He looked at his watch. It lacked five minutes of eight. The preparations for an execution had been reduced almost to a formula. One minute in the cell, twenty seconds to the trap, forty seconds for the hangman to complete his arrangements: two minutes, and then the thud of the false floor. Four minutes of eight. The little group had fallen silent. The hangman furtively took a drink from his hip-pocket flask. Three minutes! The Superintendent walked back to the door of the death house and nodded to the guard. "Bring him out quick!" he said. The guard shot the bolt of Von Kettler's cell. The Superintendent saw him enter, heard a loud exclamation, and hurried to his side. One glance told him that the prisoner had made good his boast. Von Kettler's cell was empty! CHAPTER II _Conference_ Captain Richard Rennell, of the U. S. Air Service, but temporarily detached to Intelligence, thought that Fredegonde Valmy had never looked so lovely as when he helped her out of the cockpit. Her dark hair fell in disorder over her flushed cheeks, and her eyes were sparkling with pleasure. "A thousand thanks, M'sieur Rennell," she said, in her low voice with its slight foreign intonation. "Never have I enjoyed a ride more than to-day. And I shall see you at Mrs. Wansleigh's ball to-night?" "I hope so--if I'm not wanted at Headquarters," answered Dick, looking at the girl in undisguised admiration. "Ah, that Headquarters of yours! It claims so much of your time!" she pouted. "But these are times when the Intelligence Service demands much of its men, is it not so?" "Who told you I was attached to Intelligence?" demanded Dick bluntly. She laughed mockingly. "Do you think that is not known all over Washington?" she asked. "It is strange that Intelligence should act like the--the ostrich, who buries his head in the sand and thinks that no one sees him because it is hidden." Dick looked at the girl in perplexity. During the past month he had completely lost his head and heart over her, and he was trying to view her with the dispassionate judgment that his position demanded. As the niece of the Slovakian Ambassador, Mademoiselle Valmy had the entry to Washington society. The Ambassador was away on leave, and she had appeared during his absence, but she had been accepted unquestionably at the Embassy, where she had taken up her quarters, explaining--as the Ambassador confirmed by cable--that she had sailed under a misconception as to the date of his leave. * * * * * Brunette, beautiful, charming, she had a score of hearts to play with, and yet Dick flattered himself that he stood first. Perhaps the others did too. "Of course," the girl went on, "with the Invisible Emperor threatening organized society, you gentlemen find yourselves extremely busy. Well, let us hope that you locate him and bring him to book." "Sometimes," said Dick slowly, "I almost think that you know something about the Invisible Emperor."