My companion paused there, but I found myself unable to reply.  He had spoken with such intensity, such dramatic fervour, that I was completely swept away by his eloquence; so much so, indeed, that it did not even occur to me to ask myself why he should have burst out in this peculiar strain.  I have given you the incident in order that you may see the strange moods into which Maitland occasionally relapsed—­at least, at that time.  After a quick glance at me he continued, in a quieter vein:  “All of us men of science have felt something, however little, of this, and I believe, as a class, scientists transcend all other men in their respect for absolute truth.”  He cast another one of his searching glances at me, and said quickly:  “This is precisely why I am going to confide in you and rely upon your assistance in a matter, the successful termination of which would please me as much as the discovery of an absolute standard of measurement.”

He then made the confession which I have already given you, and ended by asking me to secure him an introduction to Miss Darrow.  I cheerfully promised to bring this about at the first opportunity.  He asked me if I thought, on account of his having met her so frequently, she would be likely to think it was all a “put up job.”

“I do not know,” I replied.  “Miss Darrow is a singularly close observer.  On the whole I think you had better reach her through her father.  Do you play croquet?” He replied that he was considered something of an expert in that line.  That, then, was surely the best way.  John Darrow was known in the neighbourhood as a “crank” on the subject of croquet.  He had spent many hundreds of dollars on his grounds.  His wickets were fastened to hard pine planks, and these were then carefully buried two feet deep.  The surface of the ground, he was wont to descant, must be of a particular sort of gravel, sifted just so, and rolled to a nicety.  The balls must be of hard rubber, and have just one-eighth inch clearance in passing through the wickets, with the exception of the two wires forming the “cage,” where it was imperative that this clearance should be reduced to one-sixteenth of an inch—­but I need not state more to show how he came to be considered a “crank” upon the subject.

It was easy enough to bring Maitland and Darrow together.  “My friend is himself much interested in the game; he heard of your superb ground; may he be permitted to examine it closely?” Darrow was all attention.  He would be delighted to show it.  Suppose they make a practical test of it by playing a game.  This they did and Maitland played superbly, but he was hardly a match for the old gentleman, who sought to palliate his defeat by saying:  “You play an excellent game, sir; but I am a trifle too much for you on my own ground.  Now, if you can spare the time, I should like to witness a game between you and my daughter; I think you will be pretty evenly matched.”