The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-03-18

railroad, away from me, you might
have remained a decent enough fellow
L let you see how easy it was to cheat
and the rest has followed naturally.
Mr.. Lucas-kindly leave us to our
business" Seaver said crushingly, the
veins in neck and temples swelling
hard. He turned as he spoke to face
Mr. Jenkins and waved him toward
chair.
Mr.. Jenkins sat down, half dragging
Lucas with him, and setting carefully
between his feet a stout leather bag.
Lucas fondled the bag and said almost
dreamily, without looking up: Jerry,
I'm sorry-Milly forgave you long
before the end; I must too. Indeed
that is why-but go ahead, Jennings.
Show Jerry! He will believe nothing
but his own eyes-and not them. I'm
afraid
II would have you shown the door
but for knowing you are crazy-crazy
about other things than air ships
now" Mr. Seayer retorted, almost in
spite of himself Again he made to
touch his bell. but Jennings held UP
MS hand, saying respectfully. "A min
ute more, if you please, Mr.. Seaver-
for your own sake more than for
ours"
AS he spoke he was opening the bag
and taking out of it what appeared 70
be hard baked tile two inches thick
and a foot square. 1t was dull colored
and rang soIidly against the table
Before the noise of it hushed, the bag
had also yielded up a small electric
battery and a Queer-lool<ing cylinder
of copper, bound round and round with
coils of wire, varying in thickness,
insulated throughout. There was a
tiny screw cap at one end of the
cylinder, at the other q shallow socket
At sight of it cold chills ran up and
down the Seaver spine. He had recog-
nized Jennings even before Lucas had
spoken his name. Clearly Jennings
belonged to the dangerous class; then,
too. was he not in conjunction with
that social anarchist, Lucas. who had
lost the substance of fortune and
position in the mad pursuit of a
dream?
Involuntary he pressed the masked
emergency button, which would sum-
mon his special body guard. The
action was clever, but Lucas saw it;
those terrible eyes of his saw every
thing He flung himself at the door.
whimsical smile on his face, as he said
Jerry. remember that this is a strictly
private demonstration. After it it is
for you TO 81 > il there shall ever be
a public one
MIR. Seaver snorted: he was beyond
speech. Jennings turned to him, ask
ing deferentially as he held out new
treasury note VIII you kindly ex-
change a gold piece for this? l ask it
only that you may be sure there is
no trick in the demonstration
Here's a sovereign" Seaver CROWD
1t was a trick of his to keep several
such coins always in his pocket.
Jennings took it, saying, with bow,
although his eyes twinkled, 'Au the
better: the guinea stamp is a pretty
good guarantee the world over"
Mr.. Seaver watched him breath
lessly while he coated the sovereign
with some substance that turned it
dull and brownish then laid it quite in
the middle of the tile and began fun
Nling deftly with the screw cap of
the cylinder.
One pole of the battery was already
attached to it, Quickly, but eau
tiously, Jennings 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 it the sovereign
melted boiled violently for ten sec
onds. giving off the while faint violet
vapor. a crackle of fairy-like sparks,
then began to spread, to lift, to rise,
first in bell shape above the tile surface.
then, as the invisible stream struck