"That he never shall do," snapped Miss Armour, her eyes flashing and her nostrils dilating, "not one member of that glorious society I have founded shall ever be done to death by those accursed people in authority. I, and my subjects who obey me so loyally, will vanish." "Will you? Not while the ports and railway stations are watched," sneered Halliday, with contempt, "and I don't think your friend Vincent can supply aeroplanes in sufficient quantity for you all to get away. Even if you did by some extraordinary chance, the world would be hunted for you." "It can be hunted from the North Pole to the South, Mr. Halliday, but neither the members of the Society of Flies nor its queen will be discovered. We will be as if we had never been," she concluded triumphantly, and as she spoke the big woman, sobbing at her feet, shivered and shook, and uttered a muffled cry of terror. Queen Beelzebub kicked her. "Get up, Eliza, you fool," she said contemptuously, "you know quite well that I have made ready for everything this long time." "But I don't want to----" "If you say another word," interrupted Miss Armour, viciously, "you shall afford sport for this society as this meddling beast shall do." Dan laughed gaily, determined not to show the white feather, although his heart was filled with fear. He did not mind a clean, short, sharp death, but he did not wish to be tortured and mutilated, as he believed this incarnate demon intended he should be. Curiously enough, his laugh, instead of exciting Queen Beelzebub to further wrath, seemed to extort her unwilling admiration. "You are a brave man, Mr. Halliday," she muttered reluctantly; then burst out furiously, "oh, you young fool, why did you not accept the offer I made you?" "The offer you prophesied in this very room would be made," said Halliday complacently, "well, you see, Miss Armour, or Queen Beelzebub, or whatever you like to call yourself, I happen to have a conscience." "That is your weakness," said the woman calmly; "throw it on the rubbish heap, my friend. It is useless." "Now it is, so far as joining your infernal organization is concerned, I am quite sure. To-morrow the police will be here, and the Society of Flies will cease to exist." "That is possible, and yet may not be probable, Mr. Halliday. If the Society does cease to exist, it will not do so in the way you contemplate. Eliza!" added Miss Armour impatiently, "if you will sniff and howl, go and do so in some other room. I can't stand you just now. My nerves are shaken, and my arm is hurting me. Go away." "And leave you with----" Mrs. Jarsell cast a terrified look at Dan. "Pooh!" cried Queen Beelzebub contemptuously, "you don't think that I am afraid of him. I have the lancet with the snake-poison, and if he tries to get out of the door or the window you know very well that every exit is watched. Go away and employ your time better than sobbing and moaning. You know what you have to do, you poor silly fool?"