Dr. Anderson leaned back with the air of a man who challenges confutation.
"Quite so!" said Captain Evered. "I see your point. I'll go through this again, and we will have a further talk about it. What is your theory?"
"So far, I have none, sir," replied Anderson; "none whatever! I'm completely at fault!"
A Theory Searched for to Solve the Mystery
IN the course of the day Captain Evered read Macrae's story again, looking out for the different points indicated by the doctor, and he realized the force of his observations.
"Anderson is right," he muttered. "Macrae no more wrote this out of his own head than I did; couldn't have done it. Who the devil did it?"
Captain Evered had arrived at the same point previously reached by Dr. Anderson.
The doctor was meanwhile curious as to the result of Evered's further study of the document. Towards evening he was sent for.
"Queer thing, this radio telegraphy and telephony, Anderson," said Captain Evered, as the doctor entered his cabin. "Do you believe in the planets being inhabited?"
"Professor Rudge is firmly convinced that one at least is. He considers Schiaparelli's discoveries to have absolutely proved it so far as Mars is concerned. He wants in fact to try and signal to them in some way. Other scientists are convinced that, if that planet is not inhabited, it shows many signs that it is not uninhabitable,"
"So Budge wants to get into communication with them, does he? A possibly dangerous proceeding, according to this," said Captain Evered, tapping the manuscript.
Their eyes met for a moment. The doctor remained silent.
"Look here, Anderson, I believe we're both agreed that this yarn of Macrae's is quite the tallest we've ever heard, and also that there is some mystery about it that wants clearing up. The infernal thing has been running through my head all day, and I am no forwarder. Are you?"
"Your case, sir, is mine exactly. I'm stuck," Anderson confessed.
"Then what ought I to do?"
"If you really wish to know what I should do were I in your place, sir, I should ask the Admiralty to trust some eminent scientist, such as Professor Rudge, whom we just mentioned, with the secret of the Station, and place Macrae's writings in his hands—and so wash yours of all responsibility."
"Capital! That's what I'll do. There is a further point in its favor. Professor Rudge, as the inventor of the method of this new system of telephony without which these long distance installations would have been impossible, was called into consultation when they were contemplated and their sites chosen. He already knows of the existence of Station X."
"Then there can be no difficulty. I only wish in addition to placing the papers in his hands, we could place there Macrae also, poor fellow."
"You still see no chance of his recovery? If he is not actually dead, it cannot be quite hopeless, can it?"
(illegible text) quite convince he will not recover, but insensibly merge from his trance into death," said Anderson, with conviction.
Here their conversation was interrupted by some one knocking at the door.
"Come in," said Captain Evered, and a sailor put in his head.
"If you please, sir, Mr. Macrae has got out of his bunk, and is walking about the ship in his blanket, asking for you, sir. He seems a bit dazed like."
"Ye gods!" muttered Anderson, as he and Captain Evered left the cabin.
CHAPTER VI
Professor Rudge Investigates
NEVER was a medical man more pleased at a wrong diagnosis than Dr. Anderson in regard to the mysterious case of Alan Macrae. To the natural satisfaction of seeing the return to life of a patient of whom he had despaired, was added the anticipation of probing further the interesting problem that now engrossed their thoughts. There was now a chance that he would be able to investigate for himself, not only into the mental state of Macrae, but also into his character and attainments, and so definitely satisfy himself as to whether this alleged communication had taken place. He had already convinced himself that a belief in its possibility was far from scientifically absurd, and he knew that in this he was backed by some of the most eminent scientists of the day.
On taking charge of his patient, he at once saw that the poor fellow was not so much "dazed" as excited, and it was some time before he could be soothed—not, in fact, until it had been explained to him how he came to be on board the Sagitta. Dr. Anderson answered his questions while getting him as quickly as possible back to his cabin. Macrae then gradually calmed down, took nourishment, and slept, thereby relieving Dr. Anderson from the fears he was beginning to entertain.
A Quick Recovery of the Operator from his Catalyptic State
AFTER this he made a quick recovery, showing that there was nothing organically wrong, and that the elasticity of youth had not been permanently impaired. Two days elapsed before Dr. Anderson would allow his patient to be questioned as to what had happened to him in the signal-room of Station X. Macrae on his part showed no disposition to discuss the subject. It was partly on account of this tacit avoidance of it on the invalid's part that Dr. Anderson deprecated the subject being forced on him too soon. "The blow," he said, "whatever it was, was struck on the nervous system, and if there is any danger for him, it is there we must look for it."
Toward the close of the second day, Macrae seemed so fully himself again, apart from some physical weakness, that the doctor decided that there would be no harm in a little judicious questioning. He had already convinced himself that there was no trace of insanity in his patient.
He therefore determined to ascertain if Macrae were really averse to entering on the topic, and, if not, to prepare him for a visit from Captain Evered.
