Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-05-29
inxs easy. You NAV have I'D

take things easy. You may have to
hustle before long"
There has been, ! admit" said
Eldridge stiffly, repeating In substance
the interview he had already given
out, 'some flaw In our chain Of reason
ing. 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 10
bestowed on It. Often the process OF
elimination is the only method BY
which the truth can be determined =
barrow chuckled.
Look out the process Of elimina'
ton doesn't overtake you," he re-.
marked.
Eldridge detailed the same reason
ing, at greater length. to the men who
had employed him. These were very
impatient. Business was not merely
impeded, but destroyed. Their Gus.
toners 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 specula-
lions, but In the end they had to fall
, back on the scientist as the best ON
the market The case was not left In
his hands alone. however. After .
meeting they offered a reward to any
one discovering and putting to an end
the disconcerting phenomena.
Here's where we make money,
Jack, big money" observed barrow
when be read this offer. eth be big
ger before we get through. You and I
can have little expedition to Volcano
Island"
Nothing suits me better" said Jack.
Are you sure we'll get IT."
Sure said Darrow.
Monsieur x had Of course honored
the waiting world with q message. 1t
followed the fifteen minutes Of dark
ness:
"To the people:
II have been patient and have
stayed my hand In order that you may
learn the vanity Of your endeavor.
Who are We that We shall strive to take
me? Vanity and foolishness is your
portion. Now ye know my power and
We will listen unto my words as to the
words Of the Master. Ye must hunt
down this man Mccarthy and deliver
him over unto me. II every one Of you
gives himself to the task, 10! 1t is
quickly done. Bestir yourselves against
the wrath to comet"
These events occupied the three
days OF ordered exodus. The time was
further filled with rumor that ever
grew more dire. Gradually business
was suspended entirely. Those who
could not or would not go away stood
about talking matters over. and, as is
always the case, mhtters did not i'm
prove in the telling. The only activity
in the city was that bent on seeking
out the abiding-place Of Monsieur x.
Eldridge had now come to the con-
clusion that he had perhaps been mis-
taken In confining his efforts to SO
small an area. In fact. further expert
ments rendered hazy the arbitrary out
lines formerly determined for the zone
of danger At times Monsieur x
answered well within the forty-five.
mile mark; at times somewhat be.
You'd the end Of the fitty-mile radius
Eldridge Immediately undertook .
series of more delicate experiments by
meanD Of indicators especially de-
signed by him for the occasion. Once
more the little wireless office became
the focus Of reportoral attention.
"Our major premises we find still
to be correct" announced Eldridge in
the coldly didactic manner char.
acteristic of the man. This unknown
operator is at distance; and prob
, ably at height. One indication We
did not take sufficiently into consid-
eration-the fact that this instrument
alone ID capable Of communication
with the instrument Of this individual
Percy barrow for the first time
began to show signs Of attention. He
dropped the legs of his chair to the
floor and leaned forward.
THAT would indicate, gentlemen,
that the instrument whose location we
are DESTROYS Of determining is Of q
peculiar nature. What that nature is
we have no means Of determining
accurately; but in conjunction with
the fact that our previous experiments
failed to locate Monsieur X, we may
adopt the hypothesis that the wireless
apparatus of that individual is not 80
delicately responsive as the average.
In other words, the zone within which
he may be found Is In fact wider than
we had supposed"
Darrow leaned back against the wall
and closed his eyes. Eldridge con-
tinued, explaining the means he had
taken to determine more accurately
the exact location Of Monsieur x. 4.
The morning OF the third day after
the failure Of the search. and OF the
sixth since McCarthy's disappearance
had arrived. During that time Percy
barrow, apparently insensible to a.
tigue, had maintained an almost
sleepless vigil. His meals Jack War.
ford brought in to him; he dozed in
his chair or on the couch. Never did
he appear to do anything. I.
The very persistent quietude OF
the man ended by making its impress
sion. To all questions, however, OAR
row returned but the one reply, de-
livered always in voice full OF rail.
lery:
II couldn't bear to miss a single
step Of Eldridge's mastery work. "t
About half past nine OF the morn
| ing in question. through the door to
the wireless Office, always half open
ed. somebody looked hesitatingly into
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