The room became hideously still as I unfolded the pencil-scrawled sheets of cheap, ruled letter paper. Dr. Fooss opened his eyes, looked at me, made porcine sounds indicative of personal well-being, relighted his pipe, and disposed himself to listen. But just as I was about to begin, Lezard suddenly laid his forefinger across his lips conjuring us to densest silence. For a moment or two I heard nothing except the buzzing of flies. Then I stole a startled glance at my door. It was opening slowly, almost imperceptibly. But it did not open very far--just a crack remained. Then, listening with all our might, we heard the cautiously suppressed breathing of somebody in the hallway just outside of my door. Lezard turned and cast at me a glance of horrified intelligence. In dumb pantomime he outlined in the air, with one hand, the large and feminine amplification of his own person, conveying to us the certainty of his suspicions concerning the unseen eavesdropper. We nodded. We understood perfectly that _she_ was out there prepared to listen to every word we uttered. A flicker of ferocious joy disturbed Lezard's otherwise innocuous features; he winked horribly at Dr. Fooss and at me, and uttered a faint click with his teeth and tongue like the snap of a closing trap. "Gentlemen," he said, in the guarded yet excited voice of a man who is confident of not being overheard, "the matter under discussion admits of only one interpretation: a discovery--perhaps the most vitally important discovery of all the centuries--is imminent. "Secrecy is imperative; the scientific glory is to be shared by us alone, and there is enough of glory to go around. "Mr. Chairman, I move that epoch-making letter be read aloud!" "I second dot motion!" said Dr. Fooss, winking so violently at me that his glasses wabbled. "Gentlemen," said I, "it has been moved and seconded that this epoch-making letter be read aloud. All those in favor will kindly say 'aye.'" "Aye! Aye!" they exclaimed, fairly wriggling in their furtive joy. "The contrary-minded will kindly emit the usual negation," I went on.... "It seems to be carried.... It _is_ carried. The chairman will proceed to the reading of the epoch-making letter." I quietly lighted a five-cent cigar, unfolded the letter and read aloud: "Joneses Shack, Golden Glacier, Cook's Peninsula, Baffin Land, March 15, 1915. "Professor, Dear Sir: "I already wrote you three times no answer having been rec'd perhaps you think I'm kiddin' you're a dam' liar I ain't.