The Arvada enterprise., 1914-08-06
CHAPTER VIII.
Percy Oarrow's Theory.

. wy 0optS"o sUSOTy.
Percy Darrow In the police station.
where he had been assigned an unused
ofhce instead Of a cell. amused him
self reading the newspapers, OF which
he caused to be brought in full sup
ply Theories had begun to claim
their share OF the space which. up to
now. the fact stories had completely
monopolized. Darrow. his feet up, a
cigarette depending from one corner
OF his mouth. read them through to
the end. Then he indulged the white
walls OF his little apartment with one
of his slow smiles. The simplest of
the theories had to do with comets.
The most elaborate traced out an an
alogy between the blind spot" in VI
sion and 4 point of rest" In phyical
manifestations-this point OF rest"
had Just now happened to drift to q
crowded center. and so became mani
fest.
Ingenious but fantastic youth" was
Percy Darrow's tribute to the author.
Professor Eldridge OF the university.
The 'human-Interest" stories OF both
the evening before ard those in the
extras describing the latest freak in
the Atlas Building. Darrow passed
over with barely glance. But certain
figures he copied carefully into his
notebook. When he had found all Of
these. and had transcribed them. they
appeared about As follows:
Atla.-wednesday. 5:.5. 900 tabouo: .
Generai-Thursday. 500. 1856 texaco: l
| hr rs min.
| Atlns-Friday. 1870 lo:s (exacp: IS
| min.
On the basis OF these latter figures
he made some calculations which,
when finished. he looked on with doub-
full satisfaction.
Need more statistics.'' said he to
himself. before can pose az a
prophet. Just now I'm merely a
Huesser."
BY now II was afternoon. An Official
came to announce visitors. and mo.
ment later Helen and her brother came
In. As Percy's case was merely one
OF detention, or for some other OBJ
scurer reason. known only to those
who took their orders from Mccarthy,
the three were left alone to their own
devices.
After the first greetings and excla-
nations. Helen demanded to know
particulars and prospects.
AN right. I'll tell you." agreed Oar.
row. I'm thought out. and want 70
hear 1t myself"
| Jack looked about him uneasily.
| rs It wise to talk here?" he asked.
Il don't doubt they have arrangements
for ovcrhcaring anything that is said"
| II don't think they care what we
say observed Darrow. They are
merely OBTAINING mo on some excuse
or other that haven't even taken the
trouble to inquire about"
That must astonish them some."
said Jack.
And II they do overhear. | don't
much care. Now" said he. turning TO
Helen. "wc have here three strange
happenings comprising two phenome-
na-the cutting on OF the electricity.
first In the Atlas Building. second in
the city at large. and the cutting or
OF sound In the Atlas Although we
are. OF course. not justified in general.
izine from one instance. what would
you think by analogy would be the
! next thing TO eNpcctI"
THAT sound would be cut on in the
city" said Helen. but Jack has al.
ready delivered me your warning or
advice" she added
Precisely Now as TO theories of
/ the ultimate cause. Naturally this
must have been brought about either
by nature or by man. II by nature. II
Is exceedingly localized not to say di.
rectod. II by man. he must have in
some way acquired unprecedented
| powers over the phenomena OF clec.
tricity and sound These he can owl.
IDENTITY, at will. either focus. ms on the
Atlas Building. or difiusc. as over the
city. For the moment we will adopt
the latter hypothesis
That II Is a man IN possession of
extraordinary powers" said Helen.
leaning forward In her interest Go
on
I'VE have. completed. only IN" nhe-
nomcna OF electricity" continued Nar.
row "thc phenomena OF sound remain
to bo completed. We observe as to
that (a)"-hc folded back his fore
iingcr-",hc Atlas manifestation last.
ed about nine and n half hours: and
tb)"-hc folded his middle finger
"thc city manifestation was a little
lcss than two hours
Yes" cried Jack. but thcn this
second"
"One minute" Interrupted Darrow: /:
"le, me flnish. Now. let us place our.
selves In the position Of man pos-
sessed OF now toy. or a now power
which he has never tried out! What
| ~ A.