"Like the Atlas Building," Darrow smiled at her. "Well, here's a very good exposition in words of one syllable. I'll leave you the paper. Professor, what have you concluded as to the causes?"
"They are yet to be determined."
"Pardon me," drawled Darrow, "they have been determined—or at least their controlling power."
"In what way, may I ask?" inquired Professor Eldridge formally.
"Very simply. By the exercise of a little reason. I am going to tell you, because I want you to start fairly with me; and because you'll know all about it in the morning, anyway."
"Your idea—the one you told us yesterday—is to be published?" cried
Helen, leaning forward with interest.
"The basis of it will be," replied Darrow. "Now"—he turned to Eldridge—"listen carefully; I'm not going to indulge in many explanations. Malachi McCarthy, political boss of this city, has made a personal enemy of a half-crazed or at least unbalanced man, who has in some way gained a limited power over etheric and other vibrations. This power Monsieur X, as I call him—the Unknown—has employed in fantastic manifestations designed solely for the purpose of frightening his enemy into leaving this country."
Eldridge was listening with the keenest attention, his cold gray eyes glittering frostily behind their toric lenses.
"You support your major hypothesis, I suppose?" he demand calmly.
"By wireless messages sent from Monsieur X to McCarthy, in which he predicts or appoints in advance the exact hour at which these manifestations take place."