"Oh, Lord! What have I done?" groaned Shelton. "It's true, then. Lina, listen: I've succeeded in making them invisible, and one got away this morning. But I thought--I thought--" He looked at Eddie, remembering his presence suddenly. "But I'm talking too much. It seems to me I remember having seen you before, young man." "You have, sir," Eddie stated. "In the research laboratory of Universal Electric. I work with Borden." "They've sent you to find me?" Shelton stiffened perceptibly. "Indeed, not, sir. I'm on vacation and was merely passing by when I saw your daughter in danger, a danger I still do not understand." "Yes, and he helped me to the road," Lina interposed, "and then lost his car at the hands of--" "Silence!" the father thundered. But his eyes fell before the fire that instantly flashed in those of the girl. "Now, you listen to me!" she returned angrily, "I've stayed on here with you until I'm nearly crazy with your everlasting puttering and experimenting--hearing your uncanny machines walking around in the middle of the night--seeing impossible sights--then, this thing I couldn't see but could feel. And you've gotten into such a state that you'll go crazy yourself, if you continue. Something's got to be done, I tell you. I can't stand it!" * * * * * Her voice broke on a choked sob. "But Lina--" "Don't but me, Father. I mean it. Mr. Vail discovered your hideout quite by accident and he's been very nice to me. I tell you he means no harm and I want him to stay. If you're not decent to him, if you send him away, I swear I'll go too. I will--I will!" Shelton's eyes misted and something of the hardness left his expression. A look of haunting fear took its place and he stared pleadingly at Eddie. "Br-r! I'm cold!" Lina exclaimed irrelevantly. "And--and I believe I'm going to cry." She turned away and raced for the shelter of the gloomy old house without another word. Eddie turned inquiring eyes on his unwilling host. "Just like her mother before her," Shelton muttered softly. Then he faced the younger man squarely and his shoulders straightened. "Mr. Vail," he said sheepishly, "I've been a fool and I ask your pardon. But Lina doesn't know. There's something tremendous behind all this, something that's gotten beyond me. I'll send her away for her own safety, but I must stay on. If--if only there was someone I could trust--" "You can trust me, sir," Eddie stated simply. The older man paced the ground nervously, and Eddie could see that he was under a most severe mental strain. Several times he halted in his tracks and peered anxiously at his guest. Then he seemed to make a sudden decision. "Vail," he said sharply, "I need help badly. I want you to stay, if you will. You swear you'll not reveal what I am about to show you?" "I swear it, sir." "You'll not report to Universal?" "Never." * * * * *