"What d'ye mean?" demanded the owner of the countenance in question.
"I said," repeated the assistant, "it was a wonder he didn't drop dead. I would have. It's all I can do to look at you right now."
Alice, unable to control her laughter any longer, hastily murmured something about "fresh air" and went to the door.
Ralph, keeping his own face straight by a valiant effort, ordered his men to lift the ultra-ray machine and take it back to the laboratory to give it a more minute inspection at his leisure.
The girl and the man were very silent on their way back to Ralph's home. A tragedy had been narrowly averted and each felt that this first attempt might by no means be the last.
Only once did Alice voice her fears.
"You know," she said, "I am certain it was Fernand." She hesitated for
