credit. But we get used to him and don't mind it, we who were here last
year. And he's a great scientist; has a world-wide reputation. He almost
lives in the laboratory, here and at Columbia; has no home life or friends
or relatives. And oh, it's such a privilege," she said with a sudden
change of tone, a schoolmistressly manner, looking upon me more austerely,
"to study under such a man. He is a Master."

The Master! She little knew how true was the word! To-morrow, if his
secret and mine were known, the world would hail him as its lord. He would
be a greater man than has yet lived on the earth. Armies would fight for
his favour at the bidding of queens--to get what I have! And to think that
chance led me from two thousand miles away, straight to him.

From the first he seemed to take an interest in my doings. He never
troubled himself to be polite, but he watched me; always he watched me. I
often saw him chuckling and rubbing his hands as if in approbation. But of
what? Not of my work, for of that he never took the slightest notice,
except when I compelled him to do so by some question.

Then, in quick-flung sentences, he would condense the results of a
lifetime of study into phrases filled with meaning, that seemed to cast
light upon principles, not facts, and make wonderfully clear the very
purpose of Nature. Then indeed he almost forgot that we were women, and
talked with kindling enthusiasm of his pet subject. I ceased to wonder
that he held such high rank in college.

Under such conditions I made rapid progress. I thoroughly enjoyed the
work, though I was not absorbed in it, like most of my companions; but I
was quick enough to keep pace with them and to make occasional shrewd
suggestions that pleased Prof. Darmstetter not half so much as some sudden