The Washington herald., 1913-06-22
CHAPTER XIX.
Percy Keeps Vigil.

The morning of the third day after
the failure of the search, and of tn
sixth since McCarthy's disappearance
had arrived. During that time Perc!
barrow, apparently insensible to ia
tigue, had maintained an almost sleep
less vigil His meals Jack WarforC
brought in to him; he dozed in hi
chair Or on the couch. Never did hi
appear to do anything.
The very persistent quietude of tn,
man ended by making its impression
To all questions. however, Darrow re,
turned but the one reply, delivered al
ways in voice full of raillery:
Il couldn't bear to miss single ster
of Eldridgeis mastery work"
About half past nine of the morning
in question, through the door TO the
wireless office, always half opened
somebody looked hesitatingly into the
room Instantly barrow and Jack were
on their feet and in the hallway.
Helen" cried Jack
What is it," Anything hsppened?'
demanded Darrow.
She surveyed them both amusedly.
You certainly look like frowzy
tramp, Jack" she told her brother jul
diciously, and you need Sleep" she in
formed barrow.
The young scientist bowed ironically
his long lashes dropping over his eyes
in his accustomed lazy fashion as he
realized that the occasion was not ur-
gent. Helen turned directly to him.
When are you going to stop this !!
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 amusingf' echoed the girl.
All you think of is yourself
rs it, drawled barrow.
Have you been out in the city?
Have you seen the people, Have you
seen men out of work? Families leav-
ing their homes. Panic spreading
slowly but surely over whole city,"
me-" said barrow blandly.
The girl looked at him with bright,
angry eyes. Her cheeks were glowing,
and her whole figure expressed a tense
vibrant life in singular contrast to the
apparent Incidence of the men at whom
she was talking.
You are insufferabler She fairly
stamped her foot IN vexation. You
are an egotist! You would play with
the welfare of four million people to
crafty your little personal desire for
getting event"
STEADY, sisp warned Jack.
barrow had Strengthened, and his in
dolent manner had fallen from him.
Il have said | would permit no harm
to come to these people, and | mean
it," said he.
NO harm cried Helen. What do
you call this
barrow turned to the window look
ing out over the city.
This! y he said. why, this isn't
harm! There isn't a man out there
who is not better off for what has
happened 10 him. He has lost little
time, a little money, little sleep, and
he has been given new point OF view,
new manhood. 49, As a city dweller he
was becoming mollusk, a 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 it in any
way; he didn't even know how il was
done. Deprived of his push-buttons,
he was as helpless as a baby. Beyond
the little stunt he did in his Office or
his store, and beyond the ability to
cross 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 four-square, self-reliant
individual, as you can find on the broad
expanse of the globe. I've got no use
for man who can't take care of him
self, 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 himl'
His eye was fixed somberly on the
city stretching away into the haze of
the autumn day.
You blame me for letting this
thing runl he went on. "Of course
it tickles me to death to see Eldridge
founder; but that isn't all. This is the
best thing that could happen to them
out there! I'm just patriotic enough to
wish them more of il. It's good medi-
cine! At last every man Jack of them
is up against something he's got to de-
eide for himself. The police are use
less; the fire department is useless; the
railroads and street Gags are crippled.
If man is going to take care of his
life and property, he must do it him
self. He's buying back his self-reli-
ance. Self-reliance is a valuable prop
erty. He ought to pay something for
it. Generally he has to pay war or
or bloody riot. In the
present instance he's getting off cheap
He turned back from the open WIZ
dow. His eye travelled beyond Helen's1
trim figure down the empty hall.
wait right here, Jack" he shot over
his shoulder. and rushed along the
hall and down the stairway before
either the young man or his sister
could recover from their establishment.
CHAPTER Xxx.