it worked.
It fooled even me, and I am not usually asleep. The only reason he got
away with it, is, that he has always been such an open-faced talker,
always telling everything he knew.

"He certainly played the fox," he continued, with undisguised
admiration. "Heretofore he has never kept any of his discoveries secret
or tried to make any money out of them, though some of them were worth
millions. He published them as soon as he found them, and somebody else
got the money. Having that reputation, he worked it to make us think him
a nut. He certainly is clever. I take off my hat to him--he's a wonder!"

"And what is your idea? Where do we come in?"

"You come in by getting that solution away from Seaton and Crane, and
furnishing the money to develop the stuff and to build, under my
direction, such a power-plant as the world never saw before."

"Why get that particular solution? Couldn't we buy up some platinum
wastes and refine them?"

"Not a chance," replied the scientist. "We have refined platinum
residues for years, and never found anything like that before. It is my
idea that the stuff, whatever it is, was present in some particular lot
of platinum in considerable quantities as an impurity. Seaton hasn't all
of it there is in the world, of course, but the chance of finding any
more of it without knowing exactly what it is or how it reacts is
extremely slight. Besides, we must have exclusive control. How could we
make any money out of it if Crane operates a rival company and is
satisfied with ten percent profit? No, we must get all of that solution.
Seaton and Crane, or Seaton, at least, must be killed, for if he is left
alive he can find more of the stuff and break our monopoly. I want to
borrow your strong-arm squad tonight, to go and attend to it."

After a few moments' thought, his face set and expressionless, Brookings
said:

"No, Doctor. I do not think that the Corporation would care to go into a
matter of this kind. It is too flagrant a violation of law, and we can
afford to buy it from Seaton after he proves its worth."

* * * * *

"Bah!" snorted DuQuesne. "Don't try that on me, Brookings. You think you
can steal it yourself, and develop it without letting me in on it? You
can't do it. Do you think I am fool enough to tell you all about it,
with facts, figures, and names, if you could get away with it without
me? Hardly! You can steal the solution, but that's all you