ropped it in a bowlful of sulphuric acid and then,
with a quiet gesture of satisfaction, turned again to his work.

We sat for some time behind him. "This, then," we thought to ourselves
(we always think to ourselves when we are left alone), "is the man, or
rather is the back of the man, who has done more" (here we consulted
the notes given us by our editor), "to revolutionize our conception of
atomic dynamics than the back of any other man."

Presently the Great Scientist turned towards us with a sigh that seemed
to our ears to have a note of weariness in it. Something, we felt, must
be making him tired.

"What can I do for you?" he said.

"Professor," we answered, "we have called upon you in response to an
overwhelming demand on the part of the public--"

The Great Scientist nodded.

"To learn something of your new researches and discoveries in" (here
we consulted a minute card which we carried in our pocket) "in
radio-active-emanations which are already becoming" (we consulted our
card again) "a household word--"

The Professor raised his hand as if to check us.

"I would rather say," he murmured, "helio-radio-active--"

"So would we," we admitted, "much rather--"

"After all," said the Great Scientist, "helium shares in the most
intimate degree the properties of radium. So, too, for the matter of
that," he added in afterthought, "do thorium, and borium!"

"Even borium!" we exclaimed, delighted, and writing rapidly in our
notebook. Already we saw ourselves writing up as our headline _Borium
Shares Properties of Thorium_.

"Just what is it," said the Great Scientist, "that you want to know?"

"Professor," we answered, "what our journal wants is a plain and simple
explanation, so clear that even our readers can understand it, of the
new scientific discoveries in radium. We understand that you possess,
more than any other man, the gift of clear and lucid thought--"

The Professor nodded.

"And that you are able to express yourself with greater simplicity than
any two men now lecturing."

The Professor nodded again.

"Now, then," we said, spreading our notes on our knee, "go at it. Tell
us, and, through us, tell a quarter of a million anxious readers just
what all these new discoveries are about."

"The whole thing," said the Professor, warming up to his work as
he perceived from the motions of our face and ears our intelligent
interest, "is simplicity itself. I can give it to you in a word--"

"T