Professor's
pocket. She thought at first that he had dropped dead, but the continued
moaning as he lay on the floor convinced her of her error. She bent over
him anxiously and cried, "What can I do to help you?"

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 into a sitting posture, and she held the
glass of fiery liquid to his pallid lips. He gulped down the brandy, and
gasped, "I feel better now. Help me to my chair."

Assisting him to his feet, she supported him to his arm-chair, when he
shook himself free, crying angrily, "Let me alone! Don't you see I am
all right again?"

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 on the bench she had
formerly occupied. The next words the old man spoke were, "Who sent you
here?"

"No one, I came of my own accord. I wished to meet someone who had a
large knowledge of explosives, and Herr Feltz, the chemist, gave me your
address."

"Herr Feltz! Herr Feltz!" he repeated. "So he sent you here?"

"No one sent me here," insisted the girl. "It is as I tell you. Herr
Feltz merely gave me your address."

"Where did you get that powdered gold?"

"It came from the _debris_ of an explosion."

"I know, you said that before. Where was the explosion? Who caused it?"

"That I don't know."

"Don't you know where the explosion was?"

"Yes, I know where the explosion was, but I don't know who caused it."

"Who sent you here?"

"I tell you no one sent me here."

"That is not true, the man who caused the explosion sent you here. You
are his minion. What do you expect to find out from me?"

"I expect to learn what explosive was used to produce the result that
seemed to have such a remarkable effect on you."

"Why do you say that? It had no effect on me. My heart is weak. I am
subject to such attacks, and I ward them off with brandy. Some day they
will kill me. Then you won't learn any secrets from a dead man, will
you?"

"I hope, Professor Seigfried, that you have many years yet to live, and
I must further add that I did not expect such a reception as I have
received from a man of science, as I was told you were. If you have no