"They are merely
detaining me on some excuse or another that I haven't even taken the
trouble to inquire about."
"That must astonish them some," said Jack.
"And if they do overhear, I don't much care. Now," said he, turning to
Helen, "we have here three strange happenings comprising two
phenomena--the cutting off of the electricity, first in the Atlas
Building, second in the city at large; and the cutting off of sound in the
Atlas. Although we are, of course, not justified in generalizing from one
instance, what would you think by analogy would be the next thing to
expect?"
"That sound would be cut off in the city," said Helen; "but Jack has
already delivered me your warning or advice," she added.
"Precisely. Now as to theories of the ultimate cause. Naturally this must
have been brought about either by nature or by man. If by nature, it is
exceedingly localized, not to say directed. If by man, he must have in
some way acquired unprecedented powers over the phenomena of electricity
and sound. These he can evidently, at will, either focus, as on the Atlas
Building, or diffuse, as over the city. For the moment we will adopt the
latter hypothesis."
"That it is a man in possession of extraordinary powers," said Helen,
leaning forward in her interest. "Go on."
"We have, completed, only the phenomena of electricity," continued Darrow;
"the phenomena of sound remain to be completed.
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