Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1922-03-16
The Professors
Discovery
b. MALCOLM BROWN


,copyrisht. 1924. Western Newspaper union
Professor Singleton sat croucled
over his microscope. To the observer
he would have seemed to be studying
only tiny spot Of jelly upon a slide.
The professor, however, was looking
into thickly populated world. The
,lrop of jelly. like the world, was
round, and within 1t several milllonsI
OF the spiranthea Jacksonll were put
silng on wings.
Singleton was forty-two. A rich
man, he had devoted himself for years
10 his scientific Investigations. OF
! ate, however, ever since his marriage
.he year before to charming society
girl. who had devoted her whole care
10 his welfare, he had insensibly been
,.rawn away from his hobby. That
he had shamefully neglected Mary did
not occur to him. He lived for his re-
searches. Mary lived for him. She
Lad abandoned all her old friends, ex-
ccpt the Streets. George Street and
sic had been great friends before her
marriage, and surprise had been felt
THAT she had chosen the professor.
For two whole days and night Sin
greton had bent over his microscope.
He had not slept; he had eaten there,
slipping beef tea and hot milk which
his wife brought him. Now at last he
| was to be rewarded. Spiranthea was
Undoubtedly passing from the larval
into the pupal stage, and from that
into the full-iedged image.
h Suddenly Professor Singleton heard
George Streets voice in the next room,
and Mary's answering.
"An old man." Street was saying.
'AIary, you have tied yourself for life
to one who can never appreciate or
understand you. Your life is one long
sacrifice"
Il know it." answered Mary, ever 50
softly.
The professors heart was thump-
ing against his ribs.
Il "A shameless self-wOrshiper,"
Streets voice continued. HE lives
FLOR himeslf alone"
"No, there you do him an injustice"
Mary responded. ''He lives for
science"
"And, like Moloch, 1t mandates
Its victims upon its affairs. You are
the victim, Mary"
Professor Singleton sat bolt up
right In his chair. For moment he
had forgotten his researches. He
looked around him. His eye fell upon
Malay kriss hanging upon the wall.
which friend had sent him from
| BOrneo.
The professors eye returned me-
chanically to the microscope. The
| spiranthea was emerging from Its
pupa. Undoubtedly this proved his
contention.
slow long will you suffer In this
iway, .Mary?z You are fifteen years
younger than he. You have made
CHASTITY error-but why should 1t ruin
your life?"
eft shall not" Professor Singleton
heard his wife whisper.
The professor rose noiselessly out Of
his chair. He took down the kriss
with trembling fingers.
The voices seemed louder now and
shamelessly Indifferent. Professor
| Singleton crept stealthily to the part
" opened door.
81 love YOU" he heard reiterated
through his maddened brain, and he
was standing in the room now, and
still the sounds continued. They
| seemed to elude him, travelling from
corner to corner. The professor lunged
| forward, his outstretched hands en-
countered soft object with flying
draperies, and with yell he thrust
the kriss upward, turned it, and thrust
again. Then he fell senseless upon
| the floor.
Morning-a CULVER of sunlight
voices in the room. He opened his
eyes, to find himself lying in bed in his
| own house, and his wife bending over
| him.
sWhat Is it? Where did you come
from" he muttered, half unconscious.
| lou udNc Uecll III, uCuLI SdAU GhuA y
"George Street. Where is heF" he
asked.
George? My dear, don't you re-
member that he sailed for the Philip
pines month agO-three weeks be-
! fore you were taken Hlf"
4 "What did do? killed sOmeone|
"You were found lying upon the
floor of the living room. You had la
ken Mr.. Humphreys kriss and dug a
| hole in the armchair You must have
lain there for hours before l came
home and found you. thought you
were in your laboratory"
That reminded him. "The micro
scope ~ he exclaimed. Il must go.
How long have l been illP'
sAbout a week, dearest"
The professor sank back grooming.
A weekI Fifty generations Of the
spiranthea must have been born and
died, and there would be years OF pa
tient work before he could renew the
| ....dttfono which had pxiSfnd hpfOro