McWade now introduced the miracle worker himself, and Gray rose on
tiptoe to see him. A moment, then he smiled widely, for the
eminent scientist was none other than Mr. Mallow--Mallow, a bit
pallid and pasty, as if from confinement, and with eyes hidden
behind dark goggles. With a show of some embarrassment, the
inventor displayed his tester, a sufficiently impressive device
with rubber handles and a resistance coil attached to a dry
battery, which he carried in his pocket.

Gray looked on as the comedy was played out. It transpired that
Professor Mallow had tested, among other properties, the newest
McWade-Stoner lease, a company to drill which had just been formed
under the title of "The Desert Scorpion," and he really judged
from the behavior of his machine that a remarkable pool underlaid
the tract. He was willing to risk his reputation upon the guaranty
that the first well would produce not less than three thousand
barrels a day. He was interested in the out-come only from a
scientific standpoint; he owned not one single share of stock.
Then McWade resumed his sway over the crowd, and soon shares in
"The Desert Scorpion" were selling rapidly.

Shortly after lunch, Mallow and the two partners were seated in
the office upstairs, their work done for the day. Another
successful promotion had gone to the credit of McWade and Stoner;
all three were in a triumphal mood. Mallow was recounting a story
that had just come to his ears.

"Remember that old silver tip that took a stand in front of the
Owl Drug Store a few days back? He called his company 'The Star of