The Holly chieftain., 1915-07-30

dations OF the house-and then silence.
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
was a charred fragment. the chairs
were 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 charred, black line
which had burnt its way through the
carpet. He threw open the window.
The wire whose course he had fol.
lowed ended here with a little lump
of queer substance. He broke it of
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 strange-looking
lump of metal steadily. The most Gu.
rious thing about it seemed to be that
it was absolutely sound and showed
no signs Of damage. He turned to the
professor.
i think you are the only one who
will be able to appreciate this, profes.
sor." he remarked. Look" 1t is a
fragment of opotan-a distinct and
wonderful specimen of opotan."
Everyone looked puzzled.
But what" Lenora inquired, "ts
opotan?"
ut is new metal" Quest explained,
gravely, towards which scientists
have been directing a great deal of at.
tention lately. 1t has the power Of col.
lecting all the electricity from the
air around US. There are a dozen
people. at the present moment, con.
Quoting experiments with It for the
purpose Of cheapening electric lights.
If we had been In the room ten Sec
onds sooner"
He paused significantly. Then he
swung round on his heel. Craig, q
now pitiful object, his hands nervous
ly twitching, his face ghastly. was
covering in the background.
Your last little effort, Craig?" he
demanded, sternly.
Craig made no reply. The profess
sor. who had disappeared for mo-
ment, came back to them.
There is a smaller room across the
hall" he said, (which will do for our
purpose
Craig suddenly turned and faced
them.
Il have changed my mind he said.
y 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 mas.
ter, Craig. Science has brought many
criminals to their doom. 1t shall take
it's turn with you. Bring him along,
French, to. my study. There is a 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 little in the
background. Laura and French were
side by side. gazing with distended
eyes at the blank mirror, and Lenora
was doing her best to soothe the ter.
rified girl. Twice Quests teeth came
together and once he almost reeled.
Its the fight Of his life," he NUT.
tered at last, "but I've got him"
Almost as he spoke they could see
Craig's resistance begin to weaken.
The tenseness Of his form relaxed.
Quests will was triumphing Slow.
ly in the mirror they saw little pic.
ture creeping from the outline into
definite form, a picture Of the profes.
sors 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 suddenly flashed into brilliant
clearness. They saw Craigs features
with almost lifelike detail. From the
corner of that room where the profes.
sor was standing, came a smothered
groan. 1t was a terrifying. paraly.
zing moment. Even the silence seemed
charged with awful things. Then sud.
denly, without any warning, the pic.
ture faded completely away. A cry,
which was almost a howl of anger,
broke from Quests lips. Craig had
fallen sideways from his chair There