"
"All right."
"There's your story," said Darrow to Hallowell; "it's in those messages.
The scientific aspect will probably be done by somebody for the evening
papers. You better concentrate on Monsieur X's connection with McCarthy."
"Say, my friend," said Hallowell earnestly, "do you think I'm a reporter
for the _Scientific American_ or a newspaper?"
All three rose. The operator was busy crashing away at his Leyden jars.
"What next?" asked Jack.
"That depends on two things."
"Whether or not McCarthy takes the _Celtic_," interposed Hallowell
quickly.
"And whether Monsieur X will be satisfied with his mere disappearance,
if he does not take the _Celtic_," supplemented Darrow. "In any case,
we've got to find him. He's unbalanced; he possesses an immense and
disconcerting and a dangerous power; he is becoming possessed of a
_manie des grandeurs_. You remember the phrasing of his last message? 'I
am your lord and master, and my wrath shall be visited on you. Begone!'
That is the language of exaltation. Exaltation is not far short of
irresponsible raving."
"What possible clue--" began Jack Warford blankly.
"When a man is somewhere out in the ether there is no clue," replied
Darrow.
"Then how on earth can you hope to find him?"
"By the exercise of pure reason," said Darrow calmly.
CHAPTER XIII
DARROW'S CHALLENGE
With a final warning to Simmons as to the dissemination of any information
without consulting him, Darrow left the room.
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