“Oh, I know your excuse,” he said. “Your friends have interceded for you, and I have every confidence in Lord Hastings. Of you, however, I know nothing. A hundred people saw you with the bomb in your hand. The case is perfectly plain.”
“But,” began Jack.
“Silence!” exclaimed the Czar, raising a hand.
He turned to his aide again.
“Bring me,” he commanded, “the small velvet box on my writing desk.”
He turned and addressed all in the room as the aide hurried away.
“You shall all see,” he exclaimed, “how I dispose of a case like this.”
There was silence until the aide returned, and put the little box in the Czar’s hand.
Concealing the contents from Jack, the Czar opened it and took out something. Then he commanded:
“Approach!”