense financial resources behind the movement. Also that you have obtained the use of certain scientific discoveries which you believe will aid you in your schemes.”

“I was wondering,” jeered the prisoner, “how soon you were coming to that.”

“They didn’t help you in your murderous scheme,” the Superintendent thundered. “You were found in the War Office by the night watchman, rifling a safe of valuable documents. You shot him with a pistol equipped with a silencer. You shot down two more who, hearing his cries, rushed to his aid. And you attempted to stroll out of the building, apparently under the belief that you possessed mysterious power which would afford you security.”

“A little lapse of judgment such as may happen with the best laid plans,” smiled Von Kettler. “No, Superintendent, I’ll be franker with you than that. My capture was designed. It was decided to give the Government an object lesson in our power. It was resolved that I should permit myself to be captured, in order to demonstrate that you cannot hang me, that I have merely to open the door of my cell, the gates of this penitentiary, and walk out to freedom.”

“Have you quite finished?” rasped the Superintendent.

“At your disposal,” smiled the other.

“Here’s your last chance, Von Kettler. Your persistence in this absurd claim has actually shaken the expressed conviction of some of the medical examiners that you are sane. If you will make that complete written confession that the Government asks of you, I pledge you that you shall be declared insane to-night, and sent to a sanitarium from which you will be permitted to escape as soon as this affair has blown over.”

“The United States Government has sunk pretty low, to involve itself in a deal of this character, don’t you think, my dear Superintendent?” jeered Von Kettler.

“The Government is prepared to act as it thinks best in the interests of humanity. It knows that the death of one wretched murderer such as yourself is not worth the lives of thousands of innocent men!”

“And there,” smiled Von Kettler, without abating an atom of his nonchalance, “there, my dear Superintendent, you hit the nail on the head. Only, instead of thousands, you might have said millions.”

Von Kettler’s aspect changed. Suddenly his eyes blazed, his voice shook with excitement, his face was the face of a fanatic, of a prophet.

“Yes, millions, Superintendent,” he thundered. “It it a holy cause that inspires us. We know that it is our sacred mission to save the world from the drabness of modern democracy. The people--always the people! Bah! what are the lives of these swarming millions worth when compared with a Caesar, a Napoleon, an Alexander, a Charlemagne? Nothing can stop us or defeat us. And you, with your confession of defeat, your petty bargaining--I laugh at you!”

“You’ll laugh on the gallows to-morrow night!” the Superintendent shouted.

Again Von Kettler was the calm, superior, arrogant prisoner of before. “I shall never stand on the gallows trap, my dear Superintendent, as I have told you many times,” he replied. “And, since we have reached what diplomacy calls a deadlock, permit me to return to my cell.”

The Superintendent pressed a button on his desk; the guards, who had been waiting outside the office, entered hastily. “Take this man back,” he commanded, and Von Kettler, head held high, and smiling, left the room between them.

The Superintendent pressed another button, and his assistant entered, a rugged, red-haired man of forty--Anstruther, familiarly known as “Bull” Anstruther, the man who had in three weeks reduced the penitentiary from a place of undisciplined chaos to a model of law and order. Anstruther knew nothing of the Superintendent’s offer to Von Kettler, but he knew that the latter had powerful friends outside.

“Anstruther, I’m worried about Von Kettler,” said the Superintendent. “He actually laughed at me when I spoke of the possibility of another medical examination. He seemed confident that he could not be hanged. Swore that he will never stand on the gallows trap. How about your precautions for to-morrow night?”

“We’ve taken all possible precautions,” answered Anstruther. “Special armed guards have been posted at every entrance to the building. Detectives are patrolling all streets leading up to it. Every car that passes is being scrutinized, its plate numbers taken, and forwarded to the Motor Bureau. There’s no chance of even an attempt at rescue--literally none.”

“He’s insane,” said the Superintendent, with conviction, and the words filled him with new confidence. It had been less Von Kettler’s statements than the man’s cool confidence and arrogant superiority that had made him doubt. “But he’s not too insane to have known what he was doing. He’ll hang.”

“He certainly will,” replied Anstruther. “He’s just a big bluff, sir.”