The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-01-24
'heGreatBr .PeFicord Motor
By CONAN DOYLE.


fCopyright. 1895, by the Authorl
II was cold, foggy. dreary evening
:in May. Along the Strand blurred
patches os light marked the position OF
the lamps. The fiaring shop windows
nickered vaguely with steamy bright
ness through the thick and heavy at
Imosphere.
J 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 rich food 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 Pericord, the inventor aud cleo
trical engineer Long into the watches
of the night the gleam Of his lamps
bore witness to the untiring energy and
restless industry which were rapidly
carving him TO the first rank IN his
profession.
!, Within tho chamber thore 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 well known mechanician.
They had been partners in many an in
'vention, in which the creative genius
of the one had been aided by the prac-
tical abilities of the other. 1t was a
question among their friends as to
which was the better man.
It was no chance visit which had
brought Brown into Pericord's work
,shov at so late an hour. Business was
Ito 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 long
brown table, stained and corroded by
strong acids and Uttered with giant
carboys, Faure's accumulators, voltaio
piles, coils of wire and great blocks OF
nonconducting porcelain. In the mi4st
of all this lumber there stood a singu-
lar whizzing, whirring machine, upon
which the eyes of both partners were
riveted.
A small, square metal receptacle was
connected by numerous wires to broad
steel girdle, furnished on either side
with two powerful projecting joints.
The girdle was motionless. but the
Joints, with the short arms attached TO
them, flashed round every few seconds,
with a pause between each rhythmic
turn. The power which moved them
came evidently from the metal box A
subtle odor of ozone was in the air.
How about the phlanges. Brown"
asked the inventor.
e'They were too large to bring They
are seven feet by three. There is power
enough there to work them, however.
/ will answer for that.
aluminium with an alloy of cop
peri"
YES"
"See how beautifully il works!"
Pericord stretched out thin, nervous
hand and pressed button upon the
machine. The joints revolyed more
slowly and came presently to q dead
STOP Again he touched spring, and
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. ''The motor which you
thought of, and which 1 reduced to
practice-call it what you like"
II call it the Brown. Pericord mo-
tor" cried the inventor. with an angry
fash in his dark eyes. "You worked
out the details. but the abstract thought
is mine, and mine alone"
'An 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 tho 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
~GlmdIIIbA 49,. ;,