The Detroit times., 1913-04-22
q mn STRANGEST MYSTERY ROMANCE
on PRESENIsNINUTE NEW YORK
TIE SId j SIX
! STEWARD EDWARD WHITE
AvgS77oA THBBIAzED TRAIL. THE SILENT PLACER

IL, THE SILENT PLACEHtl
si7. The pobhs- Merrin Company.
Our major premises We and stiIi
10 be correct" announced Eldridge In
the coldly didactic manner character
istic OF the man. This unknown
operator Is at distance, and prob
ably ut height. One indication we
did not take sufficiently into consid'
Gration-the fact that this instrument
alone Is capable OF communication
with the instrument OF this individ-
ual."
Percy Darrow for the first time be-
gan 10 show signs or attention. He
dropped the legs of his chair 10 the
floor and leaned forward.
That would Indicate. gentlemen.
that the instrument whose location We
are DESTROYS Of determining Is or pc
culiar nature. What that nature IL
we have no means Of determining &C
curately: 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 SO
delicately responsive As the average.
In other words, the zone within which
he may be found is In fact wider than
we had supposed"
barrow leaned back against the
wall and closed his eyes. Eldrdse
continued, explaining the means he
had taken to determine more accurate
ly the exact location Of Monsieur x
CHAPTER XIX.
Percy Keeps Vigil.
The morning OF the third day after
the failure OF the search, and or 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 War
ford brought In to him; he doxed 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. DaTrow re-
turned but the one reply. delivered
always in a voice full Of raillery:
II couldn't bear to miss a single
step OF Eldridge's mastery work"
About half past nine Of the morning
In question. through the door to the
wireless ONCE, always half opened,
somebody looked hesitatingly into the
room. Instantly Darrow and Jack
were on their feet and in the hallway.
"HeIen!" cried Jack.
What Is IL, Anything happened
demanded barrow.
She surveyed them both amusedly.
You certainly look like a frowzy
tramp. Jack" che told her brother
judiciously. and you need sleep" she
informed Darrow.
The young scientist bowed ironical-
ly. his long lashes dropping over his
eyes In his accustomed lazy fashion
an he realized that the occasion was
not urgent. 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
yon do IT."
,Eldridge is too amusing"
Too amusing!" echoed the girl.
"All you think Of II yourself"
rs it," drawled Darrow.
Have yon been out In the city
Have you seen the people? Have yon
seen men out OF work? Families leav.
ing their homes? Panic spreading
slowly but surely over a whole city,"
Those pleasures have been denied
me-" said barrow blandly.
The girl looked at him with bright
angry eyes. Her cheeks were glow.
Ing. ard 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 insufferable! She fairly
stamped her foot in vexation. You
are an egoist, You would play with
the welfare OF four million people to
crafty your little personal desire for
getting even"
Steady, sis" 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 10 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 Of for what has
happened to him He has lost little
iime, "a little money, a little sleep, and
he mas been given new point or
view, new manhood. As "A city dwell
er he was becoming n mollusk. a crea-
ture 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 IL 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 mis- store. and beyond the
ability 10 crosse a crowded street, ne
was no good. He not only didn't know
how 20 do things, but he was rapidly
losing, through disHse, the power ID
learn how TO do things. The modern
city dweller, bred, born, brought up Oh
this island, is about AS helpless anu
useless "A man, considered as a four
square, selfreliant individual, IA You
can fnd 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
90 have somebody else to do II for him.
whenever something to which he
hasn't been accustomed raises up ~
front OF him