"Well, from this demonstration I would say that Mr. Mansfield most definitely did demonstrate the transmission of matter, or an equivalent of the art," said Harrison firmly. "There was no iron here at the beginning of the demonstration, there is now."

"You call that stuff iron?" snapped Higgins.

"It was. It was undoubtedly one of the forms of finely divided iron, possibly monatomic from Mr. Mansfield's explanation. Of course, monatomic iron will oxidize immediately unless protected by some reducing atmosphere."

"A fine demonstration. We send a block of iron and receive a pile of iron oxide."

"Ferrous oxide," said Harrison absently.

"What's the damned difference?" glowered Higgins.

Still absently, Harrison said, "Ferrous oxide is FeO, whereas there are other forms, for instance ferric oxide, Fe2O3], and ferroso oxide, Fe3O4]. Then—"

"Shut up!" snapped Higgins.

"Yes, sir."

"Have you got anything that won't burn?" asked Higgins of Peter Mansfield.

"I have a couple of things. Say—how's about a glass paperweight?"

"Get going. Let's see it!"

III

Peter got the paperweight and set the equipment going again just as Forsyth returned with a dozen dark sun-glasses in leather cases. He had bought the best that the finances of the vast Higgins holdings could get without having them made especially. He took one pair from Forsyth and looked at them before he put them on. They were the high-grade jobs with polished lenses set in gold-filled frames; they cost about fifteen dollars a pair, complete with leather case and a wisp of chamois to keep them clean. They were coated-glass, and fifteen dollars times twelve pair added up to a hundred and eighty bucks worth of what Higgins would have called 'petty cash'! And Peter could not even afford to 

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