The Washington weekly post., 1899-07-18

am not an old dotsFd- have many years
TO live yet
Il hope so. Wen. must bid you good
morning l shall 90 to some one else.
The old man showed his teeth In for
bidding grin.
1T IS useless. Your Sottle is broken,
ard the material 1t contained Is dissi-
psted. Not a trace OF If T. left"
He waved his thin, emseIated hand in
the air az he spoke.
oh. that doesn't matter IN the least,
said Jennie. Il have several other bot
ties here in my satehel"
The professor placed his hands on the
arms Of his chair and slowly raised him
SELF 10 his feet.
You have others" he cried. "other
bottles? Let me see them-let me see
them
No" replied Jennie: Il WON'T
With speed which. after his recent
collapse, Jennie had not expected. the
professor ambled around 10 the door AMI
placed his back against it. The glasses
over his eyes seemed to sparkle .s II
with fire. His talon-like fingers crsc xsd
rigidly. He breathed rapidly and was
evidently laboring under tense excite
ment.
he whispered. hoarsely. glaring al her
Jennie, having arisen, stood there.
smoothing down her perfectly fitting glove
and answered with a calmness she was
far from feeling.
Who knows / am here? No one but the
director OF police"
"Oh, the director Of police" echoed the
professor, quite evidently abashed by the
information. The rigid:ty of his attitude re-
lsxed. and he became once more the old
man he had appeared as he sat in heap
in his chair. You will excuse me-" he
muttered, edging around toward his chair
again, Il was excited"
l noticed that you were, professor
But before you sit down again, please un-
leck that door"
Why he asked, pausing on his way
10 the chair
Because ] wish It open"
And l." he said in a higher tone, wish
IL 20 remain locked until We have come
to some understanding. can't LEI you go
out now but ] shall permit you TO go un-
molested as soon as you have made some
explanation TO me-"
IF you do not unlock the door immedi-
ately. l shall take this machine and fling
street. The crashing glass on the pave
ment will soon bring some one TO my
rescue, professor, and, as l have a voice
of my own and small hesitation about
shouting. | shall have little difficulty in
directing the strangers where to come"
AS Jennie spoke she moved swiftly to-
ward the table on which stood the strange
aggregation Of refector5 and bent glass
tubing.
mo, no, no." screamed the professor,
springing between her and the table
Touch anything but that-anything but
that DO not disturb it an ineh-there is
darger-death not only to you and me,
but perhaps TO the whole City. Keep
away from it,"
Very well, then" said Jennie, stepping
back in spite of her endeavor to sustain
her self-control, open the door. open
both doors and leave them so. After that
If you remain seated in your chair, shall
not touch the machine. nor shall / leave
until l make the explanations you re-
quire and you have answered some ques-
tions that l shall ask. But / must have
clear way TO the stair in case you should
become excited again"
"Tll unlock the doors. I'll unlock both
DOORS" replied the old man tremulously
fumbiing about his pockets for his keys
But keep away from that machine un,
less you want to bring swift destruction
on us all"
With an eagerness that retarded his
speed the professor, constantly looking
over his shoulder at his visitor unlocked
the first door; then hastily he flung open
the second and tottered back to his chair
where he collapsed on the tiger skin
trembling and exhausted.
1--WE may be overheard" he whined
''One can never tell who may sneak quiet.
| ly up the stair. l am surrounded by spies
trying to find out what l am doing"
wait a moment" said Jennie.
| She went quickly to the outer door
| found that it closed with spring latch
| opened and shut it two or three times un
| til she was perfectly familiar with 1T
| workings; then she closed it, drew tn,
inner door nearly shut and sat down.
There" she said, I'VE are quite saf
from interruption. Prof. Seigfried. buc
| must request you not TO move from you
| chair"
Il have no Intention of doing So mur
INJURED the old man. who sent you? Y0r
| said you would tell me. | think You oy
me an explanation"
II think you owe me one" replied tn
| girl. LAS l told you before. no one sen
| me. | came here entirely of my own ac
| cord. and / shall endeavOr to make clea
| to you exactly why | came. Some tim
| ago there occurred in this city a terrifi
| explosion"-
Where? When?" exclaimed the oil
| man, placing his hands on the AIMS [
his chair. as if he would rise to his feet
''Sit where you are" said Jennie firmly
"and / shall tell you all / can about II
| The government, for reasons of its own
| desires to keep the fact Of this explosion
| secret, and so very few people outside O
| official circles know anything about il
| an trying to discover the cause Of tha
| disaster"
Are you-are You working on behal
| of the government" asked the old ma
| eagerly, d tremor Of fear in his quaveI
! ing voice.
mo; | am conducting my investigation
| quite independently of the government.
But why? But why? That is what
| don't understand"
II would very much rather not ansxe
that question"
| bul iidl uutSllOi-CNffyInlng Is lnVOly
ed in that question. / must know VIII
you are here. II you are not in the ernplo
of the government, in whose employ ar
you?'
IF | tell you" said Jennie with som
hesitation. will you keep what | say
| secrct?"
Yes, yes, yes.' cried the scientist impa
tiently.
Well. ar in the service OF a Londo
| daily newspaper
II see, | see; and they have sent yo
here 10 publish broadcast over the worl
all you can find out Of my doings / kne
you were spy the moment / saw you.
should never have let you in
My dear sir, the London paper is Il
aware of your existence even. They ha,
not sent me TO you at all. ~sAy hay
sent me 10 learn. if possible, the cause
the explosion ! spoke OF. / took some
: the debris 10 Herr FeltZ 10 analyze il, an
he said he had never seen gold, iron. fei
spar, and all that reduced to such fr
impalpable grains as was the case Wit
the sample left with him. | then askt
him who in Vienna knew most about e,
ploSiyaS and he pave ma Hny1-