Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-24

maybe the boots on the other leg. Maybe
I owe you-everything. II l had not been
weak enough to let you take my birthright,
my half the family railroad away from me,
you might have remained a decent enough
fellow. l let you see how easy IL was 10
cheat-and the rest has followed naturally.
Mr. Lucas-kindly leave us TO our bush
ness" Seaver said crushingly, the veins in
neck and temples swelling hard. He turn
ed as he spoke to face Mr.. Jenkins and
waved him toward a chair.
Mr.. Jenkins sat down, half dragging Iu-
cas- with him, and setting carefully be-
tween his feet a stout leather bag. Lucas
fondied the bag and said almost dreamily.
without looking up: Jerry, I'm sorry-AIilly
forgaye YOU long beforea the end; L must
too Indeed that is why-but go ahead,
Jennings. Show Jerryi He will believe
nothing but his own eyes-and not them,
I m afraid.
II would have you shown the door but
fer knowing you are crazy-craZy about
other things than air ships now, Mr..
Seaycr retOrted, almost in spite Of himself.
Again he made 20 touch his bell, but Jeu-
nugs held up his hand. saying respect
fully, "A minute more If you please. IT.
Seayer-f0r your own sake more than foF
ours
As he spoke he was opening the bag and
taking out IF ii what appeared to be a
hard baked tile two inches THICK and q
feet square 1t was dull colored and rang
soldly against the table. Before the noise
OF IL hGSGed the bag had also Yielded uD
q small electric battery and a queer-IOoking
cylinder OF copper, bound round and round
with coils of wire varying in thickness.
and insulated throughout There was 4
tiny screw cap at one end Of the cylinder.
at the other a shallow socket. At sight of
1t cold chills ran up and down the Seaver
spine. He had recognized Jennings even
teIore Lucas had spoken his name. Clear
~ Jennings belonged to the dangerous
class; then, too, was he not IN conjunction
with that social anarchist, Lucas who had
!osl lhe substance Of fortune and position
in the mad pursuit Of a dream?
Iuyoluntarily he pressed the masked
emergency button, which would summon
his special body guard. The action was
cover. but Lucas saw it: those terrible
eyes Of his saw everything. He flung him
ser al the door, snapped the lock of it,
Wlih Yet Il whimsical smile on his face. as
ne SAID, Jerry, remember this is a strict
~ private demonstration. After it it Is for
you 10 say II there shall ever be a pub
Mr. seaver snorted; he was beyond
speech Jennings turned to him. asking
oeierentiaily as he held out a new treas
gold piece for this? ask it only t that YOU
may be sure there is no trick in the dem
onStration"
Here's a sovereign" seaver grow1ed 1t
was trick of his to keep several such coins
always in his pocket
Jennings took it, saying with a bow. al
though his eyes twinkled. "All the better;
the world over"
Mr.. Seaver watched him breathlessly
while he coated the sovereign with some
substance that turned 1t dull and brownish,
then laid 1t quite in the middle of the tile
and began fumbling deftly with the screw
cap of the cylinder
One pole Of the battery was already at
tached to 1t. Quickly. Dut cautiously. Jen-
nlngs brought the other In contact with the
gold piece, the while turning upon It a
rushing something, viewless. odorless from
the loosened cap. At the touch of 1t the
inl fo,s
seconds, giving off the while a faint violet
Vapor, crackle of fairy-lke sparks, then
began to spread, to lift, to rise, first in
bell shape above the tile surface. then as
the invisible stream struck through and
through ii, up. up, a fine. glittering toad
stool, thin and wavery, that rested for a
full minute against the high ceiling then
dissolved into shining duet.
Watching it narrowly, Mr.. Seaver got
white about the gills. Lucas still on guard
e e[}ns TO. to see it There might be air
they'd have to be made of gold-mostIy-
and as yet there is freight that would
pay in such vessels. You don't know It,
of course. but this whole world is-hydro-
gen-and hydrogen's a metal. You're not
singular in your tgnorance-but we know II
Jennings and l. He helped me prove 1t
when l had come to the end of everything.
What you've Just seen is the alloying of
gold with hydrogeu-only as parlor trick
thought can be done the alloy will
stand"
ANASuct me, Jul We must hurry. Give
me a silver dollar now Jennings said to
Lucas. Mr. Seaver thrust a handful of
silver at him. saying thickly, Il hope you've
stuff It's the real root of half our trou-
bles."
And something more" Jennings said,
smiling oddly. He did not paint the silver,
but piled two or three coins together Law
ing between them what appeared to be
strips of waxed paper. But when he brought
the battery and the cylinder TO bear on
them there was no lack of surprising de-
Velopment, the silver first boiling up into
yellowish froth, men sparkling and burst
ing into white hot flame.
Jennings had smiled at the yellowisa
froth stage saying over his shoulder, IF
/ were a faker or a neCromancrr / would
claim to be transmitting silver into geld"
Mr. Seaver kept his eyes glued to the tile
and sank back with relieved Ugh only
when he saw the flame Whit out, leaving
a cindery ash behind
Now. Now, We are ready for-,he real
thing Lucas cried. tossing toward Jen-
nings tiny ingot o. fine crucible steel.
An the rest was but to open your eyes
he said, disdainfuliy, to Seaver. You and
men Ike you, individually, nationally, are
trusting to bolts and bars. to armor plates
and twelve-mile guns, to make your owner
ship OF the rest of us secure. You put your
trust In steel Now see what we can do
with it, When you have seen we shall be
ready to talk.
Mr.. Seaver did not answer. All his con-
lay dun and motionless between the poles
of the battery while Jennings manipulated,
mysteriously the cylinder stream. All at
once there rose from 1t binding fash of
crimson light, then il fell half IN two,
black mark upon the tile face showing the
line of cleavage Respectfully Jennings
handed him one of the severed ends 1t
was scorching hot, and gave forth faint
smell as OF the air after thunderstorm.
He held it gingeriy minute. and then
dropped It and covered his eyes, as Lucas
said triumphantly. Now you see what we
can do to your vaults. your battleships,
your railways and bridges-what shall be
done to them, unless
He stopped significantly. Seaver groaned.
then pulled himself together and roared
out: Unless / buy your cursed secret?
Well SIR. ! am ready. Name your price.
OF course 1t is in the milions-high enough
TO ruin me-even to ruin the syndicate. But
III pay it, never fear. Anything is bet
ter than leaving such weapon In the
hands OF anarchists
Let me see. An anarchist is person
who holds himself free to make his own
laws. How Ike the capitalist Jennings
murmured, reflectVely.
Mr.. Seaver WINGED. Lucas came forward
his eves wild and bright, but a peculiar
smile wreathing his lips
yes there is a price, he began, "a price
II will 20 hard with your sort 70 pay. 1t
IaaIipv bereaft throughout all this