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

through and through it, up. up, a fine,
giittering toadstool, thin and Wayery,
that rested for a full minute against
the high ceiling, then dissolved into
shining dust.
Watching it narrowly, Mr.. Seaver
got white about the gills. Lucas still
on guard, chuckled to see it. There
might be airships, after all, Jerry"
he said, only they'd have to be made
of gold-mostly-and as yet there is
no freight that would pay in such
vessels. You don't know ii, of course,
but this whole world is-hydr0gen-
and hydrogen's q metal. You're not
singular in your ignorance-but we
know it-Jennings and I. He helped
, me prove it when l had come to the
end of everything. What you've just
seen is the alloying of gold with hydro
gen-Only as d parlor trick, though
it can be done so the alloy will stand"
Excuse me. but we must hurry.
! Give me a silver dollar now" Jel-
nings said to Lucas. Mr.. Seaver
thrust a handful Of silver at him,
saying thiclzly.' / hope you've found a
way to burn that up. Wretched stuff
It's the real root Of half our troubles"
And something more" Jennings
the silver, but piled two or three coins
together, laying between them what
appeared to be strips OF wax paper
But when ne brought the battery and
the cylinder TO bear on them there
was no lack of surprising development,
the silver first boiling up into yellowish
froth, then sparkling and bursting
into white hot fame.
Jennings had smiled al the yeTowish
froth stage, saying over his shoulder,
If | were a faker or a necromancer
/ would claim to be transmitting silver
into gold Mr.. Seaver kept his eyes
glued to the tile. and sank back with
a relieved sigh only when he saw the
flame Whit out. leaving cindery ash
behind.
Nov. Now, We are ready for-the
real thing!" Lucas cried. tossing to-
ward Jennings a tiny ingot of fine
crucible steel. "All the rest was but
to open your eyes he said, disdain-
fully to Seaver. You and men like
you. individually, nationally, are trust
ing to bolts and bars, to armor plates
and twelve mile guns, to make your
ownership of the rest of us secure.
You put your trust in steel. Now see
what we can do with it! When you
Mr.. Seaver did not answer All his
consciousness was centered on the
ingot. 1t lay dull and motionless be-
tween the poles of the battery while
Jennings manipulated mysteriously
the cylinder stream. All at once there
rose from it a binding flash Of crimson
light, then it fell half in two, black
mark upon the tile face showing the
line of cleavage. Respectfully Jen-
nings handed him one of the severed
ends. It was scorcEing hot. and gave
forth faint smell as Of the air after
a thunderstorm. He held II gingerIv a
minute, and then dropped it and cover ,
ed his eyes as Lucas said. triumph F.
antly NOW you see what we can do
to your vaults. your battleships. your
railways and bridges-what shall be
done TO them, unless
He slapped significantly Seaver
groaned. then pulled himself together
and roared out: Unless buv your
cursed secret? Well sir. I am ready.
Name Your price. OF course ii is i'm
the millions-high enough to ruin me
even to ruin the syndicate. But I'll
pay it never fear. Anything is better
than leaving such a weapon in the
hands of anarchists"
Let me see An anarchist is
person who holds himself free TO make
his own laws. How like the capital
ist," Jennings murmured. refectiveIY.
Mr.. Seaver WINGED. Lucas came for
ward. his eyes wild and bright but a
peculiar smile wreathed his lips. !
Yes, there is a price," he began