Bennett acknowledged her thanks with a smile, she sat down familiarly on his desk, and they plunged into a vein of social gossip.

A moment later, Bennett led the conversation around until he found an opportunity to make a tactful allusion to the report of their engagement in the morning papers.

He had leaned over and now attempted to take her hand.  She withdrew it, however.  There was something about his touch which, try as she might, she could not like.  Was it mere prejudice, or was it her keen woman’s intuition?

Bennett looked at her a moment, suppressing a momentary flash of anger that had reddened his face, and controlled himself as if by a superhuman effort.

“I believe you really love that man Kennedy,” he exclaimed, in a tone that was almost a hiss.  “But I tell you, Elaine, he is all bluff.  Why, he has been after that Clutching Hand now for three months—­and what has he accomplished?  Nothing!”

He paused.  Through Elaine’s mind there flashed the contrast with Kennedy’s even temper and deferential manner.  In spite of their quarrel and the coolness, she found herself resenting the remark.  Still she said nothing, though her expressive face showed much.

Bennett, by another effort, seemed to grip his temper again.  He paced up and down the room.  Then he changed the subject abruptly, and the conversation was resumed with some constraint.

. . . . . . . .

While Elaine and Bennett were talking, Kennedy and I had entered the office.

Craig stopped the boy who was about to announce us and asked for Bennett’s secretary instead, much to my astonishment.

The boy merely indicated the door of one of the other private offices, and we entered.

We found the secretary, hard at work at the typewriter, copying a legal document.  Without a word, Kennedy at once locked the door.

The secretary rose in surprise, but Craig paid no attention to him.  Instead he calmly walked over to the machine and began to examine it.

“Might I ask—­” began the secretary.

“You keep quiet,” ordered Kennedy, with a nod to me to watch the fellow.  “You are under arrest—­and the less you say, the better for you.”

I shall never forget the look that crossed the secretary’s face.  Was it the surprise of an innocent man?

Taking the man’s place at the machine, Kennedy removed the legal paper that was in it and put in a new sheet.  Then he tapped out, as we watched: 

BE AT HEADQUARTERS AT 12.  DESTROY THIS IMMEDIATELY

TINCTURE OF IODINE

Three parts of—–­

This is his contention:—­whereas truth is the only goal and matter is non-existent—­

T T T T

“Look, Walter,” he exclaimed as he drew out the paper from the machine.