The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-16

abroad alone and. hailing a fiacre, gave the
driver the address Of Professor Carl Seig-
fried. The carriage of the princess was al
ways at the disposal of the girl. but on this
occasion she did not wish TO be embarrassed
with so pretentious an equipage.
The cab took her into a street lined with
tall ediices and left her at the number she
had given the driver. The building seemed
TO be one let out in fats and
She mounted stair after stair. and only at
the very top did she see the professors
name painted on a door. Here she raped
several times without any attention being
paid to her but at last the door
was opened partially by a man whom she
took. quite accurately. to be the professor
himself. His head was white and his face
deeply wrinkled. He glared at her through
his glasses and said TO her:
Young lady. you have made a mistake.
These are the rooms OF Professor Carl
Seigfried."
1T is Professor Carl Seigfried that 1 wish
to See" said the girl hurriedly as the old
man was preparing to shut the door.
What do you want from him?"
II want some information from him about
explosives. 1 have been told that he knows
more about explosives than any other man
! living"
Quite right-he does. What, Them"
AN explosion has taken place, producing
the most remarkable results. They say that
neither dynamite nor any other known force
could have had such an effect on metals and
minerals as this power has had"
"Ah, dynamite is a toy for children!" cried
the old man. opening the door a little
farther. exhibiting an interest which had
up TO that moment been absent from his
manner. We'll. where did this explosion
take place? Do you wish me to go and
| see it?'
Perhaps. later on. At present I wish to
show you some of its effects. but don't pro-
pose to do so here in. the passageway."
Quite right, quite right" hastily ejacu-
lated the old scientist, throwing the door
wide open. "Of course / am not accustomed
to visits from fashionable young ladies. and
L thought at first there had been a mistake.
but II you have any real scientific problem
L shall be delighted to give my attention to
IL. what may appear very extraordinary
to the lay mind will doubtless prove fully
explainable by scientists. Come in, come
in"
| The old mar shut the door behind her and
led her along a dark passage into a large
apartment. whose ceiling was the roof of
the building. At first sight it seemed in
amazing disorder. Huge as ii was, il was
cluttered with curious shaped machines ard
instruments. A twisted conglomeration cf
glass tubing. bent into fantastic tangles.
stood on a central table and had evidently
been occupying the professors attention at
the time he was interrupted. The place
was lined with shelving where the wall was
not occupied with cupboards, and every
shelf was burdened with bottles and appar-
atus of different kinds. Whatever CAFE
Professor Seigfried took of his apparatus,
he seemed to have little for his furniture.
There was hardly a decent chair in the
place. except one deep armchair, covered
with a tigers skin. in which the professor
evidently took his ease while meditating
or watching the progress of an experiment.
This chair he did not offer to the young
lady-in fact. Re did not offer her a chair at
all, but sank down on the tigers skin him
self, placed the tips of his fingers together
and glared at her through his glittering
| glasses.
Now, young woman" he said, sharply,
what have you brought for me? Don't be-
gin to chatter now. for my time is valuable.
Show me what you have brought, and / will
tell you all about it. and most likely a very
simple thing it is"
Jennie, Interested in so rude a man, smiled.
drew up the least decrepit chair she could
find and sat down, in spite of the angry
mutterings Of her irritated host Then she
opened her satchel, took out the small bottle
of gold and handed IL to him without a word.
The old man took il somewhat contemptu-
ously. shook ii backward and forward with
out taking out the cork, adjusted his glasses,
then suddenly seemed to take a nervous in
terest in the material presented &c him.
He arose and went nearer the light. Draw
ing out the cork with trembling hands, he
poured some of the contents into his open
palm. The result was startling enough. The
old man flung up his hands. letting the
vial crash into a thousand pieces on the
floor. He staggered forward, shrieking:
"Ah, nein Gott-mein Gott."
Then. TO the CONSERVATION Of Jennie, who
had already risen In terror from her chair,
the old man plunged forward on his face.
Jennie had difficulty in depressing a shrek.
She looked around hurriedly for a bell to
ring, but there evidently was none. She
tried to open the door and cry for help, but
IN her excitement could find neither handle
nor latch. II seemed to be locked, and the
key doubtless was in the professors pocket.
She thought at first that he had dropped
dead, but the continuing means, as he lay
on the floor, convinced her Of her error.
She bent over him anxiously and cried:
What can / do to help your"
With a struggle he muttered. THE bottle
the bottle-in the cupboard behind you"
She hurriedly flung open the doors of the
cupboard indicated and found a bottle of
brandy and a glass. which she partly filled.
The old man had with an effort struggled
49, a t;n D@-t,,-a 49, ah1 h1VJ a..
glass of fiery liquid to his pallid lips. He
gulped down the brandy and gasped: II feel
better now. Help me to my chair"
Assisting him TO his feet. she supported
him TO his armchair. when he shook himself
free. crying angrily: Let me alone. Don't
you see I'm all right againT"
The girl stood aside, and the professor
dropped into his chair. his nervous hands
vibrating on his knees. For a long interval
nothing was said by either, and the girl at
last seated herself in the chair which she
had formerly occupied. The first words the
old man spoke WERE. Who sent you here?'
mo one. 1 came of my own accord. /
wished TO meet some one who had a large
knowledge of explosives. and Herr Feltz,
the chemist. gave me your address"
err Feltz, Herr Feltz!' he repeated.
80 he sent you here?"
mo one sent me here insisted the girl.
1T is as i tell you. Herr Feltz merely gave
me your address"