The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1915-03-25
NINTH EPISODE
THE DEATH RAY.

THE DEATH RAY.
Kennedy was reading a scientific
treatise one morning, while l was
Hanging on the typewriter, when
;knock at the laboratory door disturbed
!1s.
By some intuition Craig seemed to
;know who it was. He sprang to open
The door, and there stood Elaine
dodge and her lawyer. Perry Bennett
Instantly Craig read from the
startled look on Elaine's face that
i,something dreadful had happened.
why what's the matter?" he
,sked, solicitously.
"A-another letter-from the Clutch.
Ing Hand!" she exclaimed breath
;!essly.
Craig took the letter and we both
Tread, with amazement:
Are you an enemy Of society? If not,
:,rder Craig Kennedy to leave the country
10y nine O'Clock tomorrow morning. 9th
:arwise pedestrian will drop dead outside
:nis laboratory every hour until he leaves.
The note was signed b. the now IA
miliar sinister hand. and had added
ito it a postscript which read:
AS token of his leaving have him
;place a vase of flowers in his laboratory
:Window today.
What shall we >do?" queried Ben
:nett, evidently very much alarmed
lat the letter.
"Do?" replied Kennedy, laughing
:contemptuously at the apparently fu-
title threat, why, nothing. Just
wait"
We got up as usual the next day.
land quite early went over to the labo-
:ratory. Kennedy. as was his custom,
;plunged straightway into his work
land appeared absorbed by it, while
;wrote.
There is something queer going
ion, Walter" he remarked. This
:thing registers some kind of wireless
!rays-infra-red, think-something
Hike those that they say that Italian
scientist, Ulivi, claims he has discov-
Tered and called the F-rays.'"
"How do you know" I asked. l'ok-
ling up from my work. whats that
instrument you are using?"
; "A bolometer, invented by the late
Professor Langley" he replied, his
:attention riveted on it.
/: Some time previously Kennedy had
had installed on the window ledge one
:of those mirrorlike arrangements,
known as "busybody." which show
those in room what is going on in
1.-THE street.
bolometer l happened to glance into
1.-THE "busybody" and saw that crowd
twas rapidly collecting on the side
walk.
Look, Craig!" called hastily.
: He hurried over to me and looked
1--WE could both see in the busybody
mirror a group of excited passers-by
blending over a man lying PROSTATE on
1.-THE sidewalk.
!: The excited crowd lifted him up and
:bore him away, and l turned in sur
:prise to Craig. He was looking at his
watch.
1t was now only few moments past
mime o'clock!
Some time later our door was ex
:citedly flung open and Elaine and
Perry Bennett arrived.
1--WE just heard of the accident"
;she cried, fearfully. Isn't it terrible
What had we better do?"
For a few moments no one said 6
word Then Kennedy began carefully
:examining the bolometer and some
;other recording instruments he had
while the rest of US watched, fasci
mated.
Somehow that "busybody" seemed
Ito attract me. l could not resist look
ling into it from time to time as Ken
:nedy worked.
was scarcely able to control m!
excitement when again saw the same
scene enacted on the sidewalk before
the laboratory. Hurriedly l looked a
my watch. It was ten o'clock!
"Craig!" cried. Another"
Instantly he was at my side, gain;
Eagerly. There was a second innocen
pedestrian lying on the sidewalk whil'
ia crowd, almost panic-stricken, gath
:ered about i'm.
Its no use," he muttered, as VI
;gathered about him. We're beaten
II cant stand this sort of thing. ! will
:leave tomorrow TO- South America.
l thought Elaine Dodge would fain
at the jhock of his words coming s.
;soon after the terrible occurrence out
ode She looked at him speechless.