The citizen., 1913-12-05


see if they were solid, or wet, or soft
or hard, as the case might be. Even
Darrow felt, absurdly enough, that it
would not be greatly serious to jump
off the top of any building into the
street.
Darrow swung confidently enough
down the street. He was the only per
son who moved forward at a natural
and easy gait The effect was star
tling Darrow seemed to be the only
real human being of the lot. All the
rest were phantasmagoric.
Bat as he proceeded downtown the
spel was beginning to break. People
were communicating with one another
by means of pencil and paper. Darrow
was amused, on crossing the park to
see against the lighted windows on
Newspaper Row the silhouetted forms
CT activity. Evidently, the newspaper
men were already at work on this
fresh story.
Near the corner of the park Darrow
saw standing policeman of his varied
acquaintance. The scientist walked
up to this man. who was standing in
the typical vacant uncertainty, smiled
agreeably, clapped him on the back
and shook his hand.
Darrow slipped his notebook from
his pocket, and scribbed a few lines,
which he showed to the officer. The
latter read, inwardly digested for a
moment, and smiled.
Keep your hair one," ran Darrow's
screed. This will pass in few min
utes. and it won't hurt you. anyway.
Don't look like all these other dubs.
He stood there companionably by
the patrolman. They looked about
them. All at once, with this touch of
normal, unafraid human companion
ship. the weird terror of the situation
fell away. Darrow and his compan-
ion were seeing humanity disjointed
from its accustomed habit, as one
looks on a stage full of men hypno-
tized into belief of an absurdity.
Where the blotting out of electricity
had been tragic, this. as soon as its
utter harmlessness was realized, be-
came comic. All about through the
park men were meeting the situation
according to the limited ideas de-
veloped by a crustScean life of abso-
lutte dependence on the shell of arti-
fetal environment A considerable
number of all sorts had fallen on their
knees and were praying. One fat
man in evening dress, with silk hat
and a large diamond stud showing be-
tween the lapels of fur-lined coat,
was particularly fervent. BY force OF
habit Darrow remarked on this indi-
vidual.
III bet he hasn't been to church
since he was a kid" he observed.
The policeman caught the direction
of his look, however, and grinned with
understanding.
Some stood frozen to one spot, their
faces agonized, as a man would stand
still were the earth likely to yawn
anywhere. Darrow would have liked
to reassure these, for their eyes as
pressed frantic terror. One red
faced individual with white side-whisk-
ers, looking exactly like the comic
paper caricatures of the trusts, had
evidently refused to accept any ar
bitrary dictates of natural forces.
Probably he had never accepted any
dictates of any kind. He was going
from one taXicab to another, trying
to command driver to take him some
where, talking vehementiy and author
itatively, his face getting more and
more purple with anger. The taxi
cab drivers merely stared at him stu
pidly.
That old boys kept his nerve
Darrow remarked, of course maud
IDLY, to his companion. But he'll die
of apoplexy if he doesn't watch out.
Again the policeman caught the di-
rection of Darrow's glance, and grin
ned in understanding. He reached his
huge gloved hand for the young mans
pencil and paper, on which he wrote
the name of man high in railroad cir
cles, and grinned again with evident
relish.
At that moment an entirely self
possessed young man swung across
the street He surveyed the two men
sharply a moment, then approached,
producing sheaf OF yellow paper as
he did so.
Professor Darrow?" he wrote.
Darrow nodded
The young man pointed to himself.
then to the Despatch Building.
"Cause?" he wrote, and waved his
hand.
Darrow shook his head.
Dangerous"
Darrow shook his head again.
The reporter was about to add an
other question, when Darrow reached
for the paper 1t was thrust eagerly
into his hand Darrow consulted his
watch.
If" he wrote, you will wait here
four minutes, I'll give you an inter
view"
The reporter read this. and nodded.
You're on" he added to the writ
ten dialogue. Then he produced Gig
arctic, lighted it, and joined the other
two men in their amused survey of the
public's performances
During the four minutes that ensued
Darrow examined the reporter specu
latively Finally his eye lighted up
with recollection
CTO BE CONTINUED)
~~~~~-~-~~~~~-oo-oo-~~o-o