The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-11-15

bird .hopped to his finger. He moved a metal pen rack to the very center Of the desk and perched the tiny creature on it. It burst into song, warbling full .hroated, packed with melody. Der sonif set the metal case a little dis tance away and adjusted it with minut- est care.
 ..Sing, Dick" he cried loudly-"sing. sing!''
 The song stopped. There had come a thrill in the air, puff of icy wind on Phil's face. thin chiming like fairy cymbaL Phil sprang up with a cry. The fluffy ball. with it's metal aerch, had utterly disappeared; only in the center of the desk was a pinch of reddish brown powder like the dust of an emery wheel. laid in feathery whorls.
 He stared. transfxed. "What does it meanT he asked hoarsely.
 The doctors voice leaped now with an evil exultation. "It means that I, Bersonin. have found what physi- cists have dreamed of for fifty years. l have solved the secret of the love and hatred of atoms. That box is the harness of force beside which the engines of modern war are children's toys"
 He grasped Phil's arm with a force that made him vince. The amber eyes glittered.
 "At first 1 planned to sell it to the highest bidder among the powers. l was fool to think of that. The na- ton that buys it to guard the secret for itself must wall me in fortress. That would be the reward of Bersonin --the great Bersonin, who had wrested from nature the most subtle of her se- crets! But am too clever for that. 1t must be I-1 alone-who holds the key! It shall bring me many things. but the first of these is money. l must have funds-unlimited funds. The money despfse. except as stepping stone. but the money you love and must have. We'll, offer it to your'
 Phil's heart was beating hard. The tension of the room had increased; 8 hundred suffocating atmospheres seem- ed pressing on it.. "How-how''- he stammered.
 Bersonin took a paper from his pock- ct. unfolded it and laid it on the stand. It was a chart of Yokohama harbor. A red square was drawn in the margin, and from this fine, nee. |3lelike ray pointed out across the arl- chorage. With his pencil the doctor wrote two words on the red square '"The Roost."
 Phil shrank trembling into his chair. He seemed to see the other looking at him over clinking glasses at the club. while voices spoke from the next room. "What if one of those Dreadnoughts should go down in this friendly har- bor" 1t came from his lips in a thin whisper. almost without his volition, the answer to the question that had haunted him that day.
 l A gleam like the fire of unholy altars came in Bersonfn's eyes.
 "Not one-two! A bolt from blue sky that will echo over Europe! And what then? A fury of popular passion in one country: suspicion and alarm in all. Rumors of war, famed by the yellow press. The bottom dropping out of the market. 1t means millions at single coup, for. in spite of iiplo- matic bubbles. the market is like q cork. The Paris bourss is soaring. Wall street will make new record to- morrow. In London consols are at 92. | My agents are awaiting my word. I have many, for that is safer. I shall spread selling orders over five coun. 1 tries--British bonds in Vienna and I New York and steel and American 1 railroads in London. 1 risk all and you nothing. Yet if you join hands with me in this we shall share alike. l you and I. And with the winnings we l get now we shall get more. Trust me to know tke way. Money shall be dirt to you. The pleasure cities of every continent shall be your playgrounds. You shall have your pretty little Japa- anese peri and fifty more besides" Phil's face had flushed and paled by turns. He looked at the expert with i a shivering fascination: But there are-there will be-men aboard ttose ships" He shuddered and wrenched his gaze away.
 Bersonin put out his great hand and laid it on the others shoulder-its weight seemed to be pressing him down into the chair.
 "Well," he said in low, intense voice. what if there areT
 There was long silence. Then slow ly Phil lifted face as white as pa per. A look sinking and devilish lay in it now.
 The doctor bent down and began to speak in low tone. The sound pass ed around the room, sibilant, like the sound of bats wings in the dark.
 1t was an hour before midnight when
 Phil opened the gate of the experts
 house and passed down the moon.
 lighted street. He walked stumbling.
 ly. covering at the tree shadows, peer.
 ing nervously over his shoulder like
 one who feels the presence of ghast.
 iy familiar.
 In the great room he had left Der
 sonin stood by the fireplace. The nerv'
 ous strain and exaltation were still on
 him. He poured out a glass of the
 Hqueur which he had not yet tasted
 and drank it off. The hot pungent
 mint Sanf a p1nvv uIouD hio porvoS Ra