Читать книгу The Valdmere Mystery or The Atomic Ray - Milo Milton Oblinger - Страница 3

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It was the largest influx of people that Brownsville had ever known. From all parts of the world, thousands were flocking into the little western town to be on hand for the great event of tomorrow, to view with their own eyes what promised to be—in the language of the press—“the most unusual and far-reaching scientific demonstration of modern times.” Professor Valdmere, America’s most distinguished scientist, had invited the public to come here and witness the wonders of his newly discovered Atomic Ray.

Professor Valdmere’s house, laboratory and workshops had been built just outside the town. Beyond his estate the land sloped away toward a purple chain of hills, known as Granite Ridge. Except where the town encroached, every side of the square, enclosed field, belonging to Valdmere, and in which he had caused to be constructed these queer-looking buildings of brick and stone, was bordered by a prairie as virgin and untouched as in the days of the pioneers. The estate itself was not large, consisting of scarcely more than twenty acres. It was surrounded on all sides by a ten-foot-high woven wire fence, which was known to be electrified. There were guards, too, inside the fence, making their rounds day and night, much after the manner of sentries in the army. The inference was that Valdmere purposed to take no chances. The secret of workshop and laboratory was to be guarded and kept. The public would see nothing except what Professor Valdmere wanted them to see, hear nothing except what he cared to tell them.

It was the newspapers that had brought the crowds. For weeks now they had been publishing interesting and almost unbelievable accounts of the newly discovered Atomic Ray. The nation and the world at large were stirred by these strange stories, but it was not until a few days ago that the interest had reached its present high peak. This had come about as a result of the publication of the following short article in every newspaper of any importance from Los Angeles to New York and from Duluth to New Orleans:

“Professor Conrad Charles Valdmere, noted American scientist, now temporarily residing in Brownsville in western Montana, at ten o’clock Wednesday morning issued the following statement to the Associated Press: ‘I am now prepared to give a public demonstration of the Atomic Ray. The first demonstration will take place near my estate at Brownsville on Monday morning, June 24th, at ten o’clock. A second demonstration will take place at four o’clock and on the following Wednesday, June 26th, at two o’clock. Scientists, representatives of the press and the public at large are cordially invited to be present.’”

There were two boys residing several hundred miles east of Brownsville who were neither scientists nor representatives of the press but who read the announcement and decided to go. They were Ted Winters and Philo Birch, chums and fellow workers at the Northern Airplane Corporation, Minneapolis. Both were interested in the achievements of the great Valdmere. They had read books concerning the man and had been fired by an ambition to learn more of the particular branch of scientific work in which he excelled. Shortly after the publication of the inventor’s invitation, they had pooled their resources, secured a week’s leave from Mr. Cable, superintendent at the plant and had set out on their momentous journey.

Their arrival at Brownsville came on the evening of the second day. They were set down, so to speak, in the middle of a prairie that the so-called West begins. It looked a good deal more like the real frontier than anything that they had yet clapped their eyes upon. The country smacked of cattle herds, cowboys and six-guns, but as yet they had seen nothing much else than the broad sweep of a seemingly untenanted range.

Brownsville proved disappointing, too, but the boys found plenty to absorb their attention just outside the village at the estate of the inventor. They walked out that first night just at sunset, at the hour silence had settled over the prairie and the world was touched with dazzling radiance. They paused near the estate, regarding it with curious eyes: The high fence with the watchmen inside, the half dozen low buildings constructed of stone and cement.

“Valdmere has quite a place here,” Ted remarked, advancing close to the fence, his gaze fixed steadily on the view outspread before him. “The stone building off to the right must be his house. That long rambling structure must be his workshop. But what are the other buildings?”

Philo pursed his lips, scowling lightly. He seemed deeply absorbed as was his chum. His right hand rested for a moment on Ted’s arm.

“Couldn’t possibly imagine. I’d give half the money I own if I could go through and inspect everything. Do you suppose, Ted, that that will be permitted?”

The other laughed. “Out of the question I’m afraid, Philo. Just picture the mob that has gathered here in Brownsville, running riot over the place. Then, too, you must remember that there must be scores of people who would not be satisfied with a casual inspection of the workshops and laboratories. They would go to any lengths to acquire the professor’s formulas and secrets.”

“I never thought about that,” said Philo, “but I can see now that you’re right. It would never do. No doubt Valdmere has enemies, too, who might attempt to destroy or tamper with things.”

Ted nodded. “Surest thing, Philo. Else why would he have gone to the trouble to put this huge fence and hire so many guards? Absolute secrecy is necessary. Very frequently Valdmere is engaged in experiments for the United States Government. He has perfected many war devices for the Army and Navy. Not so long ago I read in the Journal of Scientific Research about his new aerial torpedo.”

Ted and Philo turned away from the fence presently and began to retrace their steps toward the hotel in the center of the town. The streets were lined with people, most of them coming out for their first glimpse of the professor’s estate. Among them they discerned a small party of Japanese, crafty-looking little men, who walked along attired in panamas, soft shirts and flannels, chattering in their own language.

At sight of them, Philo nudged his friend in the side.

“Great Scott, Ted! What do you think about that? Wonder what motive is bringing them here?”

Ted grinned amusedly. “Of course you’d suspect something underhanded, Philo, but I think you can set your mind at rest. If anyone should ask you, we’re quite a cosmopolitan crowd. Nearly every nation is represented. There are Englishmen, Russians, Frenchmen, Italians, Germans and heaven knows what not. Their presence here merely goes to show how important the world at large considers the forthcoming demonstration. In his particular field, Valdmere is without a peer.”

Philo drew in his breath sharply. “Gee whiz, Ted, I can hardly wait until tomorrow. I’m glad that we happened to live so close to where Valdmere is working this summer, or we never would have been given the opportunity to come. What is this Atomic Ray?”

Ted shook his head. “I guess nobody knows except Valdmere himself. But as I understand it, Atomic Ray, the newspapers say, affords both heat, light and power. It can be made or generated at a very low cost. It is said that it will solve heating, lighting and motive power for all time to come. If it proves to be everything that Valdmere says it is, we are entering upon a new age of industrial development. It will be the greatest invention, or I should say discovery, of all time.”

“The Atomic Ray!” mused Philo. “From the name, one would surmise that this ray was made out of atoms.”

“That’s it exactly. A certain combination of elements comprising an atom. An atom you know, Philo, is the most common thing in the world. Everything is composed of atoms, the water you drink, the food you eat, the fuel you burn, yes, the air you breathe. Upon atomic structure life itself is built. Now atoms are composed of various elements and combinations of elements. I do not quite understand it myself, but from what I have read, it appears that it is possible to separate elements in an atom and put them together again in new combinations.”

“But why should anyone bother with it?” asked Philo. “Even when new combinations are made, what advantage is it to the experimenter?”

“I’m afraid you don’t understand,” said Ted a little petulantly. “This ray that Professor Valdmere has perfected is derived from power lurking in atoms. That is the reason it is called an atomic ray.”

“I suppose,” said Philo brightly, “that Professor Valdmere has gone to a good deal of trouble to find these atoms that possess the necessary energy with which to generate his Atomic Ray.”

Ted snorted. “Come, come, Philo. You’re talking nonsense. Snap out of it. Get this clearly in mind: Every atom possesses untold electrical energy. There is enough energy in the atoms to be found in a glass of water to blow a city the size of New York into Kingdom Come.”

Philo stopped dead in his tracks, glaring at his friend.

“Bunk!” he sputtered angrily. “You’re trying to string me now.”

“No, it isn’t bunk,” protested Ted, “and I’m not trying to string you either. If you’d spend a little more of your time reading instead of fooling around making useless electrical devices, you’d know more about it.”

“Bunk!” croaked Philo again. “I don’t believe it.”

Ted’s face flushed and he seemed to be on the point of losing his temper.

“Tomorrow, after you have seen a few of Professor Valdmere’s experiments, I dare say you’ll change your tune.”

“I hope so,” retorted the skeptical Philo. “I don’t doubt for one minute that Professor Valdmere is a great man and has accomplished some wonderful things, but it must be proved to me that one can take an ordinary glass of water, as you have intimated, and make a few passes over it and unleash the tremendous energy that you have spoken of.”

“I didn’t say that he did that,” sniffed Ted. “What I meant was that the potential power is there.”

“Bunk!” said Philo for the third time.

“Bunk yourself!” snapped Ted, come to the limit of his patience.