Rocky Ford enterprise., 1914-04-10

time no sound broke the deathly still
ness. Then Percy Darrow spoke. in
his natural voice.
well, Jack" he remarked, at work
ed out to a second, almost. Now I'm
certain"
AS though this breaking of the 81
lence had released force hitherto
held in repression. the room filled with
tumult and clamor, with crashing,
banging and scurrying of heavy bodies.
A final conclusion shook the air, and
then, again abruptly, silence fell.
"Say!" Hallowell's voice spoke up. a
any kind of dark seance. but this
particular spook business is getting on
my nerves. Are you there, Darrow?"
Yes, I'm here" answered the
scientist.
well. can you explain that phe-
nomenon?"
That" drawled barrow. slight
note of laughter in his voice, was
that extraordinary upheaval of natur-
al forces known as Brother Mccarthy
going away from here-hastily."
Jack chuckled.
He hit me on the way out" re-
marked that young man. I'll testify
he was solid spook."
The reporter was methodically strik-
ing match after match, but without re-
suit After a moment the acrid smell
of burning wooden rose in the air.
Are you dropping those matches?"
asked barrow.
| "Sure. fhey're no good"
well. they're good enough to burn
holes In McCarthy's rugs. Stamp
around little to put them out; and
quit it."
What next; and how long?" asked
Jack. What is it? Have we gone
blind. or is IL a total eclipse, or what?''
81 don't know how long" came back
Darrow's voice calmly. Next we will
get out of the building. want to make
some observations. Get hold of my
hand; wen have to grope our way
out"
IF we could only get light" NUT
tered Hallowell.
you can't" stated barrow.
They felt their way down the ten
flights of stairs like blind men. A few
inmates of the building they jostled
or passed, or picked up on the way.
In the lower corridors Darrow halt
ed them.
Here's another thing" said he: IF
I'm right, we should run out of this
Just eleven feet beyond the last ele-
vator cage"
He felt his way along the grill. made
four PAGES forward. and uttered lit.
tie cry of satisfaction. The two men
followed him blindly. AS though step
ping from one room to another they
emerged into glazing daylight!
Both involuntarily looked back. The
darkness hung there like curtain,
Just inside the outer walls Of the build
ing. Already a crowd had gathered to
observe this new and strange phe-
nomenon of the now celebrated Atlas
Building 1t was a curious and ia
cetious crowd, but not awestricken. as
It had been at the first manifestations
of this freakish upset of natural forces
A man observing the flight of an
aeroplane for the first times loses his
sense of stranseness inside Of few
minutes; and yet flying has been since
the days OF Icarus considered one OF
the impossible achievements. So the
general public of Manhattan were be
coming accustomed to reversals of
| form in the affairs of the physical
world The frivolous majority. having
discovered nothing to be apprehended
from the phenomena save few hours
helplessness of a sort. and much to be
| gained through the SAVIOR of novelty.
were inclined to an amused or ir-
| live xI,
tent to which its occupations were in
:erfered with. The minority took to
religious meetings and interpretations.
Darrow's exit, and that of his COM
panions, were greeted uproariously.
please go way an let me sleep!'"
sang one, at the blinking men.
Here's another!" shriiled a gamin.
Get up! The porter wants to make
up your BERTH"
Several Of the crowd. pending the
Usual arrival of the police to clear the
! CORRIDOR had ventured through the
wide portals. and were experimenting
with this strange palpable quality of
darkness. One or two popped inside
the curtain. but emerged quickly. look
ing little scared.
A bright youth made the discovery
that 4 one lighted match and step
ped within the blackness. the match
was Immediately extinguished, but
that upon emerging into daylight the
flame came up again. Some one hap
pened along with a plumbers gasoline
torch. Immediately this was lighted
and the experiment repeated. The
bearer of the torch. astonished at the
instant extinguishment of the fame.
felt with his hand to see what could
be the matter. Instantly he uttered
yelp Of pain. and leaped outside. dis