"Herr von Holzen is the most important person," replied Roden.

"Ah!" said Mrs. Vansittart, looking into the fire; "and who is Herr von
Holzen?"

Roden paused for a moment, and the lady, looking half indifferently
into the fire, noticed the hesitation.

"Oh, he is a scientist--a professor at one of the universities over
here, I believe. At all events, he is a, very clever fellow--analytical
chemist and all that, you know. It is he who has made the discovery
upon which we are working. He has always been interested in malgamite,
and he has now found out how it may be manufactured without injury to
the workers. Malgamite, you understand, is an essential in the
manufacture of paper, and the world will never require less paper than
it does now, but more. Look at the tons that pass through the
post-offices daily. Paper-making is one of the great industries of the
world, and without malgamite, paper cannot be made at a profit to-day."

Roden seemed to have his subject at his fingers' ends, and if he spoke
without enthusiasm, the reason was probably that he had so often said
the same thing before.

"I am much interested," said Mrs. Vansittart, in her half-foreign way,
which was rather pleasing. "Tell me more about it."

"The malgamite makers," went on Roden, willingly enough, "are
fortunately but few in numbers and they are experts. They are to be
found in twos and threes in manufacturing cities--Amsterdam,