The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1914-02-05

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init him, until at last. the pubic mind
was somewhat Gained. attention was
more focused on the means by which
the man had reached his conclusions
rather than on the use OF them he
had made.
The story was told three times by
It's chief actor: once to the newspa.
pers, once to the capitalists from whom
he demanded the promised reward
and once TO the Warfords. This last
account was the more detailed and
interesting.
1t was OF n late afternoon again
The lamps were lighted, and tea was
forward. Helen was manipulating the
cups, Jack was standing ready to pass
them, Mr.. and Mrs. Warford sat In
the background listening. and barrow
lounged gracefully In front of the fire.
From the beginning!" Helen was
commanding him, and expect inter-
ruptions."
Well" began barrow, "its little
difficult to get started. But let's be-
gin with the phenomena themselves
I've told you before, how, when was
In jail, l worked out their nature and
the fact that they must draw their
power from some source that could be
exhausted or emptied. You have read
Eldridge's reasoning as to why he
thought Monsieur X was at n distance
and on q height. He took as the
basis of his reasoning one fact in CON
nection with the wireless messages
we were recelving-that they were
faint and therefore presumably far
distant or sent by weak battery. He
neglected, or passed over as an i'm
portant item Of tuning, the further
fact that the instrument in the Atlas
Building was the only instrument to
receive Monsieur KS messages.
Now, that fact might be explained
either on the very probable SUPPOSE
ton that our receiving instrument
happened In what we may call its IN
dertones to be the only one tuned 10
the sending instrument Of Monsieur
y; or 1t might be because our instru-
ment was nearer Monsieur KS instru-
ment than any other. This was un-
likely because Of the quality of the
sound-it sounded to the expert OBJ
orator as though it came from a dis
lance. Nevertheless, 1t was a posi-
bility. Taken by itself, it was not
nearly 20 good possibility as the
other. Therefore, Eldridge chose the
other.
There were number Of other
strictly scientific considerations OF
equal importance. I do not hesitate to
say that if had been influenced only
by the scientific considerations. I
should have followed Eldridge's lead
without the slightest hesitation. But
as told him at the time, a man must
have imagination and human sympa-
thy to get next to this sort OF thing.
Leaving all science aside, for the
moment, what do we find in the mes
sages to Mccarthy? First. a command
to leave within a specified and brief
period; second, a threat in case of
disobedience. That threat was always
carried out"
barrow turned to Mrs. Warford.
With your permission, should like
to smoke" said he Il can follow my
thought better"
by all means" accorded the lady.
barrow lighted his cigarette, pulled
moment, and continued:
For instance, at three o'clock he
threatens to send a sign unless Nc
Carthy leaves town by six Mccarthy
does not leave town. Promptly at six
the sign comes. What 90 you make
of it?"
Nobody stirred.
Why" resumed Darrow, chow. II
Monsieur X was a hundred miles or
so away, as Eldridge figured, did he
know that Mccarthy had not obeyed
him? We must suppose, from the
probable fact Of that knowledge, that
either Monsieur X had an accomplish
who was keeping him informed. or
he must be near enough to get the in
formation himself"
There is a third possibility" broke
in Jack. Monsieur X might have sent
along his Sign at six o'clock, any.
how, just for general results"
barrow nodded his approval
Good boy. Jack" said he. THAT is
iust the point 1 could not be sure
about But finally, at the time. you
will remember, when 1 predicted Nc
Carthy's disappearance, Monsieur X
made a definite threat He said" OBJ
served Darrow, consulting one of the
bundle of papers he held in his hand:
MY patience is at an end Your
last warning will be sent you at nine.