Rocky Ford enterprise., 1914-04-03
CHAPTER VIII.
Percy parrow's Theory.

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Percy barrow in the police station,
where he had been assigned an unused
office 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. barrow. his feet up, a
cigarette depending from one corner
of his mouth, read them through to
the end. Then he INDUCED 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 a point of rest" in phyical
manifestations-this point of rest"
had just now happened to drift to
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
TIC AtidS DuiuiuB, DuiioW pdSScu
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:
Atlas-wednesday. 5:25. 800 tabouD:
hr. Is min.
Generai-Thursday. 600. 1856 texaco:
Atlas-Friday. 1910. 1o;4s texaco: 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 as a
prophet. Just now I'm merely
guesser."
BY now 1t was afternoon. An official
came to announce visitors. and a 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.
"All right, I'll tell you." agreed OAR
row. I'm thought out: and ! want to
hear 1t myself
Jack looked about him uneasily.
rs 1t wise to talk here?" he asked.
II don't doubt they have arrangements
for overhearing anything that is said"
81 don't think they care what we
say" observed barrow. They are
merely OBTAINING me on some excuse
or other that haven't even taken the
trouble to inquire about"
THAT must astonish them some"
said Jack.
"And If they do overhear. 1 don't
much care. Now" said he. turning to
Helen, I'VE have here three strange
happenings comprising two phenome-
na-the cutting of of the electricity.
first in the Atlas Building. second in
the city at large; and the cutting off
of sound in the Atlas. Although we
are. of course, not justified in general
izing from one instance, what would
you think by analogy would be the
next thing to expect?'
THAT sound would be cut off 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. 1t
is exceedingly localized, not to say d.
rected. II by man, he must have in
some way acquired unprecedented
powers over the phenomena of cleo
tricity and sound. These he can evil
IDENTIFY. at will, either focus, as on the
Atlas Building, or diffuse. as over the
city For the moment we Will adopt
the latter hypothesis"
THAT 1t is a man in possession OF
extraordinary powers" said Helen.
leaning forward in her interest 60
on
we have. completed. only the phe-
nomena of electricity" continued OAR
row; the phenomena of sound remain
to be completed We observe as to
that (a)"-he folded back his fore
fnger-"the Atlas manifestation last
ed about nine and a half hours; and
(b)"-he folded his middle finger
the city manifestation was little
less than two hours"
Yes" cried Jack, ibut then this
second"
"One minute" interrupted barrow;
'let me finish. Now. let us place our
selves in the position of a man pos
sessed of a new toy, or a new power
~. pauar triad Outf What