The Arvada enterprise., 1914-07-30
wssrdness- For silence b n reality a

wsirdness. For silence b n reality a
composite OF many lesser noises. In 4
woodland almost inaudible insects
hum. breezes blow. leaves and grasses
rustic; at sea the tiny waves lap the
sides and equally tiny breaths Of air
stir the cordage: within the confines
OF the human shell the mere physical
acts OF breathing, swallowing, wink
Ing. the mere physical facts Of the
circulation OF the blood. the beating
OF the heart. produce each its sound.
Even a man totally deaf feels the
subtle influence Of these latter phys.
ical phenomena. And underneath all
SOUND, perceptible alike to those who
can near and those who can not. are
the vibrations that accompany every
activity OF nature as the manifesto
tons Of motion or Of life. An or
dinary deep silence Is not 30 much
an absence OF sound az an absence Of
accustomed or loud sound. And In that
unusual hush often for the first time a
man becomes actutely aware of the
singing OF the blood in his ears.
But this silence was absolute. All
these minor sounds had been elm.
mated.
For moment Boss Mccarthy star
cd; then showed back his chair with q
violent motion, and rose He was like
shadow on screen. The filching
from the world Of one element Of its
everyday life had Unexpectedly rem.
dered 1t all phantasmagoric.
As Mccarthy shouted, and no sound
came: as he moved from behind his
desk, and no jar accompanied his
heavy football, he appeared to lose
blood and substance. to become unreal.
As no sound issued from his contorted
face. so 1t seemed that no force would
follow his blow were he to deliver one.
He stumbled forward. dazed and
cropping as though he were in the
dark. Instead OF merely In silence: a
striking example in the uncertainty
OF his movements of how closely our
senses depend on one another.
Jack spoke twice. then closed his
lips in a grim straight line. He held
his elbows close to his sides, and
looked ready for anything.
A look Of mild triumph illumined
Percy Darrow's usually languid coun.
enance. He stepped quickly to the
wall. and turned the button of the In.
cadenscent globe. The light instantly
glowed. At this he nodded twice mora.
From his pocket he drew a note book
and pencil. wrote in 1t a few words.
and handed It to the dazed and un-
certain boss.
Il was right" Darrow had scrawled.
This proves It. It's by no means the
end. Better be good"
McCarthy's bulldog courage had re.
covered from its first daze. He began
to see that this visitation was not en-.
tirely personal. but extended also to
his two companions. This relieved
his mind, for he had suspected some
strange new apoplexy
"Did you expect this?" he wrote.
Darrow nodded.
Together the three ghosts left the
phantom once. and glided down the
phantom halls. Other ghosts In vari.
Gus stages of alarm were already max
ing their way down the stairs. Some
Of them spoke. but no sound came
One woman. her eyes frightened
reached out furtively to touch her
neighbor. apparently to assure herself
Of his reality. Urged by an uncon.
trollable impulse. man thrust his
hn xy1n ~
oflice door. The glass shivered. and
crashed to the tile floor. The pieces
broke-silently. 1t was as though the
man had been the figure In cinemato.
graph Illusion. He stared at his cut
and bleeding hand. The woman who
had touched the man suddenly threw
back her head and screamed. They
could see her eyes roll back. her face
change color. could discern the strain.
Ing OF her throat. No sound came.
At this a panic seized them, They
rushed down the stairs. clambcring
over one another. pushing. scrambling
falling. A mob OF hundred men
struck. No faintest murmur Of tumut
came from their futile heat. II might
have been the riot OF n waxworks In
vacuum.
They fell into the lower hallway.
and fought their way to the street.
aud stood there dazcd and staring, n
strange. wild.cyed. white.faccd. bloody
crew. The hurrying avenue stopped to
gaze on them curiously. gathering com.
pact n mob that blocked all traflc.
Policemen pushed their way In and
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