Teddy's lips were compressed.
"Before God," he burst out, "before God, I'm going to kill Varrhus!"
The bell rang, and in a moment the commandant of the forts was ushered in.
"Mr. Gerrod, Miss Hawkins," he nodded to them, and then said: "They tell me Professor Hawkins is dead. The Narrows are frozen over again. Hampton Roads is frozen over. Charleston is frozen over. The Panama Canal is frozen over! There's no steam plume to blow up. Washington is worried. They're calling me to clear out the channel. The navy department is going crazy. If it were a case of fighting men I'd know something, but I can't fight a chemical combination. What's to be done, since the professor is dead? Who on earth can fill his place?"
He looked from one to the other, already beginning to show the strain under which he was laboring.
"Professor Hawkins," said Teddy quietly, "was murdered by Varrhus some four hours ago."
"Murdered! Varrhus has been here!"
"No, Varrhus has not been here, but we may be able to trace him. I'll get the police. Then we'll talk about ice floes. We know Varrhus' method now. We'll soon be able to anticipate him."
"But in the meantime," the commandant snapped angrily, "he'll play the devil with the world."
"We'll play the devil with him when he is caught," said Teddy evenly. "I've no intention of letting Varrhus get away. Just now there's a possibility of catching him in the ordinary way. He mailed a present to the professor, an antique bracelet. Ancient jewelry was the professor's hobby. He examined the bracelet and died.