The Ransom for London

*"Mr. Pontifex, I am one of three men who hold the safety of London in their hands. I speak no idle words when I say this. If it is our will, we can sweep away the seven million inhabitants of your great city as easily as I blow away the ashes from this cigarette, and no man can either prevent us or know how our work is accomplished. Accordingly, London must be ransomed. Our price is ten million pounds sterling—"* The man had ambushed the Prime Minister of England on his own property and made his demands, warning that two demonstrations of his power would be forthcoming were the ransom not paid. The next morning, the Prime Minister awoke to find his prize cattle, all twenty-two of them, lay dead in their stalls with no apparent cause of death. Was there no way to stop these men, or would the ransom have to be paid? And what of the second demonstration? How much time did they have to prepare the ransom money?