The daily tribune., 1909-02-26
TkE MYSTERY
CF LIFE
(copyright. BY Daily Story Pub. co1
sy Jewell Hawkes..

NCopyriGnt, py Oaaiy story Pub. Col
Man is, at best, an unsatisfiee
creature. Instinct makes him an in
vestigator. He is curiosity personi
fed. He is forever seeking new fields
to conquer He is continually delvine
into the unknown. Nothing so fas
cinates him as the undiscovered. Mys
terry Is the very essence Of his exist
ence
John Thornton was standing before
the disordered litter OF his laboratory
table. So intent was he that the very
roar of the rain on the windows
seemed sacrifice. 1t was terrifying
night; nature seemed in the very
throes Of a new birth. But Thornton
did not heed it. His face was set his
muscles rigid: his whole frame trem.
bled under the strain Of his intense
anxiety. This was the crowning point
Of his life. Years OF hard. relentless
effort stretched behind him. His very
existence, It seemed. was being tried
In the crucibe OF the moment. Here
was passing the mystery Of life and
death. If the experiment failed-but
1t could not fail. Yet II he were mis-
taken-the very thought made him
almost groan with agony. The fash of
his eager eyes told Of his determine
ton to win.
Before him lay the enigma of life;
could he solve It? A cold sweat broke
out on his body. Again he bent over
his experiment. Did 1t begin to show
signs of life or was It but an inert
mass? The thing moved! Could 1t
be? Was he going mad? Feverishly,
he tried test after test 1t responded
tc all. Surely, 1t must be alive. Yet
he could scarcely believe 1t. Life IT.
self had answered his touch. The
secret Of creation was his. He was akin
to the gods, With wild. exultant
cry, he fell senseless to the floor.
When Thornton awoke he was dazed
with the immensity of his discovery
This night made him the foremost
scientist of all time. He alone, of all
men. knew the secret of life. He
alone could produce It, The sense
of his conquest struck him like
blow.
Ugh! What was that? With a
shudder he drew back his hand Some
thing moist and indescribably loath-
some had touched 1t. He opened his
eyes. With a cry OF horror he started
back. There before him was mon
ster Of such terrible aspect that he
scarcely dared look at 1t again. 1t
was formless, spongy mass slowly
fllling the room. Then he remem.
bered. The lowest forms OF life de
velop with marvellous rapidity. His
chemicals were the most stimulating
known to science. His creature had
not ceased to grow, while he lay
senseless. The sight OF that animated
Jelly filled him with horror. He
shrank from 1t as from the touch of
death. How he loathed 1t! But with
a mighty effort he nerved himself to
action. With an oath, he sprang for
his acids. His feet sank nolselessly
into the shapeless monster. A tremor
In his agony of fear, Thornton dashed
acid after acid on the mass. They
were useless. Black streaks followed
the deadly streams, but the growth did
not stop.
He seized knife-a club-anything.
He beat 1t, cut It, struck tall to no
avail. His weapon sank softly into
the unresisting sponge. Its surface
tremblsd and heaved from the impact
Of the blow. but It's growth was un.
checked. 1t did not resist. yet It did
not retreat. The filthy monster simply
grew. It's bloated body seethed and
surged. Thornton was frantic. The
power he had created was unmanage.
able. He had produced. but could not
control. His triumph was his un-
doing.
Still the mass increased. 1t scarce
ly semed to grow, rather TO swell.
Little by little It was filling the room
with its hideous bulk. Vainly Thorn
ton sought to destroy 1t. He used
without avail. The monster was In
vulnerable. Ii was the embodiment OF
life, but without vital point. II was suf.
fused with being. but devoid of high
er center. Without intellect, without
emotion. without feeling. The mass
Of animation was slowly but surely
overcoming the master mind that had
created 1t. The man stood powerless
before its growing might Yet he
fought desperately; he would not own
defeat But ever. as he struggled and
cursed. the soft but deadly embrace OF
his creature stole silently about him.
He did not think of flight; but even
II he had II would have been useless.
Every avenue OF escape was blocked
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