"Well, sir," answered Herzog, plucking up a little courage under this pointed goading, "so far as the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen goes, more progress has been made in England and Scandinavia, than here. They're working on it, over there, to obtain cheap and plentiful fertilizer from the air. Nitrogen _can_ be obtained from the air, even now, and made into fertilizers even cheaper than the Chili saltpeter. Oxygen is liberated as a by-product, and--" "Oh, it is, eh? And could it be saved? In liquid form for instance?" "I think so, sir. The Siemens & Halske interests, in Germany, are doing it already, on a limited scale. In Norway and Austria, nitrogen has been manufactured from air, for some years." "On a paying, commercial basis?" demanded Flint, while Waldron, now a trifle less scornful, seemed to listen with more interest as his eyes rested on the rotund form of the scientist. "Yes, sir, quite so," answered Herzog. "It's commercially feasible, though not a very profitable business at best. The gas is utilized in chemical combination with a substantial base, and--" "No matter about that, just yet," interrupted Flint. "We can have details later. Do you know of any such business as yet, in the United States?" "Well, sir, there's a plant building at Great Falls, South Carolina, for the purpose. It is to run by waterpower and will develop 5000 H.P." "Hear that, Waldron?" demanded the Billionaire. "It's already beginning even here! But not one of these plants is working for what I see as the prime possibility. No imagination, no grasp on the subject! No wonder most inventors and scientists die poor! They incubate ideas and then lack the warmth to hatch them into general application. It takes men like us, Wally--practical men--to turn the trick!" He spoke a bit rapidly, almost feverishly, under the influence of the subtle drug. "Now if _we_ take hold of this game, why, we can shake the world as it has never yet been shaken! Eh, Waldron? What do you think now?" Waldron only grunted, non-committally. Flint with a hard glance at his unresponsive partner, once more turned to Herzog. "See here, now," directed he. "What's the best process now in use?" "For what, sir?" ventured the timid chemist. "For the simultaneous production of nitrogen and oxygen, from the atmosphere!" "Well, sir," he answered, deprecatingly, as though taking a great liberty even in informing his master on a point the master had expressly asked about, "there are three processes. But all operate only on a small scale." "Who ever told you I wanted to work on a large scale?" demanded Flint, savagely. "I--er--inferred--beg pardon, sir--I--" And Herzog quite lost himself and floundered hopelessly, while his mismated eyes wandered about the room as though seeking the assurance he so sadly lacked.