As the door closed behind the cynical scientist, Brookings took a small gold instrument, very like a watch, from his pocket. He touched a button and held the machine close to his lips. "Perkins," he said softly, "M. Reynolds Crane has in his house a bottle of solution." "Yes, sir. Can you describe it?" "Not exactly. It is greenish yellow in color, and I gather that it is in a small bottle, as there isn't much of the stuff in the world. I don't know what it smells or tastes like, and I wouldn't advise experimenting with it, as it seems to be a violent explosive and is probably poisonous. Any bottle of solution of that color kept in a particularly safe place would probably be the one. Let me caution you that this is the biggest thing you have ever been in, and _it must not fail_. Any effort to purchase it would be useless, however large a figure were named. But if the bottle were only partly emptied and filled up with water, I don't believe anyone would notice the difference, at least for some time, do you?" "Probably not, sir. Good-bye." Next morning, shortly after the office opened, Perkins, whose principal characteristic was that of absolute noiselessness, glided smoothly into Brookings' office. Taking a small bottle about half full of a greenish-yellow liquid from his pocket, he furtively placed it under some papers upon his superior's desk. "A man found this last night, sir, and thought it might belong to you. He said this was a little less than half of it, but that you could have the rest of it any time you want it." "Thank you, Perkins, he was right. It is ours. Here's a letter which just came," handing him an envelope, which rustled as Perkins folded it into a small compass and thrust it into his vest pocket. "Good morning." As Perkins slid out, Brookings spoke into his telephone, and soon Chambers, his chief chemist, appeared. "Doctor Chambers," Brookings began, showing him the bottle, "I have here a solution which in some way is capable of liberating the intra-atomic energy of matter, about which I asked you yesterday. It works on copper. I would like to have you work out the process for us, if you will." "What about the man who discovered the process?" asked Chambers, as he touched the bottle gingerly. "He is not available. Surely what one chemist can do, others can? You will not have to work alone. You can hire the biggest men in the line to help you--expense is no object." "No, it wouldn't be, if such a process could be worked out. Let me see, whom can we get? Doctor Seaton is probably the best man in the country for such a research, but I don't think that we can get him. I tried to get him to work on the iridium-osmium problem, but he refused." "We might make an offer big enough to get him." "No. Don't mention it to him," with a significant look. "He's to know nothing about it." "Well, then, how about DuQuesne, who was in here yesterday? He's probably next to Seaton."