New-York tribune. [volume], September 23, 1906, Page 9, Image 33

About New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
Problem of the Crystal Gazer
The Thinking Machine Confronted by an Oriental Enigma
V T ". H hide >us, f ll.''::^l I .''::^ < yes
:h»- UuJj sat
ero.-is legged • ':i a ;•> '• tal
▼ ▼ .•• 1 stolidly Jin.- the
Utrkrn In- >.i\\ . by the
■ .: .. jieacock lamp which swooped
..■•_■ with wings outstretched,
:..i\ f :«-,-ti a nook in .1 palace of East
• . iuTf, there, everywhere;
: divans sprawled aVmt; lierce
. : - • 1 the iliK>r; grotesque idols
->-l\ in un«'Xj»ected corners; strange
: • • • walls. Outside the
I • .:.tly.
• • .-•■•-<■ was a distinct con«
. .:: .'!■•• It was ih.it of a man
• ■ ■• H<- was fifty, per
il the ruddy, healthy
. 1 I . Rreal •:••..] oui
-» was only a touch of Cray in hi<
„-.'■ .:n -i mustache. His eyes were
• ■ : ■• : lem
.• then th< :• ij>eries
. .: enttr i She
• ure •if which the man
• Her lustrous black hair
i-'.<T*-'. lamtjent mysteries
• ;.. ,'.r<--> was the dress <>i
■ • •.: -':■•■ sttxtd I * iking
• : • : •. entered with light
. ..:;'•." she said timidl> as it :t
' I » • I intrude? " \U-r •■ ■■ <
. • • ■ . ent of her
' ■ ■ in." said the man
■ : ■ : m .. '1.1-
• • • - :■ iskeJ.
■ ■ . net
need at Hit and I hen
: !i • -. . . •<■ into vacancy.
'::<• 1 Mjked uj> at him
mess, liut there
.• :■ •■ ■ ■ ■ :• his manner. Hi>
.: 1 way.
.; ; ' • ■ ■ • ■ ■ . ■: this time.
• -. ■ Us:.
■. .• '.• ■ .' resp in led
.• . h "Ii ■ • have pu led
I me. He h.t^ i><.xii
■ an h<»ur,"
iisinjjly as he smoked, tlk-ii
• • ler. jjraceful 1 .■:•■■•
• in Iht h ;■ :-.
li plvtJ U
■ : ':: • . : . tiltt-d upward, and the
• ■ . • It cn.ss.rl
■'•■■ ■ 1* pretty, and he was
• said to any
■ ■ ins In-hind them
• • • ■ . ■• nh glanced
■: ••...-. ..: !.. ■ h :. .• entered. Thi>
• J .■ i.-'-r. in the
: • ■ ■ fa He, too, •■• .-.- a
was an exprea i ••.
in^U-d with some other
V\e!l Adi • : Vanck.
replied
■ rstal tells • •
■ I '■ •'■ k with a slight
1 '■•'!. in that 1 ase
I :
• ■ ■. sahib." •:■
*"• • • ■ :• 1 : . •■ " (Kit
! titled
• • • : ■■ • her • itive tonjjue.
■ . . . •• md ■ • - ■-•
tolling herself at
■ ■■ ••■•:•■ ■:• :••'
stand. '. < . • ■ • ; - •■ • .• .
'■ ■ . liinvd. " \Vhai i ■■ • • ■
A ■ ::■■•:- : r .-.■••• nil 1 Ihi
leady. itiquirinj:
■ bst. -I did n..t
r thai • : ■ . lan-uajri-."
• • ■ ■ th "Tell
•• •• • ■ •• ::• ! ••. ■•
■ ■:• and • • I for an
• •••.■.■• • ■ •• ; ..•
' ■ ' • ■ ■ • tnd ii the v hit<
ihif»." he bepan, "it
• ■■•■'•■ • :■ ■ • gfrl.
■ ■ .
• ; •■ Li V' ■ ; ill ■ ■
By JACQUES FUTRELLE
■
She Wa, a P*rt of the Picture
Yarnk shook hi::;-< !: a little impatiently. "Oi
course," he replied ' Yes, yes!"
"A v.-r\ serious shock?"
Again there was an impatient twi^t of Varick'
ilders "Yes, I can stand anything!" he c: -
claimed shortly "What is it? Let me see."
He strode toward that point in the draj»eries where
.\!: •■••: had entered wink- the girl, on her knees,
sought with «.-n!re;it:ng hands to <'.>•]< him.
"No. ii". no!" she pleaded. "No!"
"Don't <i" 'ii.it." Varick expostulated in annoy
ance; hut gently he st<*o]>ed and lifted her t<> her
• • • "1 ar<: not a child. <>r a f<» <\ "
He threw aside the curtains. As they fell softly
behind Inns he heard a pitiful little cry of grief from
Jadeh, and set his teeth together hard.
He st'»-><! in the crystal cabinet. It was sonn-wh.tr
larger than an ordinary closet .itnl had l>een made
imj»enetra*»le to light l»y hangings *•! black velvet;
i r awhile he st'"«l there s>> that his eyes mighi
ime accustomed to the utttr blackness, and
.' . luallv '.!<■ sinister, fascinating crystal Uill aj>-
i »eared, faintly visil»le by its own mystic luminosity.
t rt-su- 1 ! on a pedestal covered with black velvet.
Varick was accustomed to h:> surroundings — he
had "'•••<■:; :m the cabinet many times. Now he
drojiiicd down on a stool in from of the table
■■• h< re >n the crystal lay and, leaning forward op his
arms I •• I into its limpid depths. Unblinking!}
for <•!)<■. two, three minutes he sat with I i
thoughts in a chaos.
After awhile there came ;i change in the
hall It seemed :■> glow with a growing
light other than its own. Suddenly it darkened
completely, and out of this darkness grew shadowy;
vague forms t-> which he could give no name
Finally a veil seemed to be lifted, for the glol o
grew brighter, and he leaned forward, eagerly.
fearfully. Another veil melted away, and a stiil
brighter light illumined the ball.
Now Varick was able t<> make <<\n objects. Her
was a taMe littered with lx>..ks ami papers, there a
chair, yonder a shadowy mantel. Gradually
the light grew until his tensely tixttl eye.;
pained him. hut he stared steadilvon. Anoth« -
quick brightness came, and tin- objects ail
became clear. He studied them incredulous!
i«.r a feu seconds, an.', then he rect>gnize<l
what he saw. It was a n»'i!i — his study — miles
away in his apartments.
A numb chilliness seized him: but, fasci
nated, he gazed on. The outlines of the crystal
were disappearing — now they were gone and he
saw more. ■ '•• door opened, and a man entered
the room into which he was looking. Varick
gave a little gasp as he recognized the man.
It was himself. He watched the man — him
self — as he moved about the study aimless! v
for a time as if deeply troubled, then as he
dropped into a chair at the desk. Varick read
clearly on the vision face those emotions which
he was suffering m person. As he looked the
man made some hopeless gesture with his
hand: — Iris hand: — and leaned forward on the
desk with hi> head on Ins arm-. Varick
shuddered.
F.ir a lon^' time, it seemed, the man sat
motionless,' then Varick became conscious of
another figure, a man. in the room. This
figure had come into the vision from his ovn
viewpoint. His face was averted. Varick (lid
not recognize the figure; but he saw som< -
tiling else and started in terror. It was a knife
in the hand of the unknown, and he w.i
creeping stealthily toward the unconscious
figure in the chair — himself — with the vveajxin
raised
An inarticulate cry burst iron; Varick *s
colorless lips— a cry of warning— as he saw
the unknown creep on. on, o:>. toward — him
self. He saw the hgure that was himself move
a little, and the unknown leaped. The up
raised knife swept down and was buried t«»
the handle. Again a cry, an unintelligible
-kr:ek. hurst from Varick'- lips, his heart flut
tered, and perspiration |>oured from his face.
With incoherent muttenngs, he sank forward
helplessly.
How long he remained there he didn't know;
but at last he compiled 5 im-< If to look again.
The crystal glittered coldly on its velvet
pedestal, but that hideous thing which had
been there was gone. The thought came to
him to bring it hack, to see more: but repulsive
fear, terror, seized uj>on i im. He rose and
staggered out <>* the cal :n«-: His face was
pallid, and his hands clasped nnd unclastied
nervously.
Jadeh was lying on a divan sobbing. She
leaped to her feet when he entered, and. look
in;.,' into his face, she knew. Again she buried
her face in her hands and wept. Adhem stood
with moody eyes fixed on the ire t god Budd.
"'I saw — I ... said \arick ! ••-
tween his teeth: "but — I don't believe it
"The crystal never lies, sahib -rM the seer -i>r
rowtully.
"But it can't f>e — that." Wrick declared pr>>
testingly.
•• lie careful, sahil — oh, be careful urg« 1 the girl.
••' H course I shall be careful." said Varick shortly.
Sud letily he turned to the crystal gazer, and there
was a menace in his tone. "Did such a tling ever
api*ear to you before?"
■"• >nlv once, sahib."
"And did it come true'"
Adhem inclined his head slowly.
■ 1 may see you to-morrow, V exclaimed Varick
suddenly] "This room is stifling, I must go out."
With twitching hands he drew a light coat over
his evening dress, picked u\< his hat. and rushed out
into the world of realities. The crystal gazer Ftood
motionless for a moment, while Jadeh clung to his
arm tremblingly.
It is as the gods will." he said sadly, at last. ,
Professor Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen. Ph.D.,
1.L.1) . F R.S.. M.D., etc. scientist and logician —
The Thinking Machine— received tloward Varick
in the small reception room and invited him to a
seat. Varick's face was ashen; there were dark
lines under his eyes, and in them was the glitter of
ungovernable terror. Mvery move showed the
nervousness which gripped him. The Thinking
9