The Sign at Six

  CHAPTER V

  A SCIENTIST IN PINK SILK

  The next morning promptly at eight o'clock Jack Warford, in responseto a muttered invitation, burst excitedly into Percy Darrow's room. Hefound the scientist, draped in a pale-pink silk kimono embroideredwith light-blue butterflies, scraping methodically at his face with asafety-razor. At the sight the young fellow came to an abrupt stop, asthough some one had met him with a dash of cold water in the face.

  "Hello!" said he, in a constrained voice. "Just up?"

  Darrow cast a glance through his long silky lashes at the newcomer.

  "Yes, my amiable young canine, just up."

  Jack looked somewhat puzzled at the appellation, but seated himself.

  "Helen said you wanted to see me," he suggested.

  Darrow leisurely cleaned the component parts of his safety-razor, washedand anointed his face, and turned.

  "I do," said he, "if you're game."

  "Of course I'm game!" cried the boy indignantly.

  Darrow surveyed his fresh, young, eager face and the trim taut bulk of himwith dispassionate eyes.

  "Are you?" he remarked simply. "Possibly. But you're not the man to besure of it."

  "I didn't mean it as bragging," cried Jack, flushing.

  "Surely not," drawled Darrow, stretching out his long legs. "But noman can tell whether or not he's game until he's tried out. That's noreflection on him, either. I remember once I went through seeing mybest friend murdered; being shot at a dozen times myself as I climbeda cliff; seeing a pirate ship destroyed with all on board, apparentlyby the hand of Providence; escaping from a big volcanic bust-up into acave, and having the cave entrance drop down shut behind me. I was ascool as a cucumber all through it. I remember congratulating myselfthat, anyhow, I was going to die game."

  "By Jove!" murmured Jack Warford, staring at him, fascinated. Evidently,the super-beautiful garment had been forgotten.

  "Then a war-ship's crew rescued me; and I broke down completely, and actedlike a silly ass. I wasn't game at all; I'd just managed to postponefinding it out for a while."

  "It was just the reaction!" cried Jack.

  "Well, if that sort of reaction happens along before the trouble is allover, it looks uncommonly like loss of nerve," Percy Darrow pointed out."No man knows whether or not he's game," he repeated. "However," he smiledwhimsically, "I imagine you're likely to postpone your reactions as wellas the next."

  "What's up? What do you want me to do?"

  "Stick by me; obey orders," said Darrow.

  "What's up?"

  "Did you notice anything in the papers this morning?"

  "They're full of this electrical failure last night. Haven't you seenthem?"

  "Not yet. While I dress, tell me what they say."

  "The worst was in the tubes--" Warford began, but Darrow interrupted him.

  "I could tell you exactly what must have happened," said he, "if thefailure was complete. Never mind that. Was the condition general, or onlylocal? How far did it extend?"

  "It seemed to be confined to New York, and only about to Highbridge."

  "Long Island? Jersey?"

  "Yes; it hit them, too."

  "What are the theories?"

  "I couldn't see that they had any--that I could understand," said Jack."There's some talk of the influence of a comet."

  "Rubbish! Who sprung that?"

  "Professor Aitken, I think."

  "He ought to know better. Any others?"

  "I couldn't understand them all. There was one of polarizing the islandbecause of the steel structures; and the--"

  "No human agency?"

  "What?"

  "No man or men are suspected of bringing this about?"

  "Oh, no! You don't think--"

  "No, I don't think. I only imagine; and I haven't much basis forimagining. But if my imaginations come out right, we'll have plenty todo."

  "Where, now?" asked Jack, as the scientist finished dressing and reachedfor his hat. "Breakfast?"

  "No, I ate that before I dressed. We'll make a call on the AtlasBuilding."

  "All right," agreed Jack cheerfully. "What for?"

  "To ask McCarthy if he hasn't a job for you in construction."

  Jack came to a dead halt.

  "Say!" he cried. "Look here! You don't quite get the humor of that. Why,McCarthy loves the name of Warford about the way a yellow dog loves a tincan to his tail."

  "We'll call on him, just the same," insisted Darrow.

  "I'm game," said Jack, "but I can tell you the answer right now. No needto walk to the Atlas Building."

  "I have a notion the Atlas Building is going to be a mighty interestingplace," said Darrow.

  They debouched on the street. The air was soft and golden; the sun warmwith the Indian summer. The clock on the Metropolitan tower was boomingnine. As the two set out at a slow saunter down the backwater of the sidestreet, Darrow explained a little further.

  "Jack," said he abruptly, "I'll tell you what I think--or imagine. Ibelieve last night's phenomena were controlled, not fortuitous or theresult of natural forces. In other words, some man turned off the juice inthis city; and turned it on again. How he did it, I do not know; but hedid it very completely. It was not a question of wiring alone. Evendry-cell batteries were affected. Now, I can think of only one broadgeneral principle by which he could accomplish that result. Just whatmeans he took to apply the principle is beyond my knowledge. But if I amcorrect in my supposition, there occurs to me no reason why he should notgo a step or so farther."

  "I don't believe I follow," said Jack contritely.

  "What I'm driving at is this," said Darrow; "this is not the end of thecircus by any means. We're going to see a lot of funny things--if my guessis anywhere near right."