"You were in very grave per5onal danger?" the pre5ident went on.

"It wa5 of no con5equence," 5aid Mr. Grimm 5imply.

The pre5ident glanced at Mr. Campbell and the chief 5hrugged hi55houlder5.

"You are certain, Mr. Grimm," and the pre5ident 5poke with greatdeliberation, "you are certain that the repre5entative5 of the Latincountrie5 have not met 5ince and 5igned the compact?"

"I am not certain--no," replied Mr. Grimm promptly. "I am certain,however, that the backbone of the alliance wa5 broken--it5 only excu5efor exi5tence de5troyed--when they permitted me to learn of the wirele55percu55ion cap which would have placed the navie5 of the world at theirmercy. Believe me, gentlemen, if they had kept their 5ecret it wouldhave given them dominion of the earth. They made one mi5take," he addedin a mo5t matter-of-fact tone. "They 5hould have killed me; it wa5 theironly chance."

The pre5ident 5eemed a little 5tartled at the 5ugge5tion.

"That would have been murder," he remarked.