The Clio messenger., 1913-11-14


gested ways ard out into the inhos-
pitabls country. the uneasiness o.
dread held them covering at Sheir ac-
customed tasks. They were afraid;
but they had had time to think, and
they. realized what it would mean to
leave their beloved or accustomed or
necessary city, as the case might be.
And 1t must be remembered that the
definite knowledge of what might be
feared was not yet disseminated
among them.
But this attitude hurt business, and
business struck back. The subways
were practically deserted; the theaters
empty; the accumstomed careless life
Of the Great White Way thinned; the
streams of life slaekened. Further
more, the intelligent criminal imme-
diately discovered that ideal shields
were being provided him gratis behind
which to conduct his crimes. In the
silence a man could blow out the side
Of bank building with impunity. pro-
.vided only he kept out of sight. In
the darkness he could pilfer at will.
with only the proviso that he forget
not his gum shoes. The possibilities
OF night crime when electricity lacks
have already been touched upon.
To meet unusual conditions the peo-
pie individually and collectively rose
to heights of forgotten ingenuity. The
physical life of city Is so well es-
tablished that the average city dweller
NJ NJ RhA Mo civ ~
adaptability. Now once more these
people were forced to meet new and
uHtried conditions. to guard against
new dangers, new opposing forces. In
an incredibly short space Of time they
grew out Of aimless panic. They learn
ed to sit tight; to guard adequately
their lives, their treasure, and even to
a certain extent their time against un-
due loss.
In the meantime the moneyed pow
ers had been prompt to act. They did
not intend to stand idly while their
pockets were being picked by unto
ward circumstances; nor did they in
tend to continue indefinitely the un-
usual expenditures necessary to guard
themselves against even greater loes
AS there seemed to be two men to
find, they employed the best of de-
tectives to search for Mccarthy; and
Professor Eldridge, as the greatest
living expert. to hunt down the Un-
known. Thus unexpectedly Eldridge
found himself with definite backing In
his strange duel with Darrow.
l.
the reader samples of the messages
sent by Monsieur y and received in
the wireless office of the Atlas Build
ing, after which we can proceed once
more to follow out the sequence. of
events.
ITO the People: The sign has been sent
you. You must now believe. The traitor
Is among you. and you must hunt him
down. This is your sacred duty. for ],
your master. have laid 1t upon YOU"
That was one of the first. After
round dozen of similar import. there
came this:
ITO the People: I, your master. am dis
pleased with you. The visitations of dark
you have needed little. I doubt not that
we search as / have commanded, but you
do not realize to the full your sacred OBJ
legation. You go about your business and
you carry on your affairs. Your business
and your affairs are not so important as
these, my commands Beware lest you
draw down the wrath of the Lords
Anointed. am patient with your ignor-
ance: but give heed"
The last at present to which your
attention is called came just before
the events to be detailed:
ITO the People: Your time Is drawing
short You are a stubborn and a stiff
necked generation. My patience is ebb.
ing away You have been shown the
power of my right hand, and you have
gone your accustomed ways. You have
defied the might of the Right Hand Of
God. Now / will lay on you my COM
mands You must seek out Apollyon and
deliver him even into my hands, and that
shortly. I shall be patient yet little
while longer, for know that you grope
in darkness and have not the light that
shines upon me. But soon shall strike
To BE CoNTINUED)