New-York tribune., 1907-06-09

tTpff Lic reporter, and MS car NlLlll d
inches ot the machine For halt a minute he
sat there listening. then -haol. his head.
Strike Your V,Wcl-, he commanded,
" first slowly, then rapidly
Again Hatch obcvei, while the scientist
listened. And again ne shook his head Then
IN turn every make of machine IN the office
We tested the same Way. At the end The
IhluAug Machine rose and went ms way.
There WAS an expression nearly approaching
complete uc"i-crucnt ON his tacc, a- ac Went
out.
For hour after hour that night The Thi0--re,
Machine ha.t lay m "a huge chair i'm his ItF1-..-
tory. with ewes turned uucamprl-ui-,rgIv rr-
ward and an expression of complete cpucr0-
tratlon ON his face. There was M, change
either IN ms position or his gaze as minute sue
cccdct minute; the brow was deeply wriukIrI
now, and the thin line of the lips w..- drawn
taut The tiny clock in the reception room
struck ten, eleven, twelve, and finally one Vt
Just halt-paSt one The Thinking Machine rose
suddenly.
Positively | am getting stupid" he grtlm-
bled half aloud. "Of course, OF coursel Why
couldn't l have thought OF that in the first
placer"
So it came about that Graysou did not g 20
his office ON the following morning AT the usual
time. Instead, he called again upon The
Thinking Machine in eager cXpectant response
10 q note which had reached him at his horne
just before he started TO his office
Nothing vet said The Thinking Machine
NlLC 4Nlstilt Cl ClllCltl nut mere II ~tlillt'-
thing YOU must do to-day What time does
the Stock Exchange close
Three o'clock" was the reply.
" Well at one o'clock, the scientist went on.
"vou must issue orders for gigantic deal of
some sort, and YOU must issue them precisely
a You have issued them in the past; there
must be no variation. Dictate the letters rs
You have always done 10 Miss Winthrop. hut
don't send them. When they come L. YOU,
keep them until You see me"
- Nttt b4t ~. i.lf 10.
imaginative inquired the hnaucicr-
" Precisely" was the reply But make YOUR
instructions circumstauti1l give them enough
detail to make them absolutely convincing
And hold the letters
Hold the letters" the other repeated
q" The leak comes before YOU receive them |
don't want To know or have an idea of what
mythical deal it Is TO be; but issue Your orders
ut one o'clock"
GraySon asked dozen questions answer 10
which was Curtlv denied then went 10 his
office. The Thinking Machine again called
Hatch to the telephone.
I've got it" he announced briefly. Il
want the best telegraph operator YOU know
Bring HIM along and meet me IN the room ON
the top floor where the telephone is at precisely
fifteen minutes of one o'clock to-day
Telegraph OPERATOR Hatch repeated
" That's what | SaId-telcgraph opcratorl"
replied the scientist irritablv. Good bv."
Hatch smiled whimsicallv at the other end
as he heard the receiver banged on the hook
smiled because ne knew the eccentric WaVS of
this singular man, .oSc mind So accurately
illuminated every problem to which IL was di-
rected. Then he went out to the telegraph
room and borrowed the principal operator
They We're in the little room on the top floor
at precisely fifteen minutes of one
The operator glanced about in astonish-
ment. The room was still unturnished, save
for the telephone box on the wall.
What do do'" he asked.
I'm tell YOU when the time comes" re
spondcd the scientist, Is he glanced at his
watch.
AT three minutes of one o'clock he handed
sheet of blank paper To the operator, and gave
his final instructions. Hold the telephone
receiver To Your ear and write on this what YOU
hear he directed 1T may be several min
utes before you hear anything. When YOU do,
tell me So"
There was ludiCrous mvStihCation on the
operators face; but he obeyed orders, grinnins
checrfully at Hatch as he tilted his cigar up to
keep the smoke out of his eyes The Thinking
Machine stood impatiently looking on watch
IN hand Hatch didn't know what was hap
peuIng, but he was tremendously Interested
And at last the operator heard something
HIS face became suddenly alert. He continued
To listen tor moment. and then came a smile
OF recognition as he turned 10 the scientist
Il a.