The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1913-10-31

time no sound broke the deathly still
ness. Then Percy Darrow spoke. in
his natural voice.
well. Jack" he remarked. 1T work
ed out. to a second. almost Now I'm
certain"
AS though this breaking of the ST.
lence had released a force hitherto
held In repression. the room filed with
tumult and tlamor. with crashing.
banging and scurrying OF heavy bodies.
A final conclusion shook the air. and
then. again abruptly, silence fell.
"Say!" Hallowell's voice spoke up. a
trife uncertainty. "T'll stand for most
any kind of q dark seance, but this
particular spook business 10 getting on
my nerves. Are you there, DarrowT"
Yes, I'm here" answered the
scientist
well. can you explain that phe.
nomenon?"
That" drawled barrow, a slight
note Of laughter in his voice, was
that extraordinary upheaval Of natur-
al forces known as Brother Mccarthy
going away from here--hastily."
Jack chuckled.
"He hit me on the way out" re-
marked that young man. III testify
he was solid spook."
The reporter was methodically strik.
ing match after match. but without re-
suit After moment the acrid smell
of burning wooden rose In the air.
Are you dropping those matches?
asked Darrow.
Sure; they're no good"
well. they're good enough to burn
holes In McCarthy's rugs. Stamp
around a little to put them out; and
quit it."
What next; and how long?" asked
Jack. What Is It? Have we gone
blind, or is 1t total eclipse, or what?'
81 don't know how long," came back
Darrow's voice calmly. Next we will
get out of the building. want to make
some observations. Get hold Of my
hand; we'll have to grope our way
out"
IF we could only get light" NUT
tered Hallowell.
"You can't" stated barrow.
They felt their way down the ter
| flights of stairs like blind men. A few
inmates of the building they jostled
or passed, or picked up on the way.
In the lower corridors Darrow halt
ed them.
Heres another thing" said he: I'll
| - % n De
just eleven feet beyond the last ele
vator cage"
He felt his way along the grill, made
four PAGES forward, and uttered lit
| tie cry of satisfaction. The two meI
followed him blindly. AS though step
ping from one room to another they
emerged into glazing daylight!
Both Involuntary looked back. The
darkness hung there like curtain
Just inside the outer walls of the build
ing. Already a crowd had gathered tc
observe this new and grange phe
nomenop of the now celebrated Atlas
Building. 1t was a curious and IA
cetious crowd, but not awestricken. as
it had been at the first manifestations
of this freakish upset of natural forces
A man observing the flight OF an
aeroplane for the first times loses his
sense of strangeness inside of few
minutes; and yet flying has been since
the days Of Icarus considered one OF
the impossible achievements. So the
general public of Manhattan were be-
coming accustomed to reversals OF
form in the affairs of the physical
world The frivolous majority. having
discovered nothing to be apprehended
from the phenomena save few hours
helplessness of sort. and much to be
gained through the SAVIOR of novelty
were inclined to an amused or IT.
ritated attitude, depending on the ex.
| tent to which its occupations we're In
terfered with. The minority took to
religious meetings and interpretations
Darrow's exit, and that of his com.
panions, were greeted uproariously
"'Please go way an let me sleep!'"
sang one, at the blinking men.
Here's another!" shrilled gamin
Get up! The porter wants to make
up your BERTH"
Several of the crowd. pending the
usual arrival of the police to clear the
corridor. had ventured through the
wide portals, and were experimenting
with this strange palpoble quality OF
| darkness. One or two popped inside
the curtain, but emerged quickly, look
| ing a little scared.
A bright youth made the discovery
that il one lighted a match and step
ped within the blackness. the match
was Immediately extinguished, but
that upon emerging into daylight the
flame came up again. Some one hap
pened along with a plumbers gasoline
torch Immediately this was lighted
and the experiment repeated. The
bearer of the torch. astonished at the
instant extinguishment Of the fame
felt with his hand to see what could
be the matter. Instantly he uttered
yelp Of pain. and leaped outside. dis
playing a badly burned palm.
There wasn't no flame; / swear it,
he explained excitedly, but she burn
ed, Just the same!" He rushed abou
from one to another displaying his in
| jured palm to whoever would look.