Balcom announced the object of his visit immediately, and while he was speaking he fingered a roll of bills which he had taken from his pocket the better to arouse the old hag’s avariciousness.

It had the desired effect and her eyes fairly gleamed with the craving of possession.

“Do as I tell you, Meg,” directed Balcom, “and I’ll make you rich.  Do you understand?  Rich!” he emphasized, rolling out the last word silkily on his tongue.

Old Meg’s last scruples, had she ever had even one, fell before this temptation and she became almost the slave of Balcom.

Balcom now gave a command and the old hag sidled to the door of an inner room.

“Jimmy!  Jimmy!” she called.  “Come here to me.”

In a moment a boy slunk into the room.  He was sharp-faced, pinched for food, and in tatters, as disreputable-looking as the hag herself.  Meg whispered something to him, and, as though galvanized by an electric current, the boy shot up-stairs.  He was soon back again with two brutal-looking men who looked suspiciously at Balcom and then shuffled into a corner, where they conferred eagerly with Old Meg.

At first it was plain to be seen that they were refusing to do her bidding, but Meg made a movement as though she were counting money.  After that it was equally plain that they agreed.

Meg sidled over to Balcom and he unwrapped a few bills of large denomination and handed them to her.  She immediately hid them in her dress, with many a furtive look toward her accomplices.

Balcom’s eyes followed those of the old hag, and, realizing that his whole conspiracy might fail unless the men were assured of further reward on the completion of their task, he approached them smoothly.

“Of course,” he insinuated, “you understand that if you three follow instructions to the letter I’ll double that amount.”  Then he left the place, brushing his coat with his handkerchief as he did so.  “Brent Rock,” he said to his chauffeur, curtly, as he stepped into his car.

CHAPTER XVIII

Eva and Locke were seated at a long table in the library of Eva’s home.  Before them were many ledgers of International Patents, Incorporated.  Eva was reading certain entries in the books, while Locke was making notes to be used at the coming directors’ meeting.

Eva closed the ledger from which she had been reading and announced, “I intend, at the meeting, to insist that the patents held in the Graveyard of Genius be released to the world.”

“It is the only honorable thing to do,” agreed Locke.  “You will undoubtedly meet with violent opposition from Balcom and some few who owe their fortunes to him, but in the end you will win.”

“If we could only have found the antidote,” sighed Eva, “and my father could only be again in control of things.”

“All we can do is to act as we think he would have acted if he were in control,” soothed Locke.