Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-02-22
TheGTeat BrOWn.P eriCOrd tiOtOT
By CONAN DOYLE.
1895, by the Author


It was a cold, foggy, dreary evening
in May. Along the Strand blurred
patches of light marked the position of
the lamps. The flaring shop windows
flickcred vaguely with steamy bright
ness through the thick and heavy at
mosphere.
The high lines of houses which lead
down to the embankment were all dark
and deserted or Illuminated only by
the glimmering lamp of, the caretaker.
At one point, however, there shone out
from three windows upon the second
floor a rich flood of light, which broke
the somber monotony of the terrace.
Passengers glanced up curiously and
drew each others attention to the ruddy
glare, for it marked the chambers of
Francis Poricord the inventor and cleo
trical engineer. Long into the watches
of the night the CLEAN Of his lamps
bore witness to the untiring energy and
restless industry which were rapidly
carrying him to the first rank in his
profession.
Within tho chamber there sat two
men. The one was Pericord himself,
hawk faced and angular, with the black
hair and brisk bearing which spoke of
his Celtic origin. The other, thick
sturdy, and blue eyed, was Jeremy
Brown, the we'll known mechanician.
They had been paRners in many an in
vention, in which the creative genius
of the one had been aided by the prao-
tical abilities of the Ctner. 1t was
question among their friends as to
which was the better man.
1t was no chance visit which had
brought Brown into Pericord's work
shop at so late an hour. Business was
to be done-business which was to de-
eide the failure or success of months of
work, and which might affect their
whole careers. Between them lay a long
brown table, stained and corroded by
strong acids and Uttered with giant
carboys, Faure's accumulators, voltaic
piles, coils Of wire and great blocks of
nOnconducting porcelain. In the midst
of all this lumber there stood a singu-
lar whining, whirring machine, upon
which the eyes Of both partners were
riveted.
A small, square metal receptacle was
connected by numerous wires to a broad
steel girdle, furnished on either side
with SHo powerful projecting joints.
The girdle was motiOnless, but the
joints, with the short arms attached to
them, flashed round every few seconds,
with pause between each rhythmic
turn. The power which moved them
came evidently from the metal box. A
subtle odur of ozo"e was in the air.
"How about the phlanges, Brown"
asked the inventor.
''They were too large 20 bring They
are seven feet by three. There is power
enough there to work them, however.
l will answer for that.
aluminium with an alloy of cop
per-"
Eyes.
"See how beautifully it works."
Pericord stretched out thin, nervous
hand and pressed button upon the
machine The joints revolved more
slowly and came presently to a dead
bOOp again llO bOuOlG'l a SJllIS, anu
the arms shivered and woke up again
into their crisp metallic light. 1.-The
eXperimenter need not exert his musCu-
lar powers, " he remarked. "He has
only to be passive and use his intelli-
gence.
Thanks to my motor" said Brown
"Our motor" the other broke in
sharply.
"Oh, of course" said his colleague
impatiently. 1.-The motor which you
thought of, and which l reduced to
practice--call it what you like"
Il call it the Brown. Pericord mo-
tor" cried the inventor, with an angry
flash in his dark eyes. "You worked
out the details, but the abstract thought
is mine, and mine alone"
Gan abstract thought won't turn an
engine, " said Brown doggedly
"That was why took you into part
nership, the other retorted, drumming
nervously with his fingers upon the ia
BILE. 81 invent. You build. 1t is fair
division of labor"
Brown pursed up his lips, as though
by no means satisfied upon the point.
Seeing, however, that further argument
was useless, he turned his attention to