Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-06-14
CHAPTER XIX.

| the failure of the search, and
= of the sixth since McCarthy's
disappearance, had arrived. During
that time Percy barrow, apparently
insensible to fatigue, had maintained
an almost sleepless vigil. His meals
Jack Warford brought to him; he
dozed in his chair or on the couch.
Never did he appear to do anything.
The very persistent quietude of the
man ended by making its impression.
To all questions, however, barrow re-
turned but the one reply, delivered
always in voice full of raillery;
II couldn't bear to miss single
step of Eldridge's mastery work"
About half-past nine of the morn
, ing In question. through the door 10
the wireless office. always half opened,
somebody looked hesitatingly into
the room. Instantly Darrow and Jack
were on their feet and in the hall
way.
"Helen!" cried Jack.
What is it? Anything happened?
demanded barrow.
She surveyed them both amusedly.
"You certainly look like a frowzy
tramp, Jack" she told her brother
judiciously, land you need Sleep"
she informed Darrow.
The young scientist bowed ironical-
ly, his long lashes dropping over his
eyes In his accustomed lazy fashion
as he realized that the occasion was
not urgent. Helen turned directly to
him.
when are you going to stop this p
she demanded.
barrow raised his eyebrows.
You needn't look at me like that.
You said you could lay your hands
on Monsieur X at any moment; why
don't you do it?"
"Eldridge is too amusing"
TOO amusingl" echoed the girl.
'All you think of is yourself"
"Is it?p drawled Darrow.
"Have you been out in the city?
Have you seen the people? Have
you seen men out of work? Families
leaving their homes? Panic spread
ing slowly but surely over whole
city,"
Those pleasures have been denied
me-" said Darrow blandly.
The girl looked at him with bright
angry eyes. Her cheeks were glow
ing and her whole figure expressed
a tense vibrant life in singular con-
trast to the apparent Incidence OF
the men at whom she was talking.
You are, insufferablei" She fairly
stamped her foot in vexation. You
are an egoistl You would play with
the welfare of four million people to
crafty your little personal desire for
getting event" ih1 =
STEADY, sisi" warned Jack.
barrow had Strengthened and his
indolent manner had fellen from him.
81 have said 1 would permit no
harm to come to these people, and
mean it, said he.
mo harm!'' cried Helen. What
do you call this"
barrow turned to the window look
ing out over the city.
"This!" he said. "Why, this isn't
harm! There isn't man out there
who is not better off for what has
happened to him. He has lost lit
tie time, a little money, little sleep,
and he has been given new point
of view, new manhood AS
city dweller he was becoming
mollusk, creature that could
not exist without its shell.
The city transported him, warmed
him. fed him, amused him, protected
him. He had nothing to do with 1t in
any way; he didn't even know how
it was done. Deprived of his push
buttons, he was as helpless as baby.
Beyond the little stunt he did in his
office or his store, and beyond the
ability to cross a crowded street, he
was no good. He not only didn't know
how to do things. but he was rapidly
losing, through disuse, the power to
learn how to do things. The modern
city dweller, bred, born, brought up
on this island, is about as helpless
| and useless a man, considered as a
! four-square, self-reliant individual.
as you can find on the broad expanse
of the globe. I've got no use for a
man who can't take care of himself,
who's got to have somebody else to
do it for him, whenever something to
which he hasn't been accustomed
rises up in front of him.
His eye was fixed somberly on the
city stretching away into the haze
of the autumn day.
ITO Be Continued Monday
|