"We have private business, dear," he said, "private business." He hesitated a moment and again his eyes wore the wild look I had first noticed."I am selling him something," he continued, "very dear to me - as dear as my heart's blood, and I expect to get enough for it to guard you from want.""And you, father?" the young girl questioned fervently.I thought I noticed a tremor run through his frame, as drawing her face down to his, he said, kissing her, "Me? Never mind me, Puss; this cancer here will take care of me."She made no reply, but turned away to hide the tears that sprang to her eyes.As she did so she raised her face toward me.I have never been considered particularly sympathetic, - that is, no more than the average, - but there was something in the expression of her face that went to my heart like a knife.I felt as if I were about to sob with her.I do not know what it was that so aroused my sympathies.We are, I fancy, more apt to feel for those whose beauty is like to the ideals we have learned to love, than we are to be moved by the suffering of those whose looks repel us, - and this may have had something to do with my condition, - for the young girl was radiantly beautiful, - yet it could hardly have been the real cause of it.
So rapt was I in the sympathetic contemplation of her that I did not see Maitland's entrance or realise I was observed till he plucked me by the coat and motioned me to get down.I did so and he told me he had rented the rooms, and laid before me the plan he meant to pursue.
As soon as he had ceased speaking I said to him: "George, you are undoubtedly on the right track.The man in there is the one we are looking for, fast enough, but I am afraid we are a bit too late.""Too late!" he exclaimed in a tone that I feared might be overheard.
"What the mischief do you mean?"
"I mean," I replied, "that M.Godin is already upon the scene."In the next ten seconds Maitland turned all colours and I edged nearer to him, expecting him to fall, but he did not.
"M.Godin!" he ejaculated at length."How in the name of all the gods at once - Doc, he's all they claim for him, and as fascinating as he is clever;" at which last remark a heavy cloud passed over Maitland's face."Come," he continued listlessly, "you may as well tell me all you know about it."I then confided to him what I had heard and ended by asking him what he proposed to do.
"Do?" he replied."There is but one thing I can do, which makes the choice decidedly easy," and he set his jaws together with a determined expression, the meaning of which I knew full well.
"I shall camp right here," he said, " till I learn all I wish to know of our neighbours yonder.I have already provided myself with instruments which will enable me to note every movement they make, indeed to photograph them, if necessary, and to hear and record every word they utter.You look surprised, but it is easily done.
I will place my lenses there at the chink through which you were gazing and bring the image down into my camera obscura by a prism arranged for total internal reflection.As for the hearing, that is easier yet.I will carefully work away the plaster on this side to-night till I get through to the paper covering their wall.
This I will leave intact to use as a diaphragm.I have then only to fasten my carbon to it, and, behold, we have a microphone or telephone - whichever you choose to call it.All I have to look out for is that I get it high enough to avoid the danger of the paper being accidentally broken from the other side, and that Iwork quietly while removing the plaster.I shall, of course, cover it with a bit of black felt to prevent our light from showing, and to deaden any sounds from this side.This will enable us to hear all that goes on in the other room, but this may not be enough.
We may need a phonographic record of what transpires.
"The device whereby I secure this at such a distance is an invention of my own which, for patent reasons - I might almost say 'patent patent reasons' - I will ask you to kindly keep to yourself.To the diaphragm there I fasten this bit of burnished silver.Upon this Iconcentrate a pencil of light which, when reflected, acts photographically upon a sensitised moving tape in this little box, and perfectly registers the minutest movement of the receiving diaphragm.How I develop, etch, and reproduce this record, and transform it into a record of the ordinary type, you will see in due time - and will kindly keep secret for the present.You had better go now and send me the things on this list, as soon as possible," and he passed me a paper, continuing:
"We will not despair yet.Our clever rival may not be ready to prove his case so quickly as we.At all events, when he comes again I shall be in a condition to ascertain how far he has progressed.Ihave some things I must settle before I can ask for an arrest, and I am not at all sure that M.Godin is in any better condition in this regard than I am.By Jove! I'd give something to know how that wizard has gotten so far without so much as a single sign to indicate that he had even moved in the matter.I say, Doc, it beats me, blessed if it doesn't! Please say to Miss Darrow that Iam at work upon a promising clue-promising for someone, anyway - and may not see her for some time yet."I did as he requested, and, if I am any judge of feminine indications, my message did not yield Gwen unmixed pleasure; still, she said nothing to warrant such a supposition on my part.Ivisited Maitland every day to learn what he might wish me to bring him, and also to carry him his mail, for he had determined to remain constantly on the watch at his new quarters.
