was for explosives.
As consequence, much of the talk at the dinner-table had been on Mr.
Spielhagen's discovery, and possible changes it might introduce into
this especial industry. As these, worked out from a formula kept secret
from the trade, could not but affect greatly Mr. Cornell's interests,
she found herself listening intently, when Mr. Van Broecklyn, with an
apology for his interference, ventured to remark that if Mr. Spielhagen
had made a valuable discovery in this line, so had he, and one which he
had substantiated by many experiments. It was not a marketable one, such
as Mr. Spielhagen's was, but in his work upon the same, and in the tests
which he had been led to make, he had discovered certain instances
he would gladly name, which demanded exceptional procedure to be
successful. If Mr. Spielhagen's method did not allow for these
exceptions, nor make suitable provision for them, then Mr. Spielhagen's
method would fail more times than it would succeed. Did it so allow and
so provide? It would relieve him greatly to learn that it did.

The answer came quickly. Yes, it did. But later and after some further
conversation, Mr. Spielhagen's confidence seemed to wane, and before
they left the dinner-table, he openly declared his intention of looking
over his manuscript again that very night, in order to be sure that the
formula therein contained duly covered all the exceptions mentioned by
Mr. Van Broecklyn.

If Mr. Cornell's countenance showed any change at this moment, she for
one had not noticed it; but the bitterness with which he remarked upon
the other's good fortune in having discovered this formula of whose
entire success he had no doubt, was apparent to everybody, and naturally
gave point to the circumstances which a short time afterward associated
him with the disappearance of the same.

The ladies (there were two others besides herself) having withdrawn in
a body to the music-room, the gentlemen all proceeded to the library to
smoke. Here, conversation loosed from the one topic which had hitherto
engrossed it, was proceeding briskly, when Mr. Spielhagen, with nervous
gesture, impulsively looked about him and said:

"I cannot rest till I have run through my thesis again. Where can I find
a quiet spot? I won't be long; I read very rapidly."

It was for Mr. Van Broecklyn to answer, but no word coming from him,
every eye turned his way, only to find him sunk in one of those fits of
abstraction so well k