Evening Star Newspaper, January 17, 1926, Page 90

THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, BY J.S.FLETCHER Until Capt. Mervyn Appcared Beattflce’s Life Had Been Devoid of Excitement. \id in cor arbour und 1 th du to_ sit whi uuntil 0 om came from the 40 minu es after bu The amount of a Some 1es qu.te & lot into the hotel; some entercd. The wi targely on that had been expe aters of the North Sea were in t sle mood travelers, instead of tarr. ing at Wychport for what remaine of the night, preferred to go st on to London by the express, which stood ready alongside the qua fter ail, only a_90-minute run hen the North Sea was in one of its bad tempers—which were some- what frequent—many fo! were only 0o glad to stagger into the hotel and seek the comfort of a quiet well aired sheets quick Therefore, Beatrice in hers T sister wlong o > clock in after Jsht o ho el v s variec m hing he ience:l ar il business, bi v 1 for idor C was a vetired one. It was a running out of corroder b veally to have been corridor Bl. There were only SIX rooms in it—three on either side. They were numbered 48, 52 and 54 on the right-hand side; 49 51 and 53 on the leit-hand side. At the end of the corridor was one of those luxurious bathrooms for which the Grand Harbour Hotel is jusily ‘amous, and in the corridor itseif, set jetween the doors of the \partments, were several very com prtable, deep-backed, softly cushioned couches. Corridor C, indeed, with its old engravings of marine subjects was quite a lounge. From half-past 11 every night. by whi me _the regular inhabitants had retired. Bea trice used to rest he one these couches under convenient electric light nd pass the tiy « waiting for the incoming boat by reac novels. Beatrice's te in fictio say the least of it, p love stories e hac no li ver. Problem novels she not derstand Adventure st¢ she had a faint for, but the adventures were never strong enough Wh Beatirec rejoiced in was the full-blooded, thoroughly sensational detective story, beginning with first cla; murder and ending up with t arrest of the last person in the wo o be suspected. She was in the middle of a particu larly_exciting novel one midnight in March when certain familiar sounds in the lower regions warned her that the continental boat wz in and tha some of its passengers had com: across to the hotel. She laid aside her book and walked into corridor B on of 1k various | cullar. | o'clock she k lo Laden with tes | ked at the s she set dow punctualit i 1 eatc nd re's the e I spoic o wo hali ro and laughed a tanked him w and went off. er she =aw him g irying his suit case early” morning wore on in shior ‘The young !ady in departed for good at 8:30 o'clock; the izn-looking man in 51 kept about the same time. But 53 had no hown himself when 10 o'clock came. nd Beatrice wished he would get up, for she wanted to do his room. It was not until 11 o'clock, however, that she heard anything of Then all in a_sudden minute, she heard plenty. Firsi came a ringing of 53's bell. "Then as she went down the cor- ridor with hot water 53's door W violently thrown open and 53 him 3 a wildly excited figure in a vividly- enlore dressing gown, appeared on the threshold waving both arms. “The manuger shouted. “Fetch the manager! The police! Fetch the police! But stop. That fellow you saw in my chamber last night—him that was in there, 54—where is he?” “Gone, sir,” replied Beatrice, but in amazement. “He left at 7 o'clock. Is something the matter, sir?" The little man groaned. “I am robbed"” he said in a deep volce. “Robbed! It there! He must have drugged with his punch! Oh, Iam a fool! | feteh the manager. T am robbed He folded his arn and turned into his room. and t setting down her hot water can fled for the office. ,She was palpitat ing, mentally as w as physically, | by the time she reached it. but { palpitated much more in the mentally excited way when, following the man ager back to 53, she heard the forefgn gentleman's dismal story. For the | first time In her experience she was face to face with actual crime. The manager wanted to know what # was all about. The foreign gentle- man endeavored to explain. ns inte he did h by ng off it 1 me But Be: T of 54, | ma Ten | s him—that man | dramatically | “It is like this,” he said, waving his | hands. “I come over from Amster- {dam. T am a merchant in diamonds. | T bring with me some valuable—very valuable—diamonds for a client in London. Well, I am very poorly or the hoat. Tt is a bad crossing. I make friends with that gentleman who comes In here with me last night— very pleasant, kindly fellow. He sayvs stay at this hotel and get a good sleep, go on to London next day. savs, too, he will make me some good. -fashioned punch—he has the real | proper stuff in his portmanteau. Ver well, T come. | and me in my room here. He | fork out This girl, she see him | She gets in | « Milita ught.” robled’ “What fo dam man he pillow case is 1o This man drug in the night. “Um!"” repe: sir. But th in the hote vour boat follc who knew things on you It despoiled, there at all. ry person, 1 ooking Amsterdam than aid the ar v tically ;v police! nied the man ire. though he that there wa bout enterin cult 1S But onct nacket ou didn’t pat ning the dia ' demanded the Amster No. I leave him unde: I think. And then my No..T see | me and enter my room ‘etch me your police!” ted the manager. “Cer- tainly, T'Il telephone for a_detective, re were several strangers last night who came by may be that you were J from Amsterdam by some on: u had these valuable No, it is that man!” asserted the with acerbity. “He drug me with his very nice hot punch. You see, while we t, T muke m alk pyself su friendly and plea a fool as to him my diamonds “Oh!" exclaimed the ma that’s quite another matter. well ager. “Ah telephone to the police immediately. No other loss, sir—your purse, pocket- book, for ins “He neither pocketbook, nor nothing. my moneys, my diamonds the bad one! dam found. Bring merchant. steal my purse, nor my 1 have all ings, watch; it is only he have run off with— answered the Amster- | “But he shall be me au posse of police, detectives, fine clever fellows—we go to get anyway,’ THE the dres: Beatrice heard said smart h again during the morning. one who's a smart hand the manager. . and arrived by the time | Amsterdam od, and the proceedings began. merchant was news of them now and She her- subjected to a_long examina the detective, who she thought | rly dull, tedious, unim- | a singu aginative person, hom She learned from him that the tall, good-humored gentleman had | detectives w! in fetion. taken a first-c on the 7:2 totally unlike the she met so regularly lass ticket for London He would arrive in Lon- don at 9 o’cloak or thereabouts. he'd be safely lost in that sparsely-populated little village a good two hours before thi d been out h detective. find him think! Howev ack “Five hund [:2 in five ver, 0 quid to get hi o it’s worth putting in for.” Dutchy found robbed nd he expeets minutes! Dutchy’s me to 1 don't game to hiners reward! red pounds asped Beatrice. “That's so,” assented the detective. | suddenly 'And little erough. He's just told me There was a lift entrance there, and | the hot water and the other little [and the manager that therre was presently its fronwork lattice swung open with a clatter and one of the hotel porters emerged carrvinz snit cases and bags and followed by two men. After her usual fishion, Bea rice made a quick but thorough in spection of both. Omne was a littie <omewhat stout gentleman, very much wrapped up in a furdined overcoat nd a shawl and decidedly foreign in appea the other was a tall loose-limbed, good-looking man, Jjus .s English in manner and stvle the other was un-English. Beatrice, out of her great experlence, set him down as a military man. He gave her » glance as the three approached and she thought that he had a humorous | and meaning eve. “Fifty-thres and fifty-four, norter. Beatrice turned, and, preceding the ittle procession along corridor C. threw open the doors of opposite rooms and switched on the electric light. The porter hesitated, looking 1t the two men. “Well,” sald the tall man, with a aughing glance at “which wil: vou have? ilike, no doubt. The foreign-looking person spread nis gloved hands. “Oh, it is no matter,” he said in 2004 English badly pronounced. *As ou say—alike. It is all the same— s. You that—I this. But—you come see me presently?" “All right!” laughed the big man. 1 see to it. He turned into 54. went into 53. o fetch hot water. * %ok * HEN she returned a few minutes later both men were in 53. They had taken off their coats and wraps. The tall man revealed himself in gray tweed traveling suit of inmistakable English cut. The little nan was in a frock coat with silk lapels. He had a big cigar case in s hand and was inspecting its con- ents. The tall man had an unopened hottle of whisky on the dressing table and was about to extract its ork with a pocket screw. irned to Beatrice with u whimsical minating smile ow, I'm sure you're the sort of =il that would do anything for any- ydy,” he sald. “So I'm sure you'll bo able to find a couple of tumblers, some sugar, lemon and a jug of bolling water—and it'll be all the bet- if vou find ‘em quick S, sir,” responded Beatrice, sald the Both 1 The little man smart “At F de RBeatrice found uptlon. The porter was up again vith another gentlemzn—to be put in 31, He, too be a for- eigner—a _darl rthy-skinned man of 30 Fortunately, he wanted nothing whatever and was aquickly ved in his room, and Beatr after the matters re- quired in That did not take long. Within @ few minutes she was back th her tray. The two man were noking cigar The big e nodded at her with apuroval. Good girl”" he said. “I'll remem- in the morning. And, speak- that, shall you be on duty i & morning, and at what time if you answered Beatrice. “Six- some tea and two or cnits as soon as ever you commanded the tall man. “I to catch a train at seven- Don't forget me. He turned to the king for the early “If so, me ant nty szantleman- oreizne Spr tell her. But the liitle man shook his head vith emphatic decision. “No,” he declared. “Me—I stay in hed tomorrow morning till T feel in- clined to get myvself out of bed. No irry. Just now, I want that punch romise to make me.” Nothing more, then, asked Deatrice. Not a thing, an, “excent to night.” Good-night. gentlemen,” Beatrice, politely. * ok ok % QHE went away down the corridor and picked up the exciting novel. Could she have done just what she liked, she would have read a few more chapters, for the hero was in deadly peril n his attempts to track down a peculiarly clever criminal. But it was now nearly 1 o'clock and she had to be up again at 6. Beatrice aceundingly went to 1 And at 64y “Any asked with a laugh. gentlemen?" red the tall you a good- answ wish replied And this | | things. good, very nice. cigars—my cigars. We spend a ple: hour. Then, good-night!_ And I | wake—it is much later than I think. I get up; I ring. And then I feel be- neath my pillow for the small case in which I have my diamonds—and, be- We | i i his companion, | 100K | And Beatrice went off | He | inter- | “THE GENTLEMAN, SIR, WHO CAME IN WITH YOU EARLY THIS MORNING AWOKE AT 11 O°)CLOCK TO DISCOVER HE HAD BEEN ROBBED.” | l tobacco pouch. you don’t know anything more “I don’t know Beatrice. And herein case, He makes the punch—very | £30,000 worth of diamonds in that lit- smoke our | tle case—a no bigger than my Lor'! Well, my dear, anything more,” said Beatrice, dutiful girl I grumbled the | born and bred within sound of Bow Bells. Also, she had at one time or another heen chambermaid in one or other of the big London hotels. So, in a maunser of speaking, her foot was ori her rtive heath- And, under ordi- nary circumstances, she would have taken an omnibus to ‘Trafalgar Square, .or she was a saving young woman who knew the value o even wopence. But these ecircumstances were anything but ordinary Beairice chartered a taxicab and in- structed its driver to set her down at the corner of St. James Square. In due time she was set down close by the Army and Navy, and, after remunerat- ing her driver, turned toward that ex- clusive establishment. The janitors within the portals of the Army and Navy felt unusual sur- prise and something almost approach- ing emotion when a very well-dressed young woman, very quiet and self- assured, descended upon their gran- deur and asked in modest but firm fashion, if she could see Capt. Mervyn, of the 221st Lancers. “Capt. Mervyn?" said ome. “Um! | T haven't seen the captain for two or three wecks. Where's the 221st quar- tered now?” | “Aldershot!” replied the other func- { tionary. “But Capt. Mervyn's on the continent—Holland or somewhere— been away for a fortnight. He was in the club the morning he left.” |last- night,” remarked Beatrice. I |saw him, at Wychport, just after he landed. That's why I want to see ht again—on very important business." The two Jjanitors inspected her gain and made another inspection of eich other- | “Well, he's not been fn here today [miss.” %aid one. “That s, as yet !But if he’s in town he will be coming lin. And, of course, if you saw him last night, he's in England again, and Ifor him England means London or +Aldershot “He came to London this morning {by the 7:20," said Beatrice. “Do you |Xnow where he lives when he's in | London?” | “Um!" admitted one of the fanitors. “I do—but it's against all rules to give addresses. But,” he added, see ing Beatrice to be disappointed, “1t he is In town, helll be in hera by o'clock, safe as houses. 1f you leave a message— “No,” answered Beatrice, “the bus !nesx-x i$ very important—for him. Il -all again. In the meantime I shall | go and get some tea.” She had tripped off hefore the func tlonaries could say another word * N :O V leaving the Army and Navy she turned along Pall Mall intending to o into St. James street, where she knew of a place at which afternoon tea was procurable under refined sur {roundings. And she had just ad- | vanced as far as the corner when she qught slght of the man she Having the trick of remem faces, Beatrice knew him again at once, though he was now |attired in the height of fashion and | wore the glossiest of silk hats, the shinfest of patent leather boots, and looked a very grand personage indeed. He was crossing the roadway from the direction of Cleveland Row, and Bea- wanted. bering | | | though she was, departed sadly from |trice, waiting for him on her side of hold! it is gone! T am robbed! It is that so very plea i me and robs me! police! They must arrest hi The marager looked at Beatrice. ‘Does he mean the tall gentleman 0 was in 542" he asked. ‘“Yes? ell, he's gone, hasn’t he?” | “He went at 7 o'clock this morning, | sir,”” replied Beatrice. The Amsterdam man stamped his slippered feet and raised his eves to the celling. ) ne!” he cried. “Ah, ade, the evil one! But ! him. You will help to catch him? !is not so?” | The manager rubbed his chin Those were the days before compul | sory registration came In. Chanc: | comers, staying for one night at a | hotel, could please themselves whether | they registered their names and ad- | dresses or not. | “Haven't the least notion who th | gentleman was,” he said. “I Jjust caught a glimpse of him when You and he came in last night, sir, but 1 don't know him. We get hundreds o people who just come in for a night or even for a few hours in the night, in the course of a month. But he | secmed a higlly respectable gentle- W w the rene you know | | | Is You will fetch the | | the truth. dressing table | covered with penciled figures on its | | blank side, but on the other w: | | beautifuly engraved name and ad-. | dres: | ““Capt. H. A. Mervyn, 221st Lancers, | 'Excellen Army and Navy Club, Pall Mall, ! ten very carefully to what I'm about SW." | | Half o’clock. | admit. Thi neat shoes, eq auietly smart. olis. Beatrice knew ier purse and a ticket to London, and at 1:50 o’clock he stepped into an express, and at a few minutes after 3 found herself set lown amid the bustle of the metrop- For in doing up 54 that | Beatrice. > ant man—he drugs morning, after the tall gentleman’s | Bentleman promise it to the man departure, she “had found upon his | ager, and, more than that, the news a visiting card. It was s a * ok ok % 'HAT was Beatrice's afternoon out. Her time of liberty began at 1| an hour later those of her sister chambermaids who saw her , at all in their quarters were surprised | to see her go forth in her best attire— a neat tailor-made walking costume | of black habit cloth, on which Beatrice i had laid out more of her last vear's { wages than she would have cared to finished off by a pair of | ually neat gloves and a victure hat, made Beatrice look very She carried money in third-class return London very well. She was, in strict fact, a Londoner, A\ the street, planted herself directiy in his path and looked at him out of her violet-tinted eyes. He gave a mighty start 300d heavens” he exclaimed, | stinctively raising his magnificent hat. “The little chambermaid! What earth brings you here, young lady?’ Beatrice produced tne card which she had found on the dressing table of 54. “I came to find you, sir.” she an ‘I have just called at your }club. You were not in. They | thought you might be in about ! o'clock. ) T was gol to call again.” The of Beatrice's journey. ' now leaning both hands on the han dle of his carefully rolled umbrella and bending toward her from his considerable height, looked more mys | tified than she had_ever seen u man | swered. cause look in his life. Yet already was the birth of a whimsical smile about his lips and the carefully brushed moustache was beginning to quiver. | “But—why? what's it all about “It is all about that gentleman, sir who come in with you to the hotel early this morning,” replied B “He awoke at 11 o'clock to discover that he had been robbed.” Capt. Mervyn gave another mighty start—almost a jump. “No!” he exclaimed, his voice al most rising to a shout. ““What—of his diamonds?" “Yes, sir,” assented Beatrice. “Thirty thousand pounds’ worth And—and he believes you stole them after drugging him. And he has a detective at work, and—" Heedless of whoever he said. “What— might be ! looking cn, Capt. Mervyn interrupted | | Beatrice with a burst of laughter | which made her jump. Just as sud- | denly as it rose, it died away, and | laying a hand on the girl's shoulder, he turned her around toward St. James street. “Come along up here,” he safd. “You shall have some tea and tell me all about it. Now, this is really the very biggest lark I ever heard of! This way." | In the quietes | smart little teashop Beatrice care. { fully narrated the doings of that | morning at the Grand Harbour Hotel. , Her companion found it hard work to restrain his laughter. ! adventure was one which suited his sense of humor. But when Beatrice had made an end, even down to the last detail, his whimsical face became grave and business-like. Now, you listen to me, voung lady,” he sald. “I dare say you know the old proverb—that it's an il wind that blows nobody any good? Very well, this little affair is golng to dr ! you ‘some good. First of all, are you certain—absolutely certain—that thi | Dutch chap is going to make good his i offer of £500 reward? Because that's | nighly important, in view of what | I'm going to tell 'you.” “The detective sald so, sir,” said “And I heard the foreign | | | i twu all over the hotel before I left, and a_typewritten notice, mentioning the £500, had been put upon the no-. tice board.” “‘Good exclaimed Capt. Mervyn Very well, now you lis- | to_tell you.” | He bent forward across the little tea table and began to whisper, in- terrupting his story now and then with suppressed _laughter. though up to then Beatrice, who was strong on the point of humor, had remained remarkably grave, she, too began to smile, and at least once she laughed outright. “So there it {s,” said Capt. Mervyn in conclusion. “There’s the plain | truth—and 1t’s for you to profit by. Thére are two lessons to be learned from It, too. One is, don't suspegt innocent folk too quickly; the other, don’t drink strong punch on an empty stomach, especlally after bout of seasickness. But that's neither here nor there—the thing is for you to get back.” ““There’s an express just after § o'clock, sir,” remarked Beatrice. “Then you've just time to catch it.” said the captain., “Come along, and and | “Capt. Mervyn returned to England | | “He's a very estimable fto there | little corner of a | Evidently, the | And | D €, JANUARY 11, i [I'n put you into a taxl | could go back with you vear's pay to meet that five minutes after you've { him!"* When Beat the taxicab C in at_the door W good-bye, young lady,” he sald. 1're @ €mart girl, vou know | Are you thinking of getting married “1 am engaged, s lied Bea trice, demurely “I hope he's a good chaj serve an extra good one, the captain “Thank I wish I} ra give a little’ chap done with seated in his hand You de observed ir,” said Beatrice oung man d likely steady vou,” a rising tradesm: do well, being and painstaking The captain raised his hat rew back. “Bless { hand. - Dinne sir, thoroughly as he a ur” he said, and waved his Bye-bye wvas just over at the ( a Harbour Hotel when Beatrice. | somewhat weary but still cool and | self-possessed, re-entered its portals the | 1926 —PART A WILDLY EXCITED FIGURE IN A VIVIDLY COLORED DRESSING GOWN APPEARED ON THE THREF ! hour this morning, leav there, so—"" “And I say it was that fellow zave me the punch!” vocife Amsterdam merchant back on him once or mix it, and—" Beatrice tapped in, extended her morocco-bound one. four property ld quietly The Anist howl of d done ¢ upon the cas am saved! My diar “Good heavens! ager, staring “Where - girl?" Just where I shc tleman put it, letween It sudder that tw again, hand to and <ed thie she saw manager the det police, all in strenuous saw, t that the t had been replaced with ver. As she i hall the manager’s through the tive ro its or Amsterd: in -n doors I th Reward at the he were Beatri went changed ern that n door of the hotel tle heed to them quietly to her own quarters her smart attire for her id's gown, apron and cap. repaired to Room 5 admitted Two = nstairs the door, still half open, ager Inside the loud and excized nd 1 that s probably been the work ¢ continen thieves who de the manager say vourself on every paid 1 herselt the wh of Al vou we boat ou and i ember now r precions stones SHOLD. WAVING BOTH ARMS. 1 right,’ I with And T did p = remer 80 str . ‘I show you wi sleep on_the: hetween the be low. No It is the pun it out of 1 ut, what ma weet, beautif are & go leverest gir!! Thar ber it all so g this I have slged tated. I pay for! voung lady, let Modern “Divining Rods” May Become Aids In Pros BY . MORAN IVIDEING rods’ Witching stick centuries, se wealth, have explor i earth with these wands. Sometimes they have found | wealth; more often they have not But whereas, among ernment | | scientists, the witching stick of old | |is in disrepute, modern “divining | {rods” have been developed recently | in which the scientists see possibilities |as alds in prospect for metallic ores. Thesa “rods” employ el& ity by means of which favorable spots for ore quickly Forked 1 Men, for 1gic ng T trice. | been developed, also, by the Federal Bureau of Mines, a porta ble device for discovering new oil or | gas fields. This apparatus is used to fanalyze the constituents of water | underground origin, to determine the | presence of gas or petroleum vapors. VIt vater traver: 5 or oil it absorbs a definite quantit 1 drocarbon vapors which are { brought to the surface when tapped {by a well. The apparatus makes it ssible to determine wheths these pors are mainly of natural gas com- ion or composed mostly of heavier | petroleum vapors | Electrical “div | developed by the | Mines. These d | ference of potential set up by el Itrical static or dynamic waves that are elther Induced or pre-existing in | metallic ore bodies. By observing | these varying differences of potential at a number of points in the immedi ate vicinity of the supposed ore hody, an electrical fleld is plotted at the enter of which the ore body should {be_found. | This apparatus, s Washington | officlals of the Bureau of Mines, will save millions of dollars annually in prospecting for metallic ores by eliml- | | nating much of the expense of aim less drilling. Used in conjunction with | knowledge of geological formations | the apparatus provides prospectors with more certain information of the presence of ore bodies. Development of the new devices is still in an experi- imental stage, but they are being brought rapidly to a point of greater certainty. A test was made in Washington recently to determine the powers of a self-styled “water witch.” The witch, a male, was transported blindfolded across bridges, but his tightly grasped {forked stick rarely dipped in the pres ence of water. His explanation for this was that the rubber tires of the automobile in which he was carried served as an insulator between the twig and the water. He said he could “locate silver with his forked twig, but !the magic stick dipped as frequently | over places where there was no silver | as it did where silver dollars had been | planted. e of a forked twig, or so-called aivining rod, in locating minerals, find- ing hidden treasure or detecting criminals is a curious superstition | that has been a subject of controversy | Isince the middle of the sixteenth cen- {tury, say scientists of the United States Geological Survey. The sub- ject still has a strong hold on the popular fancy, even in the United States, as shown by the thousands of inquirles received annually by the | Government departments here. “I have been trying to find an in- strument that will locate hidden treas- ures of gold money that has been buried in the ground,” a resident of Council Bluffs, Iowa, recently wrote the Bureau of Mines. “Do you know of any such instrument or do you know where I can get hold of one? Please let me know at once.” A correspondent from Alexandria, Ta., wrote: I want ko know | ling rods” have been | Arizona Bureau o record the dif- | | i taer such « i ecting for Mineral rod or machine f s been buried for heard that there 1in th ion vour department I would like - finding long was time. 1 lot of money the coun s putting out suct ot ¢ There Is a letter. also, Buckhannon, W. Va “I want some information,” he says, “about 4 needle or something that will locate gold, as I have some trace of a gold mine and also hidden treasure I have the county located which it is in, but am unable to locate spot. If you can give me nformation along this line or can me where I in g needle or machine or instrument which gold t 1 ce: inly will appreci will keep you posted as to " !in part betwaen mine twig, for greatest use others der t manipulate and use t a o twig e. eivers, but many who prof other mine instrume ing the peo; A biblicgraphy cor logical Survey lists 3 s on the divinin tween the vears 1 t published des contained in Hoover trans sepa rod i ind 1 ription rEiu in 1 the first succe The Bureau Mines correspondents th he e travagant claims put forth by people who sell such contrivances have never been substantiated. Special instru ments, such the dip needle, the netometer and the dial compass, a fork from a haze successfully used in pros. | for this bush th ng for m tic iron ores in this ca us t n 1 other countries, but such instru- | ing vein peci: ments are not useful in prospecting ' grows above a vein for precious metals or ores that have | “Others use a different ki no masretic effect. The question of 'for each metal = informs a re are 1 te the forked tions neernin some say th: and who twig first cut ider 1 discovel Some ng ve eveal bush d of tw DEVICE DEVELOPED BY THE BUREAU OF MINES TO ANALYZE UNDERGROUND WATER TO FIND OIL AND GAS FIELDS. locating buried treasure is one on|for veins of sflver; ash twigs for cop- which it 1s impossible to give helpful | per: pitch plne for lead and espectally advice of any kind. tin, and rods made of iron and steel The United States Geological Sur-|for gold. All alike grasp the forks vey has made an exhaustive study of 'Of the twig with their hands, clench- the question of “divining rods,” as|ing their fists, it being necessary that a result of which it declares that “it [the clenched fingers should be held is difficult to see how, for practical |toward the sky In order that the twig purposes, the entire matter could be | should be raised at that end where more thoroughly discredited. Further |the two branches meet. Then they tests by the United States Geological | Wander hither and thither at random Survey of this so-called “witching" for | through mountainous regions. It is water, ofl or other minerals would be | 5aid that the moment they place their a misuse df public funds. feet on a vein the twig immediately “A favorite trick,” it continues, turns and twists, and so by its action ated persons a es the vein. By the end of e veonleedla cen- Resources odian: eart Gaspard S lis natt of the m! ireasures of Father eu ed the cont was tak for more hotly debated Some approved the r ized its use on church pro ndemned it and threat > used it with excon W f t c but sition a dec iminals, ssued e Ingu f Arctic. rn of MacMilla their lates recalls th gave their 1tve nd that a lon: Perils o sccessful T Am fon: THE f indsen from to the north, %m:n.x earlier expi to Arctic adventure a line of sturdy ships have surrenderce to the ice. Tess than two years a William Nutting and three companior set out from Norway to follow the V" ing trail A ship, the | peared | Greenluna their Artic riereal, a P: exped; their They disa; the coast centuries Vi In 1500, G se explorer d into Hudson Strait ina smal was never heard from again Popular Science Month sther and a number of co who organized u searchi | likewise lost | vears before there was n map of the Arctic, Sir Hugh Willoughby saile into the north, later to be found deud with his erew and the ship frozen fas in the ice Martin Frobisher search for the Northwest Passage it 11590 met with partial disaster whe one of his three ships foundered in gale. Bering madé many expeditions du ing the middle part of the elghteent! century, but was finally wrecked « the f. nd that now bears his namn {and died there, legend says, of broken heart. After a successful ve age into northern seas with Peary, in 1893, and a relief expedition, a year |latter, the Falcon, commanded by Cagt. Henry Bartlett, a skilled navi | gator, was lost with ail her crew. The first “mariner of the air” to be claimed by the Arctic was Salomon August Andree, who, with two companions, left Spitzhergen in 1897 fn a balloon fitted with sails and trafling ropes. They hoped to reach the Pole and r turn, but a few of the buoys droppéc | from the basket as a means of tracing ! the expedition and a message brought iby a carrier pigeon, were all that came back of the ill-fated venture. In May, 1845, Sir John Franklin, with 129 | men’and the Erebus and the Terror, set out to find a northwest passage. Neither the ships nor any of the men returned. Thirty relief expeditions, over as many vears, were sent in seacl of them, although a message found 14 | vears after the men had salled. stated hat the ships had Leen crushed ia icm Licf rica in Ericson, leaving Eariier exped par « | ventur craft a panior & expeditio were Four hundre