New Britain herald., 1924-10-01

The girl had made him forget them, but be knew the teammate he had worked side by side with was in terrible earnest now, ana he added his voice to Sutton's.
 Dump the stuff, professor!' he cried "whatever's happened, Jim here knows about 1t. Where's that wire, Jim! What wire, do you mean?" The others were plainly more in sympathy than alarm. The professor shrugged bic brayny shoulders.
 Bah! He's sick--bysterical. Why should I destroy my work just when 1t has reached perfection7-" Because I did 1t! I stuck the tels' phone wire in it that curdled it up in tho storm. And the wife's still there, wait' ing for some one to ring up and slam bane the current into it. You said spark would set it off now-and here you're holding ma like fools"
 "Bah. fairy tales. you're both fools!- The bury professor was holding them DOE off now, angrier than ever in the chasrn that seized him.
 0F THEM all the army officer had stoos V quietly With folded arms, as one looking on at A play that was versng slowly bus surely into drama. Now he spoke, ignorant of the real crisis. "If it is true what this man says--am ,ou professor, maybe we had better investi' .ote I myself saw thread of wire %hes h. tor vnpder WhaNa the other end leads"
 "For your lives, out" 'roared the pro- lessor.
 He reached below the tank, lifting strong! m q long lever that should drop the con- tents into the tank of drowning mixture he,ow He straightened up, groaning. .It clogs--it runs too slowly-out! nc cried again.
 ..no,'t YOU see the man has grounded
 r.ritable lightning rod in the powder? Outr'
 Obt in Powder Valley men saw the fleeing ssures--the last the great form of the pro- lessor, tragic in the disappointment that made him stop and glare back in the flight ,o tbe hills. Panic travels quickly in pow der plants. .,. faded away in every direction, none stopping to ask the cause of the fighf' none curious in know why the canopy was not opening ohore them even then. Only smoke poured out. Only lack Hazard and Jim Sutton, his teammate. knew the reason ot that.
 When the truth flashed like an explosion. unon the brains of all, Hazard alone had one stronger feeling than fear. Shame shook him like blow that his partner had failed in his trust.
 Then in a eliminating shock he heard Sutton babbling behind the tank.
 Tt serves me right deserve to get blown up. Fool, that I didn't know that the girl might call up any minute-shoot current into the stuff "
 The girl on the other end of the tele. phone Hazard sprang for him.
 By love, you are a scoundrel!" he cried. =
 A great burst of smoke belched from the vat and sheet of flame fell on them.
 Plunging out, with Sutton in his arms, Hazard heard the tnkle of a telephone.
 But no cataclysm followed
 Its all right---I cut the connection. |" Sutton gasped, 'the wire that led into the tank.
 Hazard dropped him. If the stuff is only going to burn" he said Lying help. less, Sutton heard his grooming voice at the telephone 'Al right, Miss Lucy fathers safe!'
 He came out on the second burst of fire and smoke!
 You don't deserve it." he snarled at Sutton, but I'm going to save you from being blown to bits-and finish the job myself afterward, Or the professor will !''
 He was running with his helpless burden when the long waited for blast shook the earth!
 The special Government powder invented by the famous professor and perfected by the malicious spirit in Jim Sutton did not lose anything in waiting to let go with all the force of dozen first class Vesuviuses all in the finest working order.
 But the moments delay. while part of the smoldering mass dribbled into the uEOWHlHB Nal, medHL sdINdllO0 10 all con . cerned in the work of Powder Valley.
 Then came the final roar!
 Hazard and Sutton were thrown forward and, rolling over and oyer, wrapped in each others arms and propelled by the mon strous blast, flung up the mountainside tc the feet of the grim professor, who stood like love on the hillside
 When the heavens had closed and th, earth resumed its wonted solidity they wer, all standing there blackened and bruisef and silent. Hazard was feeling himself over to see what was left and glaring a Sutton, who staggered, but still stood read, to take his punishment like man at least
 The professor only made one remark:
 "The man." he said cryptically, lis to, much hurt-yet."
 Then when Hazard with a touch of sym pnthy tried to explain what the strain O Powder Valley did to men s nerves at time the professor nodded. And what men's fool nerves do to m, invention Never mind" he said grimly rau wast tit