The Skylark of Space | Page 4

Its liberation is an impossibility,
in the same class with perpetual motion. Is that all, Mr. Brookings?"
As the chemist left, Brookings turned again to his visitor, with an
apologetic air.
"I don't know anything about these things myself, but Chambers, also
an able man, says that it is impossible."
"As far as he knows, he is right. I should have said the same thing this
morning. But I do know about these things--they're my business--and I
tell you that Seaton has done it."
"This is getting interesting. Did you see it done?"
"No. It was rumored around the Bureau last night that Seaton was
going insane, that he had wrecked a lot of his apparatus and couldn't
explain what had happened. This morning he called a lot of us into his
laboratory, told us what I have just told you, and poured some of his
solution on a copper wire. Nothing happened, and he acted as though
he didn't know what to make of it. The foolish way he acted and the
apparent impossibility of the whole thing, made everybody think him
crazy. I thought so until I learned this afternoon that Mr. Reynolds
Crane is backing him. Then I knew that he had told us just enough of
the truth to let him get away clean with the solution."

"But suppose the man is crazy?" asked Brookings. "He probably is a
monomaniac, really insane on that one thing, from studying it so
much."
"Seaton? Yes, he's crazy--like a fox. You never heard of any insanity in
Crane's family, though, did you? You know that he never invests a cent
in anything more risky than Government bonds. You can bet your last
dollar that Seaton showed him the real goods." Then, as a look of
conviction appeared upon the other's face, he continued:
"Don't you understand that the solution was Government property, and
he had to do something to make everybody think it worthless, so that he
could get title to it? That faked demonstration that failed was certainly
a bold stroke--so bold that it was foolhardy. But it worked. It fooled
even me, and I am not usually asleep. The only reason he got away
with it, is, that he has always been such an open-faced talker, always
telling everything he knew.
"He certainly played the fox," he continued, with undisguised
admiration. "Heretofore he has never kept any of his discoveries secret
or tried to make any money out of them, though some of them were
worth millions. He published them as soon as he found them, and
somebody else got the money. Having that reputation, he worked it to
make us think him a nut. He certainly is clever. I take off my hat to
him--he's a wonder!"
"And what is your idea? Where do we come in?"
"You come in by getting that solution away from Seaton and Crane,
and furnishing the money to develop the stuff and to build, under my
direction, such a power-plant as the world never saw before."
"Why get that particular solution? Couldn't we buy up some platinum
wastes and refine them?"
"Not a chance," replied the scientist. "We have refined platinum
residues for years, and never found anything like that before. It is my
idea that the stuff, whatever it is, was present in some particular lot of

platinum in considerable quantities as an impurity. Seaton hasn't all of
it there is in the world, of course, but the chance of finding any more of
it without knowing exactly what it is or how it reacts is extremely slight.
Besides, we must have exclusive control. How could we make any
money out of it if Crane operates a rival company and is satisfied with
ten percent profit? No, we must get all of that solution. Seaton and
Crane, or Seaton, at least, must be killed, for if he is left alive he can
find more of the stuff and break our monopoly. I want to borrow your
strong-arm squad tonight, to go and attend to it."
After a few moments' thought, his face set and expressionless,
Brookings said:
"No, Doctor. I do not think that the Corporation would care to go into a
matter of this kind. It is too flagrant a violation of law, and we can
afford to buy it from Seaton after he proves its worth."
* * * * *
"Bah!" snorted DuQuesne. "Don't try that on me, Brookings. You think
you can steal it yourself, and develop it without letting me in on it?
You can't do it. Do you think I am fool enough to tell you all about it,
with facts, figures, and names, if you could get away with it without me?
Hardly! You can steal the solution, but that's all you can do.