Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: SECOND ACT An office room of the Department of the Interior. In the centre, a long council table covered with green cloth, surrounded by high-back chairs. On the walls, portraits of former cabinet ministers, all in uniform. To the right, two widely separated bay windows. By the farther window, a desk. Farther forward on the same side, a round table on which newspapers and magazines are lying. A few armchairs near it. To the left, a swinging door into the private secretary's room. Robert Frank is standing by the council table, looking through some papers. The Janitor (opening the swinging door, announces). His Excellency, the Minister of Public Works. Robert Frank. Hasn't Mr. Winkelmann come back? The Janitor. Mr. Winkelmann has not yet made his appearance, your Excellency. Robert Frank. Admit his Excellency. (The Janitor disappears and the Minister Of Public 64 Works comes in. Robert Frank motions to him to ait down. Both seat themselves at the council table.) Robert Frank. Well, my dear colleague, what new evil tidings have you to serve up to me ? The Minister Of Public Works. Unfortunately, evil tidings are the order of the day—or disorder one should call it, perhaps. ... I have a list here of the happenings of the last twenty-four hours. . . . (He opens a portfolio.) Robert Frank. Is it the usual menu? Telegraph-poles pulled down, telephone wires cut ? Thanks, you need not trouble yourself as to those things. Have you nothing of extraordinary interest to report ? The Minister Of Public Works. Indeed, I have. A dynamite bomb was discovered in the Eastern Station two hours ago. . . . Robert Frank. I know that already. The clockwork of the bomb was set for eleven. The Minister Of Public Works. Yes, it might have blown up the wh...