ther two, and I shall do
so at once. Mr. Locke, will you be so kind as to get them?"

Locke immediately left the room and descended to the Graveyard of Genius
for the two models.

In the laboratory above were Balcom and Zita, for she had told him of
her discovery of the dictagraph. Balcom had the headpiece firmly clamped
over his head and was drinking in the purport of the conversation down
in the library.

Zita was almost beside herself with curiosity, as Balcom repeated only
scraps of the conversation that went on below, but finally the real
subject of the whole matter was repeated to her and she was satisfied at
last. A peculiar look came into her eyes. As for Balcom, one would have
thought that a whole world's treasure had suddenly been placed within
his grasp. Yet each was cautious not to betray too much to the other.

Over the dictagraph came the words spoken by Eva, "Mr. Locke and I will
come to your workshop at eight this evening to complete the
transaction."

Locke in the mean time had brought the two models into the library and
the inventor had almost danced with joy at seeing the children of his
brain again.

Sent down by Balcom, Zita had been ordered to spy on Eva and Locke. She
had been nearly caught by Locke as he was returning from the Graveyard
of Genius, but had slipped behind a pair of portieres at the end of the
hall and had emerged only when Locke had entered the library. She had
crept close to the door and was listening.

She, too, now heard the inventor exact a promise from Eva and Locke not
to fail to be at his workshop at eight that night.

Zita had but a second to glide backward from the door as the inventor
came out into the hallway where she stood. He gazed at her in such a
strange, fixed manner that an uncanny feeling came over her. Then he
passed out, just as Balcom came down the stairs.

"Why did that man look at me in such a strange manner?" she queried of
Balcom.

A moment Balcom considered her, as though undecided to speak, then made
up his mind.

"Because," he replied, slowly, "he knows the secret of your birth, knows
who you really are."

Zita had no further chance to question Balcom, for at this instant Eva
and Locke, still carrying the inventions, were leaving the library.
Locke turned down again toward the stairway leading to the Graveyard of
Genius, while Eva, nodding pleasantly to Zita and Balcom, mounted the
stairs leading to her father's room.

Zita turned ques