It was a tiny thing, and most amazingly beautiful. It could not have
stood as high as a canary; and had its feathers been made of gleaming
silver they could not have been lovelier. And its black-plumed head, and
long, blossom-like tail, were such as no man on earth ever set eyes on.
Like a flash it was gone. Not more than a half a second was this
enchanting apparition visible to us. Before we could discern any more
than I have mentioned, it not only vanished but it ceased to make any
sounds whatever. And each of us drew a long breath, as one might after
being given a glimpse of an angel.
Right now, five or six hours after the events I have just described, it
is very easy for me to smile at my emotions of the time. How startled
and mystified I was! And--why not confess it?--just a trifle afraid.
Why? Because I didn't understand! Merely that.
At this moment I sit in my laboratory upstairs in that house, rejoicing
in having reached the end of the mystery. For the enigma of the Blind
Spot is no more. I have solved it!
Now twenty feet away, in another room, lies Ariadne. Already there is
a faint trace of colour in her cheeks, and her heart is beating more
strongly. Another hour, says Dr. Higgins, and she will be restored to
us!
The time is seven p.m. I didn't sleep at all last night; I haven't slept
since. For the past five hours we have been working steadily on the
mystery, ever since our finding that little, red pebble in the basement.
The last three hours of the time I have been treating Ariadne, using
means which our discoveries indicated. And in order to keep awake I have
been dictating this account to a stenographer.
This young lady, a Miss Dibble, is downstairs, where her typewriter will
not bother. Yes, put that down, too, Miss Dibble; I want people to know
everything! She has a telephone clamped to her ears, and I am talking
into a microphone which is fixed to a stand on my desk.
On that desk are four switches. All are of the four-way two-pole type;
and from them run several wires, some going to one end of the room,
where they are attached to the Holcomb gem. Others, running to the
opposite end, making contact with the tiny heavy stone we found in the
basement. Other wires run from the switches to lead bands around my
wrists. Also, between switches are several connections--one circuit
containing an amplifying apparatus. By throwing these switches in
various combinations, I can secure any given alteration of forces, and
direct them where I choose.
For there are two other wires. These run from my own lead bracelets to
another room; a pair clamped around the wrists of Ariadne.
For I, Hobart Fenton, am now a living, human transforming station. I am
converting the power of the Infinite into the Energy of Life. And I am
transmitting that power directly out of the ether, as conduced through
these two marvellous stones, back into the nervous system of the girl I
love. Another hour, and she will Exist!
It was all so very simple, now that I understand it. And yet--well, an
absolutely new thing is always very hard to put into words.
To begin with, I must acknowledge the enormous help which I have had
from my friends: Miss Clarke, Mme. Le Fabre, General Hume, Dr. Malloy,
and Herold. These people are still in the house with me; I think they
are eating supper. I've already had mine. Really, I can't take much
credit to myself for what I have found out. The others supplied most of
the facts. I merely happened to fit them together; and, because of my
relationship to the problem, am now doing the heroic end of the work.
As for Harry--he and Dr. Holcomb, Chick Watson and even the dog--I shall
have them out of the Blind Spot inside of twelve hours. All I need is
a little rest. I'll go straight to bed as soon as I finish reviving
Ariadne; and when I wake up, we'll see who's who, friend Rhamda!
I'm too exuberant to hold myself down to the job of telling what I've
discovered. But it's got to be done. Here goes!
I practically took my life in my hands when I first made connection.
However, I observed the precaution of rigging up a primary connection
direct from the ring to the pebble, running the wire along the floor
some distance away from where I sat. No ill effects when I ventured into
the line of force; so I began to experiment with the switches.
That precautionary circuit was Herold's idea. His, also, the amplifying
apparatus. The mental attitude was Miss Clarke's, modified by Dr.
Malloy. The lead bracelets were Mme. Le Fabre's suggestion; they
work fine. Sir Henry was the one who pointed out the advantage of the
microphone I am using. If my hands become paralysed I can easily call
for help to my side.
Well, the first connection I tried resulted in nothing. Perfectly blank.
Then I tried another and another, meanwhile continually adjusting the
amplifier; and as a result I am now able, at will, to do either or all
of the following:
(1) I can induct sounds from the Blind Spot; (2) I can induct light, or
visibility; or (3) any given object or person, in toto.
And now to tell how. No, I'm just sleepy, not weak.
Let's see; where was I? Oh, yes; those connections. They've got to be
done just right, with the proper tension in the coils, and the correct
mental attitude, to harmonise. I wish I wasn't so tired!
One moment! No, no; I'm all right. I--Queer! By Jove, that's a funny
thing just now! I must have got an inducted current from another wire,
mixed with these! And--I got a glimpse into the Blind Spot!
A great--No; it's a--What a terrific crowd! Wonder what they're all--By
Jove, it's--Good Lord, it's he! And Chick! No, I'm not wandering! I'm
having the experience of my life!
Now--THAT'S the boy! Don't let 'em bluff you! Good! Good! Tell 'em where
to head in! That's the boy! Rub it in! I don't know what you're up to,
but I'm with you!
Er--there's a big crowd of ugly looking chaps there, and I can't make it
out--Just a moment--a moment. What does it mean, anyway? Just--I--
DANGER, by Heaven! THAT'S what it means!
No; I'm all right. The--thing came to an end, abruptly. That's all;
everything normal again; the room just the same as it was a moment ago.
Hello! I seem to have started something! The wire down on the floor has
commenced to hum! Oh, I've got my eye on it, and if anything--
Miss Dibble! Tell Herold to come! On the run! Quick! Did you? Good!
don't stop writing! I--
There's Chick! CHICK! How did you get here? What? YOU CAN'T SEE ME!
Why--
Chick! Listen! Listen, man! I've gone into the Blind Spot! Write this
down! The connection--
That's Herold! Herold, this is Chick Watson! Listen, now, you
two! The--the--I can hardly--it's from No. 4 to--to--to the
ring--then--coil--