The Elbert County tribune., 1914-04-24
CHAPTER II.
The shadow Of Mv,terv.


his acquaintance In, and at once
broached the subject OF his errand
Doctor Knox promised the matter his
attention. The two men then en-
barked on a long discussion of Profess
sor Schermerhorn's discovery of super
radium, and the strange series of
events that had encompassed his
death Into the midst OF the discus
sion burst Mccarthy. his face red with
suppressed anger.
Can use your phone?" he growled.
"Oh, yes" said he, as he caught sight
of the instrument. Without awaiting
the requested permission. he jerked
the receiver from it's hook and placed
it to his ear.
"Deader than a smelt!" he burst out.
This is a nice way to run public
business! Thanks" he nodded to Doc
tor Knox, and stormed out.
Darrow rose languidly
III see you again." he told Knox.
AT present I'm going to follow the
human cyclone. 1t takes more than
mere telephones to wake Mccarthy
up like that"
He found the boss in the hall, his
finger against the down" button.
That's three cars has passed me-"
he snarled, trying to peer through
the ground glass that, in the Atlas
Building, surrounded the shaft III
tan somebody's hide. Down." he bel
lowed at shadow on the glass
Have cigarette" proffered Percy
Darrow. Calm down. To the scien-
tific eye you're out OF condition for
such emotions. You thicknecks are
subject to apoplexy"
'Oh. shut up!" growled Mccarthy.
There isn't phone in order in this
building two floors either way. I've
tried 'em-and there hasn't been for
twenty minutes And | can't get a
messenger to answer a call; and that
ring-tailed. star-spangled ornament OF
1anitor won't answer his private bell
I'll get him bounced SO high the black
birds will build nests In his ear before
he comes down again"
After trying vainly to stop a car on
Its way up or down. Mccarthy stump
ed down a flight of stairs, followed
more leisurely by the calmly unhur
ried Darrow. Here the same per-
formance was repeated. A half dozen
men by now had Joined them. So they
progressed from story to story until
an elevator boy. attracted by their
frantic shouts. stopped to see what
was the matter. Immediately the door
was slid back on its runners, Nc
Carthy seized the astonished operator
by the collar.
Come out OF that. you scum of the
earth!" he roared. Come out of that
and tell me why you don't stop for
signals!"
"I amt seen no signals!" gssped the
elevator boy
Some one punched the button, but
the little. round. annunciator disk in
the car failed to illuminate.
Il wonder II there's anything In
order in this miserable hole!" snarled
Mccarthy.
"The lights is gone out" volunteer
ed the boy; and indeed for the first
time the men now crowding the car
noticed that the incandescents were
dead.
While Mccarthy stormed out to
spread abroad impartial threats
against two public utility concerns for
interfering with his business, Percy
Darrow. his curiosity aroused, inter
viewed the janitor. Under that func-
tionary's guidance he examined the
points of entrance for the different
wires used for lighting and communi-
cation; looked over the private-bell in
stallations. and ascended again to the
corridor, abstractedly busting his fin
gers. There he found a group of the
buildings tenants, among whom he dis
tinguished Doctor Knox.
Same complaint, suppose--no
phones. no lights. no BELLS" he re-
marked
Seems to be- replied Knox Gen
eral condition. Acts as though the
main arteries had been cut outside"
Inside bells? House phones?" sug-
gested Darrow.
The repair men came in double
quick time and great confidence. They
went to work in an assured manper,
which soon slackened to a slower be-
wilderment. Some one disappeared, to
return with box of new batteries
The head repair man connected a
group of these with a small bell in the
executive office. The instrument, how
ever. failed to respond.
TRY you ammeter." suggested Oar
row, who had followed.