The Blind Spot

is Harry

am still a young man; I have had a good education and still have friends and admirers. Such being the case, you

hall do it completely and go back to

I could not understand objection; the cat resisted for certain utilitarian reasons of its own and my mother through humane sympathy. I had been scratched and spanked in addition: it w

iful and soft and balmy; the world at full exuberance; the buds upon the trees, the flowers, and the songbirds singing. I could not understand it. It was so beautiful and

hen I

angles as is the manner of fat boys and his arms away from his body. I slid off the porch quietly. Here was something that could suffer for the cat and my mother

hem out of my reach. Then he tried to run away. But I had learned from the cat that had scratched me. I clung on, bitin

lders, to force me back, and finally to upset me. Then in the stolid way, and after the manner of fat boys, he sat upon my chest. When our startled mothers came upon the scene they so found us-I u

it? Who s

emember

boy backed off quietly and clung to

did you s

no a

ou started it. Didn't y

odd

me by the hand

has a temper like sin; but he wi

are so entwined and so related that without it you could not get the gist of the story. In the afternoon I came across the street to play with Hobart. He met me smiling. It was not in h

shall say right now that the fights were mostly my fault. I started them one and all; and if every battle had

althy, fat, and, like fat boys, forever laughing. He followed me into trouble and when I was retreating he valiantly defended the rear. Stro

n I got into deep water Hobart would come along, pluck me out and pull me to shore and safety. Did you

to help him take care of his baby sister. That is about the supreme sacrifice of a boy's devotion. In after years, of course, he

mathematics; he can talk to you from the binomial theorem up into Calculus; he is never so happy as when the air is buzzing with a conversation charged with induction coils, alternating currents, or atomic energy. The whole swing and force of popular science is his kingdom. I w

ntered law college, and in due time was admitted to practice. It was while studying to qualify that I first ran into philosophy. I was a lad to enjoy quick, pithy, epigrammatic statem

own and seldom came out second best, and when he lost out he could laugh like the next one. I was deeply impressed by him. As I took course after course under him I was convinced that for all of his dr

wisdom. I became interested and gradually took up with his speculation; for all

tand it. I was preparing for the law. He could see no advantage to be derived from this digging into speculation. He was practi

n for three thousand years. What have they got? You could read all their literature from the pyramid

rld is locked up in the concrete; unless a thing has wheels, pistons, some sort of combustion, or a chemical act

"Fine," he ans

red, "that's wh

our funeral, Harry. When you have found, it

rmulas. Just the same, next day when I entered Holcomb's lecture-room

ring department. Told him I wanted to study philosophy. The old boy put up a beautiful holler. Couldn't understand what an engineer would want with psychology or et

at. Perhaps you intend to take your notes over to the m

gri

mber that. I'm not much on phrases; but I'm sure the strong boy with the hammer. You don't ob

dy of philosophy. When the class was over and we we

old doctor is there; he's got them going.

s not more than a week after registration. In the time ensuing Fenton became just as great an enthusiast as myself. His id

eing a convert o

question. For all of my faith in the professor I was hardly prepared for a thing like this. Str

side of your abstract. That's good paradox, Harry; but almighty poor logic. If it is so it certainly can be proven. There's not one re

er or an equally great case of abduction. There were but few, even in the university, who embraced the sid

He was practical and concrete, and not at all attuned to philosophy; he had not the training for deep dry thinking. He wo

deep study?"

s I could see that his t

deep study?"

inking, Harry;

ha

d like to have about one hundred thousan

wered; "I could think that mys

hat I would do if I had that much m

as the idea that buzzed in the head of Hobart Fenton? He is concrete, physical, fearless. He is in South America. I have cabled to him and expect him as fast as steam

ve for the great professor I have pitted myself against it. From the beginning it has been almost hopeless. I remember that last digressio

romised by Dr. Holcomb? Through what process and what laws did the professor acquire even his partial control over the phenomena? Where

s up and onward. I am not a brave man, perhaps, under close analysis; but once I have given my word I shall keep it. I have done my bit; my simple duty. Perhaps I have failed. In holding myself against the Blind Spot I have done no m

tle. There are so many laws in the weave of Cosmos that are still unguessed. What is this death that we are afraid of? What is life? Ca

ows already will not hurt repeating. It is well that man shall have it; it may be that we shall both fail-there is no telling; but i

I am a bit loose, remember the stress under which I am