Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-09

the fence-and running. running furiously
In the opposite direction, when the dust
cleared away. Some one stopped him
finally. Told him the danger was over.
Yet, will not return he said firmly and
tainted away. That Disguised him with
high explosives. What secrets he discov-
cred he gave to the government. They
were not without value, I believe"
They were not, indeed" corroborated
Barnett.
Next his interest turned to the natural
phenomena Of high energy. He studied
lightning in an open steel network labora-
tory, with few results save succession OF
rheumatic attacks, and an improved cleo
trio interrupter, since adopted by one Of
the great telegraph companies. The for
mer obliged him to stop these experiments.
Probably the great problem of getting at
the secret Of energy led him into his at
tempts to study the mysterious electrical
waves radiated by lightning flashes; at any
Of electrical science as his countryman.
Hertz, had ever been. He used to tell me
that he often wondered why he hadn't taken
up this line before-the world of energy he
now set out to explore, waves in that ire
mendous range between those we hear and
those we See. 1t was natural that he should
then come to the most prominent radio-ac-
tive elements, uranium. thorium, and ra-
dunn. But though his knowledge surpassed
that of the much-exploited authorities he
was never satisfied with any of his results.
'Pitchblende; nor he would exclaim. 1T
has not the great power. The mines are
not deep enough, yet!
."Then suddenly the great idea that was
to bring him success, and cost him his life,
came to him. The bowels Of the earth must
hold the secret! He took up volcanoes.
4. . Does all this sound foolish7 1t was
not If you knew the man. He was mighty
enthusiast. born martyr. Not cold
blooded, like the rest Of us. The fire was
| in his veins. A light, please. Thank
you.
1--WE chased volcanoes. There was a the
DRY under it all. He believed that volcanic
emanations are caused by mighty and un-
comprehended energy, something that
achieves results ascribable neither to ex-
plosions nor heat. some eternal. inner
source. Radium, II you choose, only
he didn't call 1t that. Radium itself. as
known to our modern scientists, he regard
ed as the harmless playthng of people with
time hanging heavy on their hands. He
| wasn't after force in pin-point quantities;
DIE wanted bulk results. Yet believe that.
after ALL what he sought was a sort of
| higher power of radium. The phenomena
| were related. And he had some OF that
| concentrated essence of pitchblende In the
| about twenty thousand dollars worth.
Maybe thirty. For use? No: rather for
| comparison, judge.
"Yes, we chased volcanoes. became used
| known varieties. got so that the fumes of
| a sulphur match seemed like a draught Of
pure fresh air. Wherever any of the
earth's pimples showed signs OF. coming to
| trouble. BY and by the doctor got SO thor
oughly poisoned that he had to lay off
| Back to Philadelphia we came. There an
aged seafaring person. temporarily strand
| ed mulcted the professor of a dollar-an
| undertaking that required no art-and in
the course of his recital touched upon yon-
der little cesspool of Internal iniquities. An
| uncharted volcanic island; one that he could
| have all for his own: you may guess
whether DR.. schermerhorn was interested.
| THAT iss for which we hat so-long-in-
| vain sought Percy he said to me in his
quaint. link-chain style of speech. "A leedle
prifate volcano-laboratory to ourselves to
have. Totally unknown: undescribed. not
| on-the -chart-to-be-found. Tomorrow we
| start I make list Of the things-to-get'
4, HE began his list, as I remember, with
| three dozen undershirts. a gallon Of penny
royal for insect bites, box of assorted fish
hooks. thirty pounds Of tea, and a case Of
| to worry over, l used to lie awake at night
/ and speculate the purpose Of those car
pet tacks., He had something in mind; If
| there was anything on which he prided
| himself, 1t was his practical bent But the
| list never got any further: 1t ceased short of
| one page in the ledger, as you may have
noticed 1 QUILTED by telegraph on the
way across the continent.
1.-The doctor didn't ask me whether I'd
go. He took 1t for granted. That's proba-
bly, why l didn't back out. Nor did l tell
him that the three life insurance companies
which had foolishly and trustingly accepted
me as risk merely on the strength of
good constitution were making frantic ef-
forts to compromise on the policies. They
felt hurt. those companies: my healthy con-
dttion had ceased to appeal to them Whats
good constitution between earthquakes!
No, there was no use telling the doctor 1t
would only have worried him. Besides, l
didn't believe that the island was there. /
thought 1t was myth of that stranded an
cient mariners Imagination. When 1t rose
to sight at the proper spot. none were more
astounded than the bad risk who now adj
dresses you.
yet I must say for the island that 1t
came handsomely up to specifications. Down
where YOU were Slade, you didn't get
real insight into its disposition. But in
back of us there was any kind or action Tor
your money. Geysers hell-spouts, Tuning
assures cunning little craterlets with half
portions of molten lava ready to serve hot:
more gases than you could create in all the
worlds chemical laboratories: in fact.
everything to make the place paradise for
Old Nick-and DR.. Schermerhorn. He
brought along In his precious chest. besides
the radium some sort of raw material also.
as near as 1 could make out a sort OF cage
or guardianship scheme for his concentrated
essence of cussedness, when he should get IL
out Of the volcano.
''In the first seven months he puttered
around the little tuners, with an occasional
excursion I'D to the main crater. 1t was
nv duty to follow on and drag him away
when he fell unconscious. Sometimes L
would try to get him before he was quite
gone. Then he would become indignant
and fight me. Perhaps that helped to lose