The Moon Metal

nd and instantly fell into a brown study. So complete was his absorption that Herr Finster, the celebrated Berlin banker, who had been addressing the chair for the last two hours f

n over and over, balancing it on his fingers and holding it now at arm's-length and then ne

extraordinary, but it was composed of metal. What metal? That question had immediately arisen in Mr. Boon's mind when the card came into his hand, and now it exercise

. So intent had he become in examining the curious bit of metal that he forgot it was a vi

it bloomed with exquisite colors! The president's chair being in the darker end of the room, the radiant card suffused th

kind of mesmeric influence, its soft hues blending together in a chromatic harmony which captivated the sense of vision as

?" was repeated

g like it?" asked Mr. Boo

nutes no one spoke, while Mr. Boon continued to chase the flickering sunbeam with the wo

t be th

nes, K.C.B. Immediately everybody echoed his remark, and the strain being thus relieved

e table, in order more clearly to see the name. In plain red letters it stood forth wi

MAX

said the president, and thereupon

ack, bright, and deep-set, his eyebrows were bushy and up-curled at the ends, his sable hair was close-trimmed, and his ears were narrow, pointed at the top, and prominent.

ut it was a very disconcerting smile, because it more than half re

he said, facing President Boon, who

xcitement which would have astonished them if they had been spectators i

aid. "What do y

beaut

seen? But every man knew he had seen it, for instinctively their minds reverted to the card and recognized in it the metal referred to. The mesmeric spell seemed once more to fall upon the assemblage, for the financiers noticed nothing remarkable in the next act of the stran

of the listeners as denoting a foreigner. But none of them could satisfactorily place him. Neither the Americans, the Englishmen, the Germans, the Frenchmen, the Rus

I call it 'artemisium.' I can produce it, in the pure form, abundantly enough to replace gol

fluttered with quivering hues like a humming-bird hovering ove

ve that the supply would b

vent, I have accumulated enough refined artemisium to provide every civilized land with an amount of coin equiv

t this metal of yours w

was the la

unless they are convinced that it possesses equal intrinsic value. They must first become familiar with i

erting smiles. "I assure you that there will be no trouble with the people

etal as that of which the card was composed. The financiers all jumped to their feet with exclamations of surprise and admiration, and gat

the tray. Cups, pins, finger-rings, earrings, watch-chains, combs, studs, lockets, medals, tableware, models of coins-in brief, almost every article in the fabrication of which p

t will answer?"

s the unani

e centre of the board. This display had a remarkable influence. Confidence awoke in the breasts of the

at length asked Mr. Boon,

he circulating medium, together with the privilege of disposing of a certain amount of the metal-to be limited by agreement-to the pu

oon, "that will make you the

dly," was

the facts continued to dawn upon him, "you will b

er, I place myself under government inspection and restriction. I should not be allowed to flood the market, even if I were disposed

suddenly crossed t

e. If you, in so short a time, have been able to accumulate an immense quantity of the new

embled persons whose startled eyes are fixed upon a wild beast preparing to spring. As Mr. Boon ce

re distorted with that peculiar mocking smile which had now returned

an you do? I alone possess the secret which can restore industry and c

ound voice to re

d to inquire if you thought it probable that there would be no re

it, is it of any more worth than common dirt? But come," he added, after a pause and softening his manner, "I have other schemes. Wil

e for deliberation?"

. Syx, rising and preparing to depart. "I leave these things," pointing to the tray

that smile remained in the room when he had closed the door behind him. The financiers gazed at one ano