"The place! We are there, or almost so. Good!" Geoff heard him mutter. "Pull up at the main gate," von Hildemaller commanded Esbul. "Now, that will do! You will wait here till I come out again, and you will know what to do, for we have already discussed the matter. Wait, though, I will repeat my instructions: there will be a man with me, a man who will be tied hand and foot, a mere log, of no danger to any one of us. I shall join him in the chaise, and you will drive off immediately. A mile down the road which we have just covered you will halt, for that will be sufficiently far, and voices, even screams, will not be heard over such a distance. You will halt, and then--and then----" Esbul swung his head round and bent towards the German. "And then, Master," he whispered, "the matter will be ended as you have already ordered." "Good! You understand, then? There's no fear of an error being made, no fear of your becoming chicken-hearted, for we shall be alone--four of us--with this one man, and he tied hand and foot, remember, tied hand and foot," the German repeated, giving vent to a ghastly chuckle. "No fear of a blow, no fear of his struggling even, no chance of his breaking loose. If he screams----Ah, well, you have heard screams before, and they will not unman you. You are ready?" "Ready, Master," Esbul told him in that soft voice of his. "Ready, and willing." Again the chaise rolled and rocked as the German stepped to the side of it and gained the ground. Waddling towards the prison, he ascended the stone steps which led to the doorway, and banged heavily upon the wall. Perhaps five minutes later, steps were heard within, the door was opened, and, having parleyed for a while, von Hildemaller entered, and the door closed instantly. "Now, round with the chaise, and make ready. Good heavens!" exclaimed Geoff, only at this moment beginning to grasp the sinister designs of the German. "Did ever one listen to such a scoundrel? A bound man is to be brought out to us, we are to halt a mile down the road, a mile down it, Philip, at such a distance that screams may not be heard by the people in this prison, the bound man will be so securely fastened that he cannot even struggle for his life, and there, in cold blood, he is to be finished. You realize the plan? Its cold-blooded cruelty? You realize the frightful act that this von Hildemaller contemplates?" For a few moments there was silence between them, and then a gasp almost of pain from Philip, a gasp of amazement, of horror, and of anger. Usually light-hearted, flippant in fact, his voice now, when he spoke, was grave, was trembling with passion. "A fellow wouldn't kill a mad dog under such conditions," he said bitterly, "and yet this von Hildemaller chuckles. What'll you do?"