"And now, gentlemen, I leave the proposition with you. Please do not
forget that it is a great and glorious venture; a new and glorious
empire! An honor to your country and mine."

He was gone.

For some time the five men sat in silence. Then one of them spoke:

"Is he mad?"

"Are we all mad?" questioned a second. His voice was husky.

"Well," said a third, "it sounds like a dream, a dream of great
possibilities. We must sleep over it."

Without another word they moved out of the room. The meeting, one of
the most momentous in the history of the century, perhaps, was ended.

* * * * *

When Johnny Thompson heard the shot and the guttural mutter, "Da
bolice!" he made a final effort to rally his senses and to put up a
fight.

He did succeed in struggling to his knees, but to fight was unnecessary.
Just as another shot sent echoes down the alley and a bullet sang over
their heads, his assailants took to their heels.

A slight, slouching figure came gliding toward Johnny.