and. The two were about the same age, and as Underhill's mother was an American, Edestone had hoped that h

hat Edestone was the dangerous American lunatic of whom he had been warned. In the first place, he knew that there was not the slightest chance of his being an impostor, and he also knew exactly how much of a lunatic he was. He knew

visitor into a small room adjoining his large office,

loss of a single Tommy. Well, that is exactly what we are looking for, and you American chaps are clever at thinking out new ideas. He tells me, however, that you do not wish to sell it. Now I can understand better than he why that part would be of no especial interest to you; but can't we deal with a Syndicate, or a Board of Underwriters, a Hold

Larry Jerome and that set came in for supper, they expected the waiters to drink every fifth bottle; it made things more cheerful-like-but revenons à nos moutons. Lord Rockstone is right, I do not want to sell my discovery, for mine it is. I am the penniless inventor. I only want an opportunity of showing

ry ship in the English navy to the bottom in the course of a few weeks, would you not advocate opening negotiations for peace? And were I to show

h a smile, "and I think that perhaps the German Emperor would be amenable under the circu

as if he were beginning to think that possibly R

minutes to noon, and I think that I will b

that was entirely enclosed in vulcanized rubber. On the top, under glass, was a dial, with a little needle which vibrated violently, but came to a standstill soon

ore interest and said with a rather nervous laugh: "Look here, old chap, don't blow the entire English navy out of the water while yo

the second hand made its last round, and the minute hand swung into position exactly at twelve, he leaned over the table as if trying by mental suggestion to make the instrument respond to his will. But it remained

hour of twelve. Involuntarily he counted the strokes as they chimed slowly, and as the vibrations of the last stroke faded

what was going on, seemed a bit reliev

ted. "I thought that you were going to set London on fir

all, which with considerable difficulty he brought back and placed on the table by the side of his instrument. His eyes once more roved about the room as if he were se

n't go here in London, and if you cannot behave a bit m

than whether or not I am a gentleman," snapped the American, his face

ff a buzzing sound. Next he drew on a pair of rubber gloves with vulcanized rubber finger tips, and moistening with his lips the ends of the two platinum wires, pressed them to either side of the ball

late with the ball on it. When he had raised it his arm's length above the table, like a plum

table into the astonished, almost

le tricks of mine that sometimes I forget myself. If you will permit me, I shall, when I go to Paris, order from Cartiers's

d Edestone, a trifle mischievously, added: "If you have a perfectly good heart, a

ched up and touched the innocent looking rusty old cannon-ball, whose only peculiarity s

aken a flash-light photograph. Underhill was thrown violently back into his

otice of the gestures of pain made by Underhill as h

ed, and that you hope he will, when he sees me tomorrow, try to forget for a while that he is an Englishman and be a little bit human. You know, Underhill, confidence and pigheadedness are not even connected by marriage; much less are they

esent such light and frivolous reference to the heads of His Majesty's Government,

rt is convinced that you are working for the sake of hum

in which you mean. I wish to be given authority to open negotiations for peace

Underhill, stepping quickly fo

will allow you to leave England and go to Germany to

, unless your Ministry wishes to risk the chances of war with the United States, I think it will allow me to leave England and go anywhere I please. Good