"My boy," asked the doctor kindly, "what ails you?"

Watson smiled. He touched himself on the forehead.

"Up here, doc. There are things in the world with which we may not
tamper. I tried it. Somebody had to do it and somebody has to do
it yet. You remember Dr. Holcomb; he was a great man; he was after
the secret of life. He began it."

Dr. Hansen started.

"Lord!" he exclaimed, looking at us all; "you don't mean this man
is mixed up in the Blind Spot?"

We nodded. Watson smiled; again he dropped back into inertia; the
speech he had made was his longest yet; the brandy was coming into
effect.

"Give him brandy," the doctor said; "it's as good as anything. It
will hold him together and give him life for a while. Here." He
reached into his pocket and flicked something into the glass.
"That will help him. Gentlemen, do you know what it means? I had
always thought! I knew Dr. Holcomb! Crossing over the border! It
may not be done! The secret of life is impossible. Yet--"

Watson opened his eyes again; his spirit seemed suddenly to
flicker into defiance.

"Who said it was impossible? Who said it? Gentlemen, it IS