"Against whatever or whoever opposes the effort," replied Gwent, promptly--"There must be opposition, otherwise effort would be unnecessary. My good fellow, you've got an idea that you can alter the fixed plan of things, but you can't. The cleverest of us are only like goldfish in a glass bowl--they see the light through, but they cannot get to it. The old ship of the world will sail on its appointed way to its destined port,--and the happiest creatures are those who are content to sail with it in the faith that God is at the helm!" He broke off, smiling at his own sudden eloquence, then added--"By-the-by, where is your laboratory?" "Haven't got one!" replied Seaton, briefly. "What! Haven't got one! Why, how do you make your stuff?" Seaton laughed. "You think I'm going to tell you? Mr. Senator Gwent, you take me for a greater fool than I am! My 'stuff' needs neither fire nor crucible,--the formula was fairly complete before I left Washington, but I wanted quiet and solitude to finish what I had begun. It is finished now. That's why I sent for you to make the proposition which you say you cannot carry through." "Finished, is it?" queried Gwent, abstractedly--"And you have it here?--in a finished state?" Seaton nodded affirmatively. "Then I suppose"--said Gwent with a nervous laugh--"you could 'finish' ME, if it suited your humour?" "I could, certainly!" and Seaton gave him quite an encouraging smile--"I could reduce Mr. Senator Gwent into a small pinch of grey dust in about forty seconds, without pain! You wouldn't feel it I assure you! It would be too swift for feeling." "Thanks! Much obliged!" said Gwent--"I won't trouble you this morning! I rather enjoy being alive." "So do I!" declared Seaton, still smiling--"I only state what I COULD do." Gwent stood at the door of the hut and surveyed the scenery. "You've a fine, wild view here"--he said--"I think I shall stay at the Plaza a day or two before returning to Washington. There's a very attractive girl there." "Oh, you mean Manella"--said Seaton, carelessly; "Yes, she's quite a beauty. She's the maid, waitress or 'help' of some sort at the hotel." "She's a good 'draw' for male visitors"--said Gwent--"Many a man I know would pay a hundred dollars a day to have her wait upon him!" "Would YOU?" asked Seaton, amused. "Well!--perhaps not a hundred dollars a day, but pretty near it! Her eyes are the finest I've ever seen." Seaton made no comment. "You'll come and dine with me to-night, won't you?" went on Gwent--"You can spare me an hour or two of your company?" "No, thanks"--Seaton replied--"Don't think me a churlish brute--but I don't like hotels or the people who frequent them. Besides--we've done our business." "Unfortunately there was no business doing!" said Gwent--"Sorry I couldn't take it on."