Tales of the Thinking Machine
lazed a single light, a powerful electrical contrivance fitted with reflector, and so shaded that its concentrated rays beat down fiercely upon a table littere
ale blue, squinting petulantly through thick spectacles; his wizened, clean-shaven face was white with the pallor of the student; his mouth was a straight, bloodless
d an elderly woman
she explained. "Really you o
man didn't lift his eyes fro
ontinued, "I'd say you ought to stop whateve
e little man objected.
Martha denied, in righteous indignation, "e
ime is
lock Tuesday
me, de
sir," Martha complained, "a
e man interrupted peevishly. "Run
u can't keep
of resignation in the master's voice. "It's Tue
elpless shrug of her sho
is labors with tense eagerness in his narrow eyes, oblivious alike of the things about h
master mind, exalted by the cumulative genius of generations gone before, which had isolated itself on a pinnacle of achievement through sheer force of applied reason. Once he had been the controversial center of his profession, riding
al - unless one counted as an emotion the constant note of irritation in his voice - terse of speech, crabbed of manner, and possessed of an uncanny faculty of separating all things into their primal units, he lived in a circumscribed sphere which
ions along lines disassociated with abstruse problems of his profession, these being chiefly instances in which
of those curious adventures which led to The Thinking
ttle man, who never read papers, who rarely came into contact with things as they are, who had not even the small vices which bring indiv
rmania–Austria. It so happened in that case that the fate of an empire and the future of its royal house lay for a time in The Thinking Machine's slender hands. Failure on his part certainly would have changed the
ned, and Mar
stormed, "if you've brought me m
e, sir," she re
it's already twelve
sir. Two gen
t see
work which engrossed The Thinking Machine. Martha laid the card
tter of the utmost impor
he is and w
artha brought back straightened Th
at he's the ambassador to the Uni
im in a
e diplomatic world; the other of a more rugged type, shorter, heavier, with bristly hair and beard, and deeply bronzed
tzfeldt began suavely. "We know, as all the world knows, your splendid achievements in science. We know, too, t
tartly. "If you hadn't known who I was, and hadn't needed m
t. "Admiral Hausen–Aubier, of the royal navy, commanding the Mediterranean Fleet, now vis
entlemen sat down. Not until that moment had the scientist realized his own weariness. The big chair offered grateful relaxation to t
e excellent English, but there was a guttural undercurrent of excitement in his tone. "He went to his stateroom at midnigh
questioned The Thin
isturbed by the question. He shot a
," explained the
under
This from
with a guard
N
he other
N
n, pl
note, no shred or fragment of a clew - nothing. No one saw him from the moment he entered his stateroom and closed his door - not even the guard. There were half a dozen sentries, watchmen, on deck; neither saw nor heard anything out of
Thinking Machine went back. "Just what happen
ng the last question first. "In order to en
did yo
occupied more th
rstand.
lock when he went to sleep. Next morning he was found unconscious, and the officer was gone." He paused. "There
ionless for minute after minute, the while thin, spide
't been reported
Hausen–Aubier
y n
on in Washington by wire, we decided against that. The affair is extremely d
ing Machi
the secre
attached to the embassy. You must understand, Mr. Van Dusen, that it is absolutely essential that no word of the disa
king Machine irrelevantly, "p
ty with my life," declared t
ps it was
al and the ambassador. Obviously that was a possibility that had
the diplomat s
ly. "Don't say that. It annoys me exceedingly." Fell a sho
a week ago," Admiral
n heard of him? Or from him? Or
ier said. "If we could only hear! If we co
s his
t Leopold
im - both grave, troubled, lined with worry. Under his curious scrutiny, the diplomatist retained his self-p
st was squinting into the gloom
rom a blow, and he started to his feet. Some subtle warning
he said distinctly; "Lieu
ry slowly, "if his majesty the emperor has been i
sen–Aubier came to his feet with a mighty Teutonic exclamation, and strode the length of the big room, his face dead white beneath the
," he said, at last, steadily. "We thought it inadvisa
upted him with an impatient
Otto Ludwig, heir apparent to the throne of Germania–Austria, has been abducted from the
ds, and stood, his great shoulders shaking. Straining nerves had broken at last. Baron Von Hartzfel
ment. "Outside of the secret service and my own agents,
he Thinking Machine. "You have ju
was blank bewilderment
ier together," The Thinking
course, you knew from the newspapers that his highness
he battleship Friedrich der Grosse was in the harbor. It's logic, logic - the adding together of the separ
ion which had shaken him, resumed his seat, sta
Baron Von Hartzfeldt insis
o other officer aboard ship had a guard. I assume, therefore, for the moment that the officer was a man of consequence, else he was mentally irresponsible. An instant later you tell me how to enter the officer's suite - not stateroom, but suite. Ergo, a man
the two list
war. Those are members of the royal household. I am of German descent; hence I am well acquainted with the histories of the German countries. I know that Emperor Gustavus has only one son, Otto Ludwig, the cro
was in the tone of one who is thoughtfully checking off and verifying the unit
ip," he said slowly. "Proper adjustment of the actual facts leading straight to the crown prince removed instantly as a possibility a vagu
matist. "If any man can lead us to the
ned The Thinkin
ier questioned tensely, "that
tain
- murdered -" He shuddered a
ow him into the sea," was the reply, "or to drag him out and then murder him. In either event, such an act would have been useless; and as a rule murderers don't do use
dmiral insisted. "Why? How wa
ine shrugged his
one of a dozen ways - aeroplane,
eard anything," the
oesn't
derstanding. Aeroplane - submarine -'twas fantasy, preposterous, unheard of.
e, the prin
heard nothing since. He may have been murdered aft
ard face, a light of desperation in his eyes, his
he royal house of Germania–Austria with the passing of our emperor, who is now nearly eight
Machine oddly. "There'll be nothing but republics
th a rod of iron, and his people only submit because they expect so much of Prince Otto Ludwig when he ascends the throne. He is popular with his subjects - the crown prince, I mean - and they would welc
. His eyes opened slightly, and he turned upon Baron Von Hartzfeld
he said, with a slight movement of his
For minute after minute he sat, heedless of the nervous pacing of Admiral Ha
-" the ambas
or is it generally known that he is in this
icly. The government of the United States has received hi
ve you - accounted fo
m. We have lied even to our emperor! He believes the prince is ill; if he understood that his son, the heir apparent, was missing, dead, perhaps - ach, Gott! Every moment I am expecting sailing orders - ord
and fierce in his loyalty. The Thinking Machine studied the grief-stricken face curiously. Unashame
I do care for my country, for my prince. In any ev
stioned the sc
lse is
ry time I had a problem to solve I should have been very dead by this time." His manner changed. "We know the pri
ion came from his two
t effective way of establis
him instead!" declared Admiral Hausen–Aubier grimly.
o, much as if he had never seen them before; then walked ov
ince Otto Ludwig," he said, as he return
anded the diplomatist, "why hasn'
t to, you know," was the enigmatic response.
Admiral Hausen–Aubier answered. "They are Baron Von Hartzfeldt her
"However, let's go aboard the Friedrich der Grosse. I
waters to the giant battleship in the outer harbor. There for an hour or more the little scientist pottered about the magnificent suite which had been occupie
f the prince is alive we shall hear from him. If he is dead we will no
Germania–Austria Confined to Suite Aboard the Battle–S
ne glanced at Admi
for a week it has been the same. We are compelled
entist requested. "Meanwhile, I haven't been in bed for three nights.
omething to h
but not for several hours - proba
er of hope in the admiral's eye
aid The Thinking Machine placidly.
ne from the lethargy of oblivion which followed upon utter physical and ment
. H
ned over as if to go back to sleep. Struck with some
effect that Prince Otto Ludwig's condition has taken a sudden turn fo
ended in a
less operator in his cabinet on the upper deck, waiting, waiting, he knew no
ordered coffee; a
e thing he had been waiting
ggestion. C
" the operator reporte
unner's mate, was summoned. Into the wireless cabinet with him came Baron Von Hartzfeldt
Thinking Machine instructed th
d miles
ng or
k, s
e the
ir, and l
reas
s ears, the operator thrust his
m, sir," h
eldt and Admiral Hausen–Aubier. "He is alive, and less than a hundred mil
O- L-
at crackling electric sparks leaped and roared fitfully, lighting the tense faces of the men
es
amation of thanks, and Admiral Hause
ined men, keen-eyes, indefatigable, wary as ferrets, were searching for the crown prince, along comes this withered, white-faced little man of scienc
Aubier - here - ask - O- L- give -
admiral. The answer should prove once for all whether
in German," the o
g - eine -
tly his face cleared. "I understand. He refers to an incident that he and I alone know. Whe
rupted The Th
d - give
operat
illion -
diplomatist, in a breath. "Does he mean ransom?" Baron
g game for a big stake; and if you love your country and your king you'd better thank God it's only money they want. Suppose they had demanded a constitution, or even
ccept -
terposed the diplomatist sh
ng Machine sai
y - by - mail - place - time
the message was finished, and with strained attention the thr
rance - no -
nking Machi
cep
n–Aubier hotly. "Do you mean we are prom
s break off communication and wait until such time as you will promise it." He shrugged his shoulders
ring ransom. It would take days to raise so vast a sum, if he could do it at all; and his private resources, together with those of Admiral Hausen–Aubier, would be d
ng Machine
e - Hausen - Aubier'
e answ
ils - tonight - will - comm
omewhere off through space they had talked with a man whom human ingenuity
open field, some thirty miles out of the city, a lone tree in the center of the field, a suit ca
watch, or to identify us, or molest us, a pistol shot will end the affair; if the bag is there, an
ing Machine. "I was led to e
Hartzfeldt. "It will be absolutely impossible to ge
brow. He leaned forward, and stared tensely into the pallid, wizened face of the scientist, who sa
hundred ten-thousand-dollar notes to make five million dollars, and I doubt if there are that many in existence.
t violently, "that it's impossible to raise that sum? Tha
The Thinking Machine asserted mildly. "But
the diplomatist digested
y word of honor -" the
te," the scient
empty bags there? If they find they are empty, the prince's life will pay forfeit; if we attempt to su
not break a pledge; I shall not attempt to surround them and capture them; I shall not, nor shall any one representing me, or any of us,
declared the diplomatist imp
happen to take two weeks," was the enigmatic response. "Also, I'll say they'll be glad to see me when I get ther
understand," stamme
hinking Machine ungraciously. "Nor
ack-faced type. It was on the first page, directly beneath a bulletin announcing a sudden
aced. Use it. Safe for all. Communicate with ship i
ng at all, it was merely as a curious method of advertising wireless telegraphy. Inquirin
are to telegraph in the usual way, nor send a messenger, nor even a letter. Our secret service is an able organization; they understood it was not to be trifled with. All these things considered, I didn't believe the abduct
then sat down again. The miracle hadn't been a
davon denken!" exclaim
Machine. "Any fool could have thoug
ireless operator pluck
ter - sat
ntist dictat
equire - another - day
ant
l - money - one - bag
- remember - o
ve - our
ng Machine scrambled down the sea ladder and was rowed ashore. From his
ten miles of electric wire well insulated, three Edison transformers, one fast auto
omed to the eccentricities o
have them,"
ing to my hous
ig
f not knowing just what he was doing. There were telephone poles to be climbed, and shallow trenches to be dug and immediately filled in so no trace o
ing Machine, "is where the
of an indicator attached to a wire. At noon the scientist returned, and, without a word, took the reporter's place at the d
t a fish," he
le, speeding along the hi
fish?" he as
hose suit cases to the bottom of which our electric wire is connected. He is unable t
tch grimly. "The current
ced. There is a transformer in each of the suit cases. The wiring e
ield toward the lone tree in the center. The thing he saw caused him to stop suddenly and raise his hands in horror. Upon the ground in front of him was the convulsed figure of
" queried t
to Ludwig, of Ge
The Thinking Machine's face the like of which Hatch had never seen there before. "It's a possibility I had nev
nconscious man fell back limply, as if dead. Five minutes later they had lifted him into
o?" aske
st!" was the repl
at silent for minute after minute as it sped on over the smooth road. Finall
he said. "We'll go
nd lowered over the battleship rail in utter darkness. His impression was that he had been taken away in a small boat which had muffled o
hip until he suggested the wireless. He even aided in the erection of a station between two tall trees on a remote hill somewhere. On
get the money?" the scien
rd of honor that I would get it and return with it, after which I was to be free.
the scientist caused Hatch to stare at him
efer to certain newspaper stories as 'peaches' and
orter enthusiastical
remarked The Thinking Mach
eemingly impossible, and one disgusted newsp
it all, anyhow?" dem
Thinking Machine crabbedly. "The prince has
flectively he twisted the elaborate jeweled bauble in his slender fingers; then returned to his worktable under the great electric light. For a mi
ype="