trickled like water over it, making a network of silver on gold.

"What did you come here for?" he asked, abruptly.

"To see you!" she answered smilingly--"And to tell you that I'm 'on
the war-path' as they say, taking scalps as I go. This means that
I'm travelling about,--possibly I may go to Europe--"

"To pick up a bankrupt nobleman!" he suggested.

She laughed.

"Dear, no! Nothing quite so stupid! Neither noblemen nor bankrupts
attract me. No! I'm doing a scientific 'prowl,' like you. I believe
I've discovered something with which I could annihilate you--so!"
and she made a round O of her curved fingers and blew through it--
"One breath!--from a distance, too! and hey presto!--the bear-man on
the hills of California eating bread and milk is gone!--a complete
vanishing trick--no more of him anywhere!" The bear-man, as she
called him, gloomed upon her with a scowl.

"You'd better leave such things alone!" he said, angrily--"Women
have no business with science."

"No, of course not!" she agreed--"Not in men's opinion. That's why
they never mention Madame Curie without the poor Monsieur! SHE found
radium and he didn't,--but 'he' is always first mentioned."

He gave an impatient gesture.