The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1907-07-11
ALIVE or Dead?'
The Strange Disappearance of
Gerald RathbOne.
~ GUY THoRNE.
ny v THoRNE.

toward the central OBJECT OF my lie
And now, at last, | find myself In full
possession OF the truth of all my thee,
ries. In a month or two from now my
work will be perfected. Then the
whole world will know what / have
done. And the whole world will trem.
BILE, and there will be fear and wonder
In the minds of men and women, and
they will look at each other as If they
recognized that humanity at last vas
waking out of a sleep and a dream"
Us IL 80 marvellous as all that?" she
said, almost in a whisper, awed by the
earnestness of his manner.
II am nc maker of phrases" he re-
piled, nor am | eloquent. | cannot tell
you how marvellous it Is. The one
great citidel against which human in
genuity and time have beaten in vain
since the days OF our first fo~refathers
is stormed at last! In my hands will
shortly be the keys of the human soul.
No man or woman will have a secret
from me. The whole relation of socie-
ty will be changed, utterly.
What Is it-what Is it," she asked,
with a light In her eyes. "Have you
done what mother said in jest? Have
you, indeed, finally conquered the
air."
He waived his hand with a scorn-
full gesture.
Greater, far greater than that" he
answered. Such a vulgar and mechan-
ical triumph Is not one / would seek.
In a material age 1t Is perhaps a great
thing for one or another scientist to
invent a means of quicker transit and
surer than any before. But what Is 1t,
after all? Mere accurate scientific
| knowledge. supplemented by inventive
/ power. No! Such inventions as the
steam engine. printing, gunpowder, are
great In their way. but they have only
revolutionized the surface OF things;
fore. What I now know is a far, far
loftier and more marvellous thing"
In his excitement he had risen and
was bending over her. Now she also
rose and stared into his face, with
one hand upon his arm.
ooh, tell me-" she said, what In life
can be so strange, SO terrible In its
effects, as this you speak OFF"
"Listen!" he answered once more
"You know what Light is? You know
that 1t can be split up into its compo-
nent parts by means of the prism in
the spectroscope?"
Every child knows that to-day" she
answered.
Good" he replied. And he went
on: Il am putting this in the very
simplest possible language. want
you to see the broadcast, barest, sim
plest outlines. Do you know of the
human mind? What should you say
%hypnotism was, for instance, in ordi-
nary words?"
Surely" she replied, sit is the
power of n brain acting upon anoth-
err
Exactly" he said: "and in what
way How is d brain not physically
touching another brain able to influ-
ence IT."
"By magnetism" she replied; by
she hesitated for a WORLDLY a sort OF
current passing from one brain to an
other"
He held out both his hands In front
OF him. They were clasped, and she
saw that his wrists were shaking. He
was terribly excited.
Yes" he went on, his voice drop.
| ping lower and lower and becoming
even more intense, you have said ex-
actly the truth. The brain Is q mar
velous instrument, a sensitive instru-
ment. an electric instrument which Is
constantly giving out strange, subtle,
and hitherto uninvestigated currents.
1t Is like the transmitter at the top OF
Signor Marconi's wireless t~elegraphy
station. Something unseen goes out
into the air, and far away over the
mother OF q something answers
to its influence. This is exactly what
happens with the human brain. Count
less experiments have proved It, the
scientists of the world are agreed"
tThen' she said.
"Supposing l had discovered how to
collect these rays or 'vibrations'-for
that is the better word-these delicate
vibrations which come from the hui.
mar brain?"
Il think I begin to see." Marjorie
said, slowly, painfully, as IL the words
were forced from her and she spoke
them under great emotion. Il think
/ begin to see a little light"
"Ah." he answered. you are always
above ordinary m There is no
one in the world like you. Your brain
is keen, subtle. strong. We. we're les
tined for me from the first"
Once more, even In the midst of her
excitement, a shade passed over her
face. She touched him on the arm
again.
go on! Tell me! Not this, not
that. Tell me about the work."
IT." he repeatcd-'T alone of all
men In the world have learnt how to
collect the invisible vibrations Of
Thought itself. Now, remember what
told you first. I mentioned Light, the
way In which eight "a be passed
through a prism, split up into tt COM
ponent parts, and give the secret OF its
composition to the eye Of the scientist.
Not only can ! collect the mysterious
vibrations Of tho human brain, but l
can pass them through . spectroscope
more marvellous than any instrument