"Whilst we are on the subject of the Traction shares, I want to ask about the statement I filed in regard to the assets of the company. Was it right?" For a week the doctor had been trying to put this question. "Of we three, I'm the only director--you're not in it and Ronnie isn't in it, if there is anything wrong, I should be the goat?" Steppe's voice was milder. Here was a topic to be avoided. "Huh! You're all right. What are you frightened about?" "I'm not frightened, but you had the draft?" "It is in the safe," said Steppe with some satisfaction. "Steppe, how do we stand there?" asked the doctor urgently. "I know Moropulos was doing work for you of a sort. What was his position and Sault's? Is that the safe which Sault made? He told me about it some time ago." Steppe turned his head again in Ronald's direction. "You went to the trial! You saw him! You've seen him before--what do you think of him--clever, huh?" "Well, I don't know--" "Of course he's clever, you fool," said the other contemptuously. "If you had his brains and his principles, you'd be a big man. Remember that--a big man." "I am attending the execution," said Ronnie, "the under sheriff is admitting three press reporters, and I am to be one of them." Steppe eyed him gloomily, groping after the mind of the man who could fear him, yet did not fear to see a man done to death. "I'll tell you men all about Moropulos and Sault because you're all tarred with my brush. This is the big pull of Sault. A pull he's never used. Moropulos and I had business together. He was on one side of a wall called 'Law', huh? I was on the other. The comfortable side. And he used to hand things over. That put me a bit on his side. There were letters and certain other documents which we had to keep, yet were dangerous to keep. But you might always want 'em. I was scared over some shares that--well, I oughtn't have had them. And that's how Sault came to make the 'Destroying Angel', that's a good name! I christened it. There was a combination lock, the word being known only to Moropulos, Sault and myself. If you used the wrong combination--any combination but the right one, the acids are released and the contents of the safe destroyed. If you try to cut through the sides--the water runs out, down drops a plunger with the same result. When Moropulos was killed I tried to get at it, but the police were there before me. There was a typewritten note pasted on the top of the safe, telling exactly what would happen if they monkeyed with it. They haven't dared to touch it. It's in the Black Museum today with enough stuff inside to send me--well, a hell of a long way." "Suppose this man tells?" asked Merville fearfully.