The Detroit times., 1913-04-21
CHAPTER XVI.
(ContInued.)


mot yet" muttered Jack
The substitution completed, Eldridg1
again glanced at his watch.
| Now" he instructed Simmons
send the letters q E D. and con
t.nue to do SO until you again hear
the letters % X a."
Simmons set himself to the task
1t was long one. At last he reported
his answer.
He sends % X Q ten" he said
Eldridge turned to the reporters.
That means that the substitution
OF the smaller Leyden jar for one OF
the larger reduced the sending power
OF this instrument just ten miles.
said he. my crew has quite simply
moved slowly forward until 1t caught
our sending here"
Next" he instructed Simmons
see II you can communicate with
Monsieur x"
The operator speedily reported his
success at that. Eldrldge removed his
glasses and polished their lenses.
Thus, gentlemen" said he. from
our circle OF mountaineering radius
We have eliminated a strip ten miles
wide Naturally II this weakened
sending reaches only one hundred and
ninety miles. and our antagonist re-
ceives our messages, he must be near
or than one hundred and ninety miles.
We will now further reduce the
strength of our sending and try
again.
/ The Younger men present broke into
shout.
/ Good work" somebody cried They
crowded about. keenly interested in
; this new method OF man-hunting. Only
barrow, tipped back In his chair
against the wall, seemed uneycited
! To Jacks whispered question he
shook his head.
It's Ingenious" he Acknowledged
but he's on the wrong track" That
! was as far as he would explain. and
soon dropped into slight doze
! Throughout the greater part OF the
night the experiment continued Bat
terry by battery the sending power OF
the instrument was weakened. Mile
! by mile the special train drew nearer
until by catching the prearranged sig
nal. il determined just how far the
new sending reached. Then Simmons
tried Monsieur X. AS the latter in
/ variably answered. II was. OF course,
evident that he remained still in the
narrowing zone OF communication. II
was fascinating work, like the draw
ing OF a huge invisible net.
The reporters on the morning pa
pers mastered only with difficulty
their inclination to stay. They had 10
leave before their papers went to
PRESS. but were back again in an hour
: unwilling to lose a moment. OF the
game. A tension vibrated the little
office. Only Percy Darrow dozed
alone In the corner, leaning back in
his wooden armchair.
AT near o'clock in the morning
Simmons raised his head after long
bout OF calling TO announce that he
could get no reply from Monsieur X.
Hes got tired OF your fool mes.
sages." remarked the Register man
And / don't wonder. Guess he's
gone TO bed"
Eldridge said nothing, but replaced
the Leyden jar he had but just re-
moved
Try one said he.
Il get him" reported Simmons, aft
er moment
Send him anything plausible and
roassuring." commanded Eldridge has
tily. He turned to his small and
attentive audience In triumph. Thus
gentlemen" he announced. I'VE have
proven conclusively that our man Is
located between forty and nifty miles
from New York. II We draw two
circles, with this building as center.
the circumference Of one OF which Is
fifty. the other forty miles away, we
define the territory within which the
malcfactor in question is to be found"
The people in the room crowded
close about the table to examine the
map upon which Professor Eldridge
had drawn the circles.
There's an awful lot of country
some Of 1t pretty Wild" objected the
Bulletin man. 1T will be a long job
10 hunt man down in that territory"
Even II 1t were as extensive a task
as hasty review Of the facts might
Indicate" stated Eldridge, II venture
to assert that enough men would be
Forthcoming to expedite such search
Blu. modifying circumstances will
tighten the task"
"How's that?" asked the Banner
man. speaking for the others evident
interest.
we HoNc uO utchub VI
the method by which this man sue
ceeds In arresting vibratory motions
Of certain wave-lengths, said Ed
ridge didactically, ANY more than
we are able to define the precise ma
ture of electricity. But. as in the
! case OF electricity, We can observe
the action OF It's phenomena. Two
salient features leap out at u.s. one is
that these phenomena are limited in
time; the other that they are limited
! in space. The latter aspect we will
examine. II you please. gentlemen.
The phenomena have been directed
with great accuracy (a) at the Atlas
building: (b) at this city and some OF
| its Immediate suburbs. The peculiar
| ity Of this can not but strike an obser.
want mind. How is this man able. al
forty or Atty miles distance, to CON
centrate his eworts on one compare.
lively small objective? We can only
surmise some system Of insulating
screens or focal mirrors. | might re.
mark In passing that the existence of
this power TO direct or focus the more
rapid ethereal vibr atoms would be q
discovery OF considerable scientific
moment But II this Is the method
i employed, why do we not cut a band
F, Of vihratory notifications. rather than
touch upon q focal point"
"Repeat softly" murmured the fire.
pfessible Register man
WHY" explained Eldridge patient