information to give to me, very well, that ends it; all you have to do
is to say so."

"Who sent you here?"

"No one, as I have repeated once or twice. If anyone had, I would give
him my opinion of the errand when I got back. You refuse, then, to tell
me anything about the explosive that powdered the gold?"

"Refuse? Of course I refuse! What did you expect? I suppose the man who
sent you here thought, because you were an engaging young woman and I
an old dotard, I would gabble to you the results of a life's work. Oh,
no, no, no; but I am not an old dotard. I have many years to live yet."

"I hope so. Well, I must bid you good morning. I shall go to someone
else."

The old man showed his teeth in a forbidding grin.

"It is useless. Your bottle is broken, and the material it contained is
dissipated. Not a trace of it is left."

He waved his thin, emaciated hand in the air as he spoke.

"Oh, that doesn't matter in the least," said Jennie. "I have several
other bottles here in my satchel."

The Professor placed his hands on the arms of his chair, and slowly
raised himself to his feet.

"You have others," he cried, "other bottles? Let me see them--let me see
them!"

"No," replied Jennie, "I won't."

With a speed which, after his recent collapse, Jennie had not expected,
the Professor ambled round to the door and placed his back against
it. The glasses over his eyes seemed to sparkle as if with fire. His
talon-like fingers crooked rigidly. He breathed rapidly, and was
evidently labouring under intense excitement.

"Who knows you came up to see me?" he whispered hoarsely, glaring at
her.

Jennie, having arisen, stood there, smoothing down her perfectly fitting
glove, and answered with a calmness she was far from feeling,--

"Who knows I am here? No one but the Director of Police."

"Oh, the Director of Police!" echoed the Professor, quite palpably
abashed by the unexpected answer. The rigidity of his attitude relaxed,
and he became once more the old man he had appeared as he sat in a heap
in his chair. "You will excuse me," he muttered, edging round towards
the chair again; "I was excited."

"I noticed that you were, Professor. But before you sit down again,
please unlock that door."

"Why?" he asked, pausing on his way to the chair.

"Because I wish it open."

"And I," he said in a higher tone, "wish it to remain locked until we
have come to some understanding. I can't let you go out now; but I shall