That is why Monsieur X was not
involved in his own catastrophe."
"I see!"
"Then all I had to do was to sit still and wait for him to become
dangerous."
"How did you dare to take such chances?" cried Helen.
"I took no chances," answered Darrow. "Don't you see? If he were to
attempt to destroy the city, he must either involve himself in the
destruction, or he must set another bit of clockwork. If he had left his
office again I should have seized him, broken into the office, and smashed
the apparatus."
"But he was crazy," spoke up Mrs. Warford. "How could you rely on his not
involving himself in the general destruction?"
"Yes, why did you act when you did?" seconded Helen.
"As long as he held to his notion of getting hold of McCarthy," explained
Darrow, "he had a definite object in life, his madness had a definite
outlet--he was harmless. But the last message showed that his disease had
progressed to the point where McCarthy was forgotten. His mind had risen
to a genuine frenzy. He talked of general punishments, great things. At
last he was in the state of mind of the religious fanatic who lacerates
his flesh and does not feel the wound. When he forgot McCarthy, I knew it
was time to act. Long since I had provided myself with the requisite key.
You know the rest."
CHAPTER XXIV
WHAT HAPPENED AFTERWARD
There remains only to tell what became of the various characters of the
tale.
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