Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1902-08-28
THE BROKEN CIRCUIT
BY JOHN II. RAFrERY.


to knit from the tangled materials OF their
dreams, tLeir specu,asions ard taeir oddly
different teinIeIaments, that eGCer but un-
aiteTable friendship which endured without
a break till poor Parker died. They became
a. brothers. forever delving into cceult ram
ificatiOns oi science, silent, inSeparable, and
mutually se.i-saorihcing.
Breyoort room was the front half Of an
old lof. on the fourth floor Of a store build
ing just beyond the university settlement,
and Parker lived IN sort OF sentry-box IN
the tower Of Hat building about a mile
south IN a direct line from bievoCrt's place
Parker was studying law and nis r.end was
in the junior medi,c! class, bat ncltrer OF
tnem cared for raak or standing, pre!erring
to pursue knowledge along those devious.
scattering trails thai iirst lure the undssei-
plined minds OF all imaginative students.
Parker, VINO lad knacE Of modelling In
clay, set up sort of studio IN one corner OF
Brevoort's barn-like room, snd taeIe the
two friends spent most OF their indoor els
ure. studying, smoking, chatting, expert
menting Bievoort in time came to be a
more dsxtrous sculptor than biz friend and
his room became populous with scores of
more or less artistic and accurate plaster
casts.
The Lord knows Just how they started
or how far they got into the probings of the
mysteries OF mental rsdiatious. They were
in the habit Of walking together foT hours
along the lake shore or In the park in silent
conversation, so to speak, eacl with has
keen mind fixed upon the other, each bent
upon projecting without words such simple
messages as might reach the others fallow
CONSEQUENCES. Then they discovered, or
thought so, that these sOundless waves OF
thought always seemed to travel best when
exchanged while they faced each other with
back to north or south. That suggested the
idea of new experiments, and very soon
Parker in his little dormer tower facing the
lorth and Brevoort in the south window OF
his rookery were radiating short messages
that had no meaning beyond the undeni-
lbe proof OF all their previous surInises.
But when the goods got wind OF these
weird doings they began to worry the
friends brevoort WA proof against the
young women, but Parker, who was ten
der-hGarted, lmpressionable fellow, fell m
iove with Nate Caldwell, and made her a
sort of side partner in their psycnical re-
searches. Tie odd part OF this was that her
introduction into the affairs of the two stu
dents made no breach in their relations,
and when poor Parker fell sick with pneu
monia hate got a room IN his boarding.
house 50 that rae could nurse him. Indeed
she had MIN moved from mis- draughty eyre
in the tower, placed MIN in her own cozy
oed and herself took possession OF the sen
try box
Brevoort would relieve Kate every night
and slt up witd his failing friend, and be
tween them they watched hun so assiduously.
oct SO much sleep and fretted 80 much that
At last they were obliged to give up all
their university work and stand together, a
forlorn hope, against the advancing, mer-
ciess intruder. Parker was quite con
sclous for a few days before he died and ~
Brevoort, bending over him, he reiterated
his simple wishes. He wanted TO be ere
mated; he had no near relatives, 30 Kate
might have some and BreyoOrt the rest of
AIS dust She was to have his books and,
he furnishings of mis- little room, and Bre.
WORT was to keep the utensils and equip.
ments OF the studio.
~ "a BaNhsg bNOi now,
whispered Parker, smiling ghastly. Try
your hand on bust of me, take a death
mask, viii you"
He died that night with Brevoort and
Kate holding his hands. His classmates
carried his coffin to the furnace, and IN the
lays thereafter when they had reyerently
divided his ashes they tried to make fair
division OF poor Parker's mignty share of
love and loyalty for them botn. But 1t was
nearly week after his going that they set
apart Tor eacn day time when they might
resume their experiments. The death
mask was done. Ii stood ghUstly in Bre-
voort's closet, and beneata il IN a tiny wood.
en- box the handful Of ashes Oi jutl.' lrIcnd.
Kate had taken possession of the little sen
try box, and upon its narrow manteI shell
IN a little silver jewel box lay the relics OF
her lost lover.
The morning of the first day after their
renewed efforts to exchange messages they
met on the campus.
Did you get any messgev shs asked,
frownlng petulantly
NO. ne answered, looking furtively over
his upturned collar; what was it,"
i asked you to come over, her lip was
queer, We never failed before"
1es, s,ltisQueer.' Then, atteran awkward
pause, Il say Kate, did you notice any
thing while you were sending that myssase,
Moo, That is, not just taen had that
little box OF his ashes in my hand when
said come over don't know where laid
1t afterward, but | can't hnd it,"
They were silent Tor moment, but be-
fore they parted he laid nervous hand on
her sleeve and said:
We'll try it again tonight at eight. This
time III send the message
All right, she whispered, without look
ing at him, ana dartpg into the hall.
But when they met again next morning
and he asked her, hestatingly:
Did you get my message, Kate" she
looked up frightened to hear hin call her
Kate, and then quickly answered NO.
Mr. Breyoort"
Did anything odd happen while you
were sending your message" she asked, let.
ting her eyes stray apprehensively over her
pallid face
Yes, Miss Caldwell" and he laughed
pittulIy with note OF tired mockeiy in
his voice. yes, very annoying thing
hApiehed, Just IS l haO spoken The mes
sage there was crash IN my closet, and
when looked in the plaster mack OF Parker
was m bits on the floor think can re.
member hln well enough To- make another
from memory but the ashes, his ashes. too,
were scattered by tic fail. BY the way. did
you and your lltut silver hox?"
"No,' sae mulmu ej. di-,rait and biting
her Ted lip for minute before she asked:
WHAT Was your m,.,1geF'
Tu,y were stauaiug 10 front of the lee.
ture tall now, aud be watched her tace for
a brcttsless moment before he whispered
Can't you guess, hate"
81 might, sir, she answered. coIdiy, 'but
l won't"
Then IN try again tonight, he was Sy.
ing, hall Quoru,ously, but She turned on her
heel and wi,h a farewell, fash in her brown
eyes sharply answered.
mo, Mir Brc,oort. no more message.
Tor me. I'm afraid The circul, is brokep-
The Excitement Not Over.