Carr emitted a hollow, despairing sound--a sort of musical groan--and
feebly plucked at space.
"I tried every lever, screw, and spring," she went on calmly, "but the
machine must have been out of order, for I only got one miserable little
spark----"
"You got a _spark?_"
"Yes--just a tiny, noiseless atom of white fire----"
Her father bounced to his feet and waved both hands at her distractedly.
"Do you know what you've done?" he bellowed.
"N-no----"
"Well, you've prepared yourself to fall in love! And you've probably
induced some indescribable pup to fall in love with you! And _that's_
what you've done!"
"In--_love!_"
"Yes, you have!"
"But how can a common wireless telephone----"
"It's another kind of a wireless. Your brother-in-law, William Destyn,
invented it; I'm backing it and experimenting with it. I told you to keep
out of that room. I hung up a sign on the door: _'Danger! Keep out!'_"
"W-was that thing loaded?"
"Yes, it _was_ loaded!"
"W-what with?"
"Waves!" shouted her father, furiously. "Psychic waves! You little ninny,
we've just discovered that the world and everything in it is enveloped in
psychic waves, as well as invisible electric currents. The minute you got
near that machine and opened the receiver, waves from your subconscious
personality flowed into it. And the minute you touched that spring and
got a spark, your psychic waves had signaled, by wireless, the
subconscious personality of some young man--some insufferable pup--who'll
come from wherever he is at present--from the world's end if need be--and
fall in love with you.
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