Evening times-Republican., 1913-10-18

coPYR1a,:E 1Sn. TIE 4 :
CHAPTER XVIII.
Confusion Woeso oensounded.
The absolute failure Of NldridgeH
hxpothesis Immediately threw public
confidence into . profound reaction.
!. Certainty gave place to complete dis.
iitrust. Rumor gained ground. The
exodus increased. Where formerly only
those who could do 20 without great
sacrifice or Inconvenience had left
town, now people were beginning to
ont loose sat any cost Men resigned
their positions In order to got their
families away; others began to Ar
range their affairs - best they might,
a, though for Z long vacation. As yet
panic had not appeared openly In the
light Of day. but she lurked in the
shadows OF mems hearts.
The railroads and steamboats, were
crowded beyond their capacity. Extra
Grains followed ono another % close
together % tho block signals would
allow them to run. Humanity packed
the cars. It was Like . continual series
of football days. In three Of them It
mas estimated that two hundred thou
sand people had left Manhattan. Il
would have been physically impossible
TOT the transportation lines to have
carried . thousand moro They had
reached their capacity; tho spigot was;
wide open.
Percy Daruw showed jack tho hea6
li1.es to this ehnect
"Cheerful thought" he suggested.
Suppose the whole four million should
want . get ont at the Same time!"
E,dridxe had como back to the wire.
less Office thoroughly bewildered. It
70 a wellknown fact that tho exact
scientist Il the hardest man to fool,
but the most fooled IL fooled at all.
Witness the extent TO which noted sci.
entists have been taken in by taxing
spiritualist mediums. SO with FL
bridge. His hypothesis had been SO
carefully worked out that the failure
Of its logic threw his mind into con.
fusion. Until he could. discover the
weak link in his chain of reasoning.
that confusion must continue.
An hour and half after the bulletin
announcing the failure Of the search
had been posted. Eldridge rushed into
the wireless once. Tho plague Of
darkness had lifted after fifteen min.
utee' duration.
Call Monsieur K" he gasped TO the
day operator. In fifteen minutes. by
raDid suhstltntions of batteries to
weaken orstrShgt6en the sending cur.
rent, he had redetermined his previ.
Gus data. Apparently. without the
shadow Of . doubt, Aoasieur x was
within tho circle.
''He may bs at sea," suggested the
operator.
But Eldridge shook his head. The
circle Of the sea had been well pa.
trolled. and for days.
"Begin all over again." dr1wled
Darrow. II told you that ycu were
on tho wrong track"
EIdridge glanced at him.
Il can't say that you've done much!"
said ho tartly.
moi" queried Darrow, with one Of
his slow and exasperating smiles
Perhaps not But you'd better get
TO thinking. You won't be able always
to take things easy. You may have to
hustle before long"
There has been, admit" said Ell
dridge stimy, repeating In substance
the interview he had already given
out, some naw in our chain of rea,
soninE. This It will be necessary to
review with the object Of revision.
Every physical manifestation must
have some physical and definite cause: (:
and this can be found II time enough
is bestowed on It. Often the process
Of elimination IL the only method BY
which the truth can BE- determined"
Darrow chuckled.
Look out the process Of elimina,
tion doesn't overtake you." he 70
marked.
Eldridse detailed the Same reason.
ing. ut greater length, to the men who
had employed him. These were very
tmpatient. Business was being not
merely impeded. but destroyed. Their
customers had no time for them: their
employees were In many cases leaving
their Jobs. They called in all the
help they could to assist Eldridge's
specuiitions, but In the end they had
to fall, back on the scientist as the
best on the market Tho case was not
left in his hands alone, however. Aftei
. meeting they offered a reward to any
ono discovering and putting to an end
tho disconcerting phenomena.
Here's where We mako money.
Jack, big money" observed Darrow
when he read this offer. "It1l be big
ger before we get through. You and
I can have the little expedition to Vol
cano Island"
Nothing snits me better" said
Jack. Arc you sure we'll get 1T"
'Sure," said Darrow.
Monsieur x had Of course honored
the waiting world. With q message. II
followed the Afteen minutes Of dark
mess:
80
'Tosths Psopls: I have been. patient
ssd have stayed my hand in order thai
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