Rock Island Argus., 1911-04-07

'I am sure he has nothing eise.~
How many a day?"
"One. / have had him under sur
veillance for several weeks, and he
takes but one tablet each twenty-four
hours"
Take them away from him But
hold! The secret would die with him.
1t may be useful to me. Should l
have 1t his death might not be neces-
sary to me- 1t costs. say, dollar
day to feed a man. II a million men
can be fed 800 days on cent day
there is a saving of 5000 100000. If I
can do that can find way to under
mine him. Secure one of the tablets
and bring it to me at once"
Another week passed. The colonel
made another report The prisoner
carried no supply OF tablets on his
person. Moreover. he was not seen to
swallow any more tablets.
"Bunglerr' cried Mr.. Van Rockagan
"You have made him suspicious. BE
has found a means of supply that you
are not aware of and takes his daily
meal when you are not observing him.
Does he still retain his fesh?"
"He does If he receives tablets
from without it must be during the
night, and he musteat them then"
60 back and watch all night, with
out and within"
The next report was that during the
night huge bird lit on a chimney lead
ing down to the prisoners apartments,
remained there a moment and few
away.
Bird be hangedT' exclaimed Mr..
Van Rockagan contemptuously. "1t
was one OF these newfangled aero
planes with a man or perhaps a small
boy In it Catch or shoot one of them
before he can drop a tablet down the
chimney and you'll get what you're
after"
A bird was captured Just before 1t
reached the chimney. Its wing was
broken by a shot, and it was caught
in a net. 1t proved to be a ten-year-
old boy. On his person was one OF
the mysterious tablets.
When Colonel Whistleton brought the
tablet to his chief the latter ordered Mr..
Harrihin to be supplied with food till
further orders. Then he sent out at
once for DR.. Beckendorf, the scientist
in charge of his department of chemis-
try. When the gentleman arrived Mr..
Van Rockagan said to him:
"Analyze that" and he handed the
doctor the tablet.
Dr. Beckendorf withdrew and the
next morning reappeared with his re-
port
'"That tablet, your commercial high
ness" he said, was suggested thirty
Iyys II Nsg-fr fnaadl
BertheIow. 1t IS. composed Of carbon
derived from carbonic acid, hydrogen
taken from water. with ozate and oxy-
gen borrowed from the atmosphere.
DR.. Berthelow declared that such a
tablet would supply man with all the
nourishment he needed. But / have
never heard Of one being manufac-
tured. Doubtless a process of doing so
has been recently hit upon"
-Can you manufacture it?"
AZ think 1 can"
do SO. But never mind. You may 1
60"
A few days later Mr.. Rockagan's /
financial chief appeared before Mr. /
Harrihill and said:
"Afr. Rockagan possesses your secret, |
and it will enable him to feed a man !
on a cent a day or less. He will at /
once begin a competing road with |
every one you own, to cost a small |
percentage of what yours cost, or he
will buy your roads at the market
price"
One morning it was announced that
all Mr.. HaTihilrs railroad securities
had been transferred to Mr.. Rockagan
"Now." said that gentleman. 1--WE
may assume the title Of president, en-
peror or whatever we like"