hing.

The death of Sir Burnham, however, had raised a new danger; for in the
person of Sir Marcus Coverly, the heir, I perceived a formidable
enemy, who because of his wealth might redeem Friar's Park, and,
because of the fact that he belonged to a cadet line, might care
nothing for the skeleton in Sir Burnham's cupboard.

I have said that science is callous, and I admit that it needed little
prompting from Nahemah to urge me to take the next step. It is worthy
of note, however, from a scientific point of view, that whilst I was
prompted by motives of expediency, she was actuated solely by a lust
to destroy everything that bore the name of Coverly.

My experiments for some time past had been directed to the discovery
of new instruments of warfare. Particularly I had addressed myself to
the preparation of a _gas_ which should possess the peculiar
properties of _hlangkuna_, and by inhalation affect the lung tissues,
thus producing instantaneous results. In this I had succeeded a short
time prior to Sir Burnham's death, and one of the future belligerents
had approached me.

For the purpose of carrying out experiments, a specially designed gun
was brought from Essen and installed in a secluded part of the Park.
Artillery specialists carried out a number of tests with shells of
various patterns; but because I bluntly declined to divulge the
formula for the making of "L.K. Vapor" (so I had named it) until
substantial guarantees were given, negotiations were broken off. I
retained, however, the model howitzer as well as a number of special
light shells. The gun was one of extraordinary accuracy, and it was
possible, given suitable weather conditions, mechanically to train it
upon a given target and without any preliminary "searching" to score a
certain hit.

I caused the piece to be mounted on the top platform of the tower at
Friar's Park, and having completed those mathematical calculations
with the result of which Mr. Addison has since become familiar, I
awaited the return of the new baronet from Russia. Shortly after his
arrival, I invited him to visit Upper Crossleys.

He refused--in terms which provoked an outburst on Nahemah's part more
violent than I had ever witnessed. But on his final return to England,
she made it her business closely to study his habits and movements.
She sought, feverishly, for some pregnable point of attack.
_Hlangkuna_ was tried three times--and three times failed. It was the
distorted g