The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-06-05

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clothes man whom they had lett On .lard vss
standing there with HE hand upoa Craigs collar.
The girl sohbing utterly. was clipgpg 70 bic an
Craig was making desperate efforts to eecsDe. n
rectly he saw the little party Issue from The \
brary. however the strength seemed to pass fFe1
his limbs. He remained in the clutches OF he
captor. limp and helpless.
II caught the girl trying to make her way into
the house." the latter explained. She called out
and this man came running downstairs. risht i.to
my arms"
1T is quite all right" the professor said. ID .
dieniaed tone. you may release them both.
Craig was on his way to keep IN appotptp4k
here At ten o'clock Quest. viii you and the n
spector bring him In? Let ~ resume cur pl 80
At the table"
The little procession made it, way dowA tho
hall The girl was stili eliasins to her uncle.
What are they going to do to you. thsse Poo
ple?" she sobbed. They shs'n't hunt you. Thsv
sha'nt!"
Lenora passed her arm around the girl
"Of course not. DEAR" she said. soothiasH.
"Your uncle has come OF his own free viii -
answer . few questions. only think Il would -
better II you would lot me-"
Lenora never finished her sentence They AaA
reached the entrance now to the library. IAo
professor was standing In the doorway with a.
tended hand. uotioning them to take their places
1T the table. Then. with no form Of warning the
room seemed suddenly filled With . blase Of blue
light It came at drst In thin dash from The
window to the table. became Immediately multi
sparks. which suddenly expanded to sheets Of
leapsng. curling hame. The rosr OF thunder shook
the very foundations OF the house-and then o.
lence. For several seconds not one Of them
seemed to have the power Of speech. An amazing
thing had happened. The oak table in the middle
Of the room q chaFred fragment, the chairs
every one blackened remnants.
"A thunderbolt!" French gasped at last
Quest was the first to cross the room. From
the table to the outside window was one chsrred,
black line which had burnt its way through tho
carpet. He threw open the window: The wire
whose course he had followed ended here with .
little lump Of queer substance He broke 1t on
from the end of the wire which was absolutely
brittle and natureless. and brought It into the
room.
what Is IT," Lenora faltered.
"Say, what have you got there?" French echoed.
Quest examined the STRENGTHENING lump OF
metal steadily The most curious thing about it
seemed to be that It was absolutely sound and
showed no signs Of damage. He turned to tho
professor
II think you are the only one who will be able
Look" 1t is a fragment Of opotan-a distinct and
wonderful specimen Of opotan."
Everyone looked puzzled. j
But what" Lenora inquired, 'es opotsn?"
1T is q new metal Quest explained. sravely,
towards which scientists have been directing .
great deal Of attention lately. It has the power
OF collecting all the electricity from the air around
US. There are dozen people, at the present mo-
ment, conducting experiments with 1t for the pur-
pose Of cheapening electric lights. II we had been
in the room ten seconds sooner"
He paused signi 1cautly. Then he swung round
on his heel Craig. q now pitiful object. his hands
nervously twitching, his face CHASTITY, was cover
ing in the background
your last little effort, Craig?" he demanded.
sternly
Craig made NO reply The professor, who had
There is a smaller room across the hail." he
said, which will do for purpose"
Craig suddenly turned and faced them.
Il have changed my mind" he said. II have
nothing to tell you Do what you will with me.
Take me to the Tombs deal with me any way you
choose but have nothing to say
Quest pointed a threatening finger at him.
Your last voluntary word. perhaps he said.
but science is still your master, Craig Science
has brought many criminals to their doom. It
shall take its turn with you. Bring him along.
French. to my study There 10 = way Of dealing
with him"
Quest felt his forehead and found it damp
There were dark rims under his eyes, Before him
was Craig, with little band around his forehead
and the mirror where they could all see 1t. The
professor stood 4 little in the background Laura
and French were side by side. gazing with dis
tended eyes at the blank mirror, and Lenora was
doing her best to soothe the terrified girl. Twice
Quests teeth came together and once he almost
reeed.
TITS the hight Of his life." he muttered At last.
but I've got him"
Almost he spoke they could see Crais's re.
sistance begin to weaken. The tenseness Of his
form relaxed. Quests will was triumphng. Slowly
in the mirror they saw . little picture creeping
nom the outline into definite form picture Of tho
professors library. Craig himself was there With
mortar and trowel. and black box in his hand.
Its coming" Lenora moaned.
Quest stood perfectly tense. The picture sud.
den flashed into brilliant clearuess They saw
Craig's features with almost Mlelike detail. From
the corner of that room where the professor was
standing, came q srnothered groan. It was terri
tying, paralyzinE moment Even the silence
seemed charged with awful things. Then sud.
denly, without any warning. the picture faded COM
pletely away: "A cry, which was almost howl of
anger, broke from Quests lips Craig had fallen
Sideways from his chair. There was an ominous
change In his face Something seemed to have
passed from the atmosphers Of the room, some
tense and nameless quality. Quest moved for
ward and laid his hand Craig's heart. The girl
on her knees screaming