The triumphant light that leaped up in his eyes as suddenly died out.
“But, Mr. Freeman, there is one weak spot in the plan.”
“What is that?”
“Yesterday’s attempt to free Borodin shows that the revolutionists have very likely won over, or bought over, a number of the prison staff. Some of these guards might get warning to the prisoners that you are not condemned to die. Then they would be suspicious and tell you nothing.”
“I’ve foreseen that danger, and have devised my plan to avoid it. I am to be really condemned to death.”
“You mean——”
“I mean that you are to have a real death warrant made out for me. Then no one in the prison, not even the governor, will know what we’re about.”
“Yes, that avoids the danger!”
“And then an hour before the execution you send an officer with an order for my release. No—wait. Now that I think of it, I don’t care to have that order trusted to any stupid officer. Suppose he failed to get there on time—eh? Prince, you must bring it yourself.”
This fitted Berloff’s desire; for being in the Fortress at the time of the execution, he would not have to wait till morning to learn definitely that he had won the great stake for which he had so craftily played.