Secretary started as an unseen hand touched his shoulder.

"Now,"--there was ringing resolution in the deep voice--"for the
Arvanian Embassy. Please drive me there--and be as quick as you can
about it. I can't last very long with this film sealing most of the
pores of my body."

* * * * *

The Secretary started for the laboratory door. Beside him sounded the
patter of bare feet. He opened the door and walked into the hallway.
Behind him, apparently of itself, the door clicked shut; and the
footsteps again sounded beside him.

The Secretary walked to the curb where his limousine waited. His
chauffeur jumped out and opened the door. The Secretary paused a moment,
one foot on the running board, to draw a cigar from his pocket and light
it. During that moment the car pressed down on that side, and as
suddenly rocked back up again.

The chauffeur stared wide-eyed at his employer.

"Did you do that, sir?" he asked.

"Do what?" said the Secretary.

"Push down on the running board with your foot."

"Of course not," said the Secretary, his eyebrows raising. "You could
have seen my leg move if I had. But why do you ask?"

"It felt like somebody got into this car," mumbled the man.

"Did you see anybody get in?" said the Secretary with a shrug. And,
shaking his head, with a fuddled look in his eyes, the chauffeur turned
away and got into the driver's seat.

The Secretary glanced at the rear seat. On the far side, the cushion was
heavily depressed. He sat on the near side, feeling his knee strike
another, unseen knee.

"Drive to the Bulgarian Embassy," he told his man.

Up Sixteenth Street the car swung, past the various embassies which
looked more like palatial private villas than offices of foreign
nations. Toward the end of the line, a smaller building than most of the
others, was the Arvanian Embassy. Next to it was the Bulgarian.

* * * * *

The car stopped in front of the Bulgarian Embassy, and the Secretary got
out. Again he paused, while the chauffeur held the door open, to hold a
match to his cigar. Again the car sagged down on that side, and slowly
swayed up again.

"Hey--" said the chauffeur. But meeting the Secretary's calmly inquiring
gaze, he stopped. Scratching his head, he went back to the wheel, while
the Secretary walked toward the building entrance.

Behind him, moving on soundless bare feet along the sidewalk, Thorn
Winter hast