The pursuit of Hawkins by the railroad people--their discovery of him at his home that night--the painful transaction by which he was compelled to surrender to them all his holdings in that particular road--the commentary of Mrs. Hawkins. There is, as I say, more of it. But, on the whole, it is better left untold. CHAPTER XI. I may have mentioned that it was customary for Hawkins and myself to travel down-town together on the elevated six days in the week. So far as that goes, we still do so; for it has come over me recently that any attempt to dodge the demoniac inventions of Hawkins is about as thankless and hopeless a task as seeking to avoid the setting of the sun. For two or three mornings, however, I had been leaving the house some ten or fifteen minutes earlier than usual. There had lately appeared the old, uncanny light in Hawkins' eye; and if trouble were impending, it was my fond, foolish hope to be out of its way--until such time, at least, as the police or the coroner should call me up on the telephone to identify all that was mortal of Hawkins. Three days, then, my strategy had been crowned with success. I had eluded Hawkins and ridden down alone, the serene enjoyment of my paper unpunctuated by dissertations upon the practicability of condensing the clouds for commercial purposes, or the utilization of atmospheric nitrogen in the manufacture of predigested breakfast food. But upon the fourth morning a fuse blew out under the car before we left the station; and as I sat there fussing about the delay, in walked Hawkins. He was beaming and cheerful, but the glitter in his eye had grown more intense. “Ah, Griggs,” he exclaimed, “I've missed you lately!” “I hope you haven't lost weight over it?” “Well, no. I've been busy--very busy.” “Rush of business?” “Um--ah--yes. Griggs!” It was coming! “Hawkins,” I said hurriedly, “have you followed this matter of the Panama Canal?” Hawkins stared hard at me for a moment; then I gave him another push, and he toppled into the canal and wallowed about in its waters until the ride was over. Unhappily, my own place of business is located farther down upon the same street with the Blank Building, where Hawkins has--or had--offices. There was no way of avoiding it--I was forced to walk with him. But the suppressed enthusiasm in Hawkins didn't come out, and I felt rather more easy. Whatever it was, I fancied that he had left the material part of it at home, and home lay many blocks up-town. I was safe. “Good-by,” I smiled when we reached his entrance. “Not much,” Hawkins responded. “Come in.” “But, my dear fellow----” “You come,” commanded the inventor. “There's something in here I want you to see.” He led me in and past the line of elevators.