near your offices. We will be
so cautious that, even if anyone should get suspicious, they can't
possibly link us together, and until they do link us together, we are
all safe. No, Brookings, a raid in force is the only sure and safe way.
What is more natural than a burglary of a rich man's house? It will be a
simple affair. The police will stir around for a few days, then it will
all be forgotten and we can go ahead. Nobody will suspect anything
except Crane, if he is alive, and he won't be able to do anything."

So the argument raged. Brookings was convinced that DuQuesne was right
in wanting to get possession of all the solution, and also of the
working notes and plans, but would not agree to the means suggested,
holding out for quieter and more devious, but less actionable methods.
Finally he ended the argument with a flat refusal to countenance the
raid, and the scientist was forced to yield, although he declared that
they would have to use his methods in the end, and that it would save
time, money, and perhaps lives, if they were used first. Brookings then
took from his pocket his wireless and called Perkins. He told him of the
larger bottle of solution, instructing him to secure it and to bring
back all plans, notes, and other material he could find which in any way
pertained to the matter in hand. Then, after promising DuQuesne to keep
him informed of developments, and giving him an instrument similar to
the one he himself carried, Brookings took his leave.

* * * * *

Seaton had worked from early morning until late at night, but had
rigorously kept his promise to Dorothy. He had slept seven or eight
hours every night and had called upon her regularly, returning from the
visits with ever-keener zest for his work.

Late in the afternoon, upon the day of the explosion, Seaton stepped
into Crane's shop with a mass of notes in his hand.

"Well, Mart, I've got it--some of it, at least. The power is just what
we figured it, so immensely large as to be beyond belief. I have found:

"First: That it is a practically irresistible _pull_ along the axis of
the treated wire or bar. It is apparently focused at infinity, as
near-by objects are not affected.

"Second: I have studied two of the border-line regions of current we
discussed. I have found that in one the power is liberated as a similar
attractive force but is focused upon the first object in line with the
axis of the bar. As lon