Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1893-08-31

crisp tone, but l suppose doctors gel
vsed to all sorts Of calls
'Certainly,' l replied, fear some
what ,mpatiently. as he had interrupt
ed me at time when l did not like tc
be disturbed. What CAN | do tol
yon?
'Oh, do not come for professional
assistance, he fastened to say, evident
ly reading my thoughts. Mine is
strictly business call. Are you at
liberty for few minutes
Yes, but the hour Is late. 80 trust
you will be as briet as possible.
"Dr. Barlow, how much are you
worth 2
Enough to make life comfortable
for myself l replied. III you have no
more important question than that, our
interview might as we'll come to an end
at once.
pardon me, will come to business.
AS I told you, am Il professor of sci
ence, and | have made a discovery tina:
is worth millions-yes, sir, Millions.
II need not tell Of the anxious days
and sleepless nights it has cost me. No
matter; | have succeeded at last, and
yop are the first man | have ever APP
preached with my secret. ! did not do
that until was satisfied you were the
safest one could fn1.'
AS he spoke, he opened d small bag
which he carried, and took out three or
four vials to place upon the table.
Education based upon scientific re-
search, he remarked, has made start
ING alyance in the past few years. But
no man has gone further INTO the un.
fathomablc depths than myself. You
haye basin Of water here. Pardon me
if appropriate 1t to my own use.
4 bowed in acquiescence. too muc h
surprised to speak.
He quickl y unse aled one OF the vlaIs
and poured It's contents into the basin
Of water. Then, from another, he sift.
ed blush colorcd powder upon the
surface of the liquid, which no sooner
had touched the other than it began
to hiss, foam and sparkle until there
came report like pistol shot, and a
column Of lurii flame leaped up to the
ceiling. | started back with a cry Of
terror.
Don't be alarmed, ne assured me
with slnilc the water will soon burn
ont.
The fire soon began to grow pale and
to diminish il helght, when 1t finally
died out altogether, and saw that the
basin was empty.
''IIow much do you think my secret
is worth: asked my visitor still show.
inc his white teeth between his parted
lips.
''What do you mean p cried.
'Sit down and be composed, and
will quickly EXPLAIN Then az sank
into the nearest seat. at a loss what to
do or say, he continued
''Seeing is believing, so haye shown
to you what l can DO to impress you
you more deeply the power that pos.
sess. You Lave seen that basin of water
burn like so much oil, and now YOU will
believe me whcn I tell you I haye un-
locked one Of nature great secrets and
that the key lies in that small vial.
His demonical smile as he spoke
made me shudder.
Il do, not understand you, | ALTERED.
If you mean that you can burn wa.
ter'-
"Haven't | done 1t ? he cried. why,
man alive don't you realize the impo. B..
ance of that secret Ia those yials are
held the component agents able to sep.
arate the constituent parts OF water and
freeing the same, set them at wal with
each other, which must result in COM
bustion and total annihilatlon.
Think of that and realiza that l
hold IN my hand the destiny Of the
world. L.et me throw ever so little OF
those wonderful properties into the At
lantic and dare you contemplate the re.
suit ~? In one instant nucleus of fire
would be formed to grow swiftly in
size, separating the gases OF. water and
feeding upon them until the shores of
Europe and America would be wrapped
in sheet OF flame.
"No de|uge that ever drowned the
world could extinguish the conaagra-
ton, but would rather transport the
fiery legions to the very pillars OF the
heavens, and it would spread from shore
to shore and from ocean to ocean, until
it had infolled the globe in its seething
embrace. Every creature of the SEA
the air and the lund would perlsh-ay