"She's written to me this morning," Gouldesbrough said. "A kind letter, but a letter finishing it all." Then the weaker, smaller man became, as so often happens in life, the tempter--the instrument which moves the lever of a man's career towards the dark sinister side of the dial. Charliewood was touched and moved by the unexpected kindness in his patron's voice. "Don't say it's finished," he said; "nothing is finished for a man like you, with a man like me to help him. Of course it's not finished. You have not always been all you might to me, William, but I'll help you now. I'll do anything you want me to do. Buck up, old boy! You will pass the post first by a couple of lengths yet." "How?" "Well, what were you going to ask me to do?" They looked each other in the face with glowing eyes and pale countenances, while a horrible excitement shone out upon them both. At that moment the door opened very quietly, and an extraordinary person came into the room. He was a short, fat, youthful-looking man, with a large, pink, and quite hairless face. The face was extremely intelligent, noticeably so, but it was streaked and furrowed with dissipation. It told the story not of the man who enjoyed the sensuous things of life in company, and as part of a merry progress towards the grave, but it betrayed the secret sot, the cunning sensualist private and at home. This man was Mr. Guest, Sir William's faithful assistant in science, a man who had no initiative power, who could rarely invent a project or discover a scientific fact, but a man who, when once he was put upon the lines he ought to go, could follow them as the most intelligent sleuth-hound in the scientific world. Wilson Guest was perhaps the greatest living physicist in Europe. He was of inestimable value to his chief, and he was content to remain between the high red-brick walls of the old house in Regent's Park, provided with all he needed for his own amusements, and instigated to further triumphs under the ægis of his master. "Well, what is it?" said this fat, youthful and rather horrible-looking person. "We've come to grips of the great fact, Guest," Sir William answered, still with his hand upon Charliewood's shoulder. The pink creature laughed a hollow and merciless laugh. "I knew it would come to this," he said, "since you have added another interest to your scientific interests, Gouldesbrough. Why have you called me in to a consultation?" Gouldesbrough's whole face changed; it became malignant, the face of a devil. "I'm going to win," he said. "I've had a knock-down blow, but I'm going to get up and win still! Mr. Rathbone must disappear. That can be easily arranged with the resources at our command." Guest gave a horrible chuckle. "And when we've got him?" he said. "He must disappear for always," Gouldesbrough answered. "Quite easy," Guest replied. "Quite easy, William. But, _not until we've done with him, shall he_?" "What do you mean?"