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THE UNKNOWN METAL
17

or whatever it may turn out to be won't interfere with the smelting."

"Well, there's nothing to worry over then. I guess platinum was an unknown metal once, and even gold and silver were unknown daring the iron age."

"But Truex won't play."

"You don't need him, Tom. You work the mine yourself. I'll give you a line to Fred Gamble, the engineer. He has done some work for me. And you make a contract with Truex. . . Never mind. I'll take the matter up with him myself." He looked at his watch. "What are you doing to-night?"

"Oh, nothing special."

"Fine. Come on up to the house and take pot luck. Mrs, Wedekind will be glad to see you. And Bertha, too."

"I haven't seen your daughter since last year,” said Tom, as he walked down the broad staircase of the Club side by side with Wedekind.

The latter laughed.

"She's changed some," he replied. "You know she has been visiting my brother Heinrich in Berlin for over five months. Just returned. Oh, yes," he repeated rather musingly, "she’s changed some."