t excited, but in a hurry," DuQuesne replied. "The biggest thing in
history has just broken, and we've got to work fast if we get in on it.
Have you any doubts that I always know what I am talking about?"

"No," answered the other in surprise. "Not the slightest. You are widely
known as an able man. In fact, you have helped this company several
times in various deal--er, in various ways."

"Say it. Brookings. 'Deals' is the right word. This one is going to be
the biggest ever. The beauty of it is that it should be easy--one simple
burglary and an equally simple killing--and won't mean wholesale murder,
as did that...."

"Oh, no, Doctor, not murder. Unavoidable accidents."

"Why not call things by their right names and save breath, as long as
we're alone? I'm not squeamish. But to get down to business. You know
Seaton, of our division, of course. He has been recovering the various
rare metals from all the residues that have accumulated in the Bureau
for years. After separating out all the known metals he had something
left, and thought it was a new element, a metal. In one of his attempts
to get it into the metallic state, a little of its solution fizzed out
and over a copper steam bath or tank, which instantly flew out of the
window like a bullet. It went clear out of sight, out of range of his
binoculars, just that quick." He snapped his fingers under Brookings'
nose. "Now that discovery means such power as the world never dreamed
of. In fact, if Seaton hadn't had all the luck in the world right with
him yesterday, he would have blown half of North America off the map.
Chemists have known for years that all matter contains enormous stores
of intra-atomic energy, but have always considered it 'bound'--that is,
incapable of liberation. Seaton has liberated it."

"And that means?"

"That with the process worked out, the Corporation could furnish power
to the entire world, at very little expense."

* * * * *

A look of scornful unbelief passed over Brookings' face.

"Sneer if you like," DuQuesne continued evenly. "Your ignorance doesn't
change the fact in any particular. Do you know what intra-atomic energy
is?"

"I'm afraid that I don't, exactly."

"Well, it's the force that exists between the ultimate component parts
of matter, if you can understand that. A child ought to. Call in your
chief chemist and ask him what would happen if somebody would liberate
the intra-atomic energ