The Ether King. A Story of Mystery and Adventure.

Russell, Arthur

The Ether King. A Story of Mystery and Adventure.

Item

Title of Story: The Ether King. A Story of Mystery and Adventure.
Attributed Author: Russell, Arthur
Year For Sorting: 1930
Future Year Set: Contemporary
Story Summary: A futuristic airship by an inventor scientist. A location programmed death ray that can destroy any part of the world in seconds. An arch nemesis, a damsel in distress, and so many wireless inventions, make this the pulpiest entry into the Australian vintage science fiction stories from newspapers.
Critical Introduction: Arthur Russell (born Arthur Russell Goode), also known as Arthur C. Goode, Arthur Charles, Jack Dawson and Herbert Clunes was a wireless radio enthusiast and would frequently include detailed descriptions of how wireless worked before prophetically extrapolating various inventions based on it. It could be argued he conducted research creation. His earlier works, such as Shades of Jupiter 1924, demonstrated an enthusiasm that didn't always translate into a logical and rational plot. Later, his short stories improved in narration but began to lose their science aspect. It is interesting that both Arthur Russell and Bernard Cronin began writing science fiction within a few years of each other, so their stories would alternate in newspapers, and short stories by both authors ended up in fiction magazines together such as the children's PALS magazine. As they both lived in Melbourne, it's possible (though not yet confirmed) that Russell attended Cronin's writing workshops. (Researching this relationship may be an upcoming paper or blog post.)

The Ether King is notable as a breakout work for Russell as it was a science fiction story with inventions that was reprinted in four Queensland newspapers 2 years after its debut in Melbourne. There may be more versions in newspapers not yet scanned by Trove. However, it is also notable for Arthur Russell being the first science fiction author to go full tilt into the murky waters of ray gun spy drama invention opera smash ups styled in the same vein as pulp fiction in the USA. While Cronin's science fiction looked to be strongly influence by gothic and horror elements, Russell's reflects the fascination with ray guns and spy inventions in cinema at the time.

Interestingly, though, apart from the first two chapters, most chapters seem to be encapsulated stories. It is possible that this 'novel' is really a collection of short stories featuring the same hero and villain attempting to outwit each other with new inventions. Perhaps these were printed in PALs first then reassembled into a novel format. Further research is needed to confirm this. PALS magazine isn't a focus of this thesis.

Even though the term science fiction had begun to gain traction at the time in the USA for genre fiction stories containing prophetic extrapolations of science, thanks to Hugo Gernsback labelling it such in his magazine in 1928, this still hadn't translated around the rest of the world as Gernsback's magazine was yet to be widely distributed. It wasn't until the 1940s that Australians began to describe these stories as science fiction. Until then they were known in Australia as 'science in fiction.' However, it could be argued that Arthur Russell's madcap pulp fiction style represents the lower end of modern 'science fiction' before the term was widely recognised.

AustLit notes that in 1923, a short story called King of the Ether was published in a PALS magazine, suggesting that The Ether King may be an expanded version of this story. I have yet to track down a copy so I couldn't say for sure.

With many versions of The Ether King available, I would have liked to use the better OCR versions from different newspapers. However, this became difficult as several newspapers started their 'chapter III continued' or 'chapter IV contined' at different points to each other, one newspaper printed paragraphs out of order, and The Bruswick and Coburg Gazette suffered overlapping image scanning faults so, the OCR version available here took many hours to assemble (51,000 words) but only required one section taken from The Central Queensland Herald to complete it.

On another technical note, several chapters did not have 'chapter x continued' and started with a summary paragraph not divorced from the rest of the text. This made determining chapter beginnings and endings difficult and time consuming. This is one of the stories where going back to Trove and manually following the text from newspaper to newspaper (newspapers to newspapers!) was necessary.
Science: Electromagnetism and Electromagnetic Radiation; Tesla's AC (alternating current) and wireless transmission of electricity
Inventions: Advanced Air Ship; Portable Death Ray; Global Death Ray; Streamlined car for racing; Device that controlled racing cars remotely; System that transmits 2000 volts wirelessly; Automatic umbrella-sized strap on parachute for short drops; Space Flyer - New type of airship; Resonance device that shakes things into flame; Personal biplane with automatic pilot; Battery powered electric motor for a wind up phonograph; Death Rockets - 6 linked wirelessly controlled rockets that orbit a target generating a fire field to vaporise the person inside.; A killer elevator - high speed up and down; An internal building periscope that can see around corners; MacGyver style assembly of a long range communication system to contact emergency services; Force field - A high heat electrical barrier that can be erected anywhere; A small aeroplane still able to carry the weight of two people
Science Extrapolations: While the story is replete with inventions, the main extrapolation is being able to use AC wirelessly, which we now do in a small way in wireless charging stations for mobile phones.
Science Fiction Subgenres: Death Ray; Invention Opera; Experiment; Heroic scientist vs Villainous Scientst; Mad Scientist
Historical Context: Nearing the end of the roaring twenties with the October stockmarket crash that is about to cause the Great Depression of the 1930s only months away.
Mentioned Elsewhere: List of Stories by Arthur Russell at AustLit
Other Works by the Author Listed in the Newspaper: The Luminous Ray; Dream Isle; Bungoona
How this Story was Identified: This story repeatedly appeared in various analysis but was generally allocated to the detective genre. It was also listed by previous scholars as science fiction, which I initially disregarded due to several inventions already existing at the time. After I conducted close reading of several chapters I was able to determine that it is borderline invention opera science fiction as it includes a death ray, rather than spyfi which contains inventions that almost anyone can create but aren't mainstream.
Date Details Added to IA: September 2023
Author Gender: Male
Nationality: Australian
Biographical and Other Sources: Arthur Russell Biography at AustLit
Single or Serialised: Serialised
First Published Date of Last Installment: 1930
Date Range: 1929-12-13-1930-04-25
Number of Installments: 12 Chapters broken into multiple parts at various points depending on the masthead.
Complete or Supplemented: Supplemented
Estimated Word Count: 51,000
Length: Novel
Book Release Details: Austlit lists this as a published novel in 1932 based on Trove records listing 'a novel'. However, it was actually first serialised 1929-1930 and not published as a novel. Interestingly, AustLit also lists an adjacent prequel in 1923 called King of the Ether in PALS magazine.
Newspaper Publisher Citation: The Brunswick and Coburg Gazette
Newspaper Name Location Years: The Brunswick and Coburg Gazette (Moonee Ponds, Vic. 1928 - 1933)
Location Town City: Moonee Ponds
Location State Territory: Victoria
Provincial or Metro: Provincial
Also Published in: The Central Queensland Herald; The Evening News (Sydney, NSW); The Essendon Gazette and Flemington Spectator; The Evening News (Rockhampton, Qld)
General Subjects: children's fiction
Language: English
Copyright: Arthur Russell died in 1971 so his works won't be in the public domain until at least 1941 (70 years after the death of the author)
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Content Advisory: These items are historical texts digitised from their original publication, and reflects the social attitudes, cultural values, and language of the time in which they were created. Some content may include depictions or references that are racist, sexist, ableist, colonialist, or otherwise offensive by contemporary standards. This material is presented uncensored for scholarly, archival, and educational purposes. It serves as a record of past cultural attitudes and is preserved here to support critical engagement, historical reflection, and the advancement of inclusive scholarship. Reader discretion is advised.
OCR from TBC and Trove: The Ether King by Arthur Russell

Cfic eilw lisig
A ,Story of Mystery ami Adventure
CBAW1K i Captain X, Mystery Man
(Autltor of "The by ARTHUR RUSSELL liay," "Dream Isle," "Bungoona.
TJROFESSOIi Hinkelston nodded ills head wisely as he consulted the large map spread out on the table before Mm. "The time is ripe," he mused as he measured the distance between two paints, "The boats are in readiness. If this scheme succeeds, other veesels will be fitted." Two little red crosses on the map marked the relative position of two ships. Several sheets of paper, covered with figures, showed that the professor had gone to a lot of trouble to work out the hearings of the ships. On a shelf nearby was a large fivevalve wireless receiver of the latest design. A short distance away was an up-to-date radio transmitter with Its large transmitting lube suspended in front. A little in front was the sending key mounted on thick ebonite, and fitted with an automatic cut-out which short-circuited the receiver while the key was being operated. Alongside was a second signalling key, nearly double the size of the other with its knob of thick vulcanite surmounted by a ring of the same substance to prevent the fingers accidentally coming In contact with the brass beneath. Above was the notice; "Highly dangerous; do not touch," while to make things doubly-safe the lever of the key was fastened with several turns of insulating-tape, the ends of which were sealed with Hinkelston's private seal. i 1
Three times he paced the room, and then with sudden determination he stopped and drew the table telephone towards him. "Five, double two seven K," he ordered. "The Austral Shipping Company." He ran his fingers through his •long black beard as he waited, now and again chuckling to himself. • "Is that the Austral Shipping Company?" he asked, stilling a little laugh. "Switch .me on to the managing director, please." Patiently he waited. He was in no hurry. Professor Hinkelston be-• lieved in taking life easily. He yawned sleepily; "Your firm is the agent for the Prince Albert, I understand," he said when at last he heard the manager's voice. His tone was that of someone making an ordinary enquiry, and conveyed nothing to the •man at the other end. Yet Ms next words, delivered in the same tone, were startling enough for anyone: "Unless your cheque for five thousand pounds is in my haads before five o'clock this evening, the boat will be blown up. Understand? Send tiie money to Captain X., Room 13, Snowfield Chambers. A word to the police and not only the Prince Albert but other boats of your fleet will suffer. What's that? Nonsense! I'm mad? Perhaps so. Nevertheless, my threat helds good. If the money is not in my bands by Hullo! Hullo!" 1 The telephone was "dead." Connection had been severed. Profes-j i sor Hinkelston smiled as he thought , of what he had done. But when some hours later he visited Snowfield Chambers there was 110 cheque awaiting him. • « • • Aubrey Matheson, wireless operator on the Prince Albert, toyed with his receiving inductance as he waited. . It was,'not yet six o'clock, and a little early for business. Some stray signals scratched In his ear, probably from a boat or station thousands of miles away. Otherwise evt-rything was quiet. Taking off the receivers and knocking over the aerial switch, the young wireless man eat back in his chair. A touch on the converter switch brought a loud whirr from the dynamo, He was about again to don the receivers when, with wonderful clearness came a voice "Captain X speaking. To the operator on the Prince Albert. It Is now six o'clock. In twenty minutes your boat will be blown up. Warn the captain, and urge him to take to the boats at once. You will get a preliminary warning. At five minutes to the time I shall start to count and continue at intervals of 30 seconds. On the word 'ten* the boat will be destroyed." For a second or two Aubrey Matheson could only sit and stare at the 'phones from which the terrible words had come. As if knowing knowing what was in hie .mind, again came the mysterious voice: "It you would save yourself and Matheson snatched up the receiv-
ers aiid listened. Everything was mm quiet, unewxeiiy 90. He glanced over liia set and his face paled. The aerial switch was still on the "off" position where he had thrown it a minute or so before. From where, then, had. the mysterious voice come ? There was no time for theorising. Out to the captain he rushed and told the siory. "Twenty minutes," he gasped breathlessly, "aJid already several have expired." The captain looked at the boy before speaking. Matheson was a steady reliable officer, and could ueually be depended on. Yet he could not believe that there was anything in what the youth was saying. "Damned nonsense!" he roared. But the look of apprehension on his face showed that he appreciated the seriousness of the threat. "If tins is a practical joke, boy, I'll clap yau in irons i'or the rest of the voyage, and let the wireless go hang. Get me?" "It's no joke, sir. You had better hurry," he urged, his voice showing the excitement he'felt. "If you had only heard the voice!" The skipper rang for the mate and the chief engineer, and the three consulted together. "Absolute Tot . , the boy's mad . . no reason . ." were -some of the phrases which came to Matheson'e ears as he waited. "It's true," he cried. "It's some scientific lunatic going to blow up
the vessel by wireless. Quick, there's — Oh, sir, do some thing! You could, at least, get ready, and then when he begins to count . . 1 The captain looked at the others and then stepped ta the ship's telegraph. "Slow! Dead slow! Stop! was signalled. More signals followed, and a few sharp commands from tire mate. A splash showed that the anchor was dropped. "Provision and lower the boats," was the next command. The stewards and pantrymen speedily appeared with provisions. No time was wasted In packing these in the boats. The captain hastily gathered his papers together, and, in less than fifteen minutes, everyone was ready to leave the ship. The skipper glanced at his chron oraeter, muttering a sharp curse against the unknown who was causing so much trouble. Time was passing quickly. If there was any thing in the threat of the etlieric voice, much haste would be necessary. "Rubbish!" he muttered, waver ing. "I'm a fool to take any notice of it. What could happen? That wireless kid was trying some foolish stunt, doubtless! Of the old school, the captain did not yet take kindly to radio. "Five minutes more," announced the boatswain. At the same time, in loud, clear tones, a voice from the wlreh cabin began to count: "One—two—• "There, sir." And even though it was a matter of life and death, the voice of the youth had a ring of triumph in it. The captain waited only long enough to rush to the radio house. "Man the boats," he ordered, liie face white and suddvily drawn.
A final glance around the ship. "Pour—five—six . . ." The captain sighed es he glanced over the vessel. The Prince Albert was a good ship. He had captained her for many years, piloted her through the heaviest of storms. Salt spray momentarily dimmed his eyes, when a shout from I he mate in the boat caused him to jump just as the boat pushed off. He felt guilty in so leaving the ship. He was half inclined to go back. "Seven—eight!" The voice as it came to them seemed to be amplified a hundredfold, With an effort of will power the captain pulled himself together. He realised that he had the lives of the crew in his hands, as it were. "Row like hell J' he ordered, standing up and keeping his eyes fixed on the vessel. "Nine!" They stopped rowln. All eyes were on the ship. To the watching men It'-seemed ages since the previous number had been counted. "TEN!" The barest fraction of a second later a ring of fire seemed to play around the ship's aerial. From 'midships came a loud reverberating explosion, and the Prince Albert
crumpled up and sank before their eyes, « a • • "Bur-r-r!" "Yes?" answered Detective Harrington Graves, lifting the telephone receiver from the hook. "What's that?" His easy-going indolent manner dropped from him like a cloak. "He gave his name as Captain X,, you say? Yes, I -read the account j of the disaster to the Prince Albert ! in llie early editions of the newspaper, The boat, crews were picked up "a few boors later and the story radioed to the authorities." He listened intently for a little while. "The same threat. The Betty Jane this time. He lias doubled the amount, you say? Now wants ten thousand pounds? Disregard the threat." Me mapped out the wards savagely. "Leave everything to-me. 1 shall come down to the offl.ee at once." Detective Ilarringtr a Graves -was in love. The man who was coaaixlered to be one ol the most promising men in Scotland Yard, who bad brought hundreds of criminals to justice, and wfaese name made -evildoers qu&ke, had succumbed to the arrow of Cupid. There was a crime wave sweeping the country. Some master mind, it was belteved, was directing operations, and Graves had been detailed to discover the identity of this crime chief. His investigations had finally led him to the house of Professor Hinkelston, a m ddle-aged experimenter, and <)n calling on the professor he had -seen "the" girl. "My uncle is not at jome at present," she had said, "If you care to wait—" Graves waited . . and the consequence vas that the crime investigator who had hitherto been heartfree had fallen madly in love with Eve Saunders, a niece of Hinkelston's. His visit to the house of the professor had strengthened his suspicions of the man. He was now firmly convinced that Hinkelston wa-s the arch criminal, the one behind most of the crimes that were worrying the authorities . . and Hinkelston was the uncle of the girl he
loved. Only once had Graves visited the pl^ce, but he had met the girl several times, and each meeting strengthened his love for Eve. The ringing of the telephone bell had interrupted bis. thoughts. Should he abandon his investigations and marry the girl, or should he expose the doings of Hinkelston? "The Prince Alfred wrecked from a distance by wireless!" lie mused as he paced the floor. He remembered what lie had ceen at Hinkelsuni's, the glimpse Eve had given him of the room so elaborately fitted with electrical and scientific apparatus. "Uncle is a great experimenter,'' she had said. "He has solved the problem of transporting power by wireless." "It's Hinkelston!" he muttered, and as the name escaped his lips the door bell rang. "Professor Hinkelston," announced the maid, as she ushered in the caller. The visitor nodded pleasantly and then selected a chair which faced Graves. "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Graves," he said. "I understand you called some time ago, but I was out. Charming girl, my niece. But to business. You are detailed to Investigate the blowing up of one of the Austral Shipping Company's vessels, my dear Graves." He smiled as he drew his chairs closer to the other. "How do you know anything about it?" Graves faced the professor. The man had given himself away, he felt. . "You as yet know very little of my methods, Graves," purred Hinkelston, not in any way resenting the detective's tone. You will learn, though. If the telephone authorities will run the wires in a leaky cable, you cannot blame me for lis-
tening to the cross talk. So tlie story of the ship being blown up is believed, eh? A trifle thin, don't you think? More likely the officers robbed the strongroom and scuttled the boat." •Graves was exasperated at Hinkelston's manner. "You know every well that the ship was blown up," he shouted, shaking his fist in the professor's face. "It's your doings, and 1 shall sheet home the disaster to you, clever though you may be. You've over-reached yo^self this time." "My- dear young friend, you are dramatic. You grow excited. How absurd to suggest such a thing! How could you? Go on—tell it to tie world. Ring up the newspapers now. Tell them that you have the man -responsible seated before you. I doubt whether you'd get one to print a line of the story. It's not right, Graves," be went on in an injured tone. It isn't fair to Eve. You. should not make such wild statements without being able to prove them. Just because I dabble a little In science, you blame me lor a terrible crime. I don'e like it, The young, man took a ward <.as.-if' to throw hls« visitor out of the room. for-
1" he shouted. "Cut out the heavy stuff. Dear, dear, no violence, if you please. When will you learn to curb your temper? Were I not so forebearing with you —" "Get out of this," shouted Harrington Graves. "Straight away! t shall not tolerate you another mo-With a noble show of dignity Professor Hinkc-lston rose to his feet. "A word or two before I leave, Graves. Let me forecast something for you—give you a little tip. Despite your cleverness, there will be another shipping disaster within the -next few hours." He shrugged his shoulders expressively, "The Betty
Jane will . But why talk? You are one of those mulish beings which nothing can shift. Goodbye!" "So I was right," burst from Graves as the professor left. "Hinkelston practically admitted that he was at the bottom of the terrible business. The vessel was probably destroyed by a bomb exploded by wireless impulses sent out by the man. I wonder how many more ships he has loaded with bis deadly engines! But what can I do? I must have some proof before I x»n act." He had forgotten all about the girl In the excitement of the case. At the time he failed to realise that ill prosecuting the uncle . tie would tain hjs chances with the niece. Having advised the shipping company though his chief not to pay the money. Graves did mot intend that the Betty Jane should suffer, If it lay within bis. power to;save her. The workroom of the teetive was fitted with every tific convenience. Here It was that lie worked out . his theories. In addition to a large wireless installation; We had-many other Instruments f faK icludlng ia switch which tap several of the graph lines. V (To be continued)
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Cfie Ohcr King
A .Story of M\ Mery ami Adventure
Synopisis of Opening iiitsaimcnt
by ARTHUR 1HTSSELL (Author of "The Luminous «ajr»" "Ihwwn late," '•Biu»«<H»iia,")
The agents for the ship Prince Albert are threatened in a mysterious message that unless the sum of £6000 is left iu a certain place for "Mr, X," the ship will be blown up. The money is not sent, awl the ship is duly blown up, the crew and passengers getting clear in tlie ship's boats. Detective Harrington Graves, wlio is in love with a niece of Professor Hinkelston, a scenlist, is detailed io investigate. — Now read OB.
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His first work was to plug-in on : one of these. Inmaiuly there was a ' chattering of the sounder tongue, * the- spring of which he raised until | the signals were at their best. ] Awaiting his turn, lie tapped out a! message, and after receiving an ack- j BowIedgBuent of it, he cut out and | went across to the wireless set. j Starting the dynamo, lie closed j Ms transmitting key, A continuous • stream of sparks played round the;rotary spark gap. The points of this he carefully cleaned and adjusted, after which lie turned his attention • to a small group of instruments at the side. It was a range-finder of his ova invention, the only iastallation of Its kind In existence. He patiently juggled with the rheostats and inductances, AB he changed their relative positions the filament of a little lamp glowed red, growing brighter as he picked up the "tune" of the vessel for which, as it were, he was feeling round in tie ether. For nearly an hour he worked until a powerful white light from the little lamp told him that his set was in perfect attunation. with the Betty Jaae. Switching in his sending key, he began to tap out the call sign of the ! vessel;— j "B.J.N,—B.J.N." j It looked as if the operator would sever answer. Now and again he; slopped to listen in his receivers, "B.J.N,—B.J.N." With monotonous regularity he kept up the calling, determined to 1 get in {ouch with the vessel whose j doom was threatened, j At last his patience was rewarded. | A slight turn of the variable con-! denser fined up the-distant signals, j Satisfied, he discarded his receivers' end, instead, cut in his loud speaker. Slowly and carefully he tapped • out a warning to the operator of the i distant vessel. He told him of' the. fate of the Prince Albert, and how : the Betty Jane was threatened with ; 6 similar disaster. "Cut away the aerial," he ordered. • • "It's blowing great guns outside," j came from the operator on the Bet-! ty Jane. "Wouldn't it do just to j open my aerial switch?" j "Do as you're told," signalled j back Graves. I
Something in the "tone" of the investigator at last made the other j realise the seriousness of the situa- ! tion, and he agreed. 'j "Carefully examine your set,' omitting nothing," was the next or-' der, "Re-erect your aerin. at nine ' o'clock tomorrow niornuiu and ad-! vise me of the result. Until then let the aerial wires remain clear of; the shack." j "O.K.," signalled the man, "I' shall do as you suggest, Look outi for me again at nine tomorrow, i Graves disconnected his insiru-! menta before lie rang up Hinkel- * ston. The telephone was answered 1 by the housekeeper. Professor Hinkelston had been called away on ur- : gent business some time before. He; had received a tdegram . , hue he * would be back by six, an he had • very important work to attend to.; Miss Saundcr^? She was lying down and would not. be disturbed," | Well Graves knew what the work; was thai Hir.kolxion had to attend: to. But Miss Saunders—Eve? It looked as if Iiinkelston bad told the' girl something of what was on foot.' Did else know the full character of her uncle? Was she in league with' him la any way? graves sighed. These were questions which at the time he could not answer satisfactorily. in his own mind he believed : that Eve Saunders was not in any way concerned with Hinkelston's do- j IngB. I At a few minutes to six that er-j ening, Graves was back in-his room, He had made his report to head- : quarters and his doings had met! with the approval of his chief. He j threw in his aerial, and, after arranging the tuning inductances to give him the proper wave length, he switched on his loud speaker. Aa the. clock bell boomed UipfiaaJ stroke of the hour, came the voice
of Mntfciiitioa from the loud speaker. "To the operator ou board the Betty Jane ..." Graves, even though he knew that the boat would probably not be harmed, shivered as, fifteen minutes later, Hinkelston's voice, now amplified tenfold, began to count: "One—two—•" With sudden determination Graves got busy with his wireless tape recorder. As Hinkelston's last worfl Bounded lie transposed the recorder far the loud speaker and set the little clockwork motor going. Instantly the tongue of the instrument began to click, while a peculiar combination of dots aad dashes appeared on the narrow paper tape. "The letter Z repeated three times, followed by the same letter transmitted backwards!" mused Graves, "Done by a machine, too! A combination that is never met with in ordinary telegraphy, if
j Hiiikefatan had succeeded, the Betty Jane will be at the bottom of the sea." : Punctually to time on the following day Harrington Graves was -lis-, J tening in on his wireless set, waiting and hoping for a communication from the operator on the Betty : I Jane. What if, after all, the telegraph is t had blundered, and Hinkel-j : ston had triumphed? ; Graves had not long 1o wait, and : he almost jumped with joy as the signals of the Betty Jane, thousands of miles away, came in strongly and clearly. The operator had done as suggested. He had obeyed orders to the letter, and everything was O.K. Quite a long talk the young investigator had with the disiant radio man, after which he cut out his instruments. A smile of satisfaction lit up the face of Graves as he once more got in telephonic communication with Hinkelston. This time it was the professor himself who answered. Graved spoke quietly, trying to hide the excitement he felt. "Ynur > scheme failod, professor," he said. "The Betty Jane did not meet with the disaster, as you predicted. I'm afraid you're a bad iipster," "What do you mean?" snapped Hinkelston. "It's too soon for news to arrive yet, and, anyhow " "1 have just had a nice long chat to the wireless man on the Betty Jane. He tells me that all is well. He found a bomb, so he says, hidden behind one of the tuning inductances. It was connected with the aerial, clear of the switch, but in a position where if would have blown a nasty hole in the ship had it exploded. Cute iOea, that, of adding a small condenser so that the efficiency of the set would not be impaired." "If I have failed," came the retort, uttered in savage tones, "it Is
due to your interference. But you can prove nothing, m I snap my fingers at you. Ha! Ha!" There was something very sinister in the highly pitched laughter of the professor, but Graves pretended to iMjore It "By the way," he resumed casually, "concerning that bomb, I believe that you were permitted to inspect the vessel's wireless installation when she was last in port. Did you notice anything amiss then?" "Was it you who vent me the telegram?" asked Hinkelston, in a choked voice. "It was, professor. You must have been well out of the way when I got in touch with the Betty Jane. It was curious about that bomb, though, wasn't It? I knew you'd be interested, especially after your forecasting another disaster." Having spoken,, Graves hung up the telephone receiver. "That should give, him something to think about," he muttered. He tore off the fragment of paper tape on which he had recorded the curious signal sent out by Hinkelston in his effort to sink the ship. He placed the slip carefully bet wee v two leaves of his pocket book. There was nothing easy-going about Harrington Graves now. In less than two minutes after his telephonic conversation he was motoring towards Hinkelston's house. Reaching it, he rang the bell and pushed past the astonished housekeeper as she opened the door. Of Eve there was no sign, so Graves proceeded straight to Hinkelston's study, kicking the door open without any attempt at concealment. It was plain to see that the professor had not expected such a visit. Nevertheless, he made an effort to appear composed*. "Why, it is young Graves!" he
said, with a slight sneer noiiccabla in his stone. "Guiae to sm Eve, I supposes" "Up witt, your handg." snapped Graves, shipping out a revolver and pointing it at »he utfaer. "You overreached yourself ou this occasion, Hinkelston." "Put that toy away, or it might go off," said the Prefestwr coolly. "1 hate the sight of firearms, and, as I've no weapon concealed about my pockets, there is no occasion for you to become so dramatic." Graves hesitated a moment, and then replaced the revolver in his pocket.
Too late he realised his mistake, la an instanct the professor had rushed him and thrown him to the floor. "Now, my fine fellow," he snapped. "The position is reversed." "You'll pay for this," gasped Graves, straining hard to free himself from the other's grasp. "I don't think eo," Hinkelston replied. "Why, my—Ob!" With a sudden twist,' Graves had wrenched himself free and turned the tables on the professor. "Now," he said shortly. "It is my turn again," With a length of Hinkelston's own wire he secured his prisoner's wrists and ankles. "You can't prove anything against me, and you know it," cried Hinkelston. "It's a frame up." "Yes, I can," answered Graves. "What about this?" He produced the slip of paper tape on which was recorded the combination of signals which were to explode the bomb on the Betty Jane. "Well?" from Hinkelston. "This is a record of • the signal you sent out, that is" all," said Graves quietly. "I sent out?" What are you talking about? You make some very libellous statements, Graves. You cannot substantiate your assertion." "The combination of dots and dashes." said Graves slowly, "long and short impulses, if you like — was made by an automatic transmitter," As be spoke Graves wrenched the big sending key from the bench and exposed a little metal wheel over a series of contact joints. On the lever of the key being worked, the wheel played on the contacts, He counted the points and compared them with the marks on. the tape. (To be continued 1
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Cfc €thcr King
A Story of Mystery and Adventure
by ARTHUR RUSSELL (Author of "Tho Luminous Kay," "Dream Isle," "Bungoona,")
Mysterious destruction of ships at sea, aad threats of further troubles are investigated by IMective Graves. After carrying out wireless tests, he suspects Processor Hinkeiston, calls on him, and after a struggle, secures him. It happens that Graves is in love with the professor's niece. —Now read on.
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"They tally exactly," he annouued triumphantly. To Hlatelston, this was the last straw. He was beaten aad lie knew it. "Yes, it is true," lie admitted, "I sank the Prince Albert and I would have done the same to the Betty Jane only for you." "What was the object?" asked Graves, looking wondevingly at the man. "Money of course," snapped Hinkeiston. "By sinking the vessels when the owners refused to come to terms, and thus striking terror into the hearts of others, I hoped to frighten lliem into agreeing to pay me what 1 asked." Hinkelslon looked Graves full in the face. "I suppose you realise by treating me like this you are spoiling any chances you may havo of winning my niece."
Kindly leave her out of the Question," snapped Graves, swallowing J the lump that would come into his; throat. "We ace not concerned] with my priiiie affairs at the present time.' He fhook his head as he j gazed at h\s prisoner, now so help-] less. "You're no end of a scoun-j drel, professor," he wmaiked. I. wonder what you'll get! Five, ten, fifteen years!" J "I'd have won only for you, curse .; you," snarled Hinkeiston. | You might have succeeded, too," ; said Graves pointedly, "if I hadn't discovered the bomb you slipped behind the terminal screws of my wireless receiver when you last visited me."
CHAPTER 2. King of the Ether Professor Hinkeiston smiled grim-: ly as he looked through the bars. across the little "peep-hole" of his' cell, He had been in for only a lit-; tie time, and , although he had been, searched, he had not yet been serv-' ed with -prison clothes. Only a few hours remained in which he could, act. After that the task would be. naore difiioult. It was nearly mid- _ night. In the morning his clothes : would be stripped from him and he; would be compelled to don the prison suit of blue. -"For five long years!" he murmured, as he saw the warder on ( duty pass along the corridor in front! of the cell. "And all through Har- ! rington Graves." His tone was thoughtful rather than vindictive, and he even smiled. With studied calmness he began ; to produce various little odds and ' ends from his clothes. True, he had been searched, but it would have
needed a very thorough searcher to! bare found the equipment, so cleverly was it hidden. 1 Soon he had a neat little tuning ! device assembled—a type of variocoupler of his own invention. This ' he hurriedly concealed as he heard the tramp of the returning warder.! "I shall do it on his next round." ' he muttered as he fingered the ap- : paratus. Harrington Graves stirred in his bed. He had'imagined that'he had j heard voices — voices that were : strangely familiar. "I must have been dreaming," he' thought. "One thing, Professor Hinkeiston is safely behind the prison bars for a few years. I shall: now be able to devote my energies to other things." Hinkeiston had made a big fight, for liberty, had appealed to the in-' telligence of the "learned judge and . the intelligent gentleman of the jury," warning them not to be inflaenced by the imaginative theories of a wireless dreamer. How could It be possible for him to sink a vessel by wireless so many * hundreds of miles distant? be had pleaded. j Harrington Graves had produced . the unique transmitting device, aud , the little slip of paper tape. He had ' demonstrated how the peculiar combination ! cf-irregular Impulses could , only haVe been sent out. by the machine "which he produced, the machine he-had found connected with I j th» other iBctruments of the irire- j ! 1e»<«et of Hifikel8ton. The professor smiled as he heard the verdict of guilty. He requested j a few -words with Grave*. j "I want to thank you, my dear Gravm/' he had said. "I bear you
no animosity, and neither does Eve/' He paused and watched the colourrise in the young man's face, "It's really nothing. This time you win, but " He had stopped and smiled peculiarly. These thoughts came • to Harrington Graves as he turned in his bed on the following morning, The final "but- " of Hinkeiston gave him much food for speculation. "My dear Graves^ " The young detective sat bolt upright. He was now thoroughly awake. There was no illusion about it this time. It seemed as if everything in the room had picked up the words and thrown them at him from all sides, A tinkle of his telephone bell brought him out of bed. "Yes!" he answered. "Who's speaking? Professor Hinkeiston has escaped, you say! Peculiar circumstances? You found the warder lying., insensible. -That is serious. I shall come down at once." As it the replacing of the receiver were a signal the room was filled with music. In vain Graves tried to find the centre as it were, of the phenomenon. In the room there
were no instruments except the extensiortefephon'^Twitcher through from the main instrument in Ms on'tfae mantelpiece were several fmey yase?_ HlJ touched one and irevr back 01lW. :]Vi liis finger smartlng under u" li; f;tilJg 0 f the sharp vfbratioise. He reached for bis shav-1 ing mugi but this, too, was ringing i out its own particular note. Every-j tlling f a tho room was vibrating to its. own peculiar "tune," forming a 1 combination of musical sounds that i could not be described. <• It was only when Graves fled from the room that the "music"' ceased. He was beginning to realise something of the.meaning of the professor's warning. "Ctmfyund the man!" Ic snapped. 'I can give my attention to the mat-| ter for only a couple of hours at the niost. There are many things I must get ready for this afternoon. An ardent motorist, Harrington Graves was a competitor in the great 100 miles non-ftop motor car racf, arranu< d for tha afternoon. Tin.-race was to be held on a speciallybuili track, and snor^ than fifty cars were to tak<' part. With this in hi.-; mind, Graves lost no time in setting out for the gaol. He was admitted without any-delay, and • conducted down the matted flags of the corridor to the cell in which Hinkeiston had been locked. Once here it was easy to see how the professor bad made his escape. Three of the bars over the little window at the top were missing. "Are you sure everything wae secure when he was locked in?" asked Graves. "Yes," the warder answered. "I made a personal examination of the cell. The bare were then all right."
"His clothes? How was he dressed?" "As you know, Mr. Graves, it was late when lie was brought in, and he was allowed to retain his own clothes for the night. He was well searched, inwever. "K'ir.!" grunted Graves. "I wonder hot,- this got here, then!" Stooping, ho picked the little vario-ooupler from the floor. Standing ou (he buck in the cell, lie looji^d closely at the bars, the slumps of which still remained. From the bars bis eyes went to the electric light of the cell. "What voltage?" he asked. "Fifty," answered the warder. "He couldn't do much damage with that, even if he did tap it," mused Graves. "The fuses at the main would have been blown, too, had the light been interfered with.'' Graves did another turn of the cell, and then faced the warder suddenlv. "That will do," he said, with an air of finality which startled the man in uniform. "I'm satisfied." "You know, then, how this man escaped?" asked the warder. "Certainly," answered Graves" with a smile. "He burned the bars through, ate thorn away, if you like, by means of a powerful electric current.". "Nonsense!" snapped the warder. "On your own showing, had lie iuterfered with the electric light In the cell the fuses would have been Is] <irn immediately, and the alarm been raised. The light was not used.. What then -supplied him with the current? Your theory Is too fantastic, Mr. Graves." Harrington Graves held up tho little Tfrrio-coupler to which a coil of floe wire' web still joined. •Til stand by what I said. Profeasor Hinkeiston made use of a
heavy electric current to burn the iron bars. TM§ little instrument la the. key of th€ apparent phenomenon." It was noon. Enormous crowds of people filled the grandstands aad hung over the projecting barrier of the motor drome. About all there was an air of excitement. Motor cars of all descriptions were lining up In readiness for the great 10® mile run. The noise of the engines was like the rattle of heavy machinery. Harrington' Graves had drawn* a central position. His car was built according to specifications - he himself had drawn up. It differed from the usual run of cars in many ways. It was very narrow, and shaped like a boat on wheels. The engine worked to full view of the driver, and it was possible to adjust any little defect without leaving the driving position. All thoughts of Professor Hinkeiston aud his escape from prison vanished as lie glanced over-the various parts of his wonderful little ma«-ehine. His own patent "teet tube" showed that he had the correct mixture of air and gas, the oil pipes were freely lubricating the - . wa8 | ^ ^ A preliminary clanging of a bell, followed .a few seconds later by the discharge of a big gun, and the contestants .were off. Before the boom of the gun-had ceased Graves-web-away. It was his intention n to iu make uiaiiK the lire pace jjuve rather laiuci severe for the first ten miles, and ! then rest his engine a little. i His speedometer showed that lie had gone five miles in as many minutes, which, for a start, wae good going. His car was responding
splendidly, and he felt that.the race was already won. A groan from the crowd showed that one of the cars had come to grief. With a crack like a pistol shot it dashed* through- the frail protecting fence. Fortunately, the driver had fallen free, and was only shaken. Seven miles! Graves was leading the others by half a mile. He was feeling pleased with the way things were going when, without any warning, the car began to act peculairly. He could have sworn that above the throbbing of the engine he heard the mocking laugh of Profcs-! sor Hinkeiston. "Bah!" he exclaimed. "The man has got on my nerves." j A quick glance over the works, j a11 showed nothing i wrong, yet ¥ if Graves ible > could not help! feeling that all was mot right with; the car. -j Although he kert a tight grip of! the steering wheel, the car swerved; dangerously. On two wheels it raced across the track. Recovering itself it again dashed ahead as if nothing was wrong. Graves, in the leading position, was loth to shut off the petrol. Some little obstruction probably, had worked into the steering cogs. It takes very little to change the j course when - travelling at eighty miles an hour. I The car had now settled down • again, and Graves satisfied that it •i was only a passing trouble, acceler-' ated slightly. Instantly the machine developed mysterious symptoms. It again swerved, turning almost on itself. Straightening up, it dashed forward. (To be continued)
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i w CI>e etlxr
A Story of Mystery and Adventure
by ' ARTHUR RUSSELL (Author of "The Luminous Ray," "Dream Isle," "Bungoona,")
The mysterious destruction ol ships at sea is investigated by Detective Graves, A tier carrying out wireless- tests, lie suspects Professor Hinkelatein, and at lev ail encounter with him, effects his arrest. The professor escapes from the gaol, leaving a little instrument behind him. It is suspected that be has burned the bars through with electricity. Graves eaters a motor race, and has trouble with his engine. •— Now read on.
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Graves shut off the petrol. Determinedly he gripped the wheel with - both hands and applied the foot brake. Like a bolting horse with the bit in its teeth the car shot away, zig-zagging all over the track. Those behind turned to avoid crashing into Graves, and soon the zig-zag movement was felt more or less right down the line of cars. From an aeroplane they would have looked like a huge snake wriggling quickly along the track. However, this did not last long. The speed of the leading cars had slackened a lot. With a twist that nearly dislocated the wrists of the driver, it turned suddenly and began to climb the steep embankment. At the top it stopped unexpectedly. Graves, unprepared for this, somersaulted from his seat, and landed on his hands and knees In a clump of shrub a few yards away. As he painfully struggled to his feet a line of fire appeared to flash | before his eyes, and, with a little, explosion, his motor car went up in j smoke.
• * • * * . "My dear Graves. . ." Harrington Graves, little the worse for his experience of the previous afternoon, was listening on the telephone to the voice of Professor Hinkelston. . Muttering savagely. Graves replaced the receiver, He was adt in the mood to listen to the sarcastic words of the professor. Instead, he pulled on a hat and coat, and set out for Hinkelsfon'e house. Getting no response to his tno^k. ho put his shoulder to the door and burst it open. The house was empty. A desolate air seemed to hang over everything. Graves had not expected the house to be occupied. He knew that Hinkelston would not be foolish enough to visit the place so sewn after his escape from gaol. Eve Saunders might, he thoucht, be there, but he reasoned that Hinkelston would probably move his whole menage. Making his way to Hinkelston'a study, Graves boldly entered. He threw off his hat and coat,- and began to examine the various Instru-! moats. He was now- in the room j the interior of which Eve had given i him a glimpse some time before. j A satisfied exclamation at last•. told of success. . j "Two thousand volts!" he' murmured, as he examined the connee-: tions of the various instruments I with the aid of an elaborate din-\ gram he had discovered. "Hinkelston has solved the problem of, transmitting high voltage electricity ] by wireless." j A moment or two of thought, and ' then: "He's a wizard, the king of the ether!" burst from Graves. , He saw it all. Hinkelston had put | the vorio-ooupler in the tell in tune j with the controlling relay in the j room, giving him 2,000 volts at his; command in his cell, transmuted I through space by virekiS*. Realising j the wonderful feat which Hinkel-1 stoa had accomplished, it was no; wonder that Graves referred to; him as a wizard. With this current; on which to draw, burning the bars; through was an easy matter, at the most 'lasting only a few second?. H<>; had then turned a portion of the current—a few volts only—on the. warder and rendered him unconscious, after which he had made his • escape. * Graves hesitated a moment, and then, picking up an iron weight, brought it down heavily on the con-
trqlling relay. Doubtless he used the same power to interfere with the working of my eaiV' lie growled, again attacking the instruments. "He spoiled the race, and it's a •miracle I es-1 wiped with my life." "H'mS" j 1 Graves looked up Quickly. ProfesBor Hinkelston, mad with mge as he »w ate havoc done to his instruments, had him covered with a revolrer. I'll give you flv« eoconds, Graves, d then I shoot to kill," mli the •professor with & menacing glitter in Ms eye. "Two will do," shouted Graves, as he leaped at the other and brought him down.
In failing, Graves knocked the lever of a large switch, and the sharp spluttering of electric sparks, as they escaped to "earth," came to Ms ears as he tried to wrench the revolver from the hand of the professor. "You fool," cried Hiakeletoa. "Look what you have done." • With almost a superhuman effort he wrenched himself free, and, picking up Graves, who was still fighting strongly, ae began to stagger to the door, He had not gone iwo step*, however, when the house appeared to rock as with an earthquake. In shattering the relay, Graves had diverted the heavy current to the house itself, and, in accidentally knocking the swith lever, he had thrown the electricity directly on the cellar beneath the room. Here it was that Hinkelston kept his supply of explosives, and, under the influence of the current, a length of fuse had ignited. With a terrific explosion the house appeared to break in two. Graves felt himself torn from the grasp of Hinkelston, and lifted as in a giant's arms. A few minutes later, when he regained consciousness, the house wli a mass of flame, and firemen were playing several streams of water on the blaze in an effort to check the conflagration. When, at last the fire was got under, a search i *as made for the body of Professor Hinkelston. The study of the professor was totally destroyed, and his sniany valuable instru- | j
! ments were only a welter of twisted ; ] iron. Of the owner there was no . trace. ! "The end of a clever man, who, i had he gone straight, would have j been one of the leading scientists of I the day," mused Graves sadly. ; He could not help thinking of ' how Hinki'lsnm, when lie realised j the dancer ' of an explosion, had J tried to dra? him to safety. j • Aim! wlwl of Eve Saunders, the frirl wi? : whom he had fallen in -love. 1:: sweetheart whom lie had ; seen o:- t •• n few times? Had she ' Ruffemi r.lso? Or was she sheltertag in s. Hue other haven of the proawaiting the- return of Hin-feasor's. kelston? Graves shook h;s head sadly, Hinkelston dead, and ETC lived. Henceforth his mmd would he centred on locating her, WWeti found, how wmild she treat him? Would Rho blame him for the disaster to her uncle? The detective's musings were interrupted by a telephone ring. Annoyed at being disturbed at such a j time, Graves snatched up the reeeiver. "Well!" he said irritably. "What do you want?" | "I just wanted to congratulate j you on your miraculous escape," came from the diaphragm of the receiver, as it beat the air. Graves dropped the receiver and stared blankly before him. The voice he had heard was that thought to be Professor Hin-of the man he had dead—Eve's uncle, kelson.
Chapter 3 Bandits of the Air Harrington Graves walked to the • edge of the cliff and looked down at the strip of sandy beach. "An eighty feet drop!" he mused. "Scarcely enough to give it a fair trial. However, I'll risk it," He retreated a few paces. Satisfied that there was no witness of his! action, lie gave a little run and jumped over the cliff. Not ten feet had he fallen, when, with a sharp click, a huge umbrella-like contrivance, strapped to his shonVlers. opened. F$r a few seconds'the beach seemed to be rushing to meet him. Then the rapid descent ceased, and Graves dropped slowly and easily through the air,. landing: high and dry, with scarcely; a jolt. As liis feet touched the eand, the parachute closed until it was little i
larger than an ordinary folded unibrella, and no more cumbersome. Slowly the young investigator; walked along the boaeh with Ms thoughts miles away from the pretty little watering place. He reached a spot where the cliff, was not so steep. Here steps had been cut and a guiding chain erected. Re-climbing the cliff, he made his way to the railway station in time to catch'a train for the metropolis. He had journeyed -to the cliffs especially, to j test the parachute . which, in addition to laving a spring that caused It to fly" open on the pressure of a small lever, bad an unique electric steering device, the tiny propeller of which .had m It bit the air, enabled the holder to exercise some
measure of control over liis strange aircraft. ; •. • For weeks -Harrington. Graves iifcd worked at the parachute, tod bo perfect was it that he had not hesitated about trying it over the eighty feet drop of the cliffs. ' • • Of Professor Hinkelston ^ie-had heard nothing since his dramatic encounter with him. That ia to say, nothing on which he could .place any reliance. True, he had had o»e-mysterious note, and it was this that had turned his attentioa to the completion of the parachute. ."Professor Hinkelston has taken, on flying," ram the note. There was no signature to it, and. as it was typed, tJi,c-rp was nothing in.it which would form a clue as to who had sent It. Yet Graves had. a theory that the .note had come from Ere Saunders, and was meant as a warning-Graves was far from comfortable as the weeks went by aja.4 he heard nothing from Us old enemy. "If I could only tear from him, or see some of Ms works; or .even hear his sarcastic: 'My dear Graves/ 1 should not .mind," mutt wed the detective. "As it is, I'm right In the dark, as it were." He had made numerous enquiries about the girl. She, lite the professor, had disappe&.-ed. Yet he could not believe that she was a '.vilimg assistant in life nefarious schemes. Eve Saunders, he felt, was a good girl, and lie determined, sooner or later, to make her his wife, despite the doings of Hinkelston. The newspapers told of no mysterious happenings behind which, the professor's brain might be, and at last Graves began to believe that, for some reason, Hinkelston had abandoned his evil operations. If he could only have found Eve, all would have been well. For a long time Graves had had his mind upon a new type of airship, but Professor Hinkelston and his startling and uncanny applications of wireless and electricity had discouraged him from doing any thing more than thearise. The receipt of the little cote, however, had spurred him an, and as the weeks' passed by and there was no
gjgn 0f the professor, Graves began i to get busy. Day and night he was at his desk, working out every point. The plans completed, a large cum' ber of skilled mechanics was engaged and sworn to secrecy. Tor three weeks they were allowed to have no communication whatever with the outside world. All expenses were paid by Scotland Yard. So much confidence had the authorities in Graves that he practically was given carte blanche. The three weeks had almost expired. On the day following Graves* parachute experiment, the men • were to be paid off and discharged. At last-the great Idea which for'months , ad bppn S; mRK , rins j n his brain j had la, CPn concrete rtape, If the j n| rM! , ;?> were successful, several of ' them were to be immediately constructed for patrol work. (To be continwrn
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Cfie fcllKr Klnfl
A Story of Mystery and Adventure
ARTHUR llUSSELL (Author of "The Luminous Hay," "Dream Isle," "Ilunpoona,")
The mysterious destruction of ships at sea is investigated by Detective Graves. Ai'ter carrying out wireless te.-us, he -su-specis Professor Hinkelston, and after an encounter, arrets liira. Burning through tlx; iron bars of the gaol tJie professor escapes. Graves enters a motor race and Li is car is controlled by a mysterious force. Later Graves goes out to test an air machine of his own invention. Hinkelston and Ids niece have disappeared. Now read on.
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Yet, as Graves, with his cunningly-devised parachute by bis side, gas in the corner of the railway carriage, lie felt far from easy in his mind. His experiment had been successful; not a hitch had occumd. Nevertheless, he was assailed with a foreboding of approaching trouble; anil, with Graves, trouble always meant Hinkelston. He could not keep his thoughts off the professor. Why his long silence? Or was he merely biding his time, rebuilding his machinery at another base, un-With something akin to astonishment Graves realised that the train had pulled into the city platform. Busy with his thoughts he had
scarcely noticed the return journey. He had purposely used the train instead of his motor car, hoping thereby to escape undue notice. Graves slept little that night. There w|e many things to which he must snend before the morrow, matters which had to be put in order in case his plans should go awry and disaster overtake him in the initial trial. Nevertheless, he was up eariy on the following morning, as fresh, apparently, as if he had had a good night's r»Bt. After a cold shower, and ten minutes with his dumb-bells he eat down So a light break fact. For once in hi? life he was; excited, and bo big a strain wiw he labouring under that lie altnast jumped with fright en the sudden ringing -of liis telcphom bill. "Hinkelston!" he exclaimed, rising up quickly and going to the telephone. But In? was wronc. If was merely a linage from his mechanic, Jack Davie, to say that all was in order. "Righto," answered Graves, his face lighting up with the enthusiasm he felt. "I shall be along very soon now. I'll leave right away." He almost ran down the long hall and out to the' parage. He selected a light but powerful motor cycle from the fleet at his disposal. Five minutes later he was speeding from the city, "Hinkelston will have no hand in this show," he thought. "For once I've been able to do something without suffering any Interference from the man. My absurd fears of yesterday were unwarranted. Another hour and I shall be clear away." Soon the houses began to grow fewer and further between. Graves had left the city behind and was in the country. On he sped, paying no heed to the scenery through which he was passing, lite thought on the theory which at last was to be tested in actual practice, and which might be the means of bringing Hlnkeistflti to his deserts. He alighted at what appeared t« be an Impenetrable wall of trees. He stopped and looked around. Satisfied. that no one was about he pushed the cycle through a hidden gap. and a secottd later he had disappeared. With knowledge born of frequent Melts, Graves threaded his way through the maze of trees until, at last he emerged into a large cleared
"Hullo, Mr. Graves!" The speaker was a youth of eigb-"Eigfit a.m., and all's well," he chanted, "We shall have to cultivate some of those nautical savings." The youth was bubbling over with; .excitement, and Graves could noli kelp feeling something of the same; as he looked upon the face of the! The workmen left an hour ago," continued the young fellow. "I am alone, sir, am here to tell the tale." Without a word Graves followed Mm to a large, rough, but «trong|y-, built barricade. For a * * two Graves hesitated be! . through the gate of the enclosure. •mtl theory,:«m which he Had spent *> mm^iwut '-fo be testedl If it fail, his It would take years to live down such a thing after the lruat. that had been put in bim. But he did not remain long Jb thought, and throwing open the,
gate he strode in, followed by his assistant. Before them was what looked like a mammotn egg-shaped steel buildiug squatting on heavy springs. Similar springs were fitted to the sides which otherwise were of steel, except where the continuity was broken by several big windows. The roof was dome-shaped, with a small aerial wire stretched parallel eighteen inches above. This was thoroughly insulated from the main body of the structure, and led into the interior through heavy porcelain insulators. At either end were two immense fan's with large scoop-like blades. A thrill of pride went through Graves as he looked on the peculiar construction, every point of which was designed by himself. Satisfied with the outside examination, he mounted a small stairway, and throwing open a door, disappeared into the interior. The queer structure was divided into several large rooms, and fitted with every convenience, "It's rather large for two," ventured Davis. Though young, Davis was an experienced mechanic. From the first
he had been engaged on the construction of the unique "building." And Graves had selected him to accompany-him on the first trial. In reality the mammoth structure was a gigantic airship—a space annihilate!', as Graves preferred to of it. "It is large," he admitted. "To® large for general use. if successful, the others are to be made much smaller. At present, two's company, Jack," he went on. "Until we thoroughly satisfy ourselves that all is in order we don't want the patronage of the crowd." Though the main - body of the flier was built of stool. the inside fittings and partitions were of aluminium. Every available inch of space was uiilised, and sufficient food and water was 011 hoard to last for more- than a mouth. The stability of the air flier was secured by two large gyroscopes worked by electricity supplied from a powerful dynamo, which also povideu light and heat. Three perfectly built petrol motors were responsible for the basic power, a sealed and fire-proof reservoir of petrol being arranged to feed the engines. After satisfying himself that everything was in order, Graves wasted no time. Closing the door, he took his place at the switchboard, "Right away!" he called, as he threw over a switch lever. Instantly there was an ear-splitting roaring as the propeller blades scooped at the air. An unpleasant vibration shook the flier. Another click as a switch lever bit its contact points, a flash of electricity across the contact gap, and. with a mighty bound, bo it seemed, fhe space flier rose vertically into the air. "It works," said Graves quietly. The vessel rose straight up, not deviating an inch from the perpen-The vibration ceased. As ihe gyroscopes gathered speed and made themselves felt the airship steadied wonderfully, until soon it was hard to believe that it was actually moving, so smoothly was it travelling. Before leaving his home Graves had set going ail electrlcallv-driven wireless device which automatically sent out regular" signals every, thirty seconds. These signals were registered on a clock-like instrument in the airship, and showed him the exact distance he was from the
Well away from the engines was a sound-proof room. Here the wireless and other instruments were installed. With a final glance at the engines, Graves beckoned to his young friend, the mechanic, and together they entered' • the wireless chamber. A large window gave them a wonderful view of the earth. The houses looked like mere dots on a sheet of paper. The streets and roads were easily traceable, everything appearing as regular and symmetrical as a surveyor's plan. A sudden darkness obscured their They bad Balled into a cloud, switched on the- electric light and buried himself with the The electric that already they . -t above the earth and still rapidly rising. Listening in on a -receiver Graves *w!*:«eM-4fee regular signals sent mi by the machine in his laboratory. .He altered his tuning
ance and switched on a loud speaker. For « moment or two the room was flooded with melody. They were listening to a daytime wireless concert broadcast from the London station. Tiring of this, Graves shut off the amplified, though he still retained the receivers, "What do you make of that?" he asked at last, slightly altering the position of the plates of the variable condenser and handing the receivers to Davis. The face of the mechanic was a picture of eloquence. Interest gradually changed to wonder, and this to blank amazement, "I've never beard the like before," he asserted, looking at Graves for an explanation. "It sounds like a foreign code. Would it be Russia, or—I say—" He stopped again as once more the peculiar signals were in evidence. "I don't suppose we're listening to signals from another planet-—Mars of Jupiter?" Harrington Graves would not commit himself. "The receiver is delicate enough to pick up impulses from almost anywhere," he said. "Rut'not on that inductance." Graves hurried out of the room and shut off the engines, leaving the flier floating like a giant ball in space, The gyroscopes, with bearings running In a bath of oil. kept the airship perfectly balanced. "The foreign signals are still apparent," announced Davis, when Graves returned to the room. "They appear to be growing stronger. What do you think?" Graves coupled on a spare set of receivers'and listened. "Yes," he agreed, "they are more noticeable now. Let's amplify them a little and •see what we get."
He again cut in the loud speaker, and discarding the receivers, the two sat back and listened. The signals were irregular, long and short, with no apparent regard for space or size. As young Davis put. it, it was as if someone was feeling through space for them. "I cn::not underhand it at all," Graves announced. "I wonder—" A voice from the horn of the speaker quenched his words. "My dear Graves!" "Hinkelston," snapped the detective, turning pale. . "Even when flyin r through space T cannot eet free of the man, It's uncanny." "Travelline through srmce. I ant fueling for vou, -Once T get your wave length, look out! A-man canint e:e' n d'^ent living nowadays with meddlesome fellows like you about. You have thwarted mo for the last tim* my dear Graves." As the voice ceased, the uncanny signal?, were renewed. "Cheerful!" remarked Jack Davis, seeing nothing very alarming in fhe threat. For a few moments Harrington Graves sat with his chin on his hands, thinking. Suddenly lie jumped to his feet. "I won't be beaten," he cried, determination written on his face. He glanced at the distance recorder. They were nearly 4.000 feet above the earth. Hurrying outside, he threw in the two driving engines. Instantly the ship began to rise. To utilise all available power, Graves cut out the gyroscopes. As their revolutions ceased, the great space flier began to sway violently, nearethrowing them to the floor. The needle, as it moved round, .showed the speed at which they were ascending. The ship began to grow cold; strange noises sounded in the ears of the two men. Sounds not unlike that of rushing waters. Above all came to Graves the ominous and terrible rasps as Professor Hinkelston, somewhere, thousands of feet below, probed the air, as it might be trying to locate their vessel. "How is it done?" asked'Davis, putting his hands over his ears to try to deaden the peculiar sounds that were assailing them. The voice of Graves was weak as he mumbled a reply. He almost staggered when he walked from the room. To Jack Davis, sitting in front .of
the wireless instruments,' the click as Graves moved a switch lever, had a eharfi metallic sound. Gradually, horn-ever, a warmth began to steal over the vessel, which, too, grew more steady. Graves, realising that he had ascended as far as was safe, had again cut out the two main driving engines, leaving only one to keep them afloat. He had also switched on the gyroscopes and the electric radiator. "Tbats better," he remarked a few minutes later. "At this height the air is very ratified, so I added a little oxygen. You ask how it's done," he said, referring to tike signals of Hinkelston which, now, were much less pronounced than before. "To tell you the truth I don's know. You see, Hinkelston knows more about attuaatlon, or getting In tune, as we style it, than any other living By rising so suddenly we But only tem->r later tie will get us, and then ... Davis, he's not He's a devil. But with *
bit of manoeuvring I might •manage to reach the earth in safety." Even as he was speaking the signals grew louder and louder. Hinkelston was still at it, searching for the man he blamed for upsetting all his terrible plans. If Harrington Graves were out of the way he would be free to work his plans. We'll drop a few thousand feet, announced Graves, again hurrying into the outer chamber. This time Davie accompanied him, watching him as he calmly manipulated the various levers. Graves glanced over the airship. "It's hard to lose this after all our work aad expense," he mused. "Still, we have proved that it is quite possible to rise vertically in a confined space, and to keep in constant touch with the earth. Other space fliers can be built — smaller ones, adapted specially for police work." "Lost the flier?" queried Davis, "The space anuihilator! You don't think . . ." As soon as Hinkelston gets the accurate tune of the flier it's goodbye. By quickly changing our position we may .circumvent him for a time, but he'll get us in the end." "How did he know about the flight " asked Davis. "He knows everything," hurst savagely from Graves. "I had a presentiment yesterday that 1 should soon hear from the man, and I was not far wrong. Yet, Davis, I want to meet him, am longing night and day for an encounter with the man. It "is he who is keeping me from the girl I love, perhaps poisoning- her mind against me, or, maybe, even The door of the wireless room was
open, and they could distinctly hear the reproduction of the mysterious signals. "They ai\> getting much louder," said Davis warningly. "Don't you think A slight shudder went through the airship as if a giant had reached out and given it a gentle push. At the same time the engine ceased their throbbing.- An intense silence was over them, a silence broken only by the awful crash, crash of HinkeSsi J.'i's signals. "He lias got us," cried Grave-?, his fare -paling. He gave a quick look around the flier. "1 delayed loo long." Without the main driving power the flier b'zgan to swing round, blowing tie? *.v;n-and that with the wind. leaking it far from pleasant for tlr '.wo occupants. One moment iiuy would be thrown headlong, U»s next, perhaps, turned right over. "It's getling hot Renin; don't yon j notice it?" shouted Davis. perf-piia-• tion breaking out all over him. "Follow me," ordered Graves, crawling alone on hands and kif-c-i^J Slowly they made their way towards tiie door. Several times they were thrown back and had to set out again. At last Graves managed to get a grip on a steel girder and was able J to help his friend. With one hand'; grasping the girder, which was be-1 coming uncomfortably hot, Grave-;. donned what looked like a stout ; leather waistcoat. He then strapped a similar one around his mate, and ; connected the two with a length of chain in which a pair of flexible wires were threaded. The signals sent out "by Hinkelston in his effort to set in tune with the flier were shriekingly loud, showing that he had almost succeeded. Thcfact that the machinery had stopped showed that already he was able to exercise some influence. With a jerk Harrington Graves flung open the door. . Catching Davis in his arms he jumped into space. Tin- two sank together; then click! Graves had operated a small stud, and from the leather jacket 1 ? two huge umbrellas had opwied. A quick whirring sound caused Jack Davis to look upwards. In the lop of the parachute a small electric fan t, at-, working. The rapid descent had ceased Middenly. They floated together in
vpace. Gradually they turned until thev faced the abandoned flier which without any controlling hand, was floating hither and thither with the wind. "It's glowing!" exclaimed Davis as they watched. As the great mass of metal grow red hot their parachutes appeared to collapse and they sank quickly through the air. Graves had dropped away from the stricken airship, not knowing what might happen. And it was well for them that he did. A few minutes later the great flier on which. Graves had spent so much time, thought and money grew white hot. With a sound as of a cannon discharge it buret into a thousand fragments. Red hot metal dropped around them like hail. Fortunately they escaped being actually hit. Gradually they sank; a lifetime, it seemed, before things below began to take shape. The intense blue of the p to them, and It
if they were- iu for a ducking, if not something more serious. Graves, however, worked his little steering device to its fuU with the result that they landed on the beach. "That beats anything," exclaimed Davis au Graves unfastened the chain that" connected them. "Old Professor Wh&t's-Bfe-Nanie, with ail his science, doesn't come within an ami's length of you for cleverness. Fancy going through that and living to tell the tale! Only it's so jolly unreal that no one" 11 believe It." He looked admiringly at Gravis, "You win, I "Win! Compelled to abandon and lose my magnificent flier without being able to lift a finger in self-defence! To be separated from the one I love! Win, you say. No longer shall I wait for him to attack. Henceforth I shall take the offensive, and pity help Hinkelston." "If he were only -here mw," mused Davis. "I should very much like to see bim." A low flying aeroplane suddenly swooped above them. An exultant shout seemed to come from the plane, noticeable even above the whirring of the propeller. Both dropped to the ground to escape being mown down, "The fool!" growled Davis. "He might have killed us. Did you see his face? He was carrying a passenger, too, A woman, by the look of thing*." Graves nodded. He pointed to the aeroplane, now only a speck itt the sky. "That, my friend, was Professor Hinkelston, and his passenger was Eve Saunders, my well beloved."
t'H.U'TEK 4
The Menace of the Air Harrington Graves sat deep in thought. "I will!" he exclaimed, wheeling round in his chair, in response to a sharp rat-tat at the door. "if it's anything to do with Professor Hinkelston, I'm in it," said Jack Davis, pushing open 'the door and entering. "It is," Graves answered, nodding io the youth. "Several times I have had Hinkelston in my grasp, only to lei him escape. The man's evil ways must be ended," He paused and looked at the other for several moments. Then, in a low voice lie continued: "Miss Saunders — you know the circumstances of the case, jack—must be found."'' "Surely you don't blame yourself for his escape from gaol," said Davis. "I can't see " Graves impatiently motioned his companion io silence, "1 should Lave searched him myself," he snapped. "That's not the point, however. | Move than once Hinki-iston j r.as beaten me badly. Sometimes aia uncanny knowledge of electrical science makes me wonder whether : he is human. Listen, Jack! There's | another contest between Hinkelston j and myself about to take place. 1 j know, 1 can feel it." "That's cheerful. Yon can count :ne in on this. I shall be glad to give a helping hand," said Davi--<)iiietly. "As you say, Hinkelster. a menace to civilisation. One nev.-r | knows where he will next break out. He's worst than the itch. What are your plans?" •'The first thing is to locate the swan." Graves began. "Then,—well after that our actions will largely be guided by circumstances. One cannot forecast anything when Hinkelston is concerned. There are one or two things, though . . , ." For nearly an hour they discussed plans for the confusion of the elusive Hinkelston. At last Davis tose to leave. "1 wonder whether w>> shall hear from fl ; kk^'-e'ju i'.gait. In remarked. "Since the day he wrecked ea •• airship lie ha"? been very quiet, ''ee-11 is words were interrupted by a terrific shriek, which made both men start back. A crash of breaking glass was heard, and a large window at which a few minutes before they had been sitting, was broken to pieces.
Without a word Graves picked up a fragment of the glass and examined it, later slipping it into liis pocket. Outside, a boy was running away as If afraid of being pursued. "Careless kid!" growled Davi?. looking at the boy. "What is it this time? Cricket ball or stone"" In vain they looked among t!;e splinters of glass for some hard object which might have caused the smash. "Come for a stroll," said Graves, with sudden decision, "We'll get out of tile way while this mess is being cleared up." "About that window," began Davis, as he got. into step with his friend. "What do " "Hang the window!" said Graves curtly, "it's Hinkelston I'm thinking about. In a moment of rashness I laid myself .a task—accepted a commission from headquarters to lay this arch criminal by the heels. So far, Davis, I hare felled. Hinkelston has beaten me every time."
Davis did not reply. j n they walked alsng. Then, without - warning, came aa »awful .ringing shriek. Jaet -In- -time Graves Jlo-ug - Minfcelf at young Davla -a*4.j)uUed him clear as, with 'a loud crash, one of thf massive plate-glass shop fronts collapsed, raining showers of gla» splinters all round them. Graves suffered severs! minor •mte, and Davis escaped a serious wound by iitchep. As before Graves picked up a piece of glass ant rubbed his finger along the edge,, • "It's sharp enough to shave you," lie casually remarked, slipping the fragment into Ms pocket. "Yom Irad better stay with me for the next few days, Jack," he said solemnly, "You can house the bus In my hangar. It is vacant for the time being." It was midnight. . Harrington Graves woke with a start. He sniffed suspiciously. Flinging himself out Of bed lie switched on the "light and began to search the room, which was full of snjoke. He opened the door, and • th« draught from the window scvai cleared some of the smoke from thi room. A little search sltom-d that the •switch controlling thf'* heavy transmitting current of his wlrelesi Mt had short-circuifod throwing the current through the- primary winding . of a small induction ooi! with which Graves had been experimenting. This had becorc<| red hot and burst into flame, setting fire to the window curtains above. Here, fortunately, the blaze had been checked hy <. heavy woollen mantle, which, emouidering, had filled the room with smoke and awakened the occupant,
"I wonder who touched that switch!" muttered Graves. "I diatincvly remember throwing It off before leaving." He harried across to ihe fuseboard. "Well, I'm banned!" h<- exclaimed weakly. The two main fuso of the big transmitting current, which, for safety sake, he had removed,' were in the normal position I'or working, A close examination of the wireless .set brought to light the charred lemains of a small relay, the ei«ctro-magnets of which were sa arranged that on being energised they would attract the iron lever vi the switcti and draw it down. * "It's Hinkelston's doings!" mutterred Graves. "He must have entered this room yesterday while I was away and arrauged the reiay and the fuses. Everything t iten would he easy for him. His idea evidently was to divert my auentiuii while tie worked on something eise," Housing Davis, Graves told him of the occurrence. ,u first the young fellow war- inclined to be sceptical, but. when he saw the remains of ;ti<a reiay, the thin wire which had joined the relay to the aerial, and the burnt lusts he became serious. "I'm glad I'm in this," tie stated. "There's going to be no halt measures about -Jits tight. Hinkci.-tcm must be ;.itu-d." Feeling siiat it'wooid be useless for Uhiu •<.• return to their beds, tue two dressed and made a careful exuiinia:ii>a of tin- roem. Every instrument of th<- wireless set was disconnected. ar.d the joining' wires bad been reimr,.-d. Grave? felt that in such circumducts, instead of being a help, tht wirek-t'S was really an active source of danger. He lowered the aerial, and with the help of Davis, reiuov.-d it from the halyards, storing n m an 'id shed at the back, Eva, the telephone was disc oh nee ted and the internal con tie ciini: vires were pulled from the wai">. Nothing was left, which, in . ••..> eed.t liable Hit; k>. lsum '.<• e. : oret i:", As i-.'.yi'^::'. t!:«.v onnkfastrii. Jnas,- went iM set- thai all was right wuh his biplane, while Craves not busy on an experiment J-.c wa* anxious to try. A l.uv.' si.Kt 0: plate propped up in f.e yard in a.; isolated situation. Graves then nols hi* place in tV :••».«« i<« fere a of
.ir ; ;ruiuu!;^ had connected up ia toaiiitie^. T.< a liiree-nich :-park coil lie joined imttery of twentyfour voltr. ting the spark gap to gh u a iie.-r. v discharge- of nearly twe niches. Vlie negative u-: tainal of ihe coil v.; s comieeted to the ground, while ibe positive screw wa*< wired to a jiec.ujkrlj- shaped hells of stiff copper ribbon arranged with a sliding contact. Harrington Graves donned rubber shoes and gloves, and fixed wads of cotton wool over ids ears. Outside, Davis was pottering about the biplane. Otherwise, there was scarcely a sound. With a glance at the sheet ot glass, Graves threw over the battery switch and adjusted the vibrator. Instantly there was a fierce continuous stream of bluish-white sparks at the gap. A terrible, shattering noise was audible to him even through the «ar protectors. (To be
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Cft €tfeer ling
A Story of Mystery and Adventure
SYNOPSIS
ARTHUR RUSSELL ' (Author of "The Luminous Bay," "Dream Isle," "Bungoona,")
The mysterious destruction of slays at sea is investigated yy Detective (J raves. He carries out wireless tests and suspects Professor Hinkelston of exertin-j sinister 'nflueiices by means of aerial devices, Graves arrests the professor, who escapes from prison by burning the bars. While in a ear race Graves finds his machine controlled In- a iny^a-rious force. Hinkelston and his niece have disappeared. (;ritV, > « f-'oos on journey in an air ueiiine, and with Us assistant iias ;o luitp from it in parachutes, to see the macSime turn while hot. Graves and his assistant, Davis, land safely. Now read on.
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• His finger and thumb closed on the sliding connection. With his ,, eyes , on the sheet of plate glass he y , " ovccl tile contact along the helix. He was seeking to prove a theory which had eome to him as the fragments of glass had showered around him on the previous day. , Geuimr no result, he slightly lengthened the spark, altering the position uf the copper clip ihe merest fraction of an inch, Bang! Crash' It was the sound of a gunshot, followed by a crashing
sound. The plate glass had been splintered. Graves danced excitedly around. Shutting off the current., he raced outside to tell of his wonderful success, just as the sharp throbbing of the engine of the biplane came to him. "I always knew " he began, frying to appear composed, whereas he was bubbling over with excitement. "Cut it out," said Davis. "Tell me about it later. ' Unceremoniously he bundled Graves into the passenger's seat of the biplane. Then he set the factor whirling and the machine took the air like a huge bird. , Gra>. es wa's at a loss to account for u,e ac,!0UP ot lns friend, D a n s jerk , '" d liie stick ^" iiUu " irue '' leUii l S the plane fly 011 an cvea k(i2L To llis ears he fiUed a teleplione recei\ c-rs, heavily padded with felt. Turning, he mol ioned to Gra y es 10 do the same, ini icatiilg a pair hanging above him. From the receivers a funnel-shaped •mouth-piece extended. "Look upward!" Graves heard in the receivers. Until then his attention had been riveter 011 Davis. Tightly gripping the protecting leathers lie "leaned out ; of the little cage-like shelter. A ! few hundred feet above them was a ! large white aeroplane. 'Hinkelston!" lie cried. No longer was he content to remain quiet. With no thought of stanchions, h f le a "; d ,, out nnd ^azed at the pl? n( ! c ° f lis «" era >'-| b «<Menly the topmost plane ; BWOupei 1 -Davi s > anticipating the ; s , <3denly, nearly 1 t!!imi!)R Graves from ^ machine. ' The biplane appeared to shudder llke a bIrd lliat has hit with mi almost spent bullet. A strange bluish light was visible on Hinkelston's ; ! plane. "He is using the wireless control," cried Grates into the mouthpiece before him. "He'll get us it we don't I | I I the danger lie made his way across 1 the narrow unprotected platform j which separated him'from his friend. ' C2inging t0 one off the |
do something." The biplane tilted dangerously, tile pilot being compelled to loop the loop to straighten it up. As Harrington Graves looked round the narrow confine of the cock pit his eye rested on a gun alongside of which was a belt of cartridges. He picked up the gun and loaded it. He was now quite calm, ready to take advantage of the first opportunity which presented itself. He motioned Davis to bring the plane more into line with that of Hinkelston. As yet, the latter had not succeeded in getting his wireless control in tune with the biplane. 'They could see him working hard at his inductances. Now and again they even felt the effects of the awful power he was wielding, noticeable . in the sudden jerking - or kicking of , the plane 0nce lt ' began to "corkscrew," but young Davis, by a quick manipulation. of his ailerons, wis .able to regain control of the bus. Meanwhile Graves was waiting, ihe gun pointed in readiness. Hinkelston dropped a few feet, and Graves fired. As the smoke cleared they saw the white aeroplane, «p-»*rently unharmed, still a few hUBdred feet away.
"Winged him!" cried Davie. Something which spat a long stream of blue lire was seen to drop from the plane. "I've eliot away his wireless," said Craves. "I've evened things up t bit," "Look out!" cried Davie warningly, pulling Graves from his exposed position. A bullet fhftened itself against t#e stanchion where Graves had been standing. Graves fired apafn, but as Davis dropped to dodge Hinkelbton, the bullet went wide. The neit shot of llink'-lfctOG's was deadly, it broke one of- the elevator control cables, thus making it difficult for the pilot to keep the plane in the afr. Seeing what had happened, Graves took; off his head receivers, and made liis way along the lower main plane until lie reached the break; then, as : calmly as if ho were on the ground, he began to splice the two ends of the broken cable. For some reason Hinkelston decided to bring Mis aeroplane closer t» the biplane just m Jack Davis, 1i»Ting-picked up the gun Graves had dropped, fired. The shot was & good one, carrying away most of Hinkelston's engine controls. On sped the great aeroplane. Hin-
kelston cm off Lis petrol, and, by applying a hand brake, managed to check the -peed a little. It was clear, howev r, that a crash was inevitable. Haviuc finished Iris work, Graves stood ami wutcaed, holding to om of the inu-r-plane struts. In v»in Davis tried ;o attract his attention, to urge him to return to he comparative safety of the cockpit. With Graves in such position, Davis knew that he would sacrifice the life of his friend if hu did any-Jung to avoid vi-.e crash of the oncoming aeropl.m". 1 Ai la^i he decided to risk a genilo lire;.. It was too latv. The prn-K-iiv Hinkeit ten's aersplune ! ' ; . cr.i.--;"d ;i;:o the taii plane of his • mac:' To the young pilot in th« ]coc'..;>'j ' here was a uudden shock, • the . - .a: of tearing and smashing, with in,w and again a cry or a tsv-' age niarl. ; As the pian». struck, Hinkelston. s.i.-eiii.^ tha> hjs machine had eniferea • ilie most, sprang tsoui it to the un-, d<. r vs j u>.,1 the biplane vliure ; Graves was hat.^iiig on. Heedtes- of Uo danger, Graves ; immediately ei*s«u with the intrufl-• er. Such a d-speyate, reckless fight i had probaoiy iks»er taken place in the air before. Two men engaged in deadly combat on the flimsy wing of a biplane, thousands of feet in the ; air. Hinkelston got in some clever footwork, and once it looked as if he would get the better of Graves-. The latter, however, was much Ih® stronger. For a moment the t\w struggled on the very edge of the wing. Another inch, it seemed, and tliey would be over. Slowly Grates forecd his adversary to his knees, drawing iw arms up behind hiin. He was about to close with the man when Hinkelston . drew him down, For a moment the professor's mouth was alongside Graves' ear, Davis, from the cockpit saw Hinkelsion's Tips moving. Tiiea Graves relinquished his hold and sprang back, perilously near to the edge of the wing. | Graves motioned to Davie to descend. ; Hinkelston was standing on ^ the plane, a curious smile on his j
face. He fc-11 full length on the wing and clutched the ribs for support. Davis could not understand it at all. As the plane bumped the ground, Hinkelston jumped down and raced into the shelter of some trees. "You let him escape," said Davis some little time later. "Had him subdued and then let him go. What was wrong?'® Something akin to a sob came into Graves' voice &s he spoke. "He told me, Jack. Eve, my little sweetheart, she is dead." "Rubbish," snapped Davis. "The man was* not speaking the truth." "It is hard to believe," said Graves quietly. "1 had my theory of the window breaking," he went on. "I was convinced that Hinkelston was responsible for the breaking of both windows. Then came thp fire with its attendant mysteries. To prove the correctness of my theory, I arranged the sheet of plate glass outside. I carefully varied my sending inductance until I was in perfect tune with the glass. At once it began to vibrate in sympathy breaking with a loud report." Jack Darts batted In. "listen to
my story. While you were pottering about with your instruments I was cranking up the old bus. It was my intention to take you for an early morning spin. A glance upwards showed me Professor Hinkelston's white aeroplane, I recognised It at once. He was flying low, and seemed to be eager to draw as near the house as possible. I got the gun from the bipiane and had a pot-eiioi. but your jolly glass sheet got In thf way and suffered." Harrington Graves sat bolt upright. "You"— you mean?" he queried. "That your experiment was a dud, old chap. I broke the glass." Graves was silent for a few minutes, His face was pale, and around his eyes were black circles. He crossed to a cupboard and took out a tiny glass tube which he handed to Davis. "What do you make of that?" lie asked. Jack Davis shook MB head, "In it an old-time wireless coherer?" he asked. "That," said Graves, "is a powerful heat bomb. There is sufficient energy there to blow this houge to smithereens." "Good-bye, I'm off," said Davis quickly, "I just remembered an important engagement." Graves motioned him to be seated again, "It's all right. There is no danger unless the temperature rises to nearly boiling point. I found this secreted behind my telephone generator, and it was for that reason that I disconnected all wires and instruments, Hinkelston, when he caused the fire, evidently expected the heat to explode the bomb. Fortunately the fire was discovered in tiiiie, and we escaped. Having failed in this, he approached by aeroplane his idea doubtless being to try to
pick up the 'note' of something in | the room, and thereby generate suf-1 flcient heat to explode the bomb. [ Luckily you saw ban. Poor Eve! The only girl I ev<-r loved! Dead ; before T could tell her how I cared ' for her." i "I don't think " began Davis, | rising to his feet. Suddenly there j I was a crash and he spun around and j 1 sank to the floor with a biyiet in hi« ; ' heart. , ; "I thought we shquld hear from i j Hinkelston," said Graves. "Poor j ' Jack — dead!" He dropped on his [ I knees beside the still warm body, i "Poor lad. Murdered by that fiend! i : He killed Eve Saunders, and now he ] has killed my friend. Hinkelston ' . will suffer for this. From now on. I ! it'll be a light to a finish." i j
CHAPTER 5. j ilie iJCa'Ui ikiviii-is ! • iian'iUaiwii biuvca cigasu wearily: ! us lie iiiiiu tuc leie^liuu.. itwivui. iu.d iiud a busy uwni.ag, uua , iUi mm leetiu^ feviiu.uii} Ui-; eu. "Auu an lun-pncttt," he uiut- j tvr^d. ".Sot u thing onii giowmt fcAi'.it*d about ij iiiu viiole budget,'' iiis thoughts went to uiu uiue ViiifcU iiu ana Prutcssui' iimatkiou .md crestoud sworua, 'auch ms mend i.iici Devil struck duv.'u beiore lata. iSmee then uo uttd iiuird nouuag ui las enemy, iiu kaa searcued aim iciiemed, but uf iTmkelstun tin to was no trace, l-'roni las friend, ins tiiouguts Weill to tauuaua. Was sue dead, as Hinkelston hud said? Or was it a ruse on the prolessor's pan to gain a temporary respite;' Did . . . "Hullo, yes'.'" he said at last. "What is itT' ura\es sat up with a start ail the i v, eariness dropping fruni him at j wuat ue heard. His eyes sparkled. : Only tnree words, but to him they : ! meant a lot. Three words only — i "iiy dear Graves." Too well lie knew the- tone, The i man at the other iiui of the line ! .vas Jiiiikelsiyii, the one lie v>as seeking, "i'es, yes!" In his toice tlit-re was a note almost of eagerness, litdrew tile telephone transmitter ek»-
J ser to him as he squared his shoul-1 ders. "What's that you eay? I'm ; atraidf Graves stiffened at the | very suggestion. "Afraid of you," | he went on, "the murderer of Eve Graves paused and listened. 1 "She's alive, you say!" He shouted j the words in his excitement. "Alive! j Hinkelston, say it again. Eve Saun- • ders not dead. Certainly I'll come." ; He dotted down an address on the blotting pad before him and replac- • ed the receiver. Eve was alive! i Slowly his eyes went around the; room, looking at everything, yet see- j ing nothing. Harrington Graves was deep in thought. "He thought that I he'd scared me," he muttered. "I'd J have gone, anyway." j He glanced at the address lie had ; scribbled on the pal. "Belli'ome' Mansions, Belldene. H'ml Not a very attractive part! Professor Hin- • kelston again, eh . . . I'm glad!" Graves lost no time in dealing with the papers he had been studying. "They can wait," he -muttered as he bundled them into a drawer and snapped it closed. He felt that he had something more important to occupy his mind. He had to avenge the death of Jack Davis. He
smiled as? he mentally weariness of e few moment® with bis present eagerness jjnd.ialerfc. ness. But to be once more plttef against Professor Hlnkeiatoa waa sufficient to Set his nerves tingling.. Although Hinkelston had not beaten Mm on the last occasion, ha Lad managed to get free at the last, while Graves was busy with . hUt 4ead partner. That waa mouths ago months during which the professo* had not disturbed him. So deep in thought was be thai tli« noise of the blind, as it flapped against the window, caused him to start up from his chair. (To he continued)
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Cf>c ttbcr Riiid
A Story of Mystery ami Adventure
SYNOPSIS
by ARTHUR RUSSELL (Author of "The Luminous Hay," "Dream Isle," "Bungoona,")
\r'*e mysterious destruction of f.}jjj«, at sea is investigated by De-(l. t1 Graves. He suspects Profes-„<,» Hink-usioii of exerting sinister ii,':i»ftjiCfs by means of aerial den.avt-s arrests the professor, T: v-; :,. escapes. In the course of his «:.•»• ri«*ace in car racing and ac-ro-|.;;!«iing, Graves Is interrupted by his grange influences. Eve Saunders, \v' ;i-ni Graves loves, as well as Dai . in? assistant, disappear, and art? t„ ved to have been killed by the ,.; ;iMv e iir.jfessor. Grave-? is deter-, , .-< ;i l«j : liwart him. v , w read on.
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' To is won't do!" lie muttered, squaring his shoulders, and whec-1-iijr around towards ',!)-• window. "I eat;': let " ii«-- stopped, his eyes wide open %vilh amazement. For, from his -win-less set on the opposite side of tli'- room came the sound of music. This in itself was nothing, were It net for the fact that Graves only that morning had taken to be recharged the accumulator which supp?ied the current. Yet. as he turned leewards the receiver, lie noticed that Hi. filaments of the whole five YrJves were glowing. 1: was t!ic n m " i a mighty organ to winch ho was listening. A glance a 1 the tuning inductance showed that th«- receiver was in hiik with a very lov-wave station, much Inwer than any of the EnglWi or Continental stations. he watched the valves Increased in brilliance, and at the same time the votmee of music grew so eat thai r>r,.v«-s, fearful that his < ar-drujns w.-m'.Y, affected, rushed forw ard to niH Cl theVmd speak ?r. l«ut before he could re,n"h i: there * •w. -:!" nee — sudden and awful, it ft-.- i ;i=.4. His valves went black, and at '.;.> same tiny a line of fire appeared .••• run from his set along the aer-' , ial read-in wire and out to the aerial , Itself, There was a sharp, hissing ( 5'Hind, and a smell as of burning rub-
j ber filled the room. j Full of wonder, Graves waited, as : if - \pectins something more. Then, j when nothing further happened, he ; hurried across to his receiver. Placii: ' t- his hands on the ebonite, he drew < in-k with a sharp exclamation. The I f. •!»'. of the set was quite hot. j He opened the top of the cabinet, ; ar,<;, carefully drawing out a valve, { it to the light. ! • Burnt out!" he snapped, "The j whole live of them. I suppose." His surmise was right. An examination of the valves, still uncomfortably ' hot, showed that the fila-j ments of all had been destroyed. : "Hinkelston's doings!" muttered Graves. "He alone knows the secret of transporting power by wireless. He has spent months iti devising new schemes to annoy me," he almost shouted. "Perhaps even to harm me, like he has done others," I A smile displaced the frown on his I face as he remembered that, during j th«» last twelve months he, too, had t not been idle. He had doubled his 1 knowledge of electricity and wireless, | ami be now felt capable of tackling j even Professor Hinkelston himself. • Ir: *xct, he longed for a chance-to do j 80. Pulling forward a chair-he mounted it and examined his aerial leadin wire which had been burned and | corroded as if attacked by strong j acid. He touched it and it fell to dust in his Angers. ! Outside ho .hurried, and, loosening the aerial halyards, began to lower the wires, At the first movement, that which a few minutes before had been an aerial of several «trands, collapsed and rained ashes upon his head. "I wonder what his game is," mused Graves In perplexity. "Is it merely to show me a sample of his wonderful power with radio, or is ' He stoped short, startled, so it seemed. "That's it!" he cried, rushing 'Inside. ""Hlntetetou -purposely -made '-my vwiretese -ueeiees >eo that he could put something on the air without ray hearing ft." Without any -delay Oravo? replaced 'he-broken valves with others of "the,dull-emitter type which he could light from current supplied by ordinary dry c®)ls, six of which he • •connected up in series-parallel, in -i !
three pairs ol two, so that a strong current of three volts would result, "Hope tiie transformers stood the strain," he said aloud, throwing i:: his rheostats until the live utives glowed red. ] lie stretched a length of wire across the room and connected an end of it to the aerial terminal screw of the receiver. "Now, we shall see!" he murmured. The detective hud no idea what wave length Hinkelston would use, so he replaced the coii-v> nil seme of the ultra low loss tyi-v, wine.) hehad constructed to ho-eii to amateur transmitters from the other side of the world. Kot it v.-minutes <iad passed since lie heard that lir»t burst of music. Then la- had chaiigud hi;-, valves, counseled up a. ba'-terv and .erected ait ii:u:«>r aeruu. swinging round ui. moialjUplate uf uie variable tuning ijia« n-ser, Graves iisk-ued intently, pausing on the forty degree murk on the graduated scale. "Got him!" he snapped excitedly, as he heard a voice. He drew lortu ,a pcncil and pad, aud began to jot down what he was Hearing, li was only a few words, and to Graves they conveyed little, ric Lad cut in during the message mid the portion which be had missed unght have made things clear. Still, what he had received was sufficient i'j make him thoughtful. Thoroughly mystified, Graves shook his head us he gazed at the writing on the pad, lie could almost imagine the professor's voice as he snapped out the words: "Cat and kittens—Columbia—0:X: Nine!" .Satisfied that there was nothing further to be heard at tin' > iin^. Graves cut uut the receivers and, in their jiiace connected a phonograph on which lie titled a blank lecord. A small electric motor kept the record tuiihag, but until anything was recorded the reproducing lR-edle did not move over the sari ace u, the leeoiu wiiich was kept frt-e of dust by a camel hair brush adjusted
to play lightly on its surface. • To the reproducer a four thousand ohm receiver was fitted uo that everything received on the wireless would be reproduced on the blank record which was kept revolving by the electric motor. The battery Graves had arranged was quite strong enough to keep the filaments of the valves lighted for several hours, and unless Hinkelston changed his wave length, the detcctive knew that anything he said through his microphone would be faithfully reproduced or. the phonograph record. , For some time Graves studied the message he had picked up, finally deciding that it was nothing more ; than a hoax to throw him off the [ main scent, should he by any chance ] be listening in. j "Cat and kittens — Columbia —' O.K. Nine" might mean anything, [ but to the detective the words meant nothing. What he had experienced since he had spoken to Professor Hinkelston over the telephone had made him more determined than ever to keep the appotntment which he had arranged. Hinkelston bad coolly invited him that evening to inspect his latest invention—the Death Rocket, as he had fantastically styled it. Then, before Graves had had time to reply he had taunted him with cowardice, causing the detective to accept the invitation immediately. Through the afternoon Graves kept to his,room, examining the record, listening in on higher wave lengths, and studying the cryptic message he had picked up. When at last the time came for him to leave for the address Hinkelston had given, he was no nearer solving the problem. No further messages had been sent by wireless, as far as* Graves could ascertain, but he felt that could he but get the key to the one he had received, he would be on the trail of something big in - the criminal world. Graves, hailed a taxi, Instructed the driver to take him to Hinke!-•! Ion's -addre?s, and <li«n settiH down 'o-think a -ajti e.vr the peculiar message he- Lad plucked from the <Hher: Oat -and kittens—Colum-Nine! i * So deep was he in thought that .they .JkwI travelled quite tw.o-lliird's
of the distance before he fully realised the fact, and it was not until tiie car dashed past a heavy stone building that Graves got a grip of himself. A street lamp threw a strong light on the building, bringing it into bold relief. "Got it!" cried the detective, leaning out of the taxi and looking back. The meaning of the message had come to him in a flash, and as he stopped from the car a few minutes later he glanced around to see if lie had been followed. As far as lie could see there was no one about. The-street, seemed deserted-Bellfoiue Mansions was an old-fashioned stone building, dimly lighted and dingy. Giving it scarcely a ;--l;uice, Grave? harried across the road and entered a public telephone bureau. A ring, and lie was tlii-ouih to .Scotland Yard, speaking to his hief. "Ha, ha!" he laughed, as he ( stepped from the telephone cabinet three or four minutes later. "Cat and kiti —Columbia—O.K. Nine -•-perhaps'." Graves wasted no time in study-' ing the outside of the old building, which was dignified by the name of Dellfoine Mansions, but stepped into the hall which led to the offices and apartments on the ground floor. He w r alked along until he came to an automatic lift, which evidently had only recently been installed, for ev-: i-rything about it was new. | He opened tiie door, and closing it behind him, reached up to press the fourth floor button, when, with , a suddenness which almost took his breath away, the lift shot upwards, * travelling at a terrific rate of speed, ft passed the fourth floor, and Gravys, with his finger on the "stop" button, tried to make the lift obey the controls. The fifth, sixth and seventh floors were pa- sod at the same speed, and the oeteciive was preparing for the crash at the eighth and final floor when, assuddehly as it had started, the lift stopped, nearly shooting its occupant through the roof. Graves again pressed the fourth tl :or control button, and the lift re-.-ponded, dropping at a normal rate niuii the fourth floor was reached. Harrington Graves opened the door r. n d was stepping out when he felt eh ominous quiver go thrcrgh the iii';. He jumped, landing clear as Gi • lift shot from under him. •That's tiie first time I have known an automatic lift to move iu,!i the door open!" said the deie-.-nvo to himself. "That ascent, too, ...:.-, a bit sensational. I wonder if iunkeiston was behind it all. Anyway, I'm here, so now for the Death Rocket!"
Professor Hinkelston smiled sardonically at what he saw in a small mirror-like instrument on the tabie before him. It was a periscope of his own design, and it was arranged to command a view of the whole of the stairway and the lift well. The room he was in wis comfortably furnished, and, instead of the dim flickering gas lamps which illumined the rest of the building, the room was lighted by a single electric light which hung by heavy brass chains from the centre of the ceiling. i Hinkelston pressed a hidden button and the doors of a mediumsized cupboard opened, exposing a multiplicity of switches and fuses. His eyes still on the periscope, he flicked over a switch lever, paused, and then put it back again. He grinned broadly at what he saw. He waited again, this time for nearly a minute, and then over went the lever uf another switch. As Hinkelstou closed the doors of the switch cupboard there was a smile on his face, Something he had seen' through the periscope had evidently amused him. "That was a good idea of mine, having the lift re-wired by my own electrician," he said aloud. "1 nearly got him that time. Had Graves hesitated another instant he would have suffered. Ah, here he Is." Hinkelston threw open the door as footsteps sounded outside. 'GMy dear Graves. Come inside. Let me see. It must be thirteen mouths since we met. Thirteen, Groves. Note the number. Are you superstitious?" Graves did not reply, merely shrugging his shoulders indifferently. "Did ycu come up in the lift?" Graves looked sharply at his host as the question was asked. "Yes," he answered shortly, "Now what's this business about the Death Pocket?' ! should . advise yo»' n«i to try any funnyeapers, professor.] have you covered .with a pocket automatic. My finger is en 4 he (jigger, and at the first sign ef an;, thing suspicious, I -shall fire. Get »te? Ramember, you are .wanted on a oharu" of murdering Jack Davis." (.To be continued)
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CBC etbcr King
A Story of Mystery and Adventure
SYNOPSIS
by ARTHUR RUSSELL (.Author of "The Luminous Iiiiy." "Dream Me," "Hungoona,")
Tlit* mysterious destruction of ships at sea is investigated by Detective Graves. He suspects Professor Hinkelston of exerting sinister intiuences by means of wireless. Eve Saunders, whom Graves loves, and Pa'-K Graven' assistant, disappear, ainl are believed to have been killed hy ille elusive professor. Graves ceiner upon the professor at home ami covers him with a revolver. Xu>v read on.
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IJiiikelstoii gave a little laugh as ti<> glanced at the bulgi ig pocket "y = «r're a queer fellow, 0raves. It's pin thai you have such a bad r,; a of me, though. Mo wanted 5<>l murder. Bless you, my dear ilie young fellow died of heart are. There wasn't a mark found body, you will nniembw. !iy. Graves, I don't' know what I Jm'.. ... done to deserve your antagont.-Jj,. . I've always treated yon well." 11 «as Graves's turn to smile, "W- won't argue about that," lie Red drily. "Let's get to busi-Jl must l«e nearly nine, and ]!>> paused irritatingiy. "Well?" llinkeiston's tone was sharp as lie |iu» the question. "oli, nothing," was the detective's r< • i' I y \Vi:h a quick movement he edged round to a position which put him between Hinkelstou and the door. The professor drew a small boxin which were packed a number of tiny rockets, little bigger than ordinary matches, so ('.raves thought, as he moved up closer to the table. Iliakelston produced a small ebonit>-ease with a number of ivory knobs like key? of a typewriter arranged on its, surface. He motioned to Graves to waMi, aim at the same time put a match to the end of the rocket. .ft th. t upwards with a sharp hissing sound, but rose only a few M't, and then began to circle aroujd the room. Hinkelstou lift;d a neavy sheet of 3rui. placing it to that it would be ii, the path of the rocket. Graves wa>" i repared for s owething startling when ' the rc.»ket struck the he„ >;, Iron, but to his astonishment, it right through the metal, making a clean, round hale. Tin.- professor was pressing the ivory keys with a certain regularity, stopping for an instant, he struck
a match wli.ch he applied to the fuse of the rockets. Before Graves knar what was happening he was encircled by a ring of lire, The rockets, hissing fiercely, began to xevojve around hlffi. Hmkelston still pounded away at the ivory keys, and all the time the speed ol the rockets increased, until to Graves it seemed as if lie were witla;= u cage of Are. "My dear Gi&ves. * So fast were the rockets travelling that the detective couid nut see Hinkelstou. • He had lost all sense of direction. The voice, (oo, of the mnil appeared to come from several points at once. . i "Well?" he snapped. 1 "The experiment is a great success. For thirteen months, Graves, while you have been bemoaning the loss of your sweetheart, I have worked on-the idea. The death rockets, Graves, are true to name. You are to be saeriheed in the cause of science. Then I sliail have a free hand. I could bring about your death more simply, you suggest? Yes I could, Graves, but you know my love- far the picturesque." Graves.forced a laugh which was mirthless. The circle of lire was closing In on him, he noticed, and the heat of the rockets was scorching him through his clothes. j In vain he tried to locate Hinkelston. tried to pierce the veil of fire which surrounded klir. If he could only get some idea of Hinkelston's position. - • ; Closer and closcr drew the en- ! circling rockets. Despite the danger; he was in'Graves could not fail to see the ingenious construction of the fiery things. They were supplied with sufficient powder to carry them' tip a foot or two, when Hinkelston, I with ids keyboard, sot into wireless • tune with them .and "controlled their; movements. The rockets were i drawing- - their power by -wireless from some electrical reservoir in the riooju * . Having decided this, Graves put all his-attention on the rockets. He had grown used to the hissing sound which on every revolution was punctuated by a tiny enap. Carefully -Graves noticed this, trying to work torn the cause.
.Soon the rockets were only a few inches from him. His clothes were smoking under the intense lieat which seemed to burn him through and through. Then there came to him the sharp sound of a bell. • It was the clock striking nine. At "the same instant he heard Hinkelstou move across and throw over a switch, and a blinding flash seemed 10 envelop everything. Still the rockets continued to encircle him. He was imprisoned in a ring uf lire. Slowly he turned uroaim his liner on in-: trigger ol the automatic pistol in his pocket. Snap, snap, snap! The &uund, small though U was, seemed to be tearing into lire brain. Snap, and with ii—bung! Grafts had pulled the trigger. Searedy had the echoes of the hiiot died away than tiie whining of tiie revolving rockets ce-u^cd mid liiey dropped dully to the dour. Harrington Grates hp: ui.g lu'-ward, but as he- did so Uk- i.uor \\u.-stamnied and Uie key tunnd in (he lock. 'To his ears came tut- suu.»u as of splashing water, and as In.--eyes giew used to the light he saw that lrom jets ail around iiim hue streams were playing, a • pi ash on His neck brought forth a suarp # ejaculatiou. The liquid burned him like flame. But to Grave 5 escape new presented no difficulties. Takii.g off his coat he bound it over his head, face and neck. Then, wall a glance towards the window, he dashed through the spray. Ouce clear of this, he threw off the coat and opened the window, up to the ledge ol which lie scrambled and dropped to a narrow projection about fourteen feet below, just visible in the light of the uiooi It was a perilous drop, but Graves never faltered, .aid landed squarely on the eighteen inch plaU'oi u. From there he made /as way, hand over band, along a hea\v water pipe that was bolted to the wall. He reached a wooden "oreape" stairway iusi as the; pipe grew hot. "Hinkelstou and his wireless energy:" snapped Graves, pausing to rub his burning hands. He shuddered as .he thou gin of what wouid have happened had he delayed-and been caught on the burning pipe half way across. Seventy feet bduvv was a flagged quadrangle on which, had lie fallen, he would have assuredly been dashed
to death. Fortunately the stairway he was now oil was of wood, which he knew would be safe from any wireless power of Hinkelston. Yet, as he went down, step by step, he exercised the utmost care, unwilling to fall Into any trap after having escaped front so much. Hatless and coatless, his clothes acid burned and awry, his face and hands black and dirty, he was a peculiar object, and a passing policeman who caught sight of him in the moonlight as he was nearing the ground, stopped and waited for him, fingering his handcuffs as he watched. A few words from Graves were sufficient to make him change his attitude, and in a.Hale while Graves and the policeman were hurrying upstairs, unwilling to trust themselves to the automatic lift after Graves's experience of some time before. But they need not have worried, as they discovered when they reached Hinkelston's room. Short though the time had been every instrument of value bad been removed. Hinkelston had evidently foreseen that an emergency flight might be necessary and had made preparations. Graves found that his bullet had shattered the battery which was supplying the currents to. work the rockets. Evidently, as the rockets passed the large battery they f.-lt the full influence of it, and gave the little snap which had directed Graves's shot, Where the acid had sprayed they saw that the carpet and floor were burnt and stained. Of the apparatus there was not a trace. All had been removed. "It's no good waiting here any longer, constable," said Graves at last. "Ill make the report. Just Mil a taxi, please." f "Very well, sir," replied the constable, and in a very brief time Graves was-a-headquarters in consultation with his chief. "Yes/we caught them In the act," he said in reply to Graves's question. "On the receipt of your message I sent out a large squad In charge of Curtis and Rafferty. They waited as you suggested, and punctually at nine " (To be continued)
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Cu etber Kin
A Storj- of Mystery and Adventure
(< , oiitliiue<l from last wwk.)
(Author of "The If ARTHUR RUSSELL Kay," "Dream Isle," "Buiigoona,")
Graves nodded. "I know," lie cut in. -some powerful influence wa S brought to bear on the door of the strongroom o£ the Columbia Bank and it collapsed. I hope you got tie men.". f The commlssioaer rang a bell aud' four men, handcuffed, ware brought into the room, • "This," lie said, .pointing to the first, "is George Catt, Eatid " ^ "And the others aw the kUteas," aaW Graves, taterrttpttag. "Catt and kittens—Columbia-—O.K. Nine" lie mused, tlxioking af the message, the meaning of wMeh had come to lii in as he hsui the Columbia Bank, "The man, Catt, he Umw to be a desperate aijislnal, reteast?!! only a week before I'roni gaol, ami coupling this with the lac! that tin: Columbia BftMk was in a direbuliiie Miih Beliloin€ Maaaatts, lie toati iw-iied on a bold move which had proved suceessiiiL The telephone bell rang. "You're v.-isited, <3raves," B&id the commis-«io»fr, who had pei-WHUiJJy answered the Mil. "My dear -Graves, I hup.- v;j« m(-ier«4 .ao diaability." ' "HoHe whalevtr, Uiaal; ycu. Hink(4a'.-on." a3»sw«r«l <5raves, "Aud— er———," Ih? aided, "tlie cat and kiitfiis and the Columbia Baak are all Q.]{., despite Hie str«ag current you directed wirei«sEly on the brink's safe itl nine o'clock. Y-ou might let me know whea y-ou have any further things to di'inoaMrale, if you will," he added, winking at the inspector. "T shall he free any night. For pre-IVi-ence, Hinlu'iston, I should like stmteibins difftrent from the death rockets."
CHAPTER VI. Yoiecs of the Fast
It was about four weeks after the events narrated in the preceding chapter had taken place that liarriugton Graves, in bis office at the Yfrd, turned in disgust to the commissioner seated on the opporite' side of the table, "Of all Die .'-•illy people in the world, I've struck the silliest," he remarked. But the commissioner was busy nnd pave no ear to Graves who, with a shake of the h«id, turned away. "I wonder what the next character will be!" he mused. Throughout the morning he had been bothered with rings on the telephone, "Is that Harrington Gram?" the caller would ask. Then without waiting for a reply, imitations of the speech of some histoideal figures would be heard. There | had been imitations of Julius Cae-. sar, Boadicea, and William, Prince of Ora»g«. He had listened to a. fragment of Mark Antony's famous ( epeech, and he had heard Shakes-, penre sighing over the construction of the Merchant of Venice. ! fle found himself speculating as' Ito what the next character would be. Imitations? Perhaps. Yet they had sounded almost like the real thing. It was as if the a^es had * rolled back and he was listening to' liie voices of the old-world people, He tossed a coil into the air, "Heads, It's the Black Prince, talis; it's Alfred the Great. I should like' to hear Alfred's retort to the worn- • she had scolded him for burning the cakes." IMspite Graves's attempted levity, he was worried. That morning, as lie • was investigating a simple case of larceny, he had his old enemy, Professor Hinkelston. The ; professor had slightly altered, had j -filled out. His cheeks were fatter, "while liis chin, smoothly shaved, seemed to have grown rounder and almost shone in the sua. "Ha, my-dear Graves!" the professor had greeted him: "Still busy I suppose. Every thing going right, I trust! It's abaut time we had another trial of strength, eh?" Before Graves could recover from hi!§ astonishment af being so addressed Hinkelston had passed on, cutting the air with liis stick as If lie were mowing * down imaginary foes. Graves knew the signs. Hinkelston was preparing another great coup. That the professor bad purposely-forced himself, upon film, lie felt sure. What had he to gain by forecasting another 1»mt .between tie two? . There was a .purpose behind everything Hinkelston did. "Graves's meditations were interrupted ty-anotticr telephone ring. "Is it William the Conqueror, or of the -oM-tlae^'Drrtd' priests?" 'he roused, as he lifted the .receiver. '"Is that Harrington Graves? It is, 'Vmy well, Professor Kingslake speaking. Tou have * ,
to the voices of people who have long been dead." „,,„.... „ . . n , T . ln \ bad r T Vi „ „ , T* at 10 PUl * ' llv lhat fitory OTer m e ' "Boa't condema ine yet, Mr. Graves. You, doubtless, have heard theory that once a word Is st>r>k«n it goes on throiigb the ages?' -"There's going to be a great old babel of sounds in another few centuries," suggested 'Graves lightly.. "No, sir, I cannot accept your statfe| "lent; although, as you suggest; f have heard of the theory. The thing is all wrong." "Would you like to witness the actual process of picking up these vagrant voices, Mr. Graves? The actual words- of everyone who has lived on the earth art- tlitre lor the taking." "All labelhd and tabulated in alphabetical form, pigeon-holed for handy reference ,ek? Very well, professor, Pil accost u>\ir challenge. I tell von frankly, 1 don't believe in the theory, think it's all bosh, and that I am waiting time in bothering with it. .Where shall I meet you, and when?" "That is all I .Mi Owes -• your own personal attendance. After 1 have finished vou are at liberty to believe what you like. Meet »iu> at 57 Birmingham Mansions. 3rd I-'kjor. at seven o'clock tonight, and 111 otiiionstraie to ymi." "I shall be there, professor. Goodbye.' ' "That's the. coolest Ihim: I've yet struck," said Graves aloud. "Everything is clear now. Unless I know notiiint". Professor ICijigflake ir my dear old friend, Hinkelstoo, with ii frog in his throat -w way cf disguise. He thinks that I'll attend — walk into the trap, as It were. It's the old story of the spider and the
flv on a large scale. And though fu, quite willing to ape the flv in u.af 1 walk into the parlour, vet 1 shall make provision to prevent mv bphie enmeshed in Hie spider's web. H r t!lUs t not torget, either, ihat he i- 4 °till wanted for the murder o f IMvis. ir possible, I shall apprehi-::d him this evening, and once he in my clutches, I shall force bini to I'll nie the whereabouts of Eve Saunders." Craves felt quite exe'ted at the thought of again trying conclusions with Hinbelsle-i. The processor, he, like the poor, had always with him. So in between times lie tackled other cases; these, he felt, were onlv fill-ups between contests with Hinkelston. He let his thoughts run over I lie various trials of strength he had had with the professor, On everv oecasion he had beaten the man' had demonstrated that he was too cute to be caught by Hinkeiston's wiles, yet, in every instance, Hinkelston had managed to wriggle clear of the consequences. Once, true, he had been tried and convicted, In twentv four hours he had effected an escape from gaol from under the very eyes of the warders, Graves took up the dav's newspaper, which, as yet, lie had not read In big letters across the front page, he saw the announcement. "Can we communicate with the dead? Professor Kfiigslake saye .Yes," it was not an accurate announcement. Afs far as Graves could see Kingslake claimed to be able to do something different; still it was a good "scare" tiUe on which to hang a readable story. "Kingslake! Or Hlnkekton?" muttered Graves. "Tonight will ten." "Joan of Arc,' you say. "Listen!" Harrington Graves was interested yet incredulous. He was certain that Professor Kingslake and his enemy, Hinkelston were one and the same , person. The heavy black beard, which evidently was false, gave Hinkelston a vererable look, whih? his long black coat seemed to disguise some of his rotundity, "A few words from Mr Gladstone, England's nwet wonderful Prime Minister. Very well. Something a little more modern." ' The man operated a dial not unlike that of an ordinary variable condenser as 1s used io wireless. In a loud speaker, which appeared to be of tie conventional typei a series of whistles was heard. It was as if lie urns passing over millions of carrier waves. At* last he stopped and pressed a stud. A moment's silence, a deep heavy sigh bb if tlie voice of the past was relnetant to become audible for present-day critics, .'and clearly in the confines of the room there, rang out distinctly Mr Gladstone's well known voice.
= Still Graves was not satisfied. Apparently everything was correct and above-hoard, yet the knowledge that the demonstrator was Hinkelston made him chary of accepting the voices as genuine. The professor was rfeady for further teste, waiting, even anxiour:, to make audible tnorc voices of the past. Graves was 1m no hurry, and witii a nod to the man began thoroughly to examine the apparatus. It was a type of radio set, lie saw, with several novel features. Hinkelston was a wireless wisard, but lie had not credited hiui with having such extraordinary pom*rs as had been demonstrated to him in that little room to an apartment house In the midst of the world's greatest city. Of disturbances from -etectrical machines tlwe vm not a • trace, and static was not evidenced by the slightest (watch.. • Only oa& thing lie could not understand—« roaad, * Instru-*" -of the faeeye? Ms eg»j«it'' tiai*llSfl e>-' he sHA -<p«l€4l?. ; contlif: secret of lay buce<m. in tlaf cyitodrica!, «tee tlwre we imttNMMmts the like • of wir.eh you, Mr. Gfnves. 'woiHd never- dream. Having conquered this, I am how going to torn my attention to * foretelling the future. Think of it, my dear Gr&ve§. What will .life be when oue can foresee everything that is going to happen?" "My dear Graves" The detective noticed the slip. It was a phrase characteristic of Hinkelston ,and even if he had had any doubts before they would now have been set at rest. But he was positive in his own mind that tlie man was Hinkelston. His every action was that of the professor. If ihe man noticed hie slip he gave no evidence of it, for his smile was as bland ?.<s ever, and. be continued in cultured even tones to ex-' plain several minor points concerning the apparatus, "The wave length, you will perceive by the coils I use, is extremely low," he remarked, pointing to three coils of wire wound together in a peculiar way. "They are wound differently from usual lowloss coils," he continued. "When one works on a wave length of half
a metre one lias to be careful." "Halt" a metre!" Harrington Graves could not repress an exclamation. "1 didn't know it was possible to get down so low." "1 can tune down much lower than that," was the quiet reply. "Some day when you can spare the time 1 should like to show you. Would you like to hear any more voices? Lord Byron or King Lear? Which would you like?" "Neither," said Graves shortly. "1 want to hear the voice of my old Uncle Ben. Poor old Uncle was killed whilst exploring the Pacific Islands. On the island of Tagadi. I don't know whether you know it at all? -Uncle Ben, Certainly. Wait." This time tlie professor took rather longer in tuning-in the voice. Carrier wave after carrier wave was passed over, the whistle of each sounding shrill and clear ia the speaker. At last a pronounced whistle was reached and resolved itself into words. "There you are. What do you think of that?" There was not quite so much confidence in the tone of the professor. It seemed as ii the man was slightly dilli dent. But Graves was wildly excited. "It's Uncle Ben. Good old uncle," lie cried. "His voice is the same as when lie used to tell me stories years ago. Could you tune back to one of those stories, professor. It's wonderful!" He paused, and edged closer to the man, "Hinkelston," he said, changing his voice to its normal' tone. "You're tlie biggest schemer nu! of gaol. Uncle Ben is a myth. is the story of the islands. The island of Tagadi does nut exist." At the same time he leaned forw;ird, and grasping the black beard between finger and thumb, he gave it a feharp pull. "Hi!" roared the man, and in hi? tone there was real pain. The beard was real. Graves shrank back in di«?may. The man was not Hinkelston after till. As be looked more closely he saw that (lie figure was altogether different from that of the professor as he had seen him a few hours ear-, lier. He had made some huge mistake which might cost him dearly. The man was still rubbing his chin. Graves had put a lot of force into, the tug, and he could see the skin under the beard standing out red and angry. The man was looking wonderingly at Graves. He was unable te grasp the full significance of the acti«p. and wire a he spoke a few moments later there was an aggrieved tone in Ms voice. (To be continued)
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A Stffff .of Mystery and Adventure
{Continued from last week.)
by ARTHUR RUSSELL (Author of "Hie fjunilnous Ray," "Dream Me," "Bungoona,")
"I don't understand. Hinkelston, you caid. What does it mean? I think an apology is .due. Your unwarranted attack on me, I mean. Hang, it all, sir," he went on, lxis BB©er getting the better of him, "it's preposterous." Graves hastened to apologise. He •was sorry; yet mystified. Even now it was hard for hi in to believe that the man before him was not his old enemy. Yet, had he not, earlier in the day, seen and spoken to Hinkelston who -was then clean shaven? A beard could not be grown in a few hours, and the reality of the beard was beyond all .question. "Indeed, I am sorry," Iiq urged. "This Hinkelston is an old 'enemy o£ mine. He is capable of anything. He has made numerous attempts on my life, and I thought I saw in this
another ruse to get in<e into his power." He held out his hand. "Will you accept my apology?" he pleaded. The other was chary of approaching Graves. He appeared to read something of a homicidal nature in the detective's eyes, and made no effort to take the outstretched band. "You accused me of fraud," he said slowly. "You should know that mistakes sometimes happen. I did my best for you. Had you given me the name of a real person whose voice you were genuinely anxious to hear, I might have been more suecessful. ! With his left hand he flicked off, the filament switch of the set, caus-; Ing the light in the valves to go out; 1 simultaneously he raised his right; 'hand, and the next instant he had squirted into Graves' face an anaos- j thetic which made the detective • sway and fall to the floor. j "Ha, my dear Graves! I have you | at last. Hinkelston it is, but you will never know it. Exit Harrington Graves. From now on I shall be untramelled in my investigations." ( Graves -moved slightly under the ' anaesthetic as if he had heard what was said, and was protesting against i It, - | Hinkelston picked up Graves and , conveyed him to a waiting motor, es. into which he lifted him, propping him up In the front seat. He ; took his place at the driving posi- j tlon, and -letting in the clutch, tnov- j ed off. i "That tug of the beard Is going to cost you your life, my dear Graves," he said with vmphaslsed' sweetness as the car gathered speed, Graves did not lapse 'ntn tijircn-; sciousnees immediately, As in a dream t. he * had , heard „ Hinkeiston's , . , triumphant musing. He hm stiuggled against the effect of the snaes-
thetic. Gradually his senses left him and he knew nothing. His first realisation was that he' was travelling in a motor 5ar in strange country. Ap«* from this lie could get nothing tangible. Sfs brain refused to bridge the great gap. Why was he here? He kept bis eyes closed, and to all outward appearances he was still insensible. Nevertheless, his brain was hu?y, and when later he ventured to look and caught sight of the face of the driver it all came back to him with a rush. He was with Hinkelston. What were the professor's words again, words heard when he was in a state of pemi-conscloueness. "That tog of the beard is going to cost /oil your life." Graves remained etll!. i gathering together, as it might ' e, the scattered end of things,.reserving his strength for the time when he should act. ney were nroceedlne at an even I sn2d and Grav^ w^ Jairfdlv re- ! zzit mZ r tif St"; was time to act. Springing round suddenly, he grasped Hinkeston round the neck. The act was a foolish on, and shewed that Graves was. not oulte WmsflL At the moment they were passing along the edge of a steep ravine, and as he gripped Hinkelston "the steering wheel swung round, and the next instant they were going orer the steep cliff at the side. Both Graves and Hinkelston threw themselves clear of tie tar. Graves threw ont his-bands aad erneped- a' sapling growing at the- tide. BWtr Ms weight t}» tree^nk benfcyeUI.; wsas jrafflclant to break hjs Ml juxd. he was able to swing Himself to a
ledge of cock several feet lower. Here he nested lor >a moment, and then began to look about him. Further below he saw SMfelston lying apparently unconscious upon another lodge. That he was still alive could be seen by the contortions of his limb*. The ledge on which he was resting, however, was on a slant, and each time he moved his body went nearer the edge. Below was the ravine, to fall to the bottom of which would mean certain death. Graves took ali this in as he wiped down at his enemy. He could not remain where he was and see Hinkelston suffer, even though the professor's death would mean comparative peace to the detective. Pluckily he swung: himself from the rock on which he was sheltering. _ and, .giving a mighty swing, landed safely alongside Hinkelston, just as
the man was on the brink. Another second and lie would have been over, and Graves would be free. Graves was still weak, yet lie managed to clutch Hinkelston and I hold him. His own position was far j from comfortable. They were on an . incline, and the slightest slip would • send them both hurtling over into j the depths, ! "Thank you, Graves, you saved my life." Hinkelston had regained j con-, seiouMwss, and was able to sit up. "I could feel myself slipping, but could do nothing to prevent the catastr«phe," he advised. "You saved my life," he repeated, when I was,' trying to take yours. Graves, shall we «all a halt—a truce? Unless we ean devise some im-ans of getting out of this, we'll remain until we rot. We are right out of the usual run of traffic, and it is unlikely that anyone would think of looking in this ravine for us, even if we were missed." "Before I give my answer," said Graves, "tell me this. Is Eve Saun-j ders alive and well?" [ Hinkelston laughed. "Of course she is, Graves, and very anxious to j see you. There was some sort of j attachment between you. I understand. Very romantic. Seems al-, most like a chapter out of a modern novel. .Up to date detective in love with criminal's niece! Yes, Graves, Eve is quite well." "Then I agree," said Graves -shortly. "I warn you, though, Hinkelston, as soon as we get out I shell , be just as keen to check your wrong doings as I was before. The truce j can be only temporary. Hinkelston's eyes blazed. "I don't particularly love you, Graves" he snapped. "For my part, it'll be war 10 the death. And if on reaching the top I get a chance to hurl you back again look out r™
though you saved me from'destruction a few minutes ago " »Those wices?„ Gra;,e, began "Were faked," said Hinkelston. "By cleverly worked auto-suggestion I made you choose characters of which I had gramophone records prepared. It was when you gave me the mythical Uncle Ben that I knew you suspected. Yet I have been experimenting with the theory, and have bad some success. I was going to use you as an experiment, Graves —* sacrifice, if yoc like. Ytm would have been a martyr to science. All your conversation wsw recorded on sensitive plates, and it was my intention, after you had been disposed of, to 'tune back' and re-listen to those conversations, comparing them with those on the plates." Graves gasped. The callousness of the man amazed him. For a mo-,T nt he had a mad desJr « ^ Push 11,6 enemy {rom <lie to end ev-^ZT a T r?' ^ T ' « ' ! rl if nd ' Davis, over a year before, He conquered this feeling, hewwer, and turned again to Hinkelston. "Yes?" he saw interrogatively. "I'v was to be sacrificed, you say, and my, last wards were to be tuned back, for you to gloat over. One thing I will, say, Hinkelston, your frankness Is commendable." ! "You tipset things, Graves, by re-' turning to consciousness before I expected it. Had you remained Insensible for another five minutes, 1 you would hav# formfid the subject of Borne interesting tests. As it is — 1 —** i
Hinkelston paused and shrugged •his shoulders. j "Wg'vg formed an alliance—a mu-: tual help society," said Graves, "and the. problem thai confronts us is iicov to get back to -safety." "That's it, my dear Graves. You put the problem very neatly. Two heads are better than one, even though one may be only a sheep's head. We both are—well, certainly not fools. My electrical knowledge-; is above the ordinary, while yours The conceit of the man annoyed, Graves. "I know something about both subjects," he snapped. "All the same, I eas't see hosrit is going to help us in the. present case." "See the remains of the car down there. Graves, we must climb down to it." said Hinkelp.ton. "Further into tie ravine. Why not endeavour to climb higher?" . "Impossible, -my .dear Graves. See-] for yourself. To descend is within'; the bounds of possibility. Once j there, the rest should be easy." j "Before we start there is one point; on which I should like to be satis- 1 fied. Just in case anything should j happen, vou know. How is it that this morning when I sa% vou, you * were clean shaven, while now you ^ have a black beard?" * ' Hinkelston laughed. "Easy, i Graves. This morning my beard 1 was hidden under a false chin. You'
"That accounts for the fatness of your face, then." cut in Graves. "If there is nothing else, w-e'il begin our descent." So saying, Hinkelston swung himself recklessly from thr- ledge and . began to make his way down the almost vertical side of the cliff. Graves not to be outdone, followed, and after several minor ' mishaps they reached the bottom, Here everything was dark and gloomy. The sun's rays barely percolated the depths. Nevertheless, Hinkelston was light-hearted, and hummed as he made his way to thet • wrecked car. Opening the bonnet he disconnected the ignition coil, and this, with two nails, he formed into a spark transmitter. The receiver consisted of a piece of graphite taken from a soft lead pencil with a small pocket . telephone receiver which Hinkelston took from the tool caesr of the car. Hinkelston began to tap two i pieces of wire together, and with ' each contact sparks flashed out from the spark coil. Graves had the roceiver to his ears, a fragment of the graphite being balance across two other pieces. Within a 'few minutes of the first call, Graves" held up a restrainlnc baud. "Your signals," he said, after j listening for a while "are interferi„g Wjt|j ti,e broadcast reception and you are hereby notified by the commercial station to cease transmission at once." "Good. This is where I disobey orders," said Hinkelston, and again began to tap. After a while he disisted. "I've explained things lucidly to them," be announced. "Listen for a reply." "O.K.," answered Graves. "A rescue party is being sent out for us. It should reach us in less than two hours."
The next morning Graves was awakened from the middle of a deep sleep by the sound of his telephone bell. He had lived again his perilous descent at the end of a dangling rope, and was settling back in the comfort of the car of the rescuers when the sound of the bell shattered (he illusion. "Is that Harrington Graves? Would you like to listen to the voice of someone of whom you think a great deal?" Before Graves could reply came the voice of Eve Saunders. "Harrington, why don't you come to me?" That was all. Suddenly the viicfchanged. He heard portion of the conversation he had had with Hinkelston on the previous evening, but whether it was "tuned back" as a result of Hinkelston's experiments, or was merely a reproduction of one 1 tive plates of which JHlff"!; Hinkelston boasted, he did not know. "There- you are, my dear Graves. You heard your Eve. Don't forget j the truce is ended. From now s on it's war to the knife. Hinkelston ersus Graves, and pity help you, Graves," Before he could reply a shock ran through his system. It was as If he were paralysed, and the telephone receiver dropped from his nerveless hand. Hinkelston had sent a powerful current of electricity along the line, "I'll not forget," muttered Graves, rubbing hie hand. For a moment anger blazed from Ms eyes, and then he thought of the voice he had
heard. "It is you, Hinkelston, who will be sorry that the truce is broken. I shall be glad to cross swords with Professor Hinkc-Muii again."
CHAPTER 7 Hinkelston’s Mistake "You've certainly got nerve to suggest such a thing, after all our bitter enmity." A week had scarcely elapsed before Graves and Hinkelston were at it again. Harrington Graves walked towards the door and threw It open. "Good morning, Professor Hinkelston! I'm very touey "to-day, and cannot spare you more time."* For several seconds -Graves looked at his old enemy, letting his thoughts go back over the many encounters he had had with Hinkel- j ston. What the professor -didn't , know about electricity and magnet- I ism wasn't worth bothering about, 1 while bis knowledge of wireless iras ' great. Detective Graves shivered as, he thought of some of the things the * professor had done, Hinkelston did not budge from cbair. Instead, he re-arranged the cushion, and with, studied carelessness threw one leg over the oth or. He smiled. "Close the door, my dear Graves. | There is a decided draught, and I'm i rather susceptible to colds. What's that I hear you mutter? It's a pity _ I didn't catch a cold and die. Ha! ha! ha' Graves, my lad! If I passed out, or suddenly decided to turn over a new leaf, to use a timeworn phrapi.% what would you do? Supposing, now, that I caught the next boat to, say, Peru, what would happen?" "Peru would at once be the richer for an arch criminal," was Graves' reply. He banned the door and faced Hinkelston. "You did not hear me mutter anyhing," he asserted. "I'm not. keen on your going to IVru, or anywhere else, for that matter. I'm vory com fort able as I am at present, and If you left I should have to leave also." '•.Meaning " "That where you go, there also will I he. Hinkelston, if need be, I'd iailow you to the North Pole." "N.i! U.is time of the year, Graves. Indeed, no! I value my personal comfort more than even to think of the North Pole- during the present ; cold snap," | "Are you trying to irritate me, to goad me iuio saying something which would not be wise? Or is it your perverted sense- of humour? Hinkelston, don't tell me that you | are deliberately trying to be funny, | Were it not for Eve, whose voice I heard so" unexpectedly recently, I'd "You amuse me, Graves," interrupted HinkelF.Km, laughing. "You think you're brave, and yet you refuse to accept the u&r I have made. Frankly, I think you are afraid. I give you my word ior what it is worth, and I don't think that you can quote one instance of my ever having broken a premise, that no harm will come to you. Arm yourself, if you like. Load your belt
with shooting irons. I don't mind." Graves did not reply at once. He • thought hard. Why did Hinkelston ] wish hin\ to be present? There was j something at the back of the pro-, fessor's eagerness for him to attend; some-thing sinister, he felt. | "Very well, I'll go," Graves an-! nouueed suddenly. "I shall come: armed. And. I warn you, Hinkelston/at the first sign of treachery.' I .shall shoot. My finger will be on' the trigger all the- time." j "I thought you would accept, \ Graves. You won't regret it. This | evening I shall show you something; far ahead of anything you have ever j seen. You have already had «omo' evidences of how I can use the ether i to carry power from one point to | another. To-night—hut why should j I anticipate' Were I to tell yen all' about it now. the experiment would ' be robbed of half it* attractiveness.; 1UV r0lira6 at eisht 0-o!ock tnniPbt. my dcr Graves, and I shall have everyth!nc ready for you." "I will," answered Graves, shortly. Again he rose and threw open the , •Y-oa lu.vo finished, Hinkelston. Good 0 ' bye!" Hinkelston slowly and deliberately picked up his hat and stick, and walked out. Pain-ins, he turned. Good bye, Graves, until this evening. You're not tno hospitable. I don't know how or why I stand It. If I chose. I could annihilate you Jn an instant. I could—Ah, dear me! Momentary Irritation, that Is all. Graves. Nerves, probably. To-night at eight, remember." (To be continued)
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The scanning of this section Friday 14 Feb 1930 The Brunswick and Coburg Gazette features overlapping images, making it fairly unreadable. An attempt began with copying from The Essendon Gazette and Flemington Spectator, Keilor, Bulla and Broadmeadows Reporter (Moonee Ponds) but it soon became apparent that some paragraphs in that issue were out of order. And so, the story continues with the Central Queensland Herald (Rockhampton) version before returning. The story continues in a new scene. Note that the Friday 21 Feb 1930 The Brunswick and Coburg Gazette also has scanning problems but notably does not seem to have any instalment for the story.
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'Yes, sir, that ring is worth nearly five thousand pounds. The diamond 1b ol the finest quality, and even without the setting would bring this price.' The visitor was interested. He held tiie ring so that the light would catch the f.taniond. 'It is not for sale, you say,' he r-.m;i to a. Tin; i.ian shook his head. 'No-thing vculd tempt me to part with that lid;;. It was worn by Charles (be F isr. Associated with it are uiuuy stories. During his exile the ring wsfc- the open sesame to many a loyalist'^ home, and when he returned to England it still encircled his little finger.' 'But why the chain?' asked the visitor, pointing to the heavy chain of gold on which the ring was threaded.
'The betfr to protect it,' was the reply. 'The ring is a small thing and could be easily secreted, but while it is threaded on that endless chair', each link of which is solidly welded, there is no danger. About that ring there is ? ' He was interrupted by a telephone call. Excusing himself, he walked to tht instrument and lifted the rectnu. It was a mistake, however. The v»rong number had been called, ;?. i(i when, with a shale of annoyance, he i-eplaced the receiver and turned again to where his visitor had been sitting, he was nniazed to see that the chair was vacant.
He rushed to the place where he had left the ring. It had disappeared —like the visitor. The telephone ring had been a ruse to entice the owner away so that bis visitor could steal the ring. Again he went to the telephone. 'Give me Scotland Yard, please,' he wiiiJ. And, when through, he stated hie case. It was a minute or two to eight o'clock when Harrington Graves rang the door bell of the address Hinkelston had given him. H« was admit* I ted by the professor himself, and conducted to the laboratory. Of Eve Saunders there was not a sign, ant1 Graves was disappointed. He
would have given anything again to ( see the girl, have even forgiven. HiLkclstou if by so doing he could , mr.rry her. Graves saw many instruments with
which he was not familiar. A new whvltss set was fitted with a Morse t recorder and a gramophone plate. T mi- everything, whether Mor&e or telt^hony, was recorded aud could be read at will by the professor. i
Harrington Graves lingered for a few minutes at the receiver and Tv;iLi:hed the automatic recorders at woik 'A!y own design,' announced Hinkelston, with a touch of pride. The Mortip signals are recorded both on the plate and on the tape. Not a. b^d idea, is It? I find Jt very' useful
in my business. It enables me to keep a record of what is going on in the radio world. It's a wonder you ntvpr arranged something of the kind, Gra%t6,' The detective nodded, but said nothing. His eyes took in the arrangers l '. of electro-magnets and relays bo cleverly installed. Hinkelston had brains. If only he had applied them in the right direction, what a name he would have made for himself. He had u$ed his marvellous inventions only for nefarious purposes.
Graves voiced his thoughts to Hinkelston, who only laughed. 'Ah, my dear Graves, you don't understand. What thrill would I receive were I to patent my little gadgets? I'd probably be hailed as somebody great, you suggest. But what good would that do me? None at all, Graves. But I did not bring you here this evening to show you these minor things. I have something greater. Graves, do you know that, if I so desired, I could kill you and you would not know what had struck you.'
Graves's finger was, on the trigger of the revolver in his pocket. He had hie old enemy covered, Hinkelston was still wanted by the police. He had many crimeB to answer for, but Graves was selfish in that he detired to capture the man himself, capture him and supply ample proof of the man's guilt.
'I could do the same to you, professor,' he answered lightly. 'You would be struck down in the twinkling of an eye, Graves without knowing what had hurt you. Not too pleasant to think about, is it?' 'You didn't bring me here to. hear you boest of your extraordinary powers, surely,' Graves said testily. 'What have- you to show me? It is deeds, not words, that count. I have | Important business to attend to and I want to get away.'
'Come this way, my dear Graves,' said HlnkelstoDk 'Don't touch anything, but watch closely.' As he spoke the electric light blackened, leaving them in absolute darkness. 'What trick is this, Hinkelston? What ? '
Graves stopped. He appeared to be surrounded by flames, the heat from which made him feel uncomfortably hot. Flames w«re all nbout him, yet he was not burned. His mind went to the death rockets, another invention of Hinkelston 's, but this time it was different.
'Don't move,' came from out of the darkness. 'As long as you remain still you will be all right. I am just demonstrating the. control I have over power by radio. You see. Graves, I have it thoroughly under my cemmand. Should I so desire, I could sub you through and through. You are at my mercy, and you know It'
'I have your word that no harm will come to me,' said Graves. 'Had I wished, I could have brought along a squad of constables and arrested you.' 'That is to. You need not fear. Later, perhaps, but not now.' 'Something to look forward to, eh?' said Graves, forcing a. laugh. , 'That is comforting, Professor.' .
? A click of a switch and the enveloping flames ceased. Again the electric light blazed forth. Graves bliuked wonderingly around. Hinkelston was standing some few feet away, his fingers still on the knob of a transmitting key; 'I have more to show you,' he announced. 'Take a seat.' Graves was only too glad to occupy the chair indicated. The ordeal, brief though it was, had been severe. 'Seo that globe over there, Graves?' The detective nodded. 'The world,' he said. 'It reminds me of my school days.' 'Kamo some place you want me to obliterate. Quickly, don't hcstltate.' 'What about Peru?' asked Graves, 'the spot you mentioned, you will remember.'
I As he spoke tho globe began to turn slowly on its axis until the section showing tho country Graves had named was turned towards them. Gradually the outline of Peru seemed to stand out as if drawn in fire. It began to blaze; the roar of flames was heard, 'Examine tho globe.'' Graven started back at the pistollike suddenness ol the words. Simultaneously tbo flames died down. The detective moved towards the great globe and examined it closely. The map of Peru was cut from the globe as if it had been chiselled out. No other portion of the globe bad been touched by the flame. 'Well?'' snapped the professor. 'What do you think of that?' 'You'ro a wizard,' said Graves. 'The cleverest scoundrel out «f gaol. But smart as you are, if you try anything cr.'nunel, you will have to deal with me.'
- Ifcat is the reason I invited you to come here to-night, Graves. You know oJ the theft of King Charles's ring, tha most varuablo ring in the world. I stoi«. that. At the present time it is hung on the highest point of the Hetberington Church steeple. You ha vo been commissioned by the authorities to find it, I understand. Well, you know where it is. Get it and earn the reward promised.' 'You stole it.' said Graves. 'You admit that you deliberately took this valuable ring?'
'I do, Graves; but not in front of witnesses. Were you to have me arrested for the theft, it would be your word against mine, and I don't think any jury would convict on that,' 'It's tied to the top of the church 6pire, you say,' said Graves. 'How did you place it there?' 'That is my business. It is yours to get it down and return it to its owner. It is merely put over the weathercock by the gold chain on which it i6 strung. There, Graves,
you can t say that I don't help you. All J'ou bare to do is to get it dorji and pocket tho reward. I'm better than a bad stepfather to you. I tUlnLthat you should recognise my kind ie-is in some way.' 'There ia no kindn«s6 in your makeup. Hinkelston. Whatever you do there Is something selfish belinJ :t. At tha present tlmo I cannot. ie* what V is, nor why you luvited me do re icnight. But it. wasnt' merely to demonstrate your power, I'm sure. There ie something sinister behind it, Ii know. » ' 'How dramatic you are, Graves. You
were never intended for a detective, you should have been an actor.' 'Ib tho entertainment ended I' Graves asked. 'You're a cool one, Graves.' In Hinkelston 's voice there was. a note of admiration. 'But you will need all your coolness to regain possession of the ring.' 'Why?' asked Graves. 'I don't see how you can stop me. If the ring is where you say, I shall- get it.' Hinkelston shook his head. 'Poor old Graves,' he commiserated. 'I'm sorry for you— very sorry. Say good bye, old man. You can rest assured that I'll attend your funeral. You surely don't think that I shall stand by and let you take the ring. Graves, smart as you are, I defy you or anyone you may employ to touch the ring.' 'I accept the challenge.' returned Graves. 'This time, Hinkelston, you have gone too far. Although you are not aware of the fact at present, you have made a mistake. The ring will be returned to its owner. You shall have to help ms get it back. Yes, you. the thief.'
'I don't think so,' was Hinkelston' s reply. 'This time, my dear Graves, I've not you like that.' He closed his fist as a demonstration. 'Like that,' he repeated. 'I worked this especially to get you. Graves. I could have killed you much easier, but I chose the spectacular way. I rather like you. Graves, and so doew Eve. I decided, therefore, that when I did get you. it would be in a way befitting such a clever person. You accept my challenge. Very well. Get the ring— if you dare.' 'What! Can't climb that steeple? Me, the chammon steeplejack of the country! I'll climb any chimney or steeple in the world, even though the wind was blowing a gale. T&
'Very well, my friend. Consider yourBelf engaged. Climb the steeple, secure the ring, and then claim the reward. It's not inconsiderable, and you can take the lot.' 'Very well, Mr. Graves, and thank you. If you don't mind my saying it. you're a gent. I'll start at once. Get you the ring? Why, It's as easy as falling off a log.' Despite the man's ontimism, however, the steeolejack failed to obtain the ring. He arranged his gear at the side of the steeple, and had ascended a few feet, when, with a cry, he dropped. 'I can't. T can't! It's bewitched — alive. It — it bit me.' Graves argued with tho man, but it was of no use. He absolutely ? refused to have anything further to do In the matter.
'I wouldn't go near that steeple again, ' he explained. 'Even if you were to offer mo a cool thou^^d.' He appeared to like this phrase, and, nodding hla head, he repeated, 'No, not for a cool thousand.', Gradually the great envelope of the balloon bulged under the pressure of the gas with which it we* being filled. A dozen assistants clung to the ropes to hold it to earth. As the pressure increased the great sphere strained heavily on the ropes. Many people had gatherer to watch the ascent.
After the failure of the steeplejack and his refusal to climb the steeple again, a balloon, had been suggested. Long restraining rones had been fixefl, the idea being to allow the balloon to escend just high enoneh to rca-h the top of the steeple, when the valves would be opened, and it would be drawn to the ground. As the great envelope filled, two aeronauts took their places in the basket. At last everything waB ready. 'Right away,' signalled one of tho aeronauts, and the ropes were eased.
Up shot tbe balloon. One aeronaut had a coil of thin rope in Ills hand, his intentions being to laseoo the steeple and pull the balloon towards it. A cheer went up from the assembled crowd as the balloon arose, Very few- knew of tbe nature of the opera-] tlon. Harrington Graves had purposelj- kept secret the fact of the ring being at the top of the steeple. The balloon drew nearer and nearer to the steeple top. The aeronaut with the rope stood in readiness. A gust of wind caught the balloon and carried it away, but the pull on the ropes below brought it back again. The balloon was within a few feet of the top of the steeple. Looking up, the aeronauts could distinctly see the chain which held the ring, hooked over the weathercock of the steeple. Then, as they watched, the metal of the weathercock seemed suddenly to glow red, and then white hot i+ -rrew.
Leaning over, one of the aeronauts signalled to the men below to draw them down again just as the great bag of gas burst into flames. Immediately the aeronauts began to hack at the ropes which held tne basket to the flaming envelope, risking a fall rather than be burned to death. 'The ropes,' cried one. 'Slide down the ropes.' Suiting his action to his words, he leaned out and grasped one of the ropes fastened to the balloon. There was sufficient gas left in the envelope to keep it fairly taut and aoon the two were sliding to safety.
Professor Hinkelston from his laboratory, had binoculars focussed on the steeple. He laughed aloud as he saw the steeplejack give up the attempt, and when he saw the balloon burst into flames his joy was great. 'The end of Harrington Graves,' he said. 'No more will I be bothered by the fellow. Exit Graves, and advance Hinkelston.'He He moved from tho door to get a better view. 'He is sliding down the rope, the poor fool,' he muttered. 'I'll let him get a start, and then I'll throw the power on them. There should be sufficient metal in the vicinity to ? ' 'He stopped and watched. The glow had gone from the steeple top. For some reason the power hod failed. He turned to. re-enter his laboratory to ascertain the reason for the failure, only to look into a revolver held in the' hand of Harrington Graves. 'You Graves! Aren't you ? ' 'No, Hinkelston, I'm not hanging to the burning balloon. I purposely had an assistant make up to represent myself while I turne^ my attention to you. It's no good Hinkelston, the game is up this time, I've spiked your guns, as it were.'
Hinkelston moved forward as n to push past the detective. 'Nothing doing, old man. Up with your hands, and don't move another step if you value your worthless life.' 'Spiked my gune.' he said. 'I do not understand, Graves.' 'Iu yolir desire for the theatrical, Hinkelston, you went too far. That is all. When you gave me the denionetratlon, you remember, I wafe able to get some inkling of how you worked the power. That was your big mistake, Professor. Had you simply informed me where the ring was, without demonstrating your power, you probably would have won, and I ? ?' 'You have suffered, and serves you right,'* snapped Hinkelston. 'I misjudged your brain capacity, Graves; that is all. Yes, I made a mistake, and at present the honours are with you. What did you do?'' 'I destroyed your reflector, that is all. Very simple, wasn't it! Now, Uiuklestou, I'm going to make you get the ring yourself. I'm going to make you climb .to the top of the steeple. You're going to take the place of the steeplejack you tried to maim with your infernal power.' 'I— I cfcn't climb. I ? -'* 'But you must, or suffer the consequences,1' insisted Graves. 'Un-less you climb up, hand over hand* and secure the ring, you will go: to gaol charged with attempted murder. Return the ring and the charge will be merely one of larceny. Qnly;a;few years' hard labour at the most. , Now, forward, march! And don't forget, Professor, if I'm not much of a scientist, I'm a dead shot with a revolver. I shall keep you covered all the time. : tf need be, I Bflallvmouat as far as th'e;rb&£ wiCh you, aad then leave the rest to jjem. Goodness Unows how you climbed up'in~,tb£ first place.7 'I didn't climb up, Graves. Would you like to know just how I did it?' 'I don't care bow much you put it up; what I'm concerned with is Iiow you're going to get it down.' 'You can put down that gua, my dear Graves. It must be awfully fatiguing your holding it at the horizontal like that, and I'm not Impressed. You nave the whip hand, and you know it. There- is no need for all this gun pltty. Listen. Graves! I've invented jomeUiing. which, were l;to put It on 'tire market, would
make my fortune. But I'm not going to do that. I'm going to be selfish and keep it to myself, it's a baby aeroplane, Graves. With It, if need be, I could brush the wings of a butterfly without injuring the Insect. I can hover for aay length of time lover one spot at any height from the ground, and ? ' 'That Is how you strung the ring on the steeple, then,' interposed Graves. 'And you'll get it back the same way. I shall go with you.' 'There was really nothing criminal in my action this time, Graves,' explained Hinkelston. 'It was merely done for the sake of advertisement Still, you know!' Graves kept him covered as he led the way to the hangar which housed the new 'plane. 'There you are,1' announced the professor, indicating the miniature 'In you get.' 'After you,' said Graves, quietly. He knew Hinkelston too well to allow him any chances. Graves watched him wheel the light 'plane outside and spit propeller. Then, as Hinkelston stepped into the pilot's seat, Graves took the one immediately behind.
They rose almost vertically, and then, flying low, the 'plane was turned towards the church spire. 'I'll keep the 'plane immediately above tha weathercock, while you unhook the ring,' 'said Hinkelston into the speaking tube. 'All right, but no funny businass. I shall keep you covered, remember,' added Graves, significantly. There was scarcely a tremor in the 'plane as it hovered above the spire. Lower and lower it dropped until the chain and ring were within Graves' reach. 'Now!' suggested Hinkelston.
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Returning to The Brunswick and Coburg Gazette Friday 28 February 1930 page 3
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De etlw King
A Story of Mystery and Adventure
by ARTHUR RUSSELL {Author of "The Luminous Ray," "Dream Isle," •iiuiigoona,")
Graves reached out a baud to grasp ilie valuables. At the same tim« the plane seemed suddenly to fall beneath mm. Hits revolver leii from his hands and both arms weSc thrown around the church spire. jk-aawliile, Hiukelston bad i^.^iciit the plane around and was making towards- Ms laboratory, ier a few moments, Graved' work' eii ; the lightning wire attached to weathercock/ Then, bracingup, he removed the chain 8iU .-,ng ,aud using the lightning etor as an aid, lie began- i'lowdescend, )y it.* lie had ^Aie about half the dis-' when a suddeo-whkzing. titii'V r.u'ifi'. caused him to look up. The ?.-<-ifj ;or€oek was-white hot. Hinkelj-.i -»ii .-,gd repaired the damage to I rs - :- doctor and- had again directed h < urreac to' the spire. iu-vertlieless 1 Graves was- uaai<ii-^i-ii. and on-reaching tlie ground m- ictked up at the white hot spire u ' • very nearly did it that time," L.useu. "Very nearly. He pauS»d> •.(] juoked is the direction ol'liin-1-;- h'nn's laboratory, and then at-the i-,ug .aid chain which lie had spread out vn the palm of his hand. lie irauci erred his gaze to the white iioi metal at the top- of the church BtfcC-lne. "Ho would have won," he muttered, ' ;iad 1 not disconnected the light:,ing conductor from the metallie i>4>. He under-rated my intelligent-.-That was his mistake, and my salvation. The pui'essor has bi-ur, outwitted.
CHAPTER' 8. iiiv* rower of- uie Death Kay u r.ii tcia tiiat irttuuita Slightly, i.iai'i iUiiua uiuVos switciiuu ou im. viecirit motor, m vincn was a ikat) i:uiimuu wlieei lu t-a vn a spiUUio aouve—a bicycle w ht ti v, iu, a iyr« oi wad insula ot 1'Ub^t.r. \\ ;;iu;i» until the motor had detuiuj'tii a .- peed oi about l\\u uiuus-' ixuu ;\vuuaont> a minute, uraves ti'u.-.cca cw and luoii. ms place btiuix so-.iui strange looking instrulu-vi:.., iiiydjilca uii u table, and cou-Bcidt-a iiUuuii insulated* wire v> iiii tft u sinning metal discs. On tfJi l .- iau-.^ ui the table a metal seiei.ii v.as arranged, the side laciii. ix-volvmg wheel being open, i>i iore loucamg the instrumenis' (iiuv.s -jiippeao'er his head a thick 1 'ruju=r suiuid witu two squar-e eye ! •Riuueuv-yi glass. He also donued a J JUbbtT overall and pliablo rubber | glovti wuicji, uiough they shielded' his lianas, lea tiieur free to work, j B.. uie time the wiietji had- gained • great inoiiifciitum and ceased to be a' buid- u ou the motor, revolving' fwiu.y on its ball bearings, I S.'en-ly Graves altered the yosi-! tions of the metal discs, grasped the tbouiie handle of the power control-' ling sH'jicji, and momentarily thr tlie ierer ou to the contact points. Instantly the heavy spark snapped; flashing across the tube and Bending out a blood-red ray which appeared to turn the room into a thamber of liquid lire. Again Graves closed the switch, moving the table so that the rays from the tube struck directly oil the revolving wheel several yards away. Fire played between the two metal discs, sending out a burning, blinding.-ray-for a few inches in front. Beyond tills nothing further was vi«-ible, yet at once the speed of the wheel slackened, and after % fewturns the wheel stopped, holding back the powerful motor that was driving it. It was gripped by the power of the Death Ray. Although nothing was visible between the discs .and the wk«el, except the stream, of fire which teamed i i to. flew inft) space from the discs. i Grarw knew, that la cross between the discs and the wheel would mean [ iUBUkt dentil. : ReHiag. several sheets ®f newspaper together, h* towssi. the paper ball into-the-air. As i< dropped a t&r feet-in front--of tlie discs, it burst into fiarne; and in an instant , A billet of suffered similarly, being instwiUyi} destroyed by the powerful action of the Death Ray. i Graves' thoughts were not wholly on his experiments. Forwer- eighteen raonthB lie had not Been- his sweetheart. Only a short' period- of ier company lie had enjoyed, and then Hiukelston had acted, and to Win. she was as one dead. "Do not try and get later commun-Ication with. her,.Grims,'.' Hlnkel-Bton. had acted, and to him .she was « one dead..
"Do not try to get into eommunicaliun with lier, Graves," Hinkelstoa bad warned on one occasion. The moment 1 learn that she speaks to you, she dies. I am above the law. No one will know. Understand?" Willi aff effort- Gloves brought liis thoughts back to the power- oi the ray with which he was experimenting. Be gatzed ar the tube which threw' out a power" b o destructive that everything in the path, unless electrically screened, was destroyed Couid liinkelston have seta him at the moment he would have beeuvcry surprised. Sparks were still snapping across the terminal points of the bag spat* coil, but-Grav-es, thrown into an unnatural ruddy glow by the rays emitted from the vacuum tube, heeded litem not". His thoughts were on Eve Saunders and her uncle, limkeiston — Professor Hiukvistou—as he styled himself. And, as he stood there punch-ring, a wad of newspaper intended l07-1 further tests still in his hand. : :;<_• bicycle wheel with its heavy rim began slowly to move agvun, «ven though the' sparks were still snapping mej-rily across the twehxthe lull power of inch air-gap, and the Death Ray tube was still concentrated on the wheel, Graves moved forward to ascer-1 tain the reason for the sudden failure o£ the invisible force. Turning towards - the two meiai discs he was amazed to see that they had been moved apart, and instead of being on an angle cacti pix-:euteu a square wont. From the discs emanated red hot glows showing that the pow vr was still operating. But what had moved them from the angle at whicn the} had been arranged'.' As Graves looked wonderingly at the discs' he experienced an uncomfortable pricking sensation all over uuiu-ins body. He glanced at the wheel, which, ireed from the mnuence of the mysterious ray, was turning rapidly ou its axle. From this his eyes went buoi to the discs, and m a Slash u,-realised that he was trapped. The discs had been turned so that Graves nas between the two rays' seat out by them. He was held captive by an invisible power which, if lie moved, wouid destroy him instantly. He was wholly in the pawer of the Death Kay. Furtunately, the power from the dices, acting singly, was not as great as when the two acted together. It throw forth a concentrated ray, otkcrwise-Graves would have suiferel. Even now it was only his rubber clothes which protected him.' Wsll he knew that if he should come is direct line with the Death luy, the rubber would not be sufficient to shield Mm against its terriole elfect. Gould he but operate the switch, controiling the current working Uie coil, all would be well, bat to reach ew! this his hand must pass through ray sent out by one of tha disc*. He dropped the piece of paper lie had been holding when trapped. As it was released it was caught by a slight draught and blown directly ia front of one of the discs. There was a ilasli, a puff oi smoke, and a few aslies dropped to the floor. But there was no sign of the paper, '•Help!'* shouted Graves, hoping U) attract the attention of stuieeM to release him. "My dear Graves!" Before him stood Ptofessor Hiukelston. "Aren't you going, to greet me, Grav.es? Say you're pleased to we urn?" sneered .Hlnkelston., "1'coexistence • would- b- very uninteresting without uie to help things along, it has been quiw • a long time since we met, now. 1 haven't forgottwn you, Graves. Bless you, no! fit Death Ray- is no news to. aie." "How- did' you get in k<*:e?" manded Graves. From beneath ilie rubber protecting bead-piece -Ms- veice came thickly. He was wise enough to realise that Hinkelstoa held the upper band. "How did I get in?" Hiukelston laughed softly to himself as he walked across the room. ClosiBfr the • door, lie turned the key in the lock. "I simply walked in, Gravei.. You- were too . occupied to bother about me, so, recognising, the nature of the •experiment,.! thought I'd take a band, I twisted the disc-round and'let the-wheel- no free. Clever* wasn't it?" HSikelston was dressed; and- lie smiled the unfortunate Graves.
"Well," what about" If?"-detective at last. "Ha, that is the question!" purred Hinkelston, "You wish to talk business, ask me for the hand of ray niece, eh? Come to terms with the only one with whom you are really afraid? I've-not decided what I shall do with you, Graves. You're quite safe there for the present, and I'm in 110 hurry." Hiukelston drew up a chair and lounged back in if. "Sing out when you're tired. What time do you usually dine? Any time will- do- me. Warm, isn't it? I don't know how you exist in those rubbers. And, after all, they are not an absolute shield." So the professor talked. Taunt after taunt was hurled at- Graves. IiinkeMon was merciless. Graves reasoned- it- all out. The professor had- evidently stolen in whilst lie was engaged on- his _ experiments, aiii- had-hidden- uHtil a favourable opportunity presented itself. "Cute idea 1 ,'- tllfti- of» the reinforced wheel," BMkel&ttm went on. "You get quitfe' a gyroscopic effect with that heavy rim." Graves- had- a wild- desire to rteif • everything and- tllroW hitiMdf at hW old enemy. Nor a loophole eouid ; hesee, For one'e, Hlnkel«toii- had hi id wholly at htfi mercy. Then, when neitlwr man expected it, the electric light current, from which Graves was drawing his power to work the coil-, failed-. Is was only !'r:r a minute, but Chat was- enough: The instent the spark ceased to snap Graves jumped. Ht? throw off hisrubber head-piece and knocked* off the power switch, and then leaped" ;«t Hinkelstbu before the professor knew what had happened. Hinkelston's stttiegles-to free himself were of no-avail; in the grip of Graves he was powerless, At last Harrington Graves felt that he had him beaten. But ilinkelston was nnly bluffiing. With fox-like cunning he wrenched a hand fr^e. Simultaneously a little singing sound smote Graves' ears, and the isexi moment he had released Hinkel«(«n and fallen back helplessly, with a peculiar singi'ng. paralysing sensation. Hiukelston darted towards the window, but Graves, with a superhuman effort of will power, spraise forward and clutched the professor as he was disappearing. Graves felt that again he was master of the situation, when ®nlipMon adroitly slipped out of his ; ^ . d t0 tll<} groutd and ran j m, p p hunted ]mr(,_ , 4 ^ Q[ , virc prot n„i mg from a ; iw, (, 4 of HinkoIston-s coat attracted j (;r. (vattention. He lt a tug | (H„ oame a tiy ?park coil no bigi ger tiian an ordinary match box. Th.-n Graves understood. From the sinUl toil his eyes went to (he "superhiz,-done which he had used to operate the Death Kay. The reason lor his sudden weakness was apparent. The professor had utilised the very power with which Graves wns experimenting. Across the terminals of the little coil was a liny Dead) Ray tube.
CHAPTER 9. The House oi Mystery "Forged bank notes you say. Fivers! And so good that several have got past your tellers. Several thousand pounds worth have already the been pot into circulation! Whew!'' It was five weeks after Graves' experiences with the Death Ray, since which he had seen nothing of Hiukelston. Yet he knew that the professor was not idle, was working some new scheme which sooner or later would be brought under the notice of Scotland Yard. "Several thousand pounds worth 1" repeated the bank official, recalling Graves' wandering thoughts. Harrington Graves took one of the notes from the bank inspector and, at the window, scrutinised it with the naked eye. "I can't see very much -wrons with this," he said, taking up a latrjM magnifying glass and focussing it on the back of the note, and then yn a five pound note which he selected from his own case. "I'm blePfed it 1 can see any difference betwees lliwn." The inspector adjusted his pincenez, and took up both notes. He smiled as he replied. "There is np difference. Mr Grave*. Your n«e? also is a forgery." "It looks as if you're right," remarked the detective quietly, as if receiving worthless five-pound note* were almost a daily occurrence with him. "But, Mr Graves—er—" The bank Oallcia! failed t» understand Graves. He had expected him at least to become heated—was prepared for a sudden outburst of temper at having been swindled, aM he wondered. Graves smiled at the man's illconcealed astonishment. "Surely you. did not expect me to burst into tears or. fly Into a passion," he said whimsically. "All that will come later,, when I lay my hand on the miscreant."
"It Is settled 1 ,- then,- tb*t you will take on this -case on the bank's behalf, Mr Graves?" The detective nodded. "I cannot promise to put my undivided attention upon it," he explained. "It will have to take a second place for a while. -My superiors know of this and' it was under these conditions that they consented Uiat I should look in to your ease. At present, I am devoting myself to solving the problem of the House of Mystery." Tlie inspector looked* to-Graves for an- explanation, but Graves said nothing-more. Tiiotighti'uliy the'detective sat and gaaed ; into the- fii'e after he bad diemiSwed the caller. It was- not forged bank- notes of which he" was thinking. That could wait, or, perhaps, be- dovetailed in witli some of his lesser important activities'. The truth waft he had been- thihking of MS old- antagonist, Professor Hfnlcel-'st-on, whose-silence wa's worrying hitu a little: The profeteor had the knnrk of completely eiftfeing himself for a while and then nife-tiag a sudden and- dramatic appearance. E^ery caller lie had, ever}' telephone ring br received; he was associated" with Ms old-time eiwmy, and- lie' had steeled-liiuwlf to iccelve the stereotyped 4 "My d»ar Graves," witli Out exeit^nwtit', "The 1 House of Mystery!" he mused, tak-inif dinvri- a ledswr from Use shelf and-ttirniii? up a page: "Taken possession- by the present* owiler only a short time ago. wis thoroughly renovated, is not fitted witlt either gas*or electricity, and liar no telephonic communication- witli any' exchange. As far as cauld' be sen there were no wi.^lers masts or aerials' of any kihi. •He closed the book and replaced if on the shelf, as the elccttlc indicate!* showed that there was another caller to see*him. "Mr Manson," announced the eon-<= tabic- who was doing: duty as uglier, as he showed up a middle-aged man. I Graves motioned the visitor in-| wards a chair. The caller, he could j see, was deeply worried about some-; thing. i "Yes. sir?" ho queried, i "Manson is my name — Thomas | Manson." i "Of independent means, late oi" ! South Africa, where you made your j fortune on the Kisnberley diamond 1 mines," interposed Graves with a [ sigh. "As you doubtless know I unj fortunately live alongside the house ' of mysiery." | "Fortunately, rather, from my i point of view, .Mr Manson It is for I that very mi-son Wat I i....ue en-J quiries as ta your business and ' your mode- of living'." Down came Graves' hand ou the table. "This i injust has to rid itselt ot' all this | mystery twaddle, I was r.I>out to J call ou you this afternoon aud ask j permission to view the place more I closely," he continued, losing some ! of his heat. "Now that you have I come to me, this, naturally, will be j unnecessary. You have no objec-! tion, I suppose, Mr Manson?' ' i "None whatever, Mr Graves. Any-| thing and everything that is in my | power I will do. 1 am iclieved al-I ready to know that you are interest-; ed in the matter. Candidly, 1 couiii • out stand much more of what I've j had to suffer at the hands of my mysterious neighbour. One or other of us will have to go, and I'm afraid it will be me." "What is this man like?" Graves asked. Mauson's shrug of the shoulders was more eloquent than any .-puken words. "You've not seen him, then?" "Has anyone seen him? Howdoes lie live? He lias no callers — is visited by neither butcher nor baker—and all the time he has been there he has not received a letter." Manson sat back in his seat as if he were proud of being able to supply such complete information. "And, Mr Manson, you have been subjected to some annoyance?" "Annoyance! From daylight until dark 1 get it, and long into tho night. He's one long aanoyace. A* you know, my house- adjoins his." "What of that?" asked Graves. "What of it?" Mr Hanson's ire rose at the thought. "What of it?" he repeatedly heatedly. "Why, the man is either trad or is working tip some crimiinal coup. Knocking, knocking, knocking! Ail day long it goes on. Not hammering, mind you, just mysterious tappings, loud enough to annoy one by their persistency. But that's not all. Last night I was awakened by what seemed to me 'to be a tremendous - crash, as if something heavy had fallen. I lay there wondering if I should get up and investigate, when I startled-by the most awful - shriek 1 iiad ever heard." Hanson- paused and- shuddered as ' he recalled the incident. "Was that all?" asked Graves, , thrilled by what he- had heard. I "It was- quite a little while before 5 Manson could proceed. "No, it was I not all. As I lay there-shivering a ! luminous hand suddenly appeared before me in the darkness, and in letters of fire began to write: 'Prepare, it's your turn now.'" (To he Continued >

5= ON ether Kins
A Story of Mastery and Adventure
ARTHUR KUSSEj^L (Author of "The Luminous ltay," "Dream isle," "liunuoona,' , i )
"Phew!" exclaimed Graves. "It's no wonder you're upset, sir. Come, pull yourselt together, Mr Manson. It will all come right in the long run." "I'm not a nervous man, Mr Graves," he said, clutching at the arms of his chair with both hands, "but this—this mystery has got me all out." "I)o you suspect anyone? Have you any enemies? Is there anyone in your business transactions over whom you have an advantage?' - ' Tift detective shot the questions at him with pistol-like sharpness. "There is only one man," Manson answered, brightening up. "It was in South Africa. In travelling through the Transvaal 1 came upon a fellow ill-using one of the natives. 1 interfered; in fact, 1 gave him a taste of what he was giving the natives. and he resented it—swore to get even with me and all the rest of it. I took no notice of the threat at the time, but iu view of what has j happened J cannot ln-lp wondering i if, maddened with some idea of re- j vense,, the fallow has laid himself j out to annoy me." j "You only did what any man i would have done in such circumstances," remarked Graves. "Evj-1 dently the thrashing you gave hint' has rankled in his mind until it has partially turned his brain. He may be sane enough in all other points, but mad on this one. Ill spend a nighi with you and see for myself," A sigh of relief escaped the man. "I was hoping you would suggest such a thing,- Mr Graves, You can't think what a load you have lifted off my mind. What time shall 1 expect you?" "I'll come (o tea," answered Graves. "That will give jne a chance to look round before it gets dark. Until then, forget all about your mysterious neighbour. Goodbye!" Harrington Graves, as he watched his visitor depart, had a peculiar iodine. There was something about the whole thine that attracted him strangely, "My busy day." he murmured, "Two big cases 'in nil'.- morning—discovering 'the per-;>••*•• a'ors of sever;-.! thousand 1 r.us' worili of forged five pound iiotis, and letting to the bottom of in'- a mystery as ever I've been faced with. It only wants Hinkelston to pop up now to make i lungs merry." As he pondered he half expected the telephone -bell to rinsr and to hear {he well known phrase. "My dear Graves!" But in this he was disappointed. There was no communication from •Hinkelston. and he wa«; not troubled by any more callers. Yet, as lie sat there pondering over both cases, his thoughts would turn to Hinkelston. his one great rival. Six o'clock found Graves seated at tea with Mr Manson. Manson was a bachelor .and employed no servants with the exception of one who came, day by day, for a few hours to clean up the place. His meals were sent from a near-by restaurant by a boy who waited on 'he table alid later cleared awav (he dishes. "I was always something of a recluse," he explained. "Yet there is nothing I like better than to mix with my fellow beings." He stroked his long beard will), his hands as he spoke, looking keen -! ly at Graves the while. 1 "There are many like you. M- i Manson." was the' detective's reply ! He nodded in the direction of !>••• : house of mystery. "Had your nein':-hour been sociable, now. yon twn would have been very chummy. "I can hardly imagine " 5 As Mr Manson spoke, to tli >fr tars came three taps .apparently au • (he opposite wall. Three regular | taps .as if someone were R'gnallin::. j "What's that?" Craves snapped' out (he question, at the same Sum/ jumping to his feet and hurrying in' the direction of the noise. Mr Manson merely smiled and s;r back in his chair, "That i<= ou? friend," he remarked. "But that it a mere nothing, "He felt vcr* brave with Graves to help should trouble arise. . "If you'll excuse me for a 1'Mle1 while," apologised the detective, | "I'll see what there is to see win!-- 1 it is light. Your yard, I understand; abuts on his." j "That is so. Follow me, and I "a guide you to a point of vantage which I must confess to having used myself very often. We can reconnoitre while the lad clears away the. tea dishes." Together they walked through the hack hall into the yard where Graves
standing on a box, could get a good view ot both places.". The two houses had only one dividing wall, but between the places there was a great difference. Manson had laid out his yard in lawns and Slower beds, but the yard of the next door house was ill-kept and full of packing cases and rubbish. "There is a contrast," said Mr Manson, x noticing the detective's look. "The place looks deserted," remarked Graves. "Look at that chimney bound with ordinary fencing wire. A bit of wind and down it will come. Otherwise " Graves' words were drowned by a sudden, fierce, crackling sound as if an immense spark coil had been switched on. As they looked, wondering what had happened, expectins they knew not what, tlu-y saw the- wire around the chimney become red and then white hot. From it. on all side?, shot strong vhitebeams. "Look oti'!" came warningiy from Manson as he dranged Graves out of range of the stabbing beams. "I don't know what it is ,but it's as well to be on the safe side." "Better to be sure than sorry, as the old saving is," Graves remarked lightly. Before, he had been quiet, almost morose, as if brooding secretly over something. Now he appeared to be excited, thrilled by the spectacle he had just witnessed. "This is good, Mr Manson. I'm glad I came." His eyes never left the chimney, which looked like the heart of a miniature sun. After a time, the light lost some of its fierce intensity, gradually the beams became fainter and fainter, until only a red plow was visible in the rapidly enveloping darkness. With sudden decision, Harrington Graves wheeled towards his host. "Mr Manson." he said. "I'm going to enter the house of mystery to-! night. It' I cannot, get in by fair mean?, then I shall do i: by force." "But, really--er—that is. do you think it wise?" protested Manson, drawing close to Graves as if he feared that the detective would suddenly leave and he should b lot': alone. With an el fori he pulled himself together. "if you go. Graves, I shall go with you," he assorted. "I was hoping that you would suggest such a mini;." Graves said. "Not that I'm afraid or anything of the kind.'' "Company is always acceptable." said Manson quickly, "I quite understand, Mr Manson," said Graves. We had better go iuside and talk it over thoroughly before we do anything rash." Manson shivered. "A good gestion, Mr G raves. I don't feei too safe out here. • One doesn't know what further thing will be directed on him." "Let us draft out our programme," suggested Graves, when, a little later, they were seated on either side of a cosy fire. "As far as I can see, we " "Ha, ha, ha! My dear Graves!" The detective was on his feet in an instant, striding towards the corner of the room from which the voice luid come. "I might have known," he muttered. "That red-hot metal is an old trick." "Not so rash, Grav-s,'" This time the voice had come from ihe opposite corner, causine Graves to wheel round sharply. It had appeared as if the speaker was. riiiM behind him. , "So Manson engaged you to fath-•.-in the mystery, eh?" Airiiin the di ret ion from which the vcioe came was chanced. i "Per' -old Grave?. I've got. you . ^ ^ r W vC„ m *v? u was a wonder you did not sub-, , . , ,<• ji.-ct me nt bi'-.n-j the occupant ot the hou«e of mystery." "Who is it? What does mean 0 " asked Manson, looking wont-ringly at Grav-s. "1 don's under-Mand. Ho you Know this man?" "It means Graves paused, as if unwilling to commit himself. - "It means," he repeatc-d, "that —that-" Graves let life eyes po slowly round every part of the room before he'rested them full on the face of Manson. His face, previously bloodless, had assumed its natural colour. One hand hung limply by his side, the other strayed slowly to his pocket. "It means, Manson, that I've bees trapped." Out came a revolver. "Touch that electric control and you're a dead man, Professor Hinkelston!" A shot rang out as the lights sud-
, "How you talk, Graves. Yon . snreh- know me belter ti::m to sunr,.w. 'tii ;it I went to all this trouble ! j !„.»r!-;>- t" entertain yet:. I was eoi Rcr fn icp.ve you alene this time, was ; r,ot even .coin? to think of you, un-. j ! : j I . ; ! j j j i ! j J! 1 !—L1L!!!! l!l ^ denly failed, A shout of triumph from Manson, or, rather, Hinkelston, told Graves that his shot had missed, Tho re was a chinking as of iron bars being dragged around the room, the click of a switch, and again the lights outshone. ArouiVd Graves a heavy iron screen ba« bee: a damped. He stretched out a hand to try its strength, on!y to receive a stinging shock a< his bare flesh touched thcmetal. Ho looked up to see the malignant face of Hinkelston. now free of ! heard and make-up, grinning back at liitn malevolently. "This time the honours are mine, iny dear Graves, he casually remarked. "I have increased the current, and these iron bare are now carrying about five hundred volts. You know enough about electricity to realise what would happen if you were so unwise as to touch them. It moves me sorely to leave you so." •Hinkelston pretended to wipe away imaginary tears. "Don't be rash, will you? There is no reason for you to precipitate the inevitable. I want your last moments to be happy." Graves could not fail to realise that Hinkelston had him well trapped. He knew the man was un-•tfi-upulous. and would be- glad if by ^ome means he could get rid of his old-time enemy. Y<-t the detective r(--solved to face the situation bravely. "You're a funny fellow, Hinkelston," he remarked. "You almost; make me laugh at times. I'll admit vour disguise fooled me for a while. It was very clever. That black beard completely hid your handsome face. Do you remember, some months ago, when you had a beard and I, foolishly, gave it a twinge. Funny, wasn't it? This' time you havp me all right — held in an'impregnable prison which only vour criminal ingenuity could devise. But what are you going to do? Are you going to gain anything by all this? Frankly, Hinkelston, I'm not a bit afraid. So many tunes you have caught me, and as many times I have got away. You know the old saying, if you're bo rite be hanged, you'll never b« drowned. Talking about banging brings to my mind another old quotation which refers to giving a man enoucrh rope and he'il hang himself. That's what I have been doing to you. Hinkelston. 1 fVtve been lying low, waiting. Times without number I could have hailed you before the twelve good men and true, but what would have been the use!' You would have talked your way ppcf them, yes. and past ihe judge, too." ' til that meddlesome hank manager col a brain wave and had you put on the ras.-. Tin n I knew thai if I didn't act you would. Do you undersland me. Graves?" "^o you're the counterfeiter wp." is printing spurious fivers. Hinkelston. they're wonderful. Even I wa -fooled by one, and quite a number past the bank teller. That's a fiver you owe me, in place of the lad one 1 had ofi yours."' "Already several thousand pounds worth have been put into circulation. and many more thousands have vet n> b" printed before I retire. To be able to do this without any fear of detection, I realised, Graves, that YOU would have 1o be reckoned with." "Thank you. Hinkelston." said ihe detective, with mock politeness. "I am rlad to see that someone recognises my wortli." "I am sorry that I shall not be iher* at the crisis, Craves. I have ofher duties to perform, but I'll proiiis' v>iu thai "What do you mean? You—yon — Hinkelston, are you human ? . Surely .. . you are not going to leave j :»e here to this! i «n ie i r01i walls, highly charewi I -w- i t li electricity, were slowly closing j on him : : tH««I believe thai I'm net. Fom« " , f , have caller? mo the King ot the • ' Kihf-r. Good-bve." "Hinkelston!" called Grave-' a.^ain. IHst his cries were unheedud. •fe.-ins' that the defective re8lis»-.i i what was to happen to him iu- V.vi ' oalioously left Mm to his frre (Tif I»e «V>iMlni)ril)
(Two Friday issues of The Brunswick and Coburg Gazette skipped before The Ether King returned in Friday 21 March 1930 issue)
£fie QDer Kind
A. Story of Mystery and Adventure
ARTBBB RUSb'Ej.L (Antlior of "The Luminous liuy," ".Dream lsh\ "Bnnitoona,")
la those awful minutes, as Graves EHM),i there and watched liis prison v.a. is drawing closer and closer, lie miiId see the whok- plot, For s utile (;:>:. HinKelBtoli k.d been ptmiiia (i.i- had notes imo circulation, ail is • :jme keeping an eye on Grnves, the »nh- Bum he jvuily feared. By wine means Jit discovered tha'r. Pntws had been deputed by ihe bank authorities to trace the couni,-r-Viier. and he had at once called mi him in ihe character oi Man son. '•raves saw it alt, otic know where he was, and it was mi likely iPu the house of mystery or Man-.->.a' h residence would be suspected. N"arer and nearer came those w-lis, bring'ng- with t.'H-ra the deathdc-alius enrrent. One tqncli, Grave? i-.o.-w. would end everything fur him Jr. ihis world. What could lie do. I'n.micaily ho went through his i'Mi-k--is without finding any ill in a 1P0 would lieln. He look fid round i'ir something — anythint? at .'.11 ih;r he mieht use to batter down his prPon walls without receiving she bin!) tension current tbrmprh hi:? ))f dy. Fc-j- a moment he had a mad »f« ,-!.-.• to end it a'l. Then his eyes tsterbf sight of il\o revolver which ?;•=< fallen from his hands after he had fired the shot in thr- darkness,
If w ;-s lying on the door about nine in. away. I'm- even should he get it, what tuiui would it bo to him? Wliat eonkl he do with ii ? From the revolver his eyes went to the controlling switches arm need at the side of the chair on which Xfmkelsion had been sit tins. Immediately he was galvanised into ... action. Taking en 'e not to touch the . bars, he hiy flat on the floor and stretched our a band. .jj.ts flncors failed to read; the revolver by inches. For only a moment Graves was nonplussed. Pulling - „ off .... one of bis „ lB shoes lioomfid this io hook the weapon within resell of bis fin;:e-'S. Slowly lie brouaht it into his prison. It was stiil loaded jn five chambers, lie noticed. Taking careful aim he fired at one of (he switches. As the report rac? out there was a sudden tierce swishi'in; noise as if a la roe electric had been se: goina, a blue Foark shot across the points of the damaged switch, and all was dark. Noi wjfhoni fjiinli,? 0 raves stretched out ;> band and touched the bars. They were slightly warm,; but quite harmless, and he felt that' t w ould t>.. safe for Mm now to « eSfap P ' v,inl T * I hrm , T° V<?r , <1S 8 he s l,r L'/ i , k-10 1,ack until smioe e tl ° i " f!U( ' U! for him ' 1 ll0lH? ' Once.clear of hip ) prison. Graves lost no time in restoring the light! b'^nn to make a thnrouch ' exam,'na-ion of <ho room S passing into anv other roenis cut off Dm dlecfric licht'at the -mfn and removed the fusel m "ll.v threw the place into darkness 1 but the detective never trpv° ]f^ Without liis pocket light and this at once pierced the blackness with a powerful gleam. He moved warily. At any moment he knew that lie might blunder into some trap. He also i- • realised j that with the light be would be an easy mark for Hinkeision. ' But not a sound canie from anywhere in the building. The stillness j I was uncanny, and Groves cm id not repress a shiver. To ail appearances , 1
the detective was the sole occupant of the place. • The search of the room brought to light a small switchboard arranged so that the switches could be operated front the chair iti which Hinkelston, or Manson, as he bad billed himself, Jiad heeti seated. In the darkness Graves made nnoibe?- examination of these switches, flashing t hi? light full on the we))-hui!t installation. Leaning over, ho pressed one of the switch levers and waited ' Nothing happened. He j to operate a second when lie dropped ! flat to the floor, at the same time switching vitciung on off bis ms nglit. light "I've got you now. Graves," came j a voice fpjq directly behind him. "What non.5im.ee yr.u 1 aik. Hin-Icelsfon," snapped back Graves, quickly crawling io another position for fear his voice would betray him. Swinging himself round and\rocking the revolver which he had retained, he challenged Hinkelston. "I'm counting three, and then I shall Are. One! "Two! * He paused, toot another sound had broken the stillness. He hated shooting a man in cold blood, as It »«amed, but he realised that it was lis life against Hinkelston's. He had
listened Hie n;.,; to<-nliy and was sure thai ie.fi not shifted his position, he shouted. and pulled j l i:e ti'ii _ rfiu-isiKiug to ins fi-u he switched! on his pocket iignt and jinneed for-j ward. TJiwv .'.as n • of Hin-! lu-Pton—more;/ a boie in thi: vrall | Where his shot had plumed thro&gb, i "Well, I'm hauled!" lie muttered Tlo- em- door of the room was directly behind him and in the time thai had elapsed Graves felt thai it . was impossible for Iiiuk.-lhtou {«»; niiike his escape. * H, , therefore. : must !k- in the room, h«. reasoneo, i aiai lit d 't'-rniaied to iincl him. ' iioi n - «nytuiiiK in the way I oi i.trui.- search he replaced t|„ ; fuses, lloodin;. loe room with siron.u i ligai as Uit-eoiiutcts were inaui-. ' Evc-ry coruor i.v- searched, ami was ^ abou! to give Uj: waeu aaain In ismmin in. heard a noi.se-- a su-;;Jtby mi-p, i>er]jap»: Ja-t.-m-d, his hiigero jioi.iiiig idly uu tn.• cou.rol->< n H -wiu-ii,^ yt the side of Ute eh ail'. ••.'^•aii! you lose! Poor U;avts>:" The tauiiiing voice of Hinkclslon Siuiir- Gi'uiee to the quick. From where had it coJie;' Th e li fcl;tK wwx still on, and as far as could be mh-ii
there was no one in the room, and no place where anyone could hide. i'udcr the table and couch f,. looked in vain fur Hinkelstou. He bi^ati to ihink that the voice must have I,col imagination, when, on stepping on the couch and iap ;,in^ iho wall to see ii' it we:•> sohd, lie broke the wall paper. , Behind was the horn of a phouofe' r aph. Four of these, jn different P»rts of the room, he found, with wires leadini. from them to tiie eonlho trolling switch at oily ii'. side of tiic "A phonograph," he •xciaiuii <1, a whole batten af them. Four, iu '- ie precise, in different parti- oi 'the room. Imagine my beiu^ beared of bUCll To make iua- be a^ain oj>erated a switch, and, after a pause, liinkeiston'a \oice rang out, making us<ef an appropriate phrase. "Tjiai'a ono myaivrr e.vpioded." at- muttered. "That accounts for my bearing Hiukeiston'-i voice buiore. Tin? record is evidently care-! : iully prepared beforehand." ! Buoyed up with what hw had ili.-covered, (ira. (-s dc-teruiiui d io see I Juore 01 the place, whicii, lie leit was in mme way connected j with the house of mystery next door. • With the hght* switciieu on, he I tepped tawards the door, As lie I did so, the ilJunhnatioii suddenly I wiled, and before Grates could use ins torch lie foil the imlisheu floor j give way beneath loin arm he felt u.uiseif falling into -ipac-. ,, . . . . , G j ' aves Uirew uul ;ilK a!ld aud " suiuething wiacu he after-V ' iU ' (1 ' S UlbCOVtI ' t(1 was u rope sus * ' T ° ' a8l, ' ai,d bc " eaUl ^ U J y a 'f uperiluman ! ^ " t he managed to tain his hold 1 of this. I As far as he could learn by feeling with his feel, he was suspended over a deep well. Hand o\er hand he raised himself up by the rope, all the time feeling with his feet for something, some ledge or projection that would temporarily ease the strain on his arms, Urates was in splendid fettle or he could not hase held oai, but at last, tine atlileie as he was, he felt
•' he cuuid not hoici 011 .,ny longer, so great wass the strain. ' Ikle/.v him, he believed, was ceruun death. To ascend another inch \>as impossible! Jt looked as if at Jast liiiilc Ision had triumphed. Willi a groan which he could not stifle Graves began to slid" down the rope when suddenly he glimpsed an opening in the side of the wen. With a last effort the detective swung himself round and clambered into the tunnel just as the trap door above him opened, and Hinkeiston's. face silhouetted against the light. Good-bye, my dear Graves, goodi bye: snouted shouted HhikeJgton omKeigion c callously, us slammed the trapdoor. The tunnel extended for a little dFiance, and the detective lost no time in exploring it, carefully feel- J ing every inch of the way. His electric pocket lamp had been lost, but his hands and feet did good duty. On he. went, slowly and carefully until, after about a quarter of an hour's advance, the tunnel suddenly widened, and a few minutes later Harrington Graves found himself in a large underground room, lighted by a single electric globe, -which, fortunately, was switched on.
Willi a bound he reached the stairway that led to ilie ground hook arid began t.-> ascend, ile made no iuiise in climbing, yet he was keen •.ad alert, ready to do battle at an instant's notice. Twenty-three steps he climbed before he- mis a.-d a passage which led 11) a room on tin.- grotiud floor. Down 1 oji- passage he cautiously made his way, watching lor a sum of the presence oi Hiltkelston or anyone else. liy hi.- reckoning lie was now in ine lioio-o- oi mystery, which, doubt-
less, had number passage-way to die i»lae<: next door. This would account i'oi tie -re being no pus or elec-tricai e jnneeoons io ihe myaery iiouse. These would all be brought from lite other house -.Malison's, as ' 1 knovui. Til ! - *' ild of Ule i-ax-age was rc.-geh-( 'd wKUwnt anything untoward hap-J'eiiiii^. and Craves paused before a < ; oor which open,id into another room. He.trin nothing, he entered, and, uiancing round, lie saw several electrical instruments, to one of which was con arch d a lengiii oi w;r>- which h d mi>: Pie. proba ley t o ;Ik- wire In)una rsun<i ihe chimney, (Iruves wasted •,or;,- Hale tim»> here, j-o.ssing; into another room !"'.irtii<-r along. troio which r-ar-t- ,-•: • dull unisr-, a^ u; r.eaw, niniVi.oi | (. omins to;-ellnir. I In \aiii lie tried - iimpse ;he j itoide through file lie) hole, and at dccided that there was nothing I fur it Dot to e-iiter. Tu-niii^ tae kns>i) as ^ciniyas he h could he pvisiied open Ho.- door I wide enough to get his lu-;ol through | just as a \c;unine ijch inooai to i • oo.g, on identSy from some cent act I mode by iIn- -opening ei toe door. | ih'Hii'e him was I'refesi-or liiakelpi'inung i'r.o-nound iiotw by ilte : j iiondi'ed on a machine ;hai was al- |
mcst noiseless. ' Ai • he sight of (1 raves he .-mried | iiack in asic-ui-dtiiieiu, belie? ina the I detective to be at she bottom of ritewell. ( Wit it an efiort he goi himH-is j under control and faced ilaofs. j "(food-nigiit," Professor." casually remarked the latter, roisiro. his revolver and pointing it at Iltnkeiston. "Our positions are reversed, you will observe." Hinkeision made- ;:s if to ad 1 .mice, appa renily cro china bis feot in s.nnetb'iig ;-nd almost fell on Graves. "Look out! I have you covered." warned C.ia\es, ste-ppine back := iuiec. There was not much of a tle-a-a! in the words as he really bviieved Hi!ik»dsion bad accidentail> i ripped. i ! i!ui he was --eon a-his niislie. , He did not really know wily 1 Hir.k-l ton. a it lion xb ! Foil bad s-. F , mucb to do with him. As j. • recic,- l ' eresi liimsc-if and raised hi.- kanus I above Jii.s head in oladicine to i fira'.e-s's command, a stinging, bomitu. pain came io the detective. m>-' j pa rein ly Uirou :h. ihe revolver, l-'ur a monienr or r.vo he be : I d it, biio despiie all his will pow> r, hi a; las; was compelled to drop it. Under some wireless ini'liK-m <, SJ.f ^ (., Kl. ftf. ifjH i>v- H ilik[.is; fm wl 1)ad lril))H. d and faiIt3I1, „„. %v,.. t. mm had become red not. With a grin, Professor Hinkolsiei,. who was now his old s-mve self, t.-; his arms fall, and busied himself Mnonv some instruments on the side of the bench before which lie had b.-en working. (".raves, realising' that unless be acted promptly. F'inkelston would have him < cmploiely in his power, rushed ('.award. With one hand Hinkelston munioabated a switch lever, wh ile Willi '-ither he tossed some pov,-<F siibslaneo at the advancing dotecttvc who, receiving i; fnl] in the face fell hack with pain as the stuff found its way into his eyes and nose. Still he would not sriye in. and. with s bound, he was on •Hinkelston. who, with the advantage of being able to see what he was doinc. sidestepped and avoided the onrush. ' | i I ' I j | { j ' | j j j | i j ( ! ' Suddenly there was an explosion, and Graves, seeing dimly through his aching eyes, d.'sema re,! dial, tie-: '
mac hint wiili which Hmk-elston had been printing the notes was now a | welter of twisted n.eial, still F;t | under the effects of explosion j which had wrmnilit io- desirnePon. Of Hinkeision the re v.as im . Hi eh and low Graves se;>o .-h,r< ... . his elusive en-miy. but wit loo < avail. Only one thing of interest Iofound. All the wonderful win.Fand electrics!,machines io tb, e; had been destroyed br the <>vO... a -, which must hav« been prepared 'Hinkeision in ease such a con : sj• gency should be nccfv-sary. Among the debris he found *• ter addressed tn IFmsolf. W't'i r | he tore open the envelope and extracted the note. "Dear Graves." ft ran. "I ju this in case von should again triumph" Y '« have imorfer"d w:"< a lot, and one of these days I shall W really angry with you." To She letter was pinned •• pound note, with tiie cryptic message: "It's a good one, and was not made by the occupant of the House of Mysterv."
CHAPTER 10 i N I Professor Hinkelston's Invention I Detective Harrington Graves '
looked long and earnestly at the sheet of paper be had taken from the envelope. "Keep you) -cy t< un Ibis," he read. "Kind of advertising' stunt, by the cook of things," lie murmured. "A "watch this space' idea. To-morrow maybe, 1 snail ce! the second instalment, which will probably b<- in the nature of 'K» ep watcle'ng,' followed by is M>rie.-. of erpially cryptic messages. f"iiiali)', i shall receive the advice thai 'Somebody's yoap wash'.' 3 linen snow white,' or some
other such notification." H n laughed, and, having' rxnmined the papc r on both sides, was about to cast i; a.-ide tvhen his atu-ntion .Wits again aliracted to it. "That heats tiie baud.'" he mused, nibbing his eyes. The paper was blank. He Ijeld tiie slip of paper to the light. "Ordtna> y writing paper, of good quality. Nothing much mysterious about that!" A powerful lens also failed to show anything out of the ordinary, and' even when subjected to Foe s iron it heat (run the electric radi;;-;o" the paper remained normal. "I'm blessed if 1 eon understand the mystery." h<-said irritably. "The:-, inn:.-! be come reason for it. but " He pau.-ed. si an led at what was taking place before his eyes. In h-tfeis of flame, coming, as it j seemed, from out of the air, was a»-me-suae. With a pen of fire it was beisu' writieii, letter by b-;-ft, on the paper. "Keep, watching," he read. "Note carefully what I am about to write," "Yon bet I will," said Graves, addressing: an imaginary person. As the Infers were imprinted on 'lie paper they grew cold and black,
appearing- to stand w».-!i ou; from i*., "1'iay proceed. my invisible' friend," uiged Graves, dragging, forward a uivinu pad and uk ; na up a pencil, ready for ihe message; that had been oromFed. His e\es r.---.i r ,e!'t ihe- sheet of paper. Vet. i v.-;t as i;e watched, in the twinkiina <o an eye, so it seemed, the writing disappeared and the paper was a as in blank. Harrington Graves shrugged his shoulders. "CatTt say that I particularly revel in these ghostly stums," oe mmteia-d .a wry emile appeaiiiu: i-ir a moment, oni> m be replaceti b\ the p :e\ iou.- eager eapreasion a the SPr) pen a;.v;n began to wriie. A laiat ii>• i• - -a sirw.lina, crackling sou mi ~ - reacbe.d the ears of Graves as tiie lei ten, became aj.-parein. '1 !-e- ci gckliiig, (]raves reasoncd, cano- iPeio thousands of electric v. I.iHi formed the letters. As I..- : a-.; fjueiitd the paper, ihey sj-.eii :iicir are. "Wri.e them down," the nrosage ijegaii olid 'iravc:- :-H'-xL- :.iiy jotted : io-S'-. words und« r u:« 1 v o pmv.i- iuirsam.-which iiad b»w-ii .'iasiie-i uirougo Foe ,oi b\ so,,ie- my.<-:« riea.-; agency. Fitgerly Graves so ailed the coii-tiiiuation of iliv me.-sage, which, io-feit, had a prurient te-hi'id it tha' would need some soiviug. "This writing a: a distance ha. been* made pessibie." the message continued, "'oy c ir.riug a i.owerfu; electric current on a certain point, keeping it in tie.; or.e narrow ethei <-hanuel inst«, ad of ]. it radial^ into space as in ordoouy wireless." "Xolliing much rc-w about that," muttered Gi'avcs. "This ;;ppiicaiit.n oi liea.m \v>:•.•-less in unique," ^pelhol >,u; tie- a: visible pen, "and we know that by tiiis liim- you are interested. Others iii'e v.wking ou this s.vst'. r.s. a ad we are compelled io adopi tii.se mysterious means of netting in touch , with >-<m." "liot." snapped Graves, "they couild have written with pc-iP et safety. There's something else belaud it. and Pil probe ii imFl 1 get :•) ihe r-o; o; Flings." (T« be Conttiiu<-sti
Cfie CtDer liig
A Story of Mystery and Advesture
ARTHUR HUSSfiiA (Author of "The Luminous Kay," *'I)r©»un Isle,"
"Should you be interested, if you would call at No. 49 Edward Lane this evening at seven, we will* be glad to demonstrate further. Till |hen, good-bye!" "They seem to take it very much lor granted that 1 sbalt be there," thought Graves. "And I shall be." He hesitated, his pencil poised teady to note anything further, but no more • messages came to him. "Writing by wireless!" lie solilo-J quised. "A commercial possibility! • Telegraphy, telephony, broadcasting—all will be eclipsed by this latest application of radio." * He himself had'tried many experiments something on the same lines and, . with tire phenomenon still fresh in his mind, he arranged his ,apparatus for a further trial. Two fine Fire screens of metal, arranged in the form of semi-circles, were placed about twelve feet apart. To one the transmitting set was joined. This set consisted of a large spark coil and battery, w;ith a telegraph key arranged in the primary winding to open and close the circuit at will. The secondary winding was connected one side to the screen and the other to a "ground" eon-- ' The receiving was equally simple. * It consisted merely of an oscilla-
tor made by arranging two insulated brass balls at a distance of one inch from each other. One side of this Instrument was joined to the second ' 1 screen and the other to a wire running to the earth. ! . On either side of the screens, : Graves placed delicate receivers fitted with relays and alarm bells so that any escaping impulses from the narrow /beam between the two screens would affect the relay and' cause the bells to ring. j Taking up his position beniud the * transmitting instrument, he leaned' pver and touched the* lever of the * key. As the metallic points came together, a stream of "sparks shot across the , gap between the tiro J brass bails, twelve feet away. The" ^secondary current from tlie spark coil had- been transmitted through the twelve feet of space and made apparent between the two balls. Neither of the alarm bells rang," showing that the electricity had been kept to the one narrow track. j Graves had wirelessly transferred' the current from one point to an-* other. Until lie had received the' messages a few minutes before lie * was under the impression that the' secret of transmitting electricity in ' bulk across a large air-gap was known to onjy two persons—himself and another, the other being Pro-' lessor Hinkelston, liis arch enemy,-' whose knowledge of the science -was i much greater than 'that of Graves. 1 . Even though his experiments had! been successful, Graves was'far from 1 satisfied. To transmit the messages; he had received, a large number of : channels would need to be used. It: beyond him, he felt, "I suppose 1 the only thing is to call on my mysterious .correspondent," he thought, "Perhaps he'll help me out — and perhaps he'won't!" Before setting out for Edward lane at a few minutes before seven
in the evening, he took k the precau-i tion to slip a revolver into his poc- ; ket. Whatever suspicions he had'that-Hinkelston was at the back of the writing were dispelled when, on tap- { ping on the door at the address giv- I en, if was opened by a clean-shaven-i young man with an open, frank face. 1 * "Good:-evening, Mr--Graves. * So id you came.. Nelson is my name, thought my message would bring f 'ou certainly chose a startling of . "bringing your invention jinder my notice," Graves remarked, smiling back at the otlier. "If you t, Hate .anything further of the kind to Ihow me. this evening, I'm in. for a * good time/' . - * "Sure!" answered Nelson, with just a trace of American accent. "That, was notluag really. Wait until you see what I am engaged in at It is something far more than the mere writing^ a As you may have guessed my present need is ' Graves; with-a "That fact I "Up. to a point, you are right, Mr. Graves. Money is the chief wont, but that is not the reason why these a far greater* fieldThan By
"fou can melt metal from a distant point by radio!" Harrington Graves could scarcely believe the statement. "What you suggest astound* me. Why, with such a power " ; "While it is kept in right hands . it is all right," cut in Kelson. :' Graves shook his head. "I am 5 alarmed by what you have told me," ! lie said. "These things cannot be : kept -secret, and once such a power 1 gets into the hands of unscrupulous ' people it will be "terrible." "We must see that the secret is ours alone," said Nelson. "That is one of ilia reasons wliy I wish to take you into partnership with ine. Between us we must make certain lhat the theories on which we will work are kept secret," 1 : "There is only one man o£ whom I'm afraid," vouchsafed Graves. "A man called Hinkelston — Professor Hinkelston, he styles himself — a dangerous man, a criminal, my one enemy." Nelson laughed. "I shouldn't like to be your enemy, Mr Graves," lie •volunteered, ' "We won't think o£ enemies, Mi-Nelson," said Graves. "A fair deal j is ail 1 want, and I'm sure you will be satisfied with.what I give in return. Now, if you intend to take
me into partnership, as you suggest, it is only right that I should also be taken into your confidence." "That is so, Mr Graves." Nelson motioned him towards a vacant seal at a table where some plans were laid out. "If you will give me your attention for a few moments. 1 think I can convince ycu. that you are not coming to & wild cat show." "That writing at a distance was sufficient," Graves answered shortly. ••I sliouid like some particulars about It, if you please." NeUon ignored the request, waving it aside with a flick of his Anger and thumb, ".My experiments," he said, "have chiefly been concerned witli the i'ocuBsing o; a powerful beam on one particular spot, throwing such power aiung the beam that ( disastrous results usually ioiiow. j ••yes. go on," urgvd Gravtss, thor- : ouguly interested. "1 am convinced that a demonstration will be more • satisfactory than giving you a mass « - t technical data at this point. Therefore, if you will come with me now, 1 shall 'give you.proof of the power of the atam ray." "Thank you, Mr Nelson. li you'll lead off, I'll play my part ia this game of follow the leader,' uo matter where itiieads me." "It's only a step to the docks, bo we'll go right away," agreed Nelson, putting on hat and coat. "I have a feeling that we'll come out of this very well—financially, I- mean." Graves did not reply at once. "I don't desire any money," 'he said at last. • "All 1 want is to know the secret of the wonderful power you control, far it will enable me to pit myself with some chance of Hinkelston, eh, Mr Graves?" Nelson gave a little laugh. "It sHikes me if this Hinkelston comes against you he'll get a reception for
which he hasn't bargained." "Hinkelston is the cleverest man 1 know," declared Graves, "and it will need a smart man'to beat him. ' There are times, Mr Nelson, when; I'm really afraid. Ugh!" he grunted. "Fancy me talking like this to you, a stranger! I'm .sorry, Mr Nelson." ' "Here we .are." Nelson .stopped short and led the way down a flight of steps to a boat landing place. A boat was there, and Graves watched him step aboard and then followed, each taking an oar. "I don't understand 'your reason, for all this, Mr Nelson," he protested, after'they- -had rowed- out about a quarter of a mile and his arms were beginning to feel the strain. "Why have you brought me here?" He had grown suspicious. Freeing a hand he let his finger ploy on the trigger of his^revolver. Nelson laughed outright, as if reading his thoughts. , "You're not afemidi- srnwly. You*, will understand the need for thisin-a few moments.*' lf*I!«ujJQt. mistaken here is the buoy for which I was looking." : , Graves saw hiint spread-hut ; H.few. instruments in the boat. Be the click as a switch snapped and there, noatifl^#a,t the«:isur%ce rolled heavily, "A thing which still
out in the boat to the vessel which apparently had been brought to the surface-by the power transmitted from the boat. "You've got it right," Nelson answered, jumping from the boat to the conn ink platform of the submarine, and opening the door of the conning tower. "Come on, Graves, and I'll show ycu what can be done with properly-applied wireless," The suspicious which had disturbed the detective a few moments before passed. He followed Nelson,
eager to see what was hidden in the dark interior of the submarine, . Once safely inside, the door was shut and lliey began to submerge. "The boat. What about it!" Graves remembered liow the instruments had been left aboard. "Shall Nelson paused before a small switchboard arranged just below the periscope. He operated several of the levers before .replying, "The boat has'returned," he announced. "1 guided it back by means of wireless." He motioned to a mirror-like instrument fitted with a powerful lens, "I followed its course through the photoscop o ' shall bring it back to the suoniarine when 1 desire to return. Something in the tone of the other, the unnecessary emphasis on the word "1," made Graves feel uneasy. "You need not feel for your automatic, Graves," remarked Nelson. "1 have it. I picked your pocket as you crawled through the conning door." Hitherto there had only been a dim light. All the experiments had been conducted in this light. Now, as Nelson spoke ,the submarine was flooded with a powerful ray, throwing Nelson into strong .relief. Graves showed his incredulity. He moved as SI to spring forward, only
to see his own automatic being pointed directly at him. "I think I win, this time, my dear Graves." "1 should have known that you were at the back of this, Hinkelston," remarked Graves, apparently unperturbed at the thought of being alone beneath the sea with the man. His eyes never left his enemy's face. H was watching and waiting—waiting for a favourable opportunity to hurl himself at the man. "I suppose you would like to know the reason for this, Graves. You cannot imagine that I brought you here merely to demonstrate my powers. Listen! I've turned pirate! Now, how does that strike you?" For a moment Graves was speechless, "Let me tell you of it. Graves." said Hinkelston, with exaggerated politeness. "The ship, Southern Kniglil, is expected in these waters to-night. She has on beard a great quantity of bullion-—three or four million pounds worth. With you out of the way I shall be free to attack. 'Think of It, Graves. Three— maybe four—million pound?. Now, I'll sive you a chance. What ribmit sharing this with me? Halve?, partner, halves! In the words of the old story." Graves did not answer. He knew that Hinkelston was speaking the truth, for he had been in communication with the shipping authorities regarding the matter of the safety of- the bullion after the vessel had berthed. "If you don't agree, Graves," continued Hinkelston, ".I'm going to leave you here. While waiting for the vessel to arrive at a favourable point, I shall amuse myself by fca few thousand volts on the submarine. It may be a bit uncomfortable for you—for a time. It won't be 'for long, though, Graves. You'll soon go under to it. Now, will you join with me?"
Graves shook his head. He tried hard to keep himself composed, but he could not speak. The sneering tone of Hinkelston riled lym, "You're silent, I see, my dear. Graves. Ha, ha. ha! You make me laugh. While yon are -roasting a few fathoms down, I shall be in another submarine, controlled by the earn? power, plundering the Southern Knight of its riches. You see, Graves, I have you settled this time." "I don't think so, Hinkelston," shouted the detective, at the same lime "throwing himself forward, right at Hinkelston. The revolver was knocked upwards, but Graves's triumph was only temporary, Hinkelston - waited until -Graves was about -to -clutch Mm. and then he brought down the butt end of the revolver full on his head. As the detective's senses" left him he. heard as in a whisper the malignant voice of Hinkelston. "' •"I .repeat, my-dear Graves. 1 win."' ' The detective's return to after had left'- the i. "For a few he lay where he had fallen to understand .his His thought s went to . the turlettej's of-fire -he had reearlier In the day. From-this he gradually worked things out, until the full significance of everything came back to him with a rush. in a derelict
submarine at the mercy of Hinkelston and his diabolical power. Having readied this stage, Graves return to his normal self was rapid. Disregarding his aching head and the heaviness of his limbs, he moved round the submarine, examining everything. It was not his first experience under the sea, and be had a fair knowledge of the workings of such a craft. It was a navy boat," one of the newer type, fitted with electric torpedo tube and torpedo. Every-
thing about the boat was dirty and dilapidated, and most things of value had been removed. "Whew! It's" getting hot!" he exclaimed. "Hope .the air isn't" beginning to get foul." He glanced at the cage where usually the little white mice were kept to show the state of the air. The cage was empty. "Might have known that Hinkelston wouldn't leave anything like that around. It's a wonder he left the torpedo." Continuing his search,-Graves felt the air getting heavier. Jle could scarcely breathe on account of the beat which seemed to radiate from the sid»s of the vessel. Hinkelston was evidently playing his power on the .submerged submarine. The defective turned to the conning tower, and tried to force open the door, preferring death by drowning to the torture which he felt was to come to him. Failing to move thi#, he retraced his steps, and hesitated before the periscope, Here he saw a single fslK-et of white paper. This he raised and examined, without finding any trace of a message. He was about to pass along when in letters of fire, even as had been apparent in the morning, a message was flashed on the paper. "How are you, Graves? I 'trust that the heat I am transmitting to you is not too uncomfortable'. I've kept it down as y«4, hoping to warm
things a hit fm- yon later. Did you or did you SUM once refer to me as Hinkelston, the cat? Well, I am, and you're tli- mouse, with which I am playing—torturing, if you like. I have "waited for this moment, Graves; waited .for years. -Several times I believed I had you trapped, and as many times you were able to wriggle clear of the snare." Fascinated by what was appearing on the paper, Graves remained rooted to the spot. And yet the message was nothing but a series of taunts hurled through space at him by his unscrupulous enemy. "This time. Graves, I have you." "Bah!" snapped Graves, Yet he t'eit himself drawn to the message. "No one knows,that you visited Edward I.une. My earlier mysterious messages fixed that. You thought that' yrm had been chosen to finance a wonderful invention. You, my dear Graves. Something you cu-u".d use to iiyht n:e--th<? Ether King! But all the time you were walking into a trap." Yrtth an effort Graves turned lit? head away, and the spell which held him was broken, 1 won't stand by and be tortured!" he shouted. "I'll beat him. somehow, or ' As Graves worked it all out he decided bn a daring move. Why not utilise the current being focussed on the submarine to. bring it to the surface? _ Graves knew enough about the system to make tins possible, and soon he was searching the submarine for the necessary instrument with which he couid harness the tremendous force and cause it to operate thje pumps. Water was used as ballast, and once this was pumped out and the space filled with air, even though it was ratified,, the submarine would rise to the 'surface. The interior was now almost like a furnace, and Graves felt himself growing weaker
under the strain. The pumps appeared to be in good order, and soon he had connected the electric motor which drove them to the instruments which he had gleaned from various parte of the vessel. By the time be had everything ready he was so weak that he could scarcely move. The difficult thing had yet to be done. lie had to locate. the exact point on which the power was beiug centred. This found, he would have to ei'.rry it, by means of wires, to the instruments he had arranged. On hands and knees he went, and after what seemed like hours of crawling round he located Hio exact point. Here the heat was unbearable, and he found it impossible to approach to within a few feet. Fastening a. heavy brass plate to a length of tubing, and insulating the other end of it by wrapping several thicknesses of rubber rc-ur.d it, he 'pushed it towards the point. The' sudden rush of heat along the tube showed that (he energy was there, and-lie had just sufficient strength to connect the tube with the apparatus before he collapsed. . For several 'seconds - he lay where he had fallen. Then the throb,' throb of the pumps .rallied him. With.an effort he opened the conning doorand wriggled clear of the submarine,, sinking Into, the cool "water alongside. He rose to the surface, and, getting a mouthful of freeh air,
ho sank again,.-..!'Spippw*. came to the top he was much "better, and was able to keep himself afloat until he conld get some more ot the lire-giving air into his lunge. Coming towards him was a large liner—the Southern Knight—as he saw by the name, lighted up electrically on its starboard side. Again he went down, rising In time to grasp an overhanging rope as the vessel passed. It needed a superhuman effort on Graves's part to climb that rope, but after resting
on it a moment he went up hand, over hand, to fall exhausted on the deck. The next thing he remembered was someone forcing some vile-tasting liquid between his teeth, something which seemed to put new life into him as It burnt its - way down his throat. * • "Quick, the captain!" he cried. "I must see him immediately," In a few words he told of Hinkelston's plot to get the bullion, not mentioning anything of bis own experiences. Captain Hillings shook bis head. "You are talking nonsense," he snapped. "Who are you to eotne aboard as you did with such a story? " How do I knew -?" "Harrington Graves is my name.' I —" The captain gave a sharp order, and himself hurried to the wireless cabin. "I apologise, Mr Graves," he said, when he returned some time later. "Had it been anyone else I'd have disbelieved him, but I've heard of you and your doings. Tell me your story." Graves was now almost his old self again, ".My story can wait, Captain. What have you done? 'Hinkelston is capable of anything—even of sinking the ship, and, later, diving for the treasure." "I have got in touch by wireless
with a destroyer, and she is steaming to our assistance. Until then we must do all we can to hold out." "Good," snapped Graves. "All the same, 1 hope .she beats Hinkelston." Nothing was said to the passengers or crew as to the cause of the excitement, and Graves was said to be merely the survivor of a small ship which had been run down. Only the detective and Captain Hillings knew the danger that threatened them all. but the others on board could not fail to notice the earnest expressions on the faces of the two as they hums' round the wireless cabin for any messages from the destroyer. Right through the night they waited, and as the day dawned they saw the smoke of the approaching war vessel blackening the horizon. "No sign of your friend vet," remarked the skipper. "I hope be hasn't " Before he could finish there was a disturbance in the water alongside I he vessel. Looking over, they saw the grey hull of a submarine as ft rose rapidly to the surface. "Pipe the watch below," was the order. "Lifeboat drill for passengers and crew," To the mast head he ran the distress signal, at the same time giving orders to fire a series of rockets ! which would not fail to attract the ' notice of the destroyer. "Full steam ahead," signalled the officer on the bridge; the engines throbbed with increased intensity and dense clouds of black smoke poured from the ship's funnels as the stokers shovelled in the coal to provide sufficient steam. These manoeuvres evidently were not expected by the submarine, which, as if fearing attack, submerged. The* water closed over her with an ominous gulp, and caused a small waterspout" to wet those -on-
board the liner. Anxiously the skipper eyed the -•not. for a "moment- turning his gase en the destroyer which was comine ito like a ereyhound. "She'!! do it," d<*okrod Graver-, who was at his elbow. "Look at the wav she is churning up the foam." He accompanied the cr.;nain t<> file bridge, where they both turned their glasses on the approaching war vessel. Ca.'tsJn Hillings ras novf quite calm, ready for any eventuality. Even if the destroyer dM flt't come up to time he determined to make a fight of it. But he did not know the man with whom he had to deal. Professor Hinkelston. Graves knew, would not r<?ly on ordinary methods, and he endeavoured to make this clear to the captain, who had given orders that arms were to be served to the crew and passengers, "But. really," Graves was protesting, when a gasp " from the mate, whoso watch It was turned their attention to liimr Gn the white face of the chart a message was beinc written—a message in fires—similar to those with which Graves was already ft miliar. "Surrender your valuables to me or I shall sink your ship," was the command. "I am immediately below you in a submarine with 8 charge ready to be fired." "What—what shall I do?" Captain Hillings was ghastly pale. He couid not
loiter by magnetic " "Have the :Mltio»,'. brought oil deck ready to lie lowered," the message continued. "It . Is useless to wireless; for,-the moment your telegraphist sends out a.signal it will be jammed by"me,. I'll give you live minutes." That Hinkelston haft nut noticed the approach .of the '. destroyer was evidenced by his next sentence. " "We are-all alone; there-ia not. a m
ship, from ..which yon could "get help " fe ven — ' ' ' J Abrnptiy-the message eeasei; The destroyer had come into Hinkel-HtocS ken.. "Excuse me! With a bow Gravei had sprung to the ivheel and swmai it hard over. '"'Bout fihlpi" he telegraphed, usurping officers. the place of He knew the vindictive nature of his old antagonist, and he was taking no risks. " Having fa"Ilefl-|o accomplish his design, lie knew that Hinkelstein would -have no compunction in sending the ship and its occupants to the bottom," hoping to. escape in the commotion, he-had caused. It was well lor 'all that he tt&fi acted promptly. As the ship swaag round a torpedo cut across right tn front. Had the vessel continued- ita course it would assuredly havo <|Ot the torpedo 'midships. The course o^ the torpedo could be followed by ail on board, and the path was 'evidently visible to the lookout on the destroyer, for a gun from her immediately answered, the shell chir.g them with the spray it up as it skimmed past. Another and another followed, and then comparative silence. Looking over the side of the vessel they saw the submarine gradually coming to the surface. As 111 _ conning tower broke through the'
water, the door was thrown open. A moment later the whole deck of- the vessel rose up as if hinged on one side, and, like a huge jack in the box that has been..released, a small sea-plane came up from the partially submerged submarine. ' . ' A gun from the destroyer spoke, but it was too late. As they watched. they saw Professor -Hinkelston sitting in the pilot's seat of the plane, which was rising rapidly in thf air. One of the officers raised a gun to fire, but Graves, .springing forward. knocked up the man's arm. "He is mine!" he cried, half hysterically. "No one must get him but me." A pause. All eyes were on Graves, as if they knew that the next move was wit!; him. A boat from the destroyer had put off and was coming towards the ship. A roll of distant thunder added •'ntmospbfre" to the scene. A flash, Whether of lightning or by wireless or.s will rver know; and then, afoss the deck of the ship, in letters a loot bis, came (mother message. "You saved my life then. Thank you, my dear Graves!" it read. "Again vmi trlumrb. Yours never, ' Hinkelston." , CK-lPTElt II. The Flying Phantom Kislit bells, jarred out from the bridge, was echoes in the steaming eneine room. At the sound. Tommy Parsons, v, ircicss operator aboad the froighie"', Noniica," stretched himself and . yawned. It was time for him to go on duty. With a surins, he was out of his bunk, and, after "a splash in the little enamelled wash basin, he hurried to the wireless cabin. Here everything was oppressively ho*, and the boy sighed as he prepared for an unpleasant spell of work. Portholes and doors
were wide 03ten and the ventilator cowl, turned to cat ft; whatever -breeze teiiiitt ee;e«, carried ib'^n » muffieil crvottn fr<-m the bridge ivhe-re ' he third nu:te ' was taking !'iiit:--.d f;tr his wutefc. • T : »• grumbling stet-p'-d. and the i:r',te,' Whistl,*? mnrily. clattered (pern the ladder. n ar-'OS> r-eree-d .-.a the receivers, <•!>* in his valve currents, and |ttgflerl with the vntious .--v,itche-. tint!! his rnlve was? osrelaiin;? s : f«ly, A eteadv b's? "'"v r>n«iiMe - ;t i the receivers. Chairne the- pt*ittr.u of the reacti"-n -e-ry sliehllv cut (his ana {•!! vr* rf-r.dy for longdistance receptee. The a!" siF.'e vcjth atmospherics. and v-;i<h r r« ;; cned sigh *the young er-eva'<<r opened hi® lof hook and made an ervry fe thi 1 effect that "Exes" were fall itr^gni. Sharp and musical „ JJircgsr 1 -the clatter of the atmospheric? n'tee thi first "Vs" of a stn'5 with a raee?ag» for the Nordicti. nn<;, drc-iee-forward a pad of r-c^ivin:: 'eree% Parsea? prepared to tr.ke down the wortfe. Readinc thrmiclt static is imi the easiest thins to do. teit Tommy was an expert, a nil. •-•eti.eh yoitajv had hart much experience. ?xj?erienee. AiSMspheries--have Atmospiergutter no "note." "note," they choke find and growl and are tiius.ilfr tineuishaWe from the more musical note of wireless signals. <T« i»c
Cik ether Kins
. A Story of Mystery and Adventure
kf ARTHUR HUSSEjuL (Author of "The LuminNM Kay." "Dre.un Isle," "Bungoona,")
Parsons received the message, BOled the weather report, and then: swung round his tailing Condenser to bring his receiver into adjustment for the evening pi-ens. "C.Q., C.Q., C.Q." The "ail shins" eall rang out from the distant land station as it warned the ships to be ready to take down the "press" message about to he transmitted. . ' Parsons sat bach* in readiness. "Famine in • China, latest "news of the cricketers, captain broadcasts," he Jotted down. "The King gives audieuce to labour leader——" Suddenly, in the middle of a sentence, an ominous silence seemed to descend on Mm. The musical ring of tbe dots and dashes was hushed; •lie static/ too, which a moment befere crashed in his ears like miniftture explosions, wa.<s not now in evidence. Not a sound came out' of the ether: He swung the dials round so the broadcasting band of wave lengths,* but here also -was silence. Not ft carrier wave was passed over is he altered the position of the condenser plates. He eased the •phones' from his ears In time to hear a great commotion on deck. At first he thought that bis aerial had collapsed, and fallen on one of the deck hands. The cry that he heard, however, showed hira that something much more serious had happened. "Hard, aport. man. Hard sport. The -sharp tones of the third mate cut the air like whip cracks. "I said to keep her due north." "DUG north it is, sir," was the reply of the sailor. "You can see for yourself." Parsons hurried out and reached the "bridge jus! as the ship struck the hidden rocks. . There was a rending, tearing sound "midships, and the vessel healed over at a dangerous angle. -fiuence "Send out the S.O.S.," ordered the captain, coming up at -the moment and tafcir,?, in -things ; *fimmedlately. "Man the boats. . There is not a moment to lose. The ship Is
sinking." ' Tommy Parsons broke all records is he raced from the bridge to his cabin. Throwing open the convert-er switch, as a dynamo gained speed, he began to transmit the call of distress. "s.o.s: •— He kept at- it for several minutes before he thiew off hiB transmitting and cut his aerials' through to his receiver. There was not a sound. Not a scratch disturbed the quietness of the ether. Recklessly Parsons swung round his-ccmile dial without rec^Mlnir a-whistle -from an answering ship. Usually at this time, the'air alive with stations. Now. for unknown reason, everything wafl dead. , "Come on, Sparks," called the third mate, ae the ship lave a nasty lurch to leeward. "You're in my \>oat," "What caused the disaster?" ask-. ed Parsons, as they took their plac-. ©8 in the boat. -. The mate paused to ' watch - the ship, which already seemed to be settling down. "I know It Will sound foolish," he said after awhile, "and I know that I am going- to have the job :of my life to make the authorities believe it, but the disaster Asms - caused - by the compass - needle failing to .point to the north." . "It was "demagnetised, probably," suggested Parsons 'with a superior-»lr. ' . -The mate shook his head,. "That-wasn't the reason. What about the. •wireless?" lie asked pointedly. "It didn't seem'to be of rauch use when It was most seeded." . "S6raethtng„a!Toeted it," declared Parsons. '"There was not "a sound to be heart..' Ifcthe first lime dur-Ing jny experience that such a thing bas happened." ' ' . -*«»Mr.opinion..to that there was minister infltieacs isbnard that ' affected both the. compass and the wireless.' I tried a second compass, iW^toos'was'efceW^ • tbe- ^i'pnacle of "absurd-«sg»fltea ; 'gT«ttt, Detective i^tpn" Graves tossed - aside the -;;-?»ir8fille-ab#lote limit!" - he. .de /Wjti^^rr^vOTIWWV•"•'G^' AWra :BDimlis„-9r:^ots;;M the IMJI, for it. Buch twaddle to me. I shall be consulted by schoolboys next as to how they would sharpen' their slate pencils," He picked up the letter and read It again. - "-Beau Sir," it ran, "I would have you know that. I am one
of the most successful farmers in the district. This I put down to j working according to a'theory that. 1 hold, that wheat and oats should be planted in rows running due north and south." "Pshaw! Rot!" muttered Graves. "Whoever heard of such nonsense?" "When ploughing," the letter continued, "I always use a compass fitted on a special arm on the plough. Everybody around here knows of my theory, and can hear out the truth of what I state. However, to come to the point——" "About time," thought Graves. "If his results equal his verbosity, he should be a multi-millionaire." "To come to (he point," rend . Graves, "for the first time in niv life my compass failed file. It a lithe solutely refused to point to north. A reserve instrument pave = Flinflar results, and enclosed I'have included a plan of my latest furrow." 1 "M'h!" grunted 'the detective. "The proverbial dog and its hind leg isn't in it with, this furrow of crookedness. But why on earth didn't he. after getting one straight furrow, plough .the-rest parallel (o It? A crank, all rightl Spots on the sun, indeed! Spots on his •brain, more likely." He went quickly through the rest of the mail, and then took up the monting newspaper, letting his eyes run over the headlines. An exclamatory grunt escaped him. "Shipwrecks! Three .of 'em!" He glanced again at the letter he had tossed aside before he settled down to read the details of the mis-| In each of the three cases it was reported that the ships' compasses had failed to function' accurately. "Apparently the compass was affected by some strong magnetic inin the vicinity." reported the captain of the Nordica. "This also rendered useless the ship's direction finder and wireless. The S.O.S. fiirnal was sent out, and although there . were-many vessels around", no re-
sponges were received." The reports of the dfficers navigating the' other vessels—the Lowlv Lass and the Gadfly—were praetically (he pame. The mishaps were put down to the erratic behaviour , .of (be compass, while " the captains I reported that calls of distress transmitted by wireless failed (0 brine ' 1 any result.' One of the-wireless op- ; "rarors declared - - that he was almost ! deafened by a roaring noise which • wfl*- net up in his receivers, hut the radio men on the other two vessels failed to notico anything untoward except tfe abSern* of other stations on tile «ther, Graves noted the positions of the vessels and looked them up on a map of the forld. They were, he noticed, all in a direct, line as was also the district in which lived the farmer who, a few minute* earlier, Grave"? had condemned as a crank, He now read the letter with renewed Interest. "It is beyond me," he admitted, "I don't know of a narallel rase," 1 The Aurora Rorealis. he learned from his Encyclopaedia, was a whitish arc of light which sometimes took the form of rapidly moving beams- These lights were associated with electro-magnetic phenomena which played havoc with telegraph and telephone lines. "There might-be something j n ti,* farmer'.s suggestion after all." Graves admittnd. again referring to fhe letter. There was Utile else In the newspaper to interest, the defective. A small paragraph about a new motor ' cycle which was capable of at tainir e a speed of 180 mites an hourthree miles a minute — held bis attention for- a' few moments, but lie could not Afford to spend much time on this or the rost. of the news. Grami waa experimenting with elscWe ray??. -The wonders of -the violet and green rays had been lightly sampled. During his t«!s, (Jraves bad found (lie need of wearing, something impervious to the effects - of file- rays. The powers of ite T8,y were /so .severe that several tint^ he had escaped 1 " serious iniury only by the, merest fraction. He therefore. tfetnporarfjy swKclied Ills - attaotton to : tbe :.«jMMtrn«t!on of a suit of thin . m e t a l w l i f l e - being 'flexible eaotifli.'r'to "allow Mm ,tb tim tne" fftfe v tt» W-Utt- arms, .was of sufficient protection against -the effects otflwffi'y with which he' Atnpl^ed-.'thfe-.tlilli niifal-Ife^Y^afj^ij^-wit of Sail, m he facetiou,'?ly described it — Graves had donned K and was about to experiment further. He reached out his hand to'take tip a hammer when h(S was startled to see tbe hammer-; head disappear- ta a <puff «t. smoke; It had, apparently, been affected by:
some Influence. There were many other evidences of the peculiar influence which MI suddenly become apparent. A sheet of specially-prepared note paper on his desk curled lip and burst into flame. Fire .played round the points of his pens; the eliciting of the door catch attracted his attention. But there was no <Jnc entering. Ae he looked, he saw the metai knob of the door change colour, the fllra of bronze > lacquer dropping from it like a j Biiell, leaving it bright and shiny, A shudder went through Die electric' fan standing on a shelf a few feet, away. It was as if it wanted to ran _ both ways at once. It gave a few 1 half-hearted turns, although the switch was off and the current not • on at «h<-: power mains. . j Strange to say, the wireless receiver was unaffected by the influenee, though sparks escaped across the plates of the lightning arrester. Around the detective's ears there was a sound as of a rushing wind. Graves moved forward. He did not know how to act, nor how to deal effectively with the peculiar yet powerful influence which apparently was being directed upon Iris roam.. His eyea went from one object to anotlier. He wondered which was to be (he next affected, and how. Ho was wholly unprepared for sueli a visitation. The clock, he "saw, had stopped, j and his fingers, half unconsciously, . ; went* to his waistcoat poekei, only to find that his. watch was unoomfortably hot. ! At the s:auie time the telephone hell rang. For only a moment Graves paused. Maybe the bell had also been rnng by the power which had gripped the place. He determined , to see. Stepping to the instrument ' he lifted the receiver and placed it to his ear. "Yes?" he said. "4h res; there vou are." he heard.. "How are you these days, my dear Graves? You've not been to* s<Je me of late. Eve fa growing anxious about you. As if I'd hurt vou! My- present address is 145 Idward avenue, Boynthonhurst. Don't bring, a posse of constables down, though, Graves," * . lt was the voice of his old enemy, Professor Hlnkelston. . > -. . « Professor Hlnkelston hummed the air of a popular song as he arranged the various pieces of apparatus. on a glass-topped table. Deftly his long, tapering fingers inserted lengths of connecting wires under each of the terminal screws, as with unhurried deliberation, lie inade the various electrical connections. ' On one side was a large spark
coil and switch, the secondary winding of the coil being connected to a vacuum tube not unlike that used in an A-ray X-ray OUUU. outfit. On switching the current through to the coil the make-and-break at once began to work, sending a fat spark through ihe tube. As this gained In internsitv, a fierce red ray became apparent. This Hinkelston focua«ed on a thick steel plate on the opposite side of the room while he super-imposed on the ray itself the current of a four-volt accumulator. -Simultaneously a small electric motor, whose terminals came within the pjith of the ray, began to work, its armature attaining considerable speed before Hlnkelston, satisfied with the- test, switched off the current ! The ray continued to play, however, and*Hinkelston appeared to be thinking out a further tegf to put it -to. ' "I will!" he cried. "It will let him see that I am still alive, and perhnps turn his attention in the wrong direction, He darted from the room and down a long passage to tbe telephone. ' • "Get me five, double five, one — Detective Harrington Graves." he ordered. "If he's not at that address, try Scotland Yard." - 'Hurrying back, lie readjusted the posltien of ray'until it played directlv on the telephone receiver which be had left off the book. He then, at'a email desk receiver in the room, began to listen. His ever, flashed with ovcltement as he.-heard Graves's voice, and lie excitedly rose to his f^et after lie hM "snoken to the detective. "It works! It works!" he shoufc£. "T knew it would." And there was reason for bis excitement, He bad succeeded Ih' establishing telephonic connection between himself and Graves on a circuit, portion of which was formed by the ray emitted from the vacuum "Hooray for the luminous-ray!" he cried, .running round like 'a school boy.after the conclusion of iMRonB. - - -"I. bet I've got Grave? thinking," he adifed mom seriously. It'« my turn tills time. I taunted him-with'lye. Knew, that would him. - If that detective - cm-•ftrm } from- the fray triumphantly ril:^—T—' . He paused,'staking at an Imagln-"Tlf* "tackle Mm r gain." he added. after a moment Hlnkelston was wrong in assuming that be had got Graves thinking. The detective had other things to occupy his attention at the time,
— — = i n g and, .after hearing HinkeMon's voice on the telephone, be at once put all ihouchts of the man from ... . ,... J TT;..,..,.I his mind. HinkeMon, he knew, was preparing another-coup in which he wohably would be involr-M, but he decided that, before giving Hlnkelston any serious attentfon, he would clear up some of tbe other cases on which he was en-; gaged. "Like die poor," he mused, with n smile,, "Hinkelston is always with , „=." The case engacing fh* attention 0f Graves at tbe moment was that, rf the Plying Phantom. This was (be name given to fhe latest meme* to.; society. The honour of havfng been j ih- first to see the Flyins PiBtrtom to several school bnvs. WhUe r, t nrning home from school one nf- 1 t-rnnra, thR.y were startled to see what at first seemed to be a human skeleton. (to be continued)

OK ether King | ' [
A Story-of Mystery and Adventure
IF ARTHUR RUSSBuL {Author of "The Luminous May," '"Dream Isle," "Bongoona,»)
JJJ1 -As if impelled hy a mighty rushlug wind it came up, according to the bovs' account, appeared before them laughed humanly at their discomfiture, and then disappeared. Following this came reports from several Influential citizens. In each of the latter eases the Phantom was not content with merely causing them alarm hy the suddenness of its appearance. It demanded their cash and valuables, departing in the same unaccountable manner. One of the victims declared that he could see daylight between the sckeleton's hones. Others stated I that this was not so, and that the { thing- was dressed in a suit of a hue j which harmonised with everything 1
around, malting the hones and skull, which were painted with phosphorous, stand out alarmingly. It seamed to he the intention of the bandit to create a panic among the people. He appeared at widely separated places within a short space of timer making some people believe that two men were working in conjunction. The mystery was passed along to Graves for solution, and until it was solved he felt thai he had no time for Hinkelston and his doings. He knew that the professor, having thus declared himself, as it might he, weald not" long let him remain in peace, and his one desire was to clear up the mystery of the Flying Phantom before Hinkelston got busy. Of the mysterious influence which for a time had pervaded his office,' Graves had had no further evidence. He knew of Hinkelston's power of transmitting electric current from one point to another by wireless. Hv also knew that, of late, Hinkelston had been conducting experiments with the various electric rays, !:!.d this had been the prime factor in deciding him also to make a close >n»dy of the subject. Hinkelston's ;.;.ov,iedge of wireless was considerable, and Graves realised that in the • professor he had an antagonist worthy of himself. They bad come to grips on numerous occasions. Sometimes one would score, and sometimes the other. Up to the present the odds were about equal. True, Graves had succeeded in spoiling many of Hinkelston's criminal schemes, and Hinkelston had told Graves that he was the only one of whom he i great surely, such a The Phantom, Graves
type of flying achlne to of who had suffered at Ms dared that they had heard the whirring of machinery. None had seen anything, though quite a number had testified that, as the man came and went, they had noticed a heavy wind. > Having created a panic, the bandit settled down to genuii picking his victims with Inating eye. If a lady wore her; jewels at a certain function, it was ! 68 1 a f 4 not "ft her motor car t irould be intercepted, and before she had recovered from the shock of the skeleton, her valuables would be torn from her. Members of the Stock Exchange were (rore visited and robbed of valuable ' " k " i Government paymasters hi. officials always travelled with armed guard. Harrington Graves had made several fruitless attempts to capture the but the speed with which lie Returning home one afternoon, tired and disheartened after . repoated failures to effect a capture, Graves threw himself into a chair and buried his face in his hands. For once he felt that he was beaten, For the first time in his career he Velieved believed, he was up against something that he could not understand, There was -only one thing for him to do, to ask his superiors to put someone < ..... in bis place. Still in this frame of mind, he let Sits thoughts stray to Hinkelston,
-f and the peculiar happenings la his' office. From this they went to the shipwrecks, and to the letter he bad received from - the farmer who had trouble in ploughing. For several minutes he sat there in deep thought. Then he jumped to his feet, excitement flashing from hia eyes as his brain took in the full significance of the theory he bad evolved. "Thai's it!" he cried, "I should have thought of it earlier. Everything dovetails together. It's Hinkelston." After the first wave of excitement had passed, Graves ^at down and systematically worked out uui every e,n. point of his theory. If what he be-
1 loved was correct, Professor Hinkelston and the Flying Phantom were one. Hinkelston. probablv, had desiuned a type of fast-moving machine in which to male* bis gel away after having robbed his victim. It was not until some time later that he remembered the newspaper paragraph he had skimmed over at about the same time. Then he did not rest until he had turned up the back number of the paper and read it again, "A New Record" it was headed. "A foreign inventor dates to have arranged a motor cycle which will attain a speed of 180 miles an hour. No particulars were available, but the secret of the excessive speed is .said to be in the searing of the engine to the machine itself." "Then there's the ray." thought' Graves, "If Hinkelston could const ruct such a machine as is mentioned in the paper, and could arrange for it to take its power from a ray directed from his laboratory, he could easily do the work now being done by the Flying Phantom." He brought his fist down solidly on the table, "I'm sure of it — Hinkelston is the Flying Phantom!" Having so decided, the detective resolved to change his plans. Hp arranged with a number of smart youths to act as scouts. These he stationed along the road which led to the address Hfnkelstou had given him. Each of the scouts was provided with a short wave wireless) transmitting set, and with this each had to report to Graves every quar-! ter of an hour. Harrington Graves never moved; from his office, sitting before the receiver hour after hour,, listening to the reports of his assistants.
It was at this time that a certain newspaper paragraph was brought: under his notice. "The Clapham Pearl" was the title. "Mr Dougan, who has in his posthe famous Clapham Pearl discovered by pearlers off the of Western Australia, has to place this on show during the next few days. This- pearl Is conbe the most perfect in end has been valued at >ands of pounds." Graves smiled as he read the notto^^k^ton.^a'i^n'wn^l^ Hink< or of sucl) va, uables . and would not a regt uatjl he , md od ded that pearl ^Hnn. , > scouts received fresh instrucaiid other assistants were addpd t0' Q nvm > B already large army of helpers. The utmost secrecy was maintained, and Graves picked his men carefully. As soon as* Hinkelston left his! house on any occasion the fact was at once wirelessed to Graves, and! to have him fol- 1 lowedT • The detective was in close touch with Mr Dougan, the owner of the famous pearl; and knew the exact: moment it was to be placed on show. Since Graves had taken the offensive rather than the defensive, the bandit known as the Flying Phantorn tom had i not been nearly so much in evidence. "" ice. Yet there were times when Hinkelston escaped' the notice of Graves's spies and managed to effect a coup. Several of the scouts reported baytag heard a swishing sound JM if
something were driven past them at terrific speed. One told of a momentary glimpse he had obtained ot a skeleton mounted on a huge wheel, while another declared that the noise resembled the humming of a large top. All of tliese stories Graves noted until he managed to piece together a very startling theory. In view of later happenings, lie had changed his opinion as to the machine feeing a type of aeroplane. Instead, now, lie believed it to he some form of motor vehicle, fitted with a powerul engine. The only thing against this theory was jthe absence of the chug-chugging natse ot tiie motor engine. This supported the theory that an electric motor was used,* the power being drawn from the ray directed from Hinkelston's laboratory. Manv hours Graves spent in deep thought. With the realisation that Hinkelston was the Flying Phantom, lie-had lost all Ms pessimism. Tlfe professor was his natural enemy, and he was determined, sooner or later, to get him. Three days after the pearl was put on exhibition it as reported that the machine ' had been heard leaving —-o Hinkelston's. — It had passed - , the first watcher with terrific speed.
The second watcher had failed to ^notice it, but the third and fourth had both radioed Graves to the effect that they had heard the machine a* it had passed them, Graves lost no time. The moment he had Iongld for had at last arrived. It was evident that Hinkelston, j n the character of the Plying Phantorn, was proceeding in the direction 0f the shop in which the Clapham Pearl was being exhibited, -He at once got busy with his telephone, and then, dragging on an old felt hat, hurried out. His thin, metallic overall he discarded for a close-fitting metallic vest. Against him he felt sure Hinkelston would direct the full blast of the ray. There was not a taxi in sight, and the detective's . own car was in the garage undergoing repairs. Consequently, he was foreed to walk, or rather to run, for Graves knew that unless his plans miscarried, there would soon be startling developments. The crash came almost before he expected it. As he turned a corner, the sound of a terrific impact of metal against metal was heard, accompanied by shouts and cries. . Graves at once increased his speed, commandeering a push bicycle from a passer-by. Then it was that the detective was thankful he was wearing his metallic undervest. He had only gone a few yards when the bicycle grew warm beneath him, finally collapsing in a twisted heap, Kicking himself free of the remains, Graves raced on. The ray was directed full on him, but, hecause of his protecting suit of metal, he was able to withstand the ef-, feet. He reached the scene of the impact to see a small crowd of people
standing round the wreck of. a strange looking machine. A peculiar machine it was, consisting of one large wheel—a unicycle. The seat and the handles were both fitted on the frame above the wheel, but to enable the rider to maintain his balance a large gyroscope was arranged beneath the seat. This gyroscope was kept revolving by means of a powerful little motor, while geared to the wheel Itself was a larger motor. One of the terminals of each of these electric motors ended in a red "spring, which pointed at an cute angle, possible to pick up the current from the invisible conductor, I while the other terminal of « was "earthed" through the frame of the unicycle. These things Grave took in quick-5y, but at the same time they were only of secondary importance. He wanted Hinkelston. Graves had had a heavy steel framework built so that while it was small enough to be carried by an ordinary motor truck, it could V-j quickly opened out to form a good substantial shield, I On learning that Hinkelston was abroad, and of the direction he was 1 going, he had at once telephoned police headquarters, instructing the offteiais to take the shield to a certain spot, where it was possible the Flyiiig Phantom would pass. Further reports confirmed the direction, and ! Graves had had the shield placed In position. Then had come the impact, with disaster to the unicycle. But where wiw Hinkelston? Had he, by some
miraculous moans, been spirited awav? 'The detective could not understand it at all, and he closely examined the faces of all the oystanders before he turned his attention to the ruined unicycle, which was Iving, with its one wheel bent, its spokes sticking out at all angles, the gyroscope shattered and broken, and HIP handle-bars twisted badly. The detective picked it up and endeavoured to straighten it out as best he could. He was about to place It at the side of the road for conveyance to the police station, when he noticed a combination of instruments fitted directly underneath the saddle. A feeling almost of awe passed over him as he realised the ingenuity of Hinkelston. Althoutrh the detective had wrecked the utjievele, he had failed to get the man behind all the depredations. The Flving Phantom was still at large, and likely to be. but his wing? i had been clipped. He had been de-.prived of the means of quickly get - 1 tine to and from the scene of his acts. Professor Hinkelston, evidently knowing all about the means Graves had adopted of spying on his movements had arranged the unicycle so that it could be directed and controlled from a distance by wireless from hfe laboratory. On this occa-
sion he probably had controlled the course of the machine. He had discovered that Graves was getting too strong for him, and that he would have to change his ways. In all probability Graves would institute a penrch of his place, and had the unlcvcle been found, there would have been sufficient evidence to have the professor gaoled. The unicycle would have to got Perhaps his love for the dramatic had had something to do with the starling end of the machine. What cared Hinkelston if things in the path of his ray suffered? The wrecking of at least three vesreK not to mention the annoyance io the farmer who could not plough according to his theory, owing to tin-compass failing properly to fiiiMiori, was due to the power of raw With these thoughts in his minrf. Graves returned home in no pleasant mood. At the time his success in correctly working out most of the details of the great mystery wa,s nothing compared- with the failure to capture Hinkelston redhanded. His annoyance was intensified when he readied his rooms. There, standing on the table, propped up against an inkstand, was a miniature of the unicycle, wireless set and all. He moved towards the telephone, his intention being to tell Hinkelston what he thought of him. Then he remembered that he did not know the professor's telephone number. With a muttered imprecation ne sank wearily into the chair and examined the little machine. Underneath was a card on which was printed: "To dear Graves, with the compliments of his enemy—the Flying Phantom."
CHAPTER XII. OP "Uncle!" Eve Saunders could not repress a sigh as she uttered the word. It hurt her even to think of Hinkelston as a relative, even though he was onlv such by marriage. Yet, she could not forget he was her so e support. She was beholden to him for everything. The man was mad, she was firmlv convinced, mad with the hist for riches and power. Had he focussed his wonderful brain in the right channel he would have been hailed as the greatest scientist of the dav. "Well?" Hinkelston turned quickjv on hearing her" voice, frowing H^avllv nB he looked at the girl. He had the uncanny power of being able to - read thoughts. "If its about that worthless fellow. Graves, don't say it," he , ordered. "The man has thwarted me again. Times without number I have been within an ace of success, only to be hampared by that damned busy. Tour lover," he sneered. "Fancy a niece of mine wedded to a drtective! Its unthinkable, and I shall not tolerate it. I am your guardian, remember. Save yourself, girl, and get someone your equal." The hot blood tinged the girl's face and she swallowed dryly before she spoke. She looked positively handsome in the bright light of the room, the colour in her cheeks com-
pleting the picture. She tried to Weak to plead ^ith Hinkelston. Surely her happiness meant something to Mm. But so completely was she in his power that she could not utter a word in protest. "Get your cloak on, girl, and come with me. We'll h nve a night's amusement together — the theatre, the opera, anything you like." With an effort she pulled herself together and faced her relative, determined at any cost to break the spell in which she was held. Uncle, vou must listen to me. For years yoiir will has been the dominating factor in my life. Vou have bade me come, and I have obeyed. Go and I have departed. Ton have ruled me as it were with a rod of iron. In vain I have struggled to assert myself, to protest against your doings and fight against the power you were e X ffinkelston did not expect such an outburst from the girl. To him she had always been as a clnld and he was annoyed that she should speak to him so. "Eve, how dar<5 you speak to me. like this?" he demanded. He threw all his power into the worfe He arched his forehead, and with fists clenched strode up and down direct lv in front of tH« girl. "After all I have done for you. Fed and clothed you. given you a good education and denied you nothing. And nov,, when you could be of some use to me socially, I to be cast aside. I shall not allow anything or uie kind to happen, and if you dare mention Harrington Graves* name
to me, you shall be made to suffer both directly and indirectly. Do you understand? I see you do. Go to vour room at once." The girl did not move. "What do you mean by indirectly?" she inquired —She was far from subdued. "Do you mean that you woud try to hurt me through Mr Graves?" "I do," was the reply. "Unless you do as I bid, Harrington Graves Eve laughed cheekily. "I don't think so, Uncle-That heavy drama of vours is amusing. Mr Graves has beaten you times without number, so often, in fact, that a few extra times will meaoi nothing to him. Harrington Grates is too good for you, and you Mow it. Now, do vour worst!" Hinkelston vras furious. To think that the one tie had always cowed should so openly defy him! "Not enly will Graves suffer," he thundered, "but yours will be the hand that will launch the bolt that will send him to iifs doom. Now, my lady, there is something for yon to sleep on and dream about. Tour fine detective's days are numbered. Go to him, if yo« like, am* tell him. Ring «P Scotland Yard now. 1 don't mind. "What would he think when his dear Eve's voice came tn him over the -wire? The voice from the dead!" <T« 1
(Note that the newspaper wasn’t printed on Friday this week, so The Ether King continued on Saturday 19 April 1930 with a smaller instalment, and overall, chapter 12 is split over 3 issues)
Cfie €lhcr King
A Story of Mystery and Adventure
by ARTHUR RUSSEuL (Author of "The Luminous Kay,'' "Dream Isie," "Bungoona,")
"You—you didn't " "1 did. my dear Eve. 1 told him that you were dead, and that with your last breath you cursed the name of Harrington Graves, Mentionvd a few other things, too, 1 did. Made a job of it while 1 was about it. Invented a mytnical lover on whom you had switched your atlections, told our dear friena Graves how this man had held your hands during th* last stages of your illness, and painted for him a graphic picture of your la<n moments. Clwer, wasn't it?" "You're cruel, cruel, and 1 hate you." cried the girl, sobbing bUterly as she bravely faced the ma.i. Mr Graves—he didr.t" beliwe it?" "Believe it!" Of course lie did. 1 made it very convincing. 'He did not seem to cure very much. 1 • thought. Oh! 1 fors'ot, to lei! yen before, but Harrington Graver, w.is luarried hist wee);. How's thai !nr loyalty? He married a buxom young widow with nvu children. Thai should keep him occupied a bis .aid give me n chance, You did not see it in the newspapers because J purposely kept :he:u from you. 1 would have spared >ou a I! tins had yni been reasonable." ".MarriJd!" No, no. It can't 1»,« triu-! I'ncle, Ml me please. ]'H du anything for you, 1 loved him. loved him dearly, jjr- knew it, ton. Oh, the joy of those few sh:ut
tVH'KS!'-The colour went from tire girl's cheeks. "Ii isn't true," she cried at , last and -.auk down a! his feet in a clehd faint. _ >o that* that. muttered Hinkelston callously. "It had to be done, tve was becoming a problem, blie must be kept quiet tor a few •\m cks, and then . . Ke Picked her up in his arms and earned her irom in, room; and W!.-n E\\> Saunders regained liei senses some little time later she was in a dark windowless attic 'rom wlio'h escape was impossible. -"'uii'ssor iiinkulston huma.od a tunc as lie iusseu about wiiu his uuious psects o? jiecirical lnaemncry lie had gathered .-.round him. lie took his seat on a chair in the iuitidie u, } it room, and drew tire instruments to»vmJ:; lam untU at last he became tin- centre of as curious an array of electrical apparatus a< <-ver existed. • SU11 lie crooned to himself. Apparent!}-he - ia< ' a i.a:; in the world, nothing to worry him. Not a ;rown creased his high forehead, and his jet black hair was not MecKed with a single streak ol' grey, He hooked up the apparatus to the electric power supply, and with the ! same casualness that had characterlsed his actions all through, he elipped a wire to the side of a large' metal helix. This done, he made a peculiar signal on a telegraph key, which formed part of the apparatus, and then with a yawn sat back in his chair and stretched himself. He altered the position of the clip on 1 alld a « a "» tapped out the Peculiar signal, the letters "XKK" , um together, the final dash of the' k being drawn out. , "I wonder if they'll guess," he mused. "There's just a chance that Harrington Graves will understand — a very slight chance. The fellow is clever. He haa brains, but his reasoning power is not great enough 1 to follow such a scheme of trickery.' This time I shell be unmolested in mv experiments! Experiments!" he repeated, his tone becoming louder as his interest g'\nv. "Yes," Uiat is all they are now. They will lead to something the like of which has never been dreamed of. After that, if Graves still lives, Ew may go to bini. 1 don't care 1 shall have achieved something for which 1 have been trying for the best part of mv lifetime.' Gradually his voice dropped to a whisper, and, as though the effort had been too exhaustive, he sank down on the table among the instruments, and fell a»:1eep. Detective Hferritigton Grave? was having a holiday. For a time crimes and criminals were forgotten With a friend he was being shown over the Observatory, his attention being drawn to the many things of interest. He paused before the big telfe-
scope and made some remark to his triend, who shook Ins Rmd. "There's not much hope, I'm afraid. We'll try, however." To their surprise, the meteorologist in charge was not averse to their wishes. "Certainly," he said with a smile, at the same time stepping forward and arranging a specially-built chair so that they could recline on it and gaze up at the sky. small wheel was turned, and the whole room swung around until they were facing the moon. A trap door \yas opened, and there, before their gaze, in all its b< r,utiful whiteness, was the moon. Harrington Graves looked Jong and thoughtfully at Uu- plain-Is, following the ciators which scarred its surface, and visioning a race of peop!<> who might inhabit such a place. Like a huge sphere of cheese, ii seemed to he all pitted wish holes. It was surrounded by millions uf liny prisms which gave il a wonderful halo. "What do you make of this?" ' i The official observer had changed places wiiii Graves and wn« focussing the huge telescope upon another constellation. "What is it?" askeu -3raves after a whiie. "It appears to be moving, to he coiiiinu towards me,- Like a thousand pointed spear, it is: Ugh!
lie ejaculated, withdrawing his vye and shuddering. "It's uncannv!" His friend was affected similarly, and «< "li with '"Ui Graves will ' turned miijvw an ix U I'tll enquiring ,- acfe l0wards the meterologist "That is our ancient problem." said thal gentleman grave]v. i',,, telling you" this in confidence. The world has necer been in such dunper of destruction - as it is at the present time. Were the facts of this to become public the panic would be terrible. But I feel that 1 must unburden myself to someone. If you gentlemen will give me your word that what I say will not be made public until after the expiration of one calendar month—if we're still here at tliat time—I'll tell you all about the danger that is menacing the world. Graves and his friend could not hul be affected by the gravity of the meteorologist. He was nor a young man, and his gray, bloodless face seemed to have taken on a ghastly hue. ,, ., "You can rely un us, ' said Graves, afttr a pause. "Anything you tell us will be regarded as strictly confidential." "No matter how serious?" "No matter how serious," repeated Graves, "'We give you our word as men of honour.' ' "Very well .then. That which you have just seen is a comet—Halley's Comet, which, according to mathematics, should not be visible for another eighteen months. Something — at present we know not what — has deflected the course of this comet. It is travelling towards the earth at a terrific speed." -He paused and looked, first at Graves, and then at th& other. "That comet spells death to humanity, the total destruction of the worldi- he said solemnly. "The end of tht world has been P'-'edicted so many times that it is liard 10 believe that, at last, it is coming about," said Giwes with equal gravity, Tlie meteorologist worked hiininto a paroxism of excitement. "It's not all right, it shouldn't be, something—some power-— of which we know nothing, is responsible." Graves settled himself on the couch for another look. Knowing what it was, he was not so affected as before. Without a quiver he could gaze at those terrible shafts which seemed to pierce his very eves. He could calmly examine that solid body, with its million milelong tail of gases and fragments picked up during its journeyings and growing bigger wvery day. Only once did he feel a quiver, and that was when if came to him that he •was actually gazing upon the thing that was going to wreck the world. "Train disaster. Two trains meet head on. Serious marine disaster. Several motor sma&hee, some severe and attfendted with peculiar condi tions;
Gravi.s «ave a sigh as hv read the pages of the first edition of the afternoon in w spa per. There seemed to be trouble everywhere—on land and on the sea. But ail this was nothing to (lie disaster wli,o they were about to face, i in'se were only as drops in the ocean of trouble which would eventually overwhelm everybody. In less than a month the meteorologist had said.
In something under thirty days the A comet would have travelled to the earth. One blow and it would all be over. Would they exist long C enough to feel the great shock a? the comet struck? It would be interesting to record one's impressions j b as the comet hit the earth! c And then his eyes went back to the"newspaper to read the details of t the accident. The trains were standing at stations fifteen miles apart when, without any warning, come invisible power seized them and tliev heuan rapidly to come together. Against the influence the Westinghouse brakes were powerless. Yet the speed was not terrific. The trains only moved slowly, and the passengers and crew hnd lime to leap from the trains before the great crash came. The carriages wetv telescoped, and tlte trains destroyed hy fire. The shipping disaster was even more remarkable. Like the train.-, the vessel was affected by sonre mysterious power which rendered its steering useless, aud it was forced on a rocky promontory on the south coast. The story of tire motor cars, loo, was interesting. The drivers were experienced motorists. Their brakes failed to act, and the steering gear was useless. They came together slowly, making the collision not unlike ihe slow motion pictures sometimes shown at picture theatres. Other motor cars in the vicinity were influenced but slightly. "It's the comet!" declared Graves. "It's influence is preceding it. We can do nothing, say nothing. There will be hundreds, thou «'ids, of such accidents before tue rc-ai blow comes. It will be a month of terror.' ' And then when, for the first time in his life, Detective Harrington Graves was felling really downhearted, he received a note from hi* old enemy, Professor Hinkelston. "Dear Graves," it read. "Doubtless you have learned of the ap-I proachihg disaster. As yet it has i not been made public, however, and ; in case you have not heard, Halley's • Comet is booked to strike the earth at the twelfth hour in twenty-eiglit days time. Something will have to be done. In this enlightened age ii would be wicked of Us to sit ami await destruction. The scientists 1 the world must act. Graves, will you collaborate with me—you, my only real rival? Will you join forces with me to prevent this great disaster? My new phone number is UX 754. Ring me at once. Hinkelston." 1 "Will I act?" said Graves. "Hinkelston has given a chance to retrieve liis past. If he manages to save the world from destruction his past misdeeds, bad though they are will be obliterated." (To 1 \ j
A Story of Mystery and Adventure
ARTHUR RUSSELL (Author of "The Luminous Kay," "Dream Isle," "Bonjjoona,")
He crossed to the telephone, gnu. lifting the receiver, gave Htekel-Btoo's number. "Again he was his old self, ready to act, Determina-(ion was written oft* his face. They would yet win. With Hinketetcn's power over electricity and wireless, anything was possible. By some means they would deflect the comet from its course, Jo that it would p,i«. c by the earth." Humanity would be saved. v . < Craves-was as excited as a schooling , Hoorah.. for' Professor Einkel-.sti<!) 1 "• he cried. Hi- spoke^ to the profw=sor, told >,;»i how he waif to receivc tlie m, «agc, and how gratified he felt ili:.-! Hinkelston in the fac<» of such m rriblf odds, was 'on the side of' »-n1>s. "We'll dp it. J feel sure/; jie «aid. "! -s^nk it was ycu, ll'rN-lston, whor :-,i»d that if Harringn e .•graves andi' r-ii'-^For •Binkelston H?o\ild only join forees ,.thev could shift wo^ld'-. J Yet; little knew then how tree v;«v i h' -.words-you-.spake. Yes, we'll do i(," lie repeat^.' "we'll shift worlds niakinc tjtir world safe. After that, Hfttkelston, \?V vvi!) have a serious fall; together, five ,1 understand.
' ii-' (if the same opinion regarding me , . Remember, everything there is will be ours fdr the asking.. We rnr.'-'t dev'se a way of .assisting humaniiv, of righting .wrongs, and dr>itiL' all we can to make civilisation safe." "Oce filing at n time. *my <lea" Graves." came the- neply. , ;jLef n« first deflect the copiet. Will yon meet me at Valarie Hou,«o, Beau Head, at once? Wo must act t in -mediately if we are io do anything," "I sh-al! enm" now, this'instant." Raid Graves, banking up the 'receiver and grabbing a bat. '"Now." he repeated as he swung l>iin< elf-down the steps. . ; • "1 have chartered'.'an' aeroplane,' or rather, a bi-jilane!" said Hinkelston, after they had . shaken hands Fome little ti'-,)'p ' inter. "On it 1 have mounted my own special \f\c-, fiforxe. It is not a huge affair, bu't., it is very powerful. We will ascend'' as high as possible and view tlie comet from the rarifted air 5.000. feet above the eafTB. (ho us-' • and feet. you say: Wba? is such a instance compared with the million : Unites that separate us from tbe com-. Jet? Listen. Graves! We shall be' |awav from, the earth's influence, and •,be 'Tree of it." -' | Graves nodded. "Very well. It's' yotir brain that is directing things. You command and I'll obey." f "You pilot the plane, Gfaves. 1 That will leave niv free to work. I! am taking sortie apparatus aloft,! tuore as an experiment than any-j thing else. Tbe real lest will come from here, this very house, I have j not been idle. See! / j He flung open a door, .exposing to Graves' view a large room filled. with machinery. | "1 can gwnerate %flve million vo)i« j in there." announced Hinkelston, • letting Graves have«|<$nlj a glance.! "This must be increased to double • that amount to be pf any use, and ^t j is with this 1 want your coliabora lion." We can step it up with the a^ of transformers," said Graves quiCk ly, catching the other's spirit. "Ojiw having generated such a curreni f 4iTt»
rest should be easy. But hovr<pyou apply it?" •' * -, "We shall go into that laA-,.'^ ' said Hinkelston. "Help ^Jritli , thesT, if you will." He pointed to several b^Ies andH himself loaded to the shotflder's, leilJ Ihe way outside to a vficanrr black ! hi ground where a biplaW "Kas • •standing. ; .: ' Tt They stacked the boxes In- the j cockpit, and Graves took^iis jdace in the pilot's seat. Hinkelston spun I the propeller, and as th^ biplane.be- ; gan to race along the ground he^ookhis. place alongside of Graves. ; , Like a bird the plane- rose. Fori a few hundred yards it sift mined the * tops of the houses and then began' to mount in huge spiralis. . ! "Higher yet," orderdh HinHelstohJ speaking into the tube arranged for j communication with the pilot. I "Keep climbing untiL. you get my-J signal to stop." They passed through a heavy .black cloud to w find "iuu a a. eiui storm ui raging! Jbbve. ibove. This they " weathered saf«lsv! still climbing, at last .eame into ftfte comnarativj? {aim of the liffcWr y' atmosphere. At thi^- height breathing k^ifc flcjjlt, and at firsts hurt. tteir bungs'. slight brefze-* tKat"*Was blowing," while,(Hinkelston arranged his telescope and other apparatus. After a time the professor motioned to Graves io change placcs,
pointing to tlie telescope which he had carefully focussed. Graves nodded and the change was effected Hinkelston Indicating the various focussing screws before he took the joy stick. • -' Graves lay full length, on the bench that was provided and let his Angers rest on one of the screws, The next instant metallic arms swung out from the chair. Almost liumaa, they were, A rope was passed around him, and in a few seconds lie was lying trussed u p in the cockpit of tie- aeroplane. Hinkelston had liwd a speaking tube iu thi 1 - bench, ami tiraves shuddered as ho heard the triumphant laugh ot the professor. Jt had all been a trick to get hi in into his power. Bu : . the comet! Tim hud bfieu genuine: 'Graves knew the meteorologist well, He was a man of integrity who would not be a party to anything ui that kind. "Gov you now. ui} dear Graves, just as-i promised Eve 1 should." It Hinkelston s old tune. Tire detective shuddered. Then was .somen ling in tin,-: professor's voicwhich oiuit-d him ill. "Katiier siurtliLg about the come-,
vti, my di-ar Gra\t-s'.' Nevei' minu. ! We .have twenty-eight clear (ia>>-! Icit. A lot can hapjien in that time. ! iA-t us make merry while we can. ' We art concerned with to-day. 1a ; to-niurruw take Cure of ilseii. . iiy an ingiiiiidus arrangement, Ihiikflston fixed the biplane so .thai ! it would be- oil even keel while he I worked 'U some of the apparatus i iiad brought. ; - "You are going be the lirat te I see something of my new power, ;• Graves, Shift worlds, you say! We j "shall see! At the present time we i are going to try it on aeroplanes. You read the newspapers, of course. You read the mystery ut the trains, the ships and the motor cars. i ; was responsible ' iur all those, 1 Gra-ws. 1, 1'rofessor Hinkelston. : You thcuglit it was the comet, eh','" 1 Hinkelston again took hi* place i in the pilot's seat. They began to : drop- not slowly, in great spiral as they bad climbed, but with •: i sudf.en. sl),i;-;: descent. To Graves it was as if lie was ascending in a quickly-moving lift, and, after the first few second*;, the sensation was , not at all unpleasant They stopped suddenly, and, with ' this, Graves, by some mechanical' means, was thrown into a fitting i posture so that he could see all that I went'on below. Then lie settled 1 down and was able to observe " things clearly. Two aeroplanes were stuuting below. To Graves it was w«rd to look down on the planes mstfearf of up at them. His eyes left thf planes to look at Hinkelston. The" professor's Anger was tm .a signaiiing key. - A r j flash shot from the plane 5 and dinappeared into the air, At the same time the aeroplanes 'began to eonit* together Pilots, terror-si riek<w,' and un.iblff to do anything to coupterac't the : mysterious, power thai j bad gripped their planef. watched staring eyes awaiting the awful crash. f Graves closed liiyf e.ws. Put .it was useless. He. felV that 1m must l^- -^Xtata, just as the #lanes werabout to crash .into each orlu-c, when a f^v- feet se/ar*1i?d tbem. so
{seemed, one-di-p^ped-and^he danr waSito\er. ... * "ffitefe yoUjjLi^.rmy'deamiriiyes. Ywt htfve seeuT^and having .«faen, remember: .•• Tha^'is/only a * little of 1 ^siwdo. «'et your brains to O^an. . JDur^ig the 1iext few d'tys.there'ir be-plenty to do. I am SOiftg to land you safely, but you fleednl call at that address,, you vls-" 1tpd tS'tfay. That was-^rr^nged as a cafffbufiage. v That roo^'of instruwas^only make^elieve. ar-_ r »fe«i to'-^PBtif^ All vonr "s^ardhing wil] b e tfseless., 'You will "' not find me.| Good-.bye^. Graves^' -' Thf floor .npen<?d.,bgaeath thp deteetive, andfhe fQuqd. himself ropi )il) S Iu to ^ace^^e struggled and the fastenings .gate wav/A paracl,ute °P<*ed. |hd hl&'dcscent wars checked^ J!". - -blown this way. and that bv , M"w«d currents through which he jw^eo. Graves descended, finally lBtaTUjig with scarcely a jar on the gr^yswar^':; i'v-' ' • • " ' ' ,.®e Ifst.^oT. time i». freeing tiijrp self of^tbe parachute ropes,, -and. makin| his way to ; -one of %e pringreets, bejhaiWd-a ilotor car Abd W$ts soonrat lujnie^a.. Th| problem of.tbe- ;.-w'hoie thittg .worrfed hi», , HinMfit&JtJiafl. urged him *to tret' bis brains -Par-into the night lie. pondered the question and retired with ilife ^problem bnsolfed. Why had Hinkelston taken him aloft, shown him something of the
power he controlled, and then ejected him into space? Why? The following morning made things clear. News o£ the comet's approach was made public. Newspapers had little room for anything, / else. People talked of nothing else. The comet and the danger of its striking the earth was the one topic of conversation. Later editions of the newspapers published something which threw a different light on things. Not ,^hat ; the danger was lessened in any wayj? But a way out of the difficulty had been found. , All was not yet lost. The comet had been attracted to the earth by • artificial means. Professor Hinkel-| ston had used the forces of elec- i tricity,and magnetism, which, work-. ing in conjunction with radio,: had • brought about the phenomenon. FV the sum of ten million pounds, payable in gold, the professor wjjs will-' mg to change the comet > course. d«fleet it so that it would tale up its I proper route again. /> : Ten million .pounds! / A !o! >•' ! money. A hundred fortunes! Yet 'a mere nothing when compiled-.with ! wJkii faced the people of the eaith!' 1 A meetiin: of th».> Cabinet was at ' oTi^e called, and cables aiid wireless ' fla^lied flie news io a)! points of th? : t-iohe. Scientists vt-rf emphatic ! ab'.nit the^danex'r, y^t KCeii'^a! a!>oi:* ' I he powers claimed by I-rinkelston. : • x I.e could' not do it. tlu y declared, i No power earth wrfs «)..te tn ;x]t»>!-| tb<' comet's course. Ifink.'l^ton wa;-: trading on ; ii-^ir ^-ars, !io)iing to I make 111. > :i give t him money Money! What would be Uk- good I ;>f moii'-) to him or .anyone else in I i'livty day.-; ;me. There woitiu brand srllill.t 0 Ut-i ile more bu> in i 1 to buy or sell. >•
Hurringtou Gilives believed that Hinkelston cotil'S do what he claimi-ii. - He had l.fl\i many examines ot the professor's pewere. Whether h«: would go so tar as to let tin- forij.-t destroy thf eartii was auo-tle :' tiling: What con id be done? Of Hinkeistuti's whereabouts he kneu -n jtliing. Tiie man -had ' the power of being able to Efface hiinseif, and all t h searching Graves couiu do in the few days left would not in; worth much/ • It was at niidiiigiu that light eaiuv u Graves. Late though it was, lie resolved to put his theory into practice at once. He dressed and telephoned for a ear. Soon Ik was speeding towards the house of tin chief of the radio service. He found the radio chief walking the floor, himself busy with the problem, He. too, eauld not sleep. As Graves unfolded it is plan the eyes of the other opened widt-r and wider, "Wonderful," he declared. "1 can't s; e why we nevus' thought of such a thing earlier. If what this man says is true then we should have him under lock and key within a ie*r hours. Come now, Mr Graves ali(j; . >ve-[i make the test." * "West, 200 ^Hloe," ' j»porled «Gruvte some tinijs? la'ter. awjjr^imd ti, fi radio man lehned over some weir^ looking instruments. . ::North. ' J75 miles'," he added, running his fijfiger along 'a map. "That's, ihc poiftt. .Right in the. hpart of a : liish range of. hills. •' if our calculations are. correct." ""Vet's check them," said the ra--dio friau. "It's fortunate for us suat'he waa testing to-night." -•'"He isn't' testing." said Graves •*I takfe' it that the power must be continually exerted to keep the comet io* its new course. If the power were for any reason to fail th<? comet .would resume its natural route." They checked their fiuuve-s atid obtained the same result as Itefore. Graves' plan was. to use the instruments which the radio department had established for tracking down unlicensed stations, tlie delicate instruments which were influenced by
the?wireless waves sent out by the pfiaie transmitters, Thev 'had no troublv- in picking up Hinkelston s carrier wave, and wiUi this' as a guide they reckoned that they had hM position to within a few hundred yards. "You remain here," Mr Slade, and keep watch on him," suggested Graves. "Note any change* and anything else that- transpires. I — but perhaps it 1 didn't mention what I'ln' going to' do would be better, inshort, let me tell you I'm going tu fight pinkelston. He did my best pal to death, and tor quite a long tiniQ/has kept me apai't from, ih>wojjjian I love. You might ring *u;« the meteorological department? and get the observer to keep watchmen J the comet. Don't give any pai'liou*' bins at all." . The radio chief • ' - agreed "" and * Graves took his departure. He returned .to his rooms tftid packed;' "sevenjJ things into a. largo leather bag, after which he set out, tf{js time, in a hirdd caj- which he drdve "himself. It was ietting near morning when he Reached the"" foot ol &e riyige. Di«carding. the car. he*«iade liijTway up the...side of t|ie -bigliest peak", There "ms%no i^m^to guijje Jiim,. and in .trie faint light of approaching .moriiflg-he- fumd. cliibbiag diMcutt. - . , - ... *- -For hours he wandered, and,then he came to a cave in which jie decided tQtwait, .realising the futgity of further search in tlie semi-darkness. As he approached the cave
f * " '4. the/whirring of great- machinery came to him, At the sound his hej&rt b'egkngto iutter strtmgelj-j, . He had found^nkelston's generating Plant. HtfFwalked boldly into' the cave, at the same time, calling Hinkelston'sriifanie. His voice was lost a the noise of whirring wheel?, and pe received no reply. In and out amonjr the wheels he made his way, searching for the man who was to wreck the world, "There's no one here," he said, speaking aloud. "Everything is wirelessly controlled from some distant point. There's nothing for It but to de8troy the plant and hope for the beRt A peculiar faintness over hlm, and it was only by concentrating all his will power on , 0 what lie was doinp that he was able t0 carrv on. From his 64$ hg ^ a <, uantitv of gelignite, "and (hjR hP carf,f uj] v pushed under the ma1n geDerat 0r. To - the explosive he faptenQd ta, long length of fuse. T1)Ptl he lot!ered and fen forward on hi"= face exhausted. {.: i For liiVilBi^e. he there listening to tlic-Vtiirrins wheels, unable to tnovc. Fo-rtunatelv hp had not lighted the fuse. He triads sereral attemn|s to rise and at In^t stau'r.ered to his feet. The first match fell from- his Sneers before, he could rub it on the Iwx. the second he was more suecessful. and t end of 'the fn«n was iem't^d. The air. heavily cbarsed with ozone from th*> gerieyntors. was to'< much for him. and h- sank down on t round. Pomehov fie fell tha-•didn't care. He had done his work.~ Isestroyine the plan 1 won'd render fh" world safe, and aeain«t this his life vva« n A^re nnthinc. The S'ituftoring of the ftts« ratur nut
bo'lowly in the cave., tt wr-« audible e\-«ti above the noise of the maehin^rv. "Nearer and nerref f If 1 epiienito it er.>»>< A:r:tin and nrain t;o triced to ris-" to eraw] Ot't nf d:>n- 1 get-Then. w'>en <hnt si?,zlinp linp! of wa^ pHnit to lean forward | w>i»n ht> Ip;.-,«i"-,a>n«f fl;e J ovtitocinn \v1>->t) lie knew pn.isi con , . n I e ^ " v 1 t-'niseif canc'it up and | cnr'-;< outside Pen reely ts < lip Hoar of the danger row when the side of the bill appeared to tilt upwards and then cr»l!an"=e. A deafening exp'osion rent the nil'. j> nd with it Harrington Hvpvf>s sank back unconscious. I f ? G r a v e s rcciined co»isciotisne^s to f.1,1 he was lyitie ojj a couch in a «mn'l room, F*' ha^ been carr-'rH i itflre bv sejeeone --sonien!i(> who wanted to save bis life. "It couktn't be IJinkeiston." he mused. "The fellow's an enigma if ever there was one. Times without number r have'-spoiled his plans just when they were about to be brought to fruition. It was through nte that his latest and greatest scheme cam-; 10 »a»sht." Sic looked up, Ktand'.np. looking down on.him. was Eve Saunders. In a moment'in- was bis u^ual self, • "Eve. my dear one," he cried, springing up and crushing her to him. "At last! It was you who brought me to safety!" ••Dearest," said the girl softly, "Remember that it va« you who def ea«^d my uncU's schcnie; you. who. single-handed, saved the world from destruction: you who fonsht and conquered the peri! of the skies. What 1 did was nothing." He guided her to a couch and th.-two sat down. "Toll me," he urgeo. Somehow he fell that he could not take his eyes ;'. uas her in <ase she should be spirit. ,i away. "1 was locked in a room." she began. "At first 1 thought that it was useless trying to recape. but after a while I resolved to do something. My unctf had reckoned on my submitting easily and had not
taken much precaution. With an ordina'rj table knife 1 hacked at the door and out myself free. 1 knew what, be was doing and where the power was being . applied- He hart taunted me with this. Somehow 1 felt that all was not right with yon. ]'hurried to.the place just m time to save you." "And HinJiflsion. your uncle?" asked Graves, still holding (he girl tightly. «:.Where is he?" -Eve caught her breath. "1 think." ^ slowly, "that lie perished j n fne explosion. I was going back m see when the hill was blown up." Harrington Graves shook his heaH. He eould not believe that iinkelsfiHi had perished. His old ' elleniy had an uncanny knack of -.coming through danger unscathed. -j don't eare what has happened to., him," he cried, exultantly. "1 have you. and nothing else matters. Eve. my dear one: • If be has perished." he has received only what he deserved. If he still lives I. with your,help, will fight him. Together. Eve." wp shall pro through tife, and. if peeessary pit our wits against those of your uncle. ProfvsR&r Prof*: Hin-Jielston. one "known as 1hc Ether King." . (The.Ejid.vii

Item sets: Vintage Science Fiction from Australian Newspapers 1901-1939 (Australian)