The citizen., 1913-12-19

you?"
Helen" said Darrow. facing her
| sQuarely. Il maintained rigidly all the
outer forms of politeness. That is as
| far as | will go anywhere with that
man. My statement to him is quite
just; he has no humanity"
What do you mean? Why are you
so bitter?" asked Helen, little sub
dued in her anger by the young man. S
| evident earnestness.
You never knew Doctor Schmer-
horn. did you. Helen?" he asked.
The funny little old German? In
deed, l did! He was dear!"
He was one OF the greatest scien
lists living-and he was a dear, That
goes far to explain him-a gentle
wise, child-like. old man-with imagi.
nation and a Heaven-seeking soul. He
picked me up as boy. and was IA
ther to me-. I was his scientific as.
sistant until he was killed. murdered
by the foulest band of pirates. Life
passes; and that is long ago"
He fell silent moment; and the
|
trayal OF feeling with eyes at once
startled and sympathetic.
Doctor Schermerhorn," went on
! Darrow in his usual family tired. faint
ly cynical tone, worked off and on
| for five years on certain purely
scientific discovery. the nature of
which you would not understand. In
conversation he told its essentials to
this Eldridge. Doctor Schermerhorn
| fell sick of a passing illness When
he had recovered, the discovery had
been completed and given to the scien-
| tific world
OH" cried Helen. What trick" "
$50 ! think The discovery was
purely theoretic and brought no par
ticular fame or money to Eldridge. It
was. as he looked at it, and as the
doctor himself looked at it, merely
carrying common knowledge to con-
clusion. Perhaps it was; but | never
! forgave Eldridge for depriving the old
man of the little satisfaction of the
final proof 1t is indicative of the
whole man He lacks humanity, and
therefore imagination"
Still, l wish you wouldn't be quite
so bitter when I'm around pleaded
Helen, though I love your feeling for
dear old Doctor Schermerhorn."
I wish you could arrange to get out
of town for little WHILE urged Oar
row Isn't there some one you can
visit?"
DO you mean there is danger?'
There is the potentially of dan
ger" Darrow amended. 81 am almost
confident if pure reason can be relied
on, that when the time comes | can
avert the danger"
Almost" said Helen.
Il may have missed one of the ele
ments of the case-though I do not
think so. can be practically certain
when l telephone a man | know-or
see the morning papers"
Telephone now. then. But why
when the time comes?' Why not
now?"
Darrow arose to go to the telephone
He shook his head
Let Eldridge do his best. He has
always -triumphantly. Now
he will fail and he will fail in the
most spectacular, the most public way
possible"
He lifted his eyes, usually so dreamy,
| so soft brown. Helen was startled at
the lambent flash in their depths. He
| sauntered from the room. After a mo-
ment she heard his voice in conversa-
| ton with the man he had called.
"Hallowell?" he said, good luck to
find you Did our friend leave on the
Celtic? No? Sure he didn't sneak
off in disguise? III trust you to think
of everything Sure! Meet me at
Simmons wireless in half an hour"
Helen heard the click as he hung
up the receiver. A moment later he
lounged back into the room.
"All right" he said. MY jobs
| done"
Done" echoed Helen in surprise.
Either I'm right or I'm wrong, :"
said Darrow Every element of the
game is now certainly before me. If
my reasoning is correct | shall re-
ceive certain proof of that fact with
in half an hour. If it is wrong, then
I'm away off, and Eldridge's methods
will win if any can
What is the proof? Aren't you
wildly excited? Tell mel" cried Helen.
The proof is whether Or not GER
tain message has been received over
a certain wireless" said DaTrow III
know soon enough. But that is not
the question; can not you get out of
town for little while?"
Helen surveyed him speculatively
IF there is no danger, can see no
reason for it, she stated at length.
with decision. IF there is danger you
should warn a great many others"
but if that warning might precipi
tate the danger?"
Shall go or stay?" she demanded
| ignoring the equivocation.
| Darrow considered.
(TO BE CONTINUED)
|
Remarkable Eye for Detail.