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〃Lord Turn；〃 said Lady Arthrite； 〃I do not think you realize that public opinion is growing。 WHEN are you going to bring that prisoner to trial？〃
〃Lady Arthrite；〃 said Lord Turn； 〃would you please keep your nose out of the affairs of the Royal prison？〃 And hung up。
This； as it was recorded； gave the Daily Speaker an exclusive：
JUDGE TELLS PUBLIC
〃HANDS OFF GRIS！〃
This； of course； made all the other papers livid： they had been scooped。 They began to bombard Lord Turn with tricky calls of their own。 This made Lord Turn furious。 He was so angry that he refused to explain anything to anyone。 The headlines grew worse and worse。
Now； unfortunately for Soltan Gris； when he had been blackmailing the Provocation Section of the Apparatus； the head of that section had been radio…recording back to his own office down by the River Wiel during the whole time that he had been shadowing Gris to get the goods on him。 And a recording of every single one of these crimes Gris had pulled at that time existed； with pictures and sound； in the Provocation Section。 Gris； unaware of this； thought he had handled it with the final murder of that chief。 And now Madison began to feed these crimes one at a time to the press。
HYPNOTIST MURDERED
BY APPARATUS
OFFICER GRIS
And then：
SUPPLY COLONEL
MURDERED BY
APPARATUS OFFICER GRIS
And then：
ELECTRONICS WIZARD
SPURK FOULLY SLAIN
BY APPARATUS OFFICER
GRIS
BURNS THIRD OF
ELECTRONICS INDUSTRIAL
QUARTER TO HIDE
VICIOUS CRIME
And the final one of the series was plete with photographs of a body falling ten thousand feet。
BROTHER APPARATUS
OFFICER SLAIN IN
DASTARDLY EFFORT
TO HIDE DAMNABLE
CRIMES
The footage was even shown on Homeview； which was beginning to take an interest。
The question was starting to buzz through the streets： If the government had an officer who had been mitting all these crimes； just why was it refusing to bring the villain to trial？
But Madison was saving a piece de resistance。
When Bawtch had been overheard chortling 〃he had Gris now〃 and about a forgery； he had NOT been talking about the Royal signature forgeries at all。 At that time； he didn't even know about them。
Gris； in his carelessness； had left the old cloak of Prahd's beside his office desk。 He had intended it to be found beside the River Wiel。 And in that cloak he had wrapped a very bad forgery； a suicide note。 Unfortunately； he had written it on a piece of paper which had been under a document when he stamped it for Bawtch。 And dimly under the writing on the Prahd suicide note could be seen the identoplate outline of Soltan Gris！
The recorded strips of the dead Provocation Section officer had shown Soltan Gris calling on Prahd Bittlestiffender。
All evidence for a murder charge was there。 So Madison； through one of his reporters； called the attention of the Domestic Police to the crime。
The Domestic Police traced it down； acpanied by a horde of reporters； and found that young Dr。 Prahd Bittlestiffender was nowhere to be found。 They then issued a warrant for the arrest of Soltan Gris。
Young Dr。 Prahd； the most promising cellologist to graduate for some time； was extolled by his professors as a real loss to his profession。 The act of cutting him down in his early youth could be looked upon as a crime against the whole population； who so desperately needed his services。 The act of a madman！
HEADLINES！
Then the Domestic Police asked Lord Turn for the custody of Gris so they could try him and execute him。 It was； of course； refused。
HEADLINES！
The questions began to race through the population。 Why was the government protecting this raving lunatic of an Apparatus officer？ Why would they not let him be brought to trial？
Written by his ex…Royal Academy of Arts reporter； Madison began to circulate the words and music of a ballad。 It was printed on a single sheet and seemed to be the creation of an unknown。 Shortly it was being reprinted in the press and sung on every hand。 It went：
In the name of the government he murdered and kitted。
Many an innocent victim he has chilled。
He is an Apparatus officer！
Why does the government love this cur？
He grows fat on his victim's blood；
Then with glee stamps them in the mud。
Coddled and protected for his crime；
They extoll his virtues as sublime。
We are demanding his life should cease。
WE WANT THE BLOOD OF SOLTAN GRIS！
Mobs took to marching in the streets singing it at the tops of their voices。
Actually； some time since； J。 Walter Madison had fully expected Lord Turn to simply give in and say； 〃All right。 I'll try him。〃 And in the case of the Domestic Police； 〃Here he is。 Try the Hells out of him。〃
If he could only get Gris on the stand accusing Heller； Madison knew he would have it made。
But he had reached an impasse。 The fury boiling in the streets was not moving Lord Turn up there in his high castle。
Other measures were needed。
Chapter 7
Madison was busy far into the night； laying out his plans。 There were several things he had to do。 Amongst the first of them was to keep Lombar Hisst hopeful。
Accordingly； one morning； Madison caught Hisst at his desk before the closed door of the Emperor's bedroom。 Hisst was going over the details of the invasion plan of Earth。
〃How soon；〃 he greeted Madison； 〃do you suppose we can have the cooperation of the Army and the Fleet？ If they can supplant our Apparatus forces now active in the Calabar revolt； we can get on with invading Blito…P3 and bring it to heel。〃
〃I'm working on that project day and night；〃 said Madison。 〃In fact； that's what I'm here to see you about： that and the far more important question of making you Emperor。 You see； all these things tie together neatly。〃
〃How？〃 said Hisst。
〃It's simply a matter of image；〃 said Madison。 〃With enough image； you can do anything。 Now what I need to know is what exact image do you favor？ How do you want the public to think of you？〃
Lombar sat back。 His yellow eyes grew dreamy。 〃Totally formidable；〃 he said finally。
〃That's what I thought；〃 said Madison。 〃A man of iron will。 One who will brook no nonsense。 The public yearns for strong and merciless control。 The figure of a vengeful God。〃
〃Exactly；〃 said Lombar Hisst。 〃I have finally discovered why I listen to you。 You are extremely perceptive and are not afraid to speak the truth to your superior。〃
〃I only do my duty；〃 said Madison。 〃Now； I know that you are very busy。 But it just so happens that there are some riots going on at this minute in Slum City。 It is a marvelous opportunity to create image。 The mob is being contained by two battalions of the Apparatus。 I have a camera crew standing by。 If your good judgment tells you that you should utilize this priceless opportunity to create image； we can go there in your private tank and you'll be on Homeview in a trice。〃
〃A mob；〃 said Lombar； 〃that needs quelling？ Where's my cap and stinger？〃
An hour and a half later； Lombar stomped up the steps of the prepared stand before the faces of an assembled five thousand people。 The Slum City square was cordoned off。 For once Madison had not had to put out any money for extras or actors in such a demonstration。 Due to the Gris publicity； the two Apparatus Death Battalions were havin