Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-05-22
TIE MYSTERY
By STEWART EDWARD WHITE
And SAMUEL HOPKINS ADAMS
COPYRIGHT. 1907. BY MCCLURE. PHILLIPS CO.
COPYRIGHT 1907 BY MCCLURE PHILLIPS CO.

GERS fastened with an old bit of tarred
rope In lieu of his suspenders, which l
had been repairing. About his waist
hickered sort of aura of radiance
which was extinguished as lie flung
himself headforemost into the cold
spring. hauled him out. He seemed
dazed. To my questions he replied on
ly by mumblings. the burden of which
was:
I do not understand. 1t is not to
be comprehended accident 1t appears
that he didn't quite know why he had
taken to the water, or If he did he
didn't want to tell.
Next day he was as good as new,
just as silent as before, but 1t was
smiling, satisfied silence So it went
for weeks, for months, with the ac-
cesses of depression and anger always
rarer. Then came an afternoon when
returning from a stalk after sheep l
heard strange and shocking noises
from the laboratory. Strict as was the
embargo which kept me outside the
door. burst ia. only to be seized in 4
suffocating grip. Off, sudden real
lied that was being embraced The
doctor fionrlshed hand above my head
and jigged with ponderous steps. The
dismal noises continued to emanat,
from his mouth. He was singing.
wish could give you notion Of the
amazement, the paralyzing wonder with
which No, you did not know DR..
SNhnrponPhnrn Nf
stand.
1--WE polkaed into the open. There
he cast me loose. He stopped singing
and burst into rhapsody of disjoint-
ed words. Mostly German, it was
wondrous tumble of the scientific and
poetic. Eureka occurred at intervals.
Then he would leap In the air. 1t was
weird; 1t was distressing. Crazy? Oh,
quite! For the time. you understand.
If any of us should suddenly become
the most potent individual in the
world, wouldn't he be apt to lose bal
ance temporarily? One must make al
lowances. There was excuse for the
doctor. He had reached the goal
Percy, you shall be rewarded he
said. You hat like n trump card
stuck by me. You shall hat riches.
gold, what you will. You are young:
your blood runs red. With such riches
nothing Is beyond you. You could the
ancient tombs Of Egypt explore. 1t is
open to you such collections MS have
never been gathered to make. What
shall 1t be-scarabs. missals. pre-
historic implements? Amuse yourself,
mein kind. We shall be able the bills
with usurious interest to pay. What
will you haf?'
II said I'd like a vacation if con-
yenient.
Presently he replied. There yet
remains the guardianship to be per-
fected. Then to a world astonished
and respectful we return. Tonight we
celebrate. play you rubber Of pin
ochle.'
1--WE played. With the greatest Sc
cret of science resting at our elbows
we played. The doctor won. My
mind was not strictly on the game.
In the morning the doctor sang once
more. shall never hear it's like again.
Was 1t a week or a month after that?
cannot remember. fancy I was ex-
cited. Then, too, there was something
In the atmosphere about the laboratory.
I don't know; Imagination possibly.
Once we had little manifestation
the night that the niger and Slade
were terrified by the rock fires. Days
of excitement and pleasant work, with
the little valcano grumbling more sulk-
lily all the time. have spent worse
days.
"Such Indifference as the doctor dis
played toward the xolcano have new
er known. If ventured to warn him
he would assure me that there was no
cause for alarm. think he regarded
that little hell's kitchen as merely a
feed spout for his vast enterprise. He
felt Il sort of affection toward it. He
was tolerant of its petty fits of temper.
That he completed his work before the
destruction came was sheer luck
nothing else. The day before the out
burst he came to me with tiny vial
of complicated design.
"'Percy, will at a reasonable price
sell this to you,' he said.
"'How much? inquired, respond
ing to his playfulness.
"a bargainr he cried gaily. Five
millions dollars! No! Shall upon a
needy friend hard press? Never! One
million! One little million dollarsv
4, f1of Mt
began.
"'Of no account he declared airily.
Soon we shall hat many more times
as that. Gift me your G. o. d.
"'NIy 10 UP inquired.
1t makes no matter. See! will
gif it to you gratis
HE handed me the metal contri-
vance. 1t was closed.
Inside ISIS little, such very lit
tie. Not yet ISIS it arranged the motive
power to give forth. One more change
to be made that shall require. But the
other phenomena are all in this little
half grain comprised. Later l shall
tell you more. Take it. 1t ISIS without
price, He laid his hand ON my shoul
der. Like the love of friends he said
gently
Feeling in his upper waistcoat peck
ct, barrow brought out vial, so tiny
that 1t rolled in the palm of his hand
He contemplated 1t, lost in thought.
"Radium?" queried Barnett, with thu
keen interest of the scientist.
"God knows what 1t isl" said Oar
row, rousing himself mot the per
fected product. The doctor said tina
when he gave 1t to me. If could re