“You knew Dr. Heidenmuller,” I said abruptly.
“Yes, poor old chap,” he said calmly. “How did you happen to run across him?”
“I didn’t know him personally,” I said, “but I knew a man who did know him. One of our own men, Tom Haldane of Columbia, who is very greatly interested in the radio-active work which Dr. Heidenmuller was carrying on before his death, is here with me.”
Hamerly’s face filled with eagerness. His whole attitude changed. “Did Haldane know what he was doing?” he asked breathlessly.
“Not exactly,” I said.
“Well if he knows anything about it, I believe he knows one of the greatest things in modern science. The Doctor never told me anything about it, but I went into that room the day he was taken out dead, and ever since that time I’ve felt that he had found a force greater than anything yet obtained, and that that force killed him.” He paused. “I’ve never said that to anybody else, but Haldane is the man of all others to know it, and you might tell him that from me. He may be able to use it somehow. I can’t. I tried my best to get hold of some clue concerning it after Heidenmuller’s death, but it was absolutely useless. Do you think that Haldane has enough data to work it out?”
“Frankly, I don’t know,” I said.
“Except for two things, I should have said the secret died with him,” said Hamerly slowly.
I bent forward hanging on every word.
“I’ve never spoken of either, but,”—he paused, “you know this man who is trying to stop all war?”