Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1905-09-29
THE BROKEN CIRCUIT
BY JOHN II. RAFTnRY.

- Ollll Two OF n lATkt COM
pany OF grabb.ing students who agreed
upon the geauineness Of certain simple
Phenomena of hypnosis, mental telepathy
and suggestion, Parker and Brevoort drift
ed apart trom the scoffers and CONNIE need
TO Knit from the tangled materials of their
dreams, their speculations and their oddly
different temperaments, that queer but un-
alterable friendship which endured without
break till poor Parker died. They became
as brothers, forever delving into occult ram
hcatlons OF science, silent, inseparabls, and
mutually selfsacrihcing.
Brevoort's room was the front half of an
old loft on the fourth floor of store build
ing lust beyond the university settlement,
and Parker lived in a sort of .entry-box in
the tower of fiat building about mile
south IN direct line from Brevoort's place.
Parker was studying law and his friend was
IN the junior medical class, but neither of
them cared for rank or standing, preferring
to pursue knowledge along those devious,
scattering trails that first lure the undisci-
plined minds OF all imaginative students.
Parker, who had a knack of modelling in
clay, set up sort Of studio in one corner Of
Brevoort's barn-like room, and there the
TWO friends spent most of their indoor leis-
ure. studying, smoking, chatting, expert.
menting. Brevoort in time came to be
more dertrous sculptor than his 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 radiations. They were
in the habit OF walking together for hours
along the lake shore or in the park in silent
conversation, so to speak, each with has
keen mind fixed upon the other, each bent
upon projecting without words such simple
messages as might reach the others fallow
consciousness. Then they discovered, or
thought so, that these soundless waves II
thought always seemed to travel best when |
exchanged while they faced each other with |
back to north or south. That suggested the |
liea OF new experiments, and very soon |
Parker in his little dormer tower facing the |
lorth and Breyoort in the south window Of |
his rookery were radiating short messages
that had no meaning beyond the undeni |
'ble proof OF all their previous surmises
But when the goods got wind of these
weird doings they began to worry this
friends. Brevoort was proof against the
young women, but Parker, who was ten.
der-hearted, impressionable fellow, fell in
ove with Kate Caldwell, and made her a
sort of side partner in their psychical re.
searches. The odd part OF this was tina. 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 Kate got room in his boarding.
house so that she could nurse him Indeed,
she had him moved from his draughty eyrie
IN the tower, placed him in her own cory
bed and herself took possession of the sen.
try box.
Brevoort would relieve Kate every night
and sit up with his failing friend, and be-
tween them they watched him so assiduousy,
.ost 50 much sleep and fretted W much that
At last they were obliged to give up all
their university work and stand together, a
iorlorn hope, against the advancing, mer-
eiless intruder. Parker was quite con
.cious for few days before he died and to
Brevoort, bending over him, he reiterated
his simple wishes, He wanted to be ere
mated; he had no near relatives, 50 Kate
might have some and Breyoort the rest of
ls dust. Sne was to have his books and
he furnishings Of his little room, and Bre.
Voort was to keep the utensils and equip.
ments OF the studio.
You're pretty good modelsr now"
whispered Parker, smiling ghastly. Try
your hand on bust of me, take a death
mask, will you'
He died that night with Brevoort and
Kate holding his hands His classmates
carried his coffin to the furnace, and in the
days thereafter when they had reverently
divided his ashes they tried to make a fair
iNislon OF poor Parkers mighty share OF
love and loyalty Tor them botn. But 1t was
nearly week after his going that they set
apart Tor eaen day time when they might
resume thelr experiments The death
mask was done 1t stood ghostly IN Bre
wort closet, and beneath II IN tiny wood ,
en- boh the handful OF ashes OF their friend.
Nate had taken possession OF the little sen
'ry box and upon its narrow mantel shelf
in a little silver jewel boz lay the relics Of
her lost lover.
Inc morning OF the hrst day after their
renewed efforts to exchange messages they
met on the campus.
Did you get any mes~s.r shs asked, ,
irowhins petulantly.
NO. ne answered, looking furtively over
hn upturned collar; what was IL"
asked you to come over, her lip was
queer, We never failed before"
Yes lt"queer.' Then, after an awkward '
pause, say, Kate, did you notice any
thing while you were sending that message'
Moo That Is, not Just then. had THAI {
little box oi ms ashes IN my hand when | a
nid come over. don't know where laid
It aiter"ard' but can't find It,"
lhey were silent Tor moment, bH be-
ore they parted he laid nervous hand on I
her sleeve and said: ,
wen ny II again tonight at sisht. This
lme ! u send the message.
All right she Whispered without look. | (