第42章 The Diamond Maker(5)

"I don't know yet," replied Craig, finishing the annealing.

The black glassy substance was now a dull grey.

"What's that stuff you were putting on the wire" I asked.

"Oh, just a by-product made in the manufacture of sulphuric acid," answered Kennedy airily, adding, as if to change the subject: "I want you to go with me to-night.I told Poissan I was a professor in the university and that I would bring one of our younger trustees, the son of the banker, T.Pierpont Spencer, who might put some capital into his scheme.Now, Jameson, while I'm finishing up my work here, run over to the apartment and get my automatic revolver.I may need it to-night.I have communicated with Andrews, and he will be ready.The demonstration will take place at half-past-eight at Poissan's laboratory.I tried to get him to give it here, but he absolutely refused."Half an hour later I rejoined Craig at his laboratory, and we rode down to the Great Eastern Life Building.

Andrews was waiting for us in his solidly furnished office.

Outside I noted a couple of husky men, who seemed to be waiting for orders from their chief.

>From the manner in which the vice-president greeted us it was evident that he was keenly interested in what Kennedy was about to do."So you think Morowitch's deal was a deal to purchase the secret of diamond-making?" he mused.

"I feel sure of it," replied Craig."I felt sure of it the moment I looked up Poissan and found that he was a manufacturer of electric furnaces.Don't you remember the famous Lemoine case in London and Paris?""Yes, but Lemoine was a fakir of the first water;" said Andrews.

"Do you think this man is, too?"

"That's what I'm going to find out to-night before I take another step," said Craig."Of course there can be no doubt that by proper use the electric furnace will make small, almost microscopic diamonds.It is not unreasonable to suppose that some day someone will be able to make large diamonds synthetically by the same process.""Maybe this man has done it," agreed Andrews."Who knows? I'll wager that if he has and that if Morowitch had bought an interest in his process Kahan knew of it.He's a sharp one.And Mrs.

Morowitch doesn't let grass grow under her feet, when it comes to seeing the main chance as to money.Now just supposing Mr.

Morowitch had bought an interest in a secret like that and supposing Kahan was in love with Mrs.Morowitch and that they--""Let us suppose nothing, Mr.Andrews," interrupted Kennedy."At least not yet.Let me see; it is now ten minutes after eight.

Poissan's place is only a few blocks from here.I'd like to get there a few minutes early.Let's start."As we left the office, Andrews signalled to the two men outside, and they quietly followed a few feet in the rear, but without seeming to be with us.

Poissan's laboratory was at the top of a sort of loft building a dozen stories or so high.It was a peculiar building, with several entrances besides a freight elevator at the rear and fire-escapes that led to adjoining lower roofs.

We stopped around the corner in the shadow, and Kennedy and Andrews talked earnestly.As near as I could make out Kennedy was insisting that it would be best for Andrews and his men not to enter the building at all, but wait down-stairs while he and Iwent up.At last the arrangement was agreed on.

"Here," said Kennedy, undoing a package he had carried, "is a little electric bell with a couple of fresh dry batteries attached to it, and wires that will reach at least four hundred feet.You and the men wait in the shadow here by this side entrance for five minutes after Jameson and I go up.Then you must engage the night watchman in some way.While he is away you will find two wires dangling down the elevator shaft.Attach them to these wires from the bell and the batteries--these two--you know how to do that.The wires will be hanging in the third shaft--only one elevator is running at night, the first.The moment you hear the bell begin to ring; jump into the elevator and come up to the twelfth floor--we'll need you."As Kennedy and I rode up in the elevator I could not help thinking what an ideal place a down-town office building is for committing a crime, even at this early hour of the evening.If the streets were deserted, the office-buildings were positively uncanny in their grim, black silence with only here and there a light.

The elevator in the first shaft shot down again to the ground floor, and as it disappeared Kennedy took two spools of wire from his pocket and hastily shoved them through the lattice work the third elevator shaft.They quickly unrolled, and I could hear them strike the top of the empty car below in the basement.That meant that Andrews on the ground floor could reach the wires and attach them to the bell.

Quickly in the darkness Kennedy attached the ends of the wires to the curious little coil I had seen him working on in the laboratory, and we proceeded down the hall to the rooms occupied by Poissan, Kennedy had allowed for the wire to reach from the elevator-shaft up this hall, also, and as he walked he paid it out in such a manner that it fell on the floor close to the wall, where, in the darkness, it would never be noticed or stumbled over.

Around an "L" in the hall I could see a ground-glass window with a light shining through it.Kennedy stopped at the window and quickly placed the little coil on the ledge, close up against the glass, with the wires running from it down the hall.Then we entered.

"On time to the minute, Professor," exclaimed Poissan, snapping his watch."And this, I presume, is the banker who is interested in my great discovery of making artificial diamonds of any size or colour?" he added, indicating me.

"Yes," answered Craig, "as I told you, a son of Mr.T.Pierpont Spencer."I shook hands with as much dignity as I could assume, for the role of impersonation was a new one to me.