He drew back instantly and watched. She was standing with the mysterious Mr. Phillips, who was speaking in a low, earnest tone. He seemed to be giving her directions, while she appeared to be remonstrating with him in an appealing attitude.
Fearing discovery, the young radio-engineer turned, and treading softly over the dead leaves--which were fortunately wet--crept away.
He met her next at the dinner-table, when he noticed how pale and anxious she was, apparently entirely changed from her usual light-hearted self. She, of course, said nothing of the clandestine meeting, but made pretence of being interested in wireless, asking him many questions concerning its present development and its possibilities.
“Are many fresh discoveries being made?” she presently inquired.
“Discoveries!” echoed Sylvia. “Why, Geoffrey and his friends are making marvellous discoveries and improvements every day. But he won’t tell you anything, my dear,” she added; “so it’s no use asking.”
“I could tell you a good deal,” Falconer said laughing “only I’m not allowed. The patents of many of our fresh discoveries are not yet quite safe.”
“Ah! then I understand,” said the dark-haired girl at his side. “But wireless is such a bewildering puzzle,” she went on. “Somebody was telling me the other day some most extraordinary things--that a ship, for instance, could be guided through a tortuous channel by means of a cable laid in the channel, and that on the way they could actually signal through the water to the end of the cable.”
Geoffrey smiled, and asked who had told her.
She tried to recollect. It was at a dance in London--a man she met who was connected with some wireless firm. She had forgotten his name. She had danced with him twice, and had then seen no more of him.
“Well, Miss Farncombe, you will be a little surprised to hear that system you speak of was invented no less than twenty years ago! It depends on a simple principle well known to scientists, but has been of no practical use until comparatively recently, when the wonderful Thermionic Valve enabled us to enormously increase the sensitiveness of the apparatus. The Americans got some kudos in connection with the laying of a ‘leader’ cable, as it is called, at the entrance to New York Harbour recently, but it is not generally known that we had the system working over here during the war.”