Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-05-19
CHAPTER xxxII1.

COPYRIGHT. 1907. BY n
CHAPTER XXXIII.
S they had gathered to hear
Ralph Shades tale, SO now the
HAN depleted mess Of the Wolver.
81 inc grouped themselves for
Percy Darrow's sequel Slade himself
sat directly across from the doctors
assistant. Before him lay paper COW
cred with jotted notes. Trendon
slouched low in the chair on SHADES
right. Captain Parkinson had the 9TH
er side. Convenient to Darrow's hand
lay the material for cigarettes. AS he
talked lie rolled cylinder after cylinder
and between sentences consumed them
in long, satisfying puffs.
First you will want to learn of the
fate of your friends and shipmates,' .
he began. They are dead. One of
them, Mr.. Edwards, fell to my hand.
to bury, as you know. He lies beside
Handy Solomon. The others we shall
probably not see. Any one of score
Of ocean currents may have swept
them far away. The last great glow
that you saw was the signal of their
destruction. So the work of great
scientist, a potent benefactor Of the
race, a gentle and kindly old heart, has
brought about the death Of your friends
and of my enemies. The innocent
and the guilty, the murderer with his
plumber, the officer following his duty,
one and the same end-a paltry thing
our Wanted science Is In the face OF
such tangled fates." He spoke low
and bitterly. Then he squared his
shoulders, and his manner became
businesslIke.
"Interrupt me when any point needs
clearing up" he said. "It's blind
trail at best. You've the right to see II
as plain as can make it-with SHADES
help. Cut right in with your questions
There'll be plenty to answer, and some
never will be answered. Now, let me
get this thing laid out clearly in my
own mind. You first saw the glow
let me see''-
might of June O." said Barnett.
"June g." agreed barrow. THAT was
the end of Solomon, Thrackles & Co.
A very surprising end to them If they
had time to think" he added grimly.
Surprising enough from the surviv-
ors' viewpoint" said Slade.
Doubtless. They've had that story
from you. needn't go over it. This
ship picked up the Laughing Lass, de-
serted, and put your first crew aboard.
That night, was 1t not, you saw the
second pillar of flre?"
Barnett nodded.
$50 your men met their DEATH Then
came the second finding of the empty
schooner. Captain Parkinson, they
must have been brave men who faced
the unknown terrors of that prodigy"
"They volunteered, sir" said the cap.
tain, with simple pride.
barrow bowed with a suggestion OF
reverence in the slow movement of his
head. And that night-or was 1t two
nights later-you saw the last appear.
ance Of the portent? Well, shall
come to that. Slade has told you how
| they lived on the beach. With us III
the valley It was different Almost
from the first was alone. The doctor
ceased to be companion. He ceased
to be human almost. A machine, that's
what he was. His one human instinct
was-well. distrust. His whole force OF
being was conferred on his discovery. II
was to make him the foremost scientist
Of the world; the foremost Individual
entity of his time--of NIL time possibly
Even to outline 1t to you would take
| too much time. Light, heat, motive
power in incredible degrees and under
such control as has never been known
These were to be the agencies at his
call. The push Of button, the turl
Of screw-oh, he was to be master
Of such power as no monarch evel
1 welded! Riches-pshaw! Riches were
the least of it,. He could create them
practically. But they would be super
tiuous. Power! Unlimited, absolute
power was his goal. With his end
Achieyea, he could establish an autoc
racy, dynasty Of science whatever
he chose. oh! 1t was a rich hued
golden, glowing dream, a dream suct
as mems souls don't formulate in these
stale days-not our kind Of men. The
Teutonic mysticism-you understand
And 1t was all true. Oh, gutter!
do you mean us to understand tina,
he had this power you describe7" ask
ed Captain Parkinson.
"In his grasp Then comes a prac
teal gentleman with q steel hook. A
FOLLOWER 9f dreams, toe. in his way
CONFLICTING tnterests-you know how /,
Is, One we'll aimed blow from The
more practical dreamer and the great
err vision passes. I'm getting ahead OF
myself. Just moment
His cigarette glowed Hercely in til,
dimness before he took up his tale
again.
"You all know who DR.. Schermer
horn was. None of you know-I dom
know myself, though I've been his fac
totum for ten years-along how many
!. Varied lines Of activity that mind play
ed. One of them was the secret of en-
| ergy- concentrated, resistless energy
Mans contrivances were too puny fol
him. The most powerful engines hi
regarded as tops For time high ex
plosives claimed his attention H,
wanted to harness them. Once he got
to the point of practical experiment
You can see the ruins yet-a hole In
southern New Jersey. Nobody evel
understood how he escaped. But there
he was on his feet across ten foo
fence in plowed field-yes, he flew
the fence-and running, running, furi
i onclr In tho onnncitn 1lirontio,, x,.l,n,