OCR Text |
Show j 'flxjTZi Jitrfan of 7 kSlSV T BLAZED TPAL, 1 CQfWTl CQTnPAHY. ' SYNOPSIS. Percy Darrow, a young scientist in earch of a Job, enters the office or "Boss" McCarthy of New York. McCarthy Mc-Carthy has Just been threatened by an Anonymous message ordering him to flee to Europe. He does not take the mes-agre mes-agre seriously. Darrow goes up the elevator to try for a position with Dr. Knox. Suddenly the electric apparatus In the Atlas building goes out of business. busi-ness. Experts are unable to locate the trouble. All at once, without apparent reason, electric connections are restored. The. next evening McCarthy is warned hat unless he leaves at once for Europe sign will be sent him at six. Promptly Prompt-ly at that hour the entire electric appara-sus appara-sus of New York is cut off. Percy Dar-vow Dar-vow thinks he has a clue. CHAPTER V. Continued. "I could tell you exactly what must ave happened," Bald he, "If the failure fail-ure was complete. Never mind that "Was the condition general, or only Jocal? How far did It extend?" "It seemed to be confined to New York, and only about to Highbridge." "Long Island? Jersey?" "Yes; It hit them, too." "What are the theories?" "I couldn't see that they had any that I could understand," said Jack. "There's some talk of the influence of a comet." "Rubbish! Who sprung that?" "Professor Aitken, I think." "He ought to know better. Any others?" "I couldn't understand them all. There was one of polarizing the island because of the steel structures; and the" "No human agency?" "What?" "No man or men are suspected of bringing this about?" "Oh, no! .You don't think " "No, I don't think. I only imagine; and I haven't much basis for Imagining. Imagin-ing. But if my imaginations come out Tight, we'll have plenty to do." "Where, now?" asked Jack, as the scientist finished dressing and reached reach-ed for his hat. "Breakfast?" "No, I ate that before I dressed. We'll make a call on the Atlas Building" Build-ing" "All right," agreed Jack cheerfully. "What for?" "To ask McCarthy if he hasn't a job tor you in construction." Jack came to a dead halt. "Say!" he cried. "Look here! You don't quite get the humor of that. Why, McCarthy loves the name of Warford about the way a yellow dog loves a tin can to his tail." "We'll call on him, just the same," Insisted Darrow. "I'm game," said Jack, "but I can tell you the answer right now. No jieed to walk to the Atlas Building." "I have a notion the Atlas Building 1b going to be a mighty interesting place," said Darrow. They debouched on the street The Air was soft and golden; the sun warm -with the Indian summer. The clock on the Metropolitan tower was booming boom-ing nine. As the two set out at a slow saunter down the backwater of the side street, Darrow explained a little .further. "Jack," said he abruptly, "I'll tell you what I think or imagine. I be-Jieve be-Jieve last night's phenomena were con- iiuiicu, uul lunuiLuus or tie resunor natural forces. In other words, some iman turned off the juice in this city; aind turned it on again. How he did it, I do not know; but he did it very completely. com-pletely. It was not a question of wiring wir-ing alone. Even dry-cell batteries were affected. Now, I can think of only one broad general principle by which tie could accomplish that result. Just what means he took to apply the principle prin-ciple is beyond my knowledge. But If I am correct In my supposition, there occurs to me no reason why he ehould not go a Btep or so farther." "I don't believe I follow," said Jack contritely. "What rra' jxlving at is this," said Darrow; "thia is not the end of the circus by any means. We're going to see a lot of funny things if my guess Ja anywhere near right." CHAPTER VI. The Wrath to Come. "Did you ever meet McCarthy?" Asked Darrow, as lie elevator of the Atlas sprang upwaifl. "Never." "Well, no matter what he says or dops. I want you to say nothing noth-Jug noth-Jug " "Correct," said Jack. "I'll down-charge." down-charge." "That's right," Darrow approved. "First of all, wait outside until I call you." McCarthy was already at his desk, and in evil humor. When Darrow entered, en-tered, he merely looked up and growled. "Good morning," Darrow greeted him easily. "Any wireless this morning?" morn-ing?" McCarthy threw back his heavy head. "That damn operator's been leaking!" leak-ing!" he cried. "So there are 'wireless,' " observed Darrow. "No, your operator didn't leak. Who is he?" "If he didn't leak, what did you say that for?" "I'm a good guesser," replied Darrow Dar-row enigmatically. "They say anything any-thing about a 'sign' being sent, and such talk?" "You've been gettin' the dope yourself your-self out of the air," returned McCarthy Mc-Carthy sullenly. "Look here, my fat friend," drawled Darrow, his eyes half closing, "I'm getting get-ting nothing from anywhere except in my own gray matter. What do your messages have to say?" "Why should I tell you?" "Because I'm interested and because be-cause I know who sent 'em." "So do I," snarled McCarthy, in a gust of temper. "And I'm beginning to' suspect he's a man to look out for. And I doubt if you'll ever find him. Of course, he's responsible for the row last night as well as for the trouble in the Atlas Building the night before." "I don't know whether he is or not." "Oh, yes, you do; and I do; and the wireless man does. We're the only three. The rest of them are still figuring on comets." "Well?" "I don't suppose there's any real doubt left in your mind but that this man can turn the juice off again, if he wants to?" "I don't know as he did it," persisted McCarthy stoutly. "Now, how long do you suppose you'd last if the public should get on to the fact that this hidden power was going to exert itself again unless you left town?" A slight moisture bedewed McCarthy's Mc-Carthy's forehead. "Not all your police, nor all your power could save you, If the general public once became thoroughly convinced con-vinced that it was to go through another an-other experience like last night's unless un-less it ousted you. Why, a mob of a million men would gather against you in an hour. You see," drawled Percy Darrow, "why you'd better look after that wireless man of yours and me." "And you," repeated McCarthy. "What do you want?" "I want to see those wireless messages, mes-sages, first of all," said Darrow, reaching out his hand. McCarthy hesitated; then swiftly thrust forth the flimsies. Darrow, a slight smile curving his full red lips, held f im to the light. They read as follows: "McCarthy: A sign was prunuseu yon at six o'clock. It has been sent. Repent and beware! Go while there is yet time. "M." There were four of these, couched In almost identical language. The fifth and last message was shorter: "McCarthy: Flee from the wrath to come. "M." "What," Bald Darrow, "is to prevent the other operators who must have caught this message from giving it to the public? What, indeed, is to prevent M.'s appealing direct to the public?" "I don't know," confessed McCarthy miserably, "Do you?" "Not at this moment. Will you send for the operator who took these?" McCarthy snatched down the telephone tele-phone receiver, through which presently pres-ently he spoke a message. "What haVe you got to do with this?" he demanded, after he had hung up the hook. "I want something," said Percy, "of course." "Sure," growled McCarthy, once more back on familiar ground, and glad of it. "What is it?" "I'll tell you when I'm sure whether I can do anything for you in this matter." mat-ter." "If this fellow didn't leak, how did you know about them wireless?" demanded de-manded McCarthy again. "How do you know who's doin' this?" Darrow smiled. "The man who can control the juice as this man has Is a scientific expert ex-pert with a full scientific equipment. If he communicated at all, it would be by wireless, as that is the easiest way to cover his trail. I remembered your telephone message from the fanatic fa-natic about sending a 'sign.' Immediately Immedi-ately after, the Atlas Building experienced ex-perienced on a small s'cale what next day the city experienced on a larger scale. It was legitimate inference to connect one with the other. Of course, if our telephone friend was the man who had brought these thing about, he had done it to force you to do what he demanded. But he would lose the effect of his lesson unless you understood under-stood his connection with the matter. Hence, I concluded that you must have received messages by wireless and that they must have repeated the warning as to a 'sign' being sent. It was very simple." "You're smart, all right," conceded McCarthy. After a moment the wireless operator opera-tor came In. "Simmons," said McCarthy, "answer this man's questions." "They will be in regard to these messages," said Darrow. "Where are they from?" "Somewhere in the one-hundred to two-hundred mile circles, depending on the power of the sending instrument," replied the operator promptly. "Are you sure?" "I know my instruments pretty well; and I've had experience enough so I can tell by the sound of the sending about how far off they come friim." "And this was from somewhere about one to two hundred miles away, you think?" "Yes, sir." "Do you know whether any other instrument caught this?" ' "No, only mine," H was very positive. posi-tive. "How do you know?" "Mr. McCarthy had me inquire." "How do you account for it?" "I don't know, except that maybe my instrument happened to be just tuned to catch it. That's another reason I know it was from far off. The farther away the sending instrument, the nearer exactly it has to be tuned to the receiving instrument. If it was nearer, 'most anybody'd get It." Percy Darrow nodded. "That's all, I guess. No, hold on. Did any of these come between six and eight last evening?" For the first time the operator smiled. "No, sir; my instrument was dead." He went out. "Well?" growled McCarthy. "I don't know; but I can see more trouble." "Let him turn off his juice," blustered blus-tered the boss; "we'll be ready, next time." Percy Darrow smilfid. "Will you?" he contented himself by saying. Then, after a moment's pause, he added, "I'll agree to stop this fellow if you'll give me an absolutely free hand. I'll even agree to find him." "What do you want?" "I want a job, a good engineering-construction engineering-construction job, for a friend of mine." "What can he do?" "He can learn. I want a good honest hon-est place where he can learn under a good man." "Who is he?" "I'll bring him in." A moment later Jack, in answer to a summons, entered the office. McCarthy stared at him. "What kind of a job?" he growled. "Somethipg active and out of doors." Darrow answered for him; "str.&c.'i, water, engineering." "It's a holdup," i& ! McCu.rtny oul-lenly oul-lenly drawing a. t-laet toward himself and thrust1 the 6tub of a pencil into his rjouth. "A beneficent and just holdup," added add-ed Darrow; "the first of Its kind in this city." McCarthy glared at him malevolently. malevo-lently. "It don't go unless you deliver the goods," he threatened. "Understood," agreed Darrow. "What's his name?" demanded McCarthy, Mc-Carthy, withdrawing the pencil stub, and preparing to write. "His name," answered Darrow, "Is John Warford, Junior." McCarthy started to his feet with a bellow of rage, his face turning purple. pur-ple. "Of all the infernal !" he roared, and stopped, as though stricken dumb. For two or three words further his mouth and throat went through the motions of speech. Then an expression expres-sion of mingled fear and astonishment overspread his countenance. He Bank back into his chair. Percy Darrow nodded twice and smiled. CHAPTER VII. A World of Ghosts. A deathly stillness had all at once fallen like a blanket, blotting out McCarthy's Mc-Carthy's violent speech. The rattling typewriter in the next room was abruptly stilled. The roar of the city died as a living creature is cut by the sword all at once, without the transi-tionary transi-tionary running down of most silences. Absolute dense stillness, like that of a sea calm at night, took the place of the customary city noises. In his astonishment as-tonishment McCarthy thrust a heavy inkstand off the edge of his desk. It hit the floor, spilled, rolled away; but noiselessly, as would the inkstand In a moving picture, To have one's world thus suddenly stricken dumb, to be transported orally oral-ly from the roar of a city to the peace of a woodland or a becalmed sea Is certainly astonishing enough. But this silence was particularly terrifying ter-rifying to both McCarthy and Jack Warford, though neither would have been able to analyze the reason for Its weirdness. For silence is in reality a composite of many lesser noises. In a woodland almost inaudible Insects hum, breezes blow, leaves and grasses rustle; at sea the tiny waves lap the sides and equally tiny breaths of air stir the cordage; within the confines of the human shell the mere physical acts of breathing, swallowing, winking, wink-ing, the mere physical facts of the circulation of the blood, the beating of the heart, produce each its sound. Even a man totally deaf feels the subtle Influence of these latter physical phys-ical phenomena. And underneath all sound, perceptible alike to those who can hear and those who can not, are the vibrations that accompany every activity of nature aa the manifestations manifesta-tions of motion or of life. An ordinary or-dinary deep silence is not so much an absence of sound as an absence of accustomed or loud sound. And in that unusual hush often for the first time a man becomes actutely aware of the singing of the blood in his ears. But this silence was absolute. All these minor sounds had been elim-I elim-I inated. For a moment Boss McCarthy stared; star-ed; then shoved back his chair with a violent motion, and rose. He waslike a shadow on a screen. The filching from the world of one element of Its every-day life had unexpectedly rendered ren-dered it all phantasmagoric. As McCarthy shouted, and no Bound came; as he moved from behind his desk, and no jar accompanied his heavy footfall, he appeared to lose blood and substance, to become unreal. As no sound Issued from his contorted face, so it seemed that no force would follow his blow, were he to deliver one. He stumbled forward, dazed and groping as though he were in the dark, instead of merely in silence; a striking example in the uncertainty of his movements of how closely our senses depend on one another. Jack spoke twice, then closed his lips in a grim straight line. He held his elbows close to his sides, and looked ready for anything. A look of mild triumph illumined Percy Darrow's usually languid coun-enance. coun-enance. He stepped quickly to the wall, and turned the button of the in-Cflenscent in-Cflenscent globe. The light instantly glowed. At this he nodded twice more. From his pocket he drew a note-book cLnd pencil, wrote in it a few words, "Do You Know Whether Any Other Instrument Caught This?" and handed It to the dazed and uncertain un-certain boss. "I was right," Darrow had scrawled. "This proves it. It's by no means the end. Better be good." McCarthy's bulldog courage had recovered re-covered from its first daze. He began to see that this visitation was not entirely en-tirely personal, but extended also to his two companions. This relieved his mind, for he had suspected some strange new apoplexy. "Did you expect this?" he wrote. Darrow nodded. Together the three ghosts left the phantom office, and glided dojvn the phantom halls. Other ghosts in various vari-ous stages of alarm were already making mak-ing their way down the stairs. Some of them spoke, but no sound came. One woman, her eyes frightened, reached out furtively to touch her neighbor, apparently to assure herself of his reality. Urged by an uncontrollable uncon-trollable impulse, a man thrust his hand through the ground glass of an office door. The glass shivered, and crashed to the tllo floor. The pieces broke silently. It was as though the man had been the figure In a cinemato graph illusion. He stared at uis t and bleeding hand. The woman t had touched the man suddenly thrt. back her head and screamed, fht could see her eyes roll back, her i( change color, could discern the atraj ing of her throat. No sound came. At this a panic seized them. Tfcti rushed down the stairs, clambert over one another, pushing, scrambliii, falling. A mob of a hundred mt. fought for precedence. Blows wt. struck. No faintest murmur of turn; came from their futile heat. It ta have been the riot of a wax-works a vacuum. They fell into the lower halla; and fought their way to the strts and stood there dazed and starlni . strange, wild-eyed, white-faced, bloc; crew. The hurrying avenue stopped', gaze on them curiously, gathering co: pact a mob that blocked all trae Policemen puBhed their way In . began roughly to question and t question in real audible words. But for the space of a full minti: these people stood there staring u; ward, drinking in the blessed boh: that poured in on them lavishly fro; the life of the street; drinking d gulps of air, as though air had lacfc: Darrow, and with him Jack V,'i-ford, V,'i-ford, had descended more leisure; Before leaving the building Dam placed the fiat of his hands over b ears, and motioned Jack to do ti f same. Thus they missed the stunn:;:1 effect of receiving the world of no:; -j all at once; as a man goes to a briz: light from a dark room. Furthermore Darrow returned several times (r.;! the sound to the silence, trying to J-j termine where the line of demaru tion was drawn. Then, motioning : Jack, he began methodically to nu; his way through the crowd. This proved to be by no means l easy task. Rumors of all sorts afoot Some bold spirits were test: a new sensation by venturing into i corridor of the building. The pol::-were pol::-were undecided as to what should : done. One or two reporters were ready at hand, investigating, Y Carthy, his assurance returned, t conversing earnestly with a pel: I captain. j Percy Darrow, closely followed 1 ; Jack, managed to worm his v: : ' through the crowd, and finally i ' bouched on Broadway. I "What was it? What struck c-'j ' demanded Jack. "Do you know?" j ' "I can guess; in essence," said P- cy. "I was pretty sure after last e--; 1 ning's trouble; but this underscc- : it, proves it. Also, it opens the v- 1 "What do you mean?" j ' "Along the lines of these phenot;-: ; ' there are two more things poss:': j Possible, I say. They might be cal '. ' certain, were we dealing only ' ' theory; but there is still some dc. . how the practical side of it may :' ( ! out." I "I suppose you know what yor 1 talking about," said Jack resigne: ' "I don't." j "You don't need to, yet But her: . ( what I mean. If my theory is cor:r we are likely to be surprised still f." ther." . Jack ruminated; then his engaf-; young face lighted up with a Bmile j "All right," said he; "I'm enlis. for the war. What have you got : j do with it?" ij ''I'll explain this much," said I" row; "more I'll not tell at press: , even to you. If one breath should t-j out that any one suspected well, ti , is a man-hunt." L "Who's the man?" ? "An enemy of McCarthy." B "Whom you are going to find ' him?" q "Perhaps." "And you were putting -p that? . for me as part of your pay!' Percy Darrow smiled slowly. "As al of my pay from McCarthy j said he. "I was just bedeviling '!irl, Jack Warford 'started to say sot thing, but the scientist cut him shw'-i "This is bigger than McCarthy,"! ; said decisively. "W7e are the only F pie In this city who suspect a bun; ' origin of these phenomena. O"'. men are yet working, and will c:j tinue to work, on the supposition & i they are the results of some unr; anced natural conditions. Tbe p-uomena p-uomena are, as yet, harmless. It ' not greatly Injure the city, once It j prepared to be without electricity c without sound for limited periods. I doubt very much whether the " known can continue these phenoif1 for longer than limited periods. C-1 1 conceivably this man may becom6 peril. He has, if I reason correal ' four arrows in his quiver; the four1 : l is dangerous. It Is our duty to ": j1" him before he uses the fourth arr'l if indeed he has discovered t-f J method of doing so. That is always ;-M doubt." f' Jack's eyes were shining. t "Bully!" he cried. p (TO BE CONTINUED.) I |