Herman Cyril McNeile

“ Professor Goodman, having been neither a pugilist, film star nor criminal, but merely a gentle old man of science, could lay no claim whatever to the slightest popular interest. But to Hugh he was something more than a gentle old man of science. He was a man who to all intents and purposes had appealed to him for help—a man whose life had been threatened, and who, within a few hours after receiving that threat, had died. ”

“ Robinson gently stroked his side whiskers.
“A most remarkable discovery,” he repeated, as if the other had not spoken. “I congratulate you upon it, professor. And, being a chemist in a small way myself, I am overcome with curiosity on the subject. I have therefore gone to no little inconvenience to bring you to a place where, undisturbed by mundane trifles, you will be able to impart your discovery to me, and at the same time manufacture diamonds to your heart's content. I should like you to make hundreds of diamonds during the period of your retirement. ”

“ Completely exhausted, she sank into a chair and Drummond cautiously emerged from behind a table. He was feeling a little faint himself; the need for a stimulant was pressing. Even to his whirling brain one thing was beyond dispute. Impossible though it was that Peterson should have shrunk, it was even more impossible that Irma should have swollen. By no conceivable art of disguise could that beautiful and graceful girl have turned herself into the human monstrosity who was now regarding him balefully from her chair. ”

“ Somehow or other, Peterson had heard of the discovery—perhaps he had been employed by Sir Raymond Blantyre himself. He had found out that the notes of the process were to be handed to Scheidstrun, and with his usual consummate daring had decided to impersonate the German. And the woman he had seen arriving the night before was Irma.
HIS thoughts were chaotic; only the one great thing stuck out. The man in front of him was Peterson—he knew it. And with one wild hoot of utter joy he leaped upon him.
“My little Carl,” he murmured ecstatically, “the pitcher has come to the well once too often.” ”

“ And since the soul of the artist was gay within him, he fashioned a genial old man with twinkling eyes and mutton-chop whiskers. His nose was rather hooked; his horn spectacles reposed on his forehead as if they had been absent-mindedly pushed up from their proper position. His scanty gray hair was brushed back untidily—it was the ruthless thinning out of his normal crop with a razor that he disliked most; his clothes were those of a man who buys good ones and takes no care of them. And finally his hands were covered with the stains of the chemist. ”

“ For Drummond had risen from his chair and was standing in front of the professor.
“You're not the man who came to see me yesterday,” he said quietly. “You're not Professor Scheidstrun at all.”
“But the man is mad!” gasped the German. “You say I am not Scheidstrun—me?”
“You're made up to look exactly like him—but you're not Scheidstrun! I tell you, Mr. Tootem”—he turned to the lawyer who was staring at him aghast—“that that man is no more Scheidstrun than I am. ”

“ In desperation he went to the door and peered out, thereby confirming the shopman's suspicions to such good effect that he ostentatiously produced a dangerous-looking life preserver.
Hugh had completely disappeared. Not a trace of him was to be seen, and, feeling more bewildered than ever, Algy hailed a passing taxi and drove off to Brook Street. Presumably Hugh would return there in due course, and until then he would have to possess his soul in patience. ”

“ It is a loss, gentlemen, to the world of science which can never be replaced.”
He rambled on while Drummond read the letter in silence, and then handed it to Algy. And if for one fleeting second there showed in the German's eyes a gleam of almost maniacal hatred, as they rested on the owner of the house, it was gone as suddenly as it came. The look on his face was benevolent, even sad, as befitted a man who had recently lost a confrère and friend, when Drummond turned and spoke again.
“The letter is a request, professor, that certain notes now in my possession should be handed over to you.” ”

“ According to him, the big man made allowance for every possible contingency: only the fool ever trusted to luck if anything of importance was at stake. And in this case he only regarded his luck as being in because he would be able, as far as he could see, to carry on with the simplest of the three schemes which he had worked out to meet different emergencies should they arise. And though he had employed enough explosive to shatter ten men, no man knew better than he did how capricious it was in its action.
Now he was only waiting for one thing more—a telephone call from Freyder. ”

“ I'm not. My name is Drummond—Captain Drummond. But if you'll cast your eyes on the back of my car you'll see his daughter, Miss Goodman.”
“Well,” said the inspector gravely, “I fear that I have some very bad news for Miss Goodman. There has been an accident, Captain Drummond—an appalling accident. The whole of the back of the house has been blown to pieces, and with it, I regret to say, Professor Goodman. There is literally nothing left of the unfortunate gentleman.” ”

“ But it was made to a man who was already suspicious, and it was made to a man whose eyes missed nothing. Drummond had noticed that almost imperceptible pause. What was more to the point he had noticed the sudden look of wariness on the other's face. More a fleeting shadow than a look, but it had not escaped the lynx-eyed man lounging against the mantelpiece. And it had not tended to allay his suspicions, though his face was still perfectly impassive.
“I assume from what he has written here that Professor Goodman discussed with you the threatening letter he received,” he went on placidly. ”

“ I remember nothing from the time when I was chloroformed in my laboratory till I came to in a packing case. It wasn't I who was blown up!”
“Obviously,” returned the other. “But the great point is, professor, that every one thinks it was. The cream of the scientific world, in fact, will attend the burial of somebody else's foot, in the firm belief that they are honoring your memory. Whose foot it is you needn't worry about. ”

“ If we're wrong—if it was a bona fide accident—there's no use in doing so; if we're right, we might have a little game all on our own. I mean I was all in favor of the old boy going to the police about it while he was alive, but now that he's dead it seems a bit late in the day.”
“And how do you propose to make the other side play?” demanded Algy.
“Good heavens! I haven't got as far as that,” said Hugh vaguely. “We might biff your pal with the eyeglass on the jaw, or something like that. Or we might get in touch with them through these notes on the professor's discovery, and see what happens. ”

“ Now, not a word to a soul. The police think it was an accident; let it remain at that for the present,” he added. “We want to be sure of our ground before bringing them in.”
“But who on earth would want to murder the dear old man?” gasped his wife, with horror in her voice.
“The professor had made a discovery, darling,” Hugh explained gravely, “that threatened to ruin every one who was concerned in the diamond industry. He had found out a method of making diamonds artificially at a very low cost. ”

“ Professor Goodman might be dead, but his secret wasn't. And if by any chance it had mot been an accident—if by any chance this diamond syndicate had deliberately caused the poor defenseless old man's death, the presence of those papers in his pocket would help matters considerably. They would form an admirable introduction to the gentlemen in question—and he was neither old nor defenseless. ”

“ Blackton on the condition of the professor's house was certainly justified. It looked as if a heavy airplane bomb had registered a direct hit on the back of the premises. And the damage was continually increasing. The whole fabric of the house had been undermined, and it was only at considerable personal risk that the police pursued their investigations. Frequent crashes, followed by clouds of choking dust, betokened that more and more of the house was collapsing, and at length the inspector in charge gave the order to cease work for the time. ”

“ No hue and cry will be raised to find you. But you are not dead—far from it. You are, as I explained, my partially insane brother, whom no one is allowed to see. I admit that you are not insane, nor are you my brother—but 'qu'importe?' It is not the truth that counts, but what people think is the truth. ”

“ In your weak mental state it would be most injurious. I assure you that you are my partially insane brother, and that I have taken this house entirely on your account. Could altruism go further?”
PROFESSOR GOODMAN was swallowing hard and clutching the arms of his chair.
“Perhaps you'll say what you really do mean,” he muttered at length.
“Certainly!” cried Mr. Robinson benevolently. “It is for that express purpose that we are having this interview. It is essential that you should understand exactly where you are. Now perhaps you are unaware of the fact that you died yesterday.” ”

“ Here I have the retort which you use in your process”—he placed it on the table beside him—“and all that now remains are the necessary chemicals. Your notes are a trifle difficult to follow, so you will have to prepare a list yourself of those chemicals, and they will be obtained for you tomorrow.”
He took the papers from his pocket and handed them to the professor.
“Just one word of warning. Should anything go wrong with your process, should you pretend out of stupid obstinacy that you are unable to make diamonds—may Heaven help you! ”

“ I assure you he was a person of tedious disposition.”
“But I must go at once and telephone.” The professor rose—in his agitation. “It's the most dreadful thing. Think of my poor wife!”
“I know,” said Mr. Robinson sadly. “Though not exactly married myself, I can guess your feelings. But I'm afraid, my dear brother, that your wife must remain in ignorance of the fact that she is not a widow.”
Professor Goodman's face went gray. He knew now what he had only suspected before—that he was in danger.
“Possibly things are becoming clearer to you,” went on the other. “The world thinks you are dead. ”

“ Professor Goodman, a well-known chemist, has succeeded in producing, by artificial means, a diamond worth a king's ransom—at a cost of less than six pounds. And he has refused a vast fortune offered him by Sir Raymond to suppress the discovery. The professor's refusal of the money is a great disappointment to his daughter and her fiancé, Algy Longworth. Algy appeals to his friend Hugh Drummond to reason with the professor. ”

“ The airplane flew steadily on toward the east—and Germany.
It must be admitted that there was an air of gloom over Hugh Drummond's house on the day following the inquest. Neither Mrs. Goodman nor Brenda had left their rooms, and somewhat naturally Phyllis was principally occupied in seeing what she could do for them in their terrible sorrow, while Algy Longworth, faced with the necessity of postponing the wedding, had relapsed into a condition of complete imbecility and refused to be comforted. In fact, it was not an atmosphere conducive to thought, and Hugh was trying to think. ”

“ Well, what I'm getting at is that it is quite out of the question that the amount of explosive necessary to produce such a result could have been placed there unknown to old Goodman. And that rules out of court this German bloke who spent the afternoon with him.”
“He might have left a bomb behind him,” said Algy.
“MY dear boy, you'd have wanted a bomb the size of a wheelbarrow!” exclaimed Hugh. “That's the point I've been trying to force into your skull. You can't carry a thing that size about in your waistcoat pocket. No, it won't work. ”

“ He told me of his discovery, and I who know him well I say, 'Where are the notes? It is not safe for you to carry them. You who lose everything—you will lose them. Or more likely still some one will your pocket pick. There are people in London who would like those notes.'”
“There undoubtedly are,” agreed Drummond mildly. ”

“ The poor old bloke was wedged up against a nail in the packing case, and it's made him infernally mad.”
“A pity,” murmured Mr. Robinson. “Still, I don't know that it matters very much. It would have been pleasanter, of course, if we could have kept the proceedings on an amicable basis, but I always had grave doubts. A pig-headed old man, Freyder; but there are ways of overcoming pig-headedness.” He smiled genially; he still felt that he wanted to hear the birds sing. ”

“ Blackton waved his hand in dismissal.
“Approximate resemblance, I said,” he remarked curtly. “You will receive full instructions later. Go.”
HE lay back in his chair as the door closed behind the man, and pulled thoughtfully at his cigar. A merciful fact, he reflected, that it is not a police offense for a man to run away from his wife. In fact, if Mrs. Lewisham was anything like Mr. Lewisham it could hardly be regarded as an Offense at all by any disinterested person, but rather as an example of praiseworthy discretion. ”