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The Thinking Machine Collected Stories Novel Chapters
List of most recent chapters published for the The Thinking Machine Collected Stories novel. A total of 234 chapters have been translated and the release date of the last chapter is Apr 02, 2024
Latest Release: Chapter 1 : THE THINKING MACHINE.Collected Stories by Jacques Futrelle.ABOUT THE AUTHOR.Jacques Futr
THE THINKING MACHINE.Collected Stories by Jacques Futrelle.ABOUT THE AUTHOR.Jacques Futrelle (1875-1912) was born in Georgia on April 9th, the son of an Atlanta teacher. He began to write for the Atlanta Journal at age 18, and moved on to the New York Her
- 134 "If we knew how to communicate with him, we'd go get him instead!" declared Admiral Hausen-Aubier grimly. "There are eight hundred men on the battles.h.i.+p who--"The Thinking Machine arose, stood staring blankly at the two, much as if he had never s
- 133 "We have not informed the emperor of the affair as yet," he said, at last, steadily. "We thought it inadvisable to go so far until every effort had been made to--"The Thinking Machine interrupted him with an impatient gesture of one slender hand."As
- 132 "He says, sir," she reported, "that he's the amba.s.sador to the United States from Germania-Austria.""Show him in at once."Two gentlemen entered, one Baron Von Hartzfeldt, polished, courtly, distinguished in appearance, a famous figure in the dipl
- 131 "Then we saw Mr. Knight. He a.s.sured me, and I believed him, that he had never had any other love affair, therefore no woman would have had a motive in killing Miss Oliver because of him. He was positive, too, that Miss Oliver had never had any other lo
- 130 The servant bowed and left them. A short wait and Mr. Oliver entered."I am sorry to disturb you at such a time, Mr. Oliver," said the scientist, "but if you can give me just a little information I think perhaps we may get a full light on this unfortuna
- 129 "No motive of course?" asked The Thinking Machine."Well, the question of motive isn't exactly clear but our further investigations will bring it out all right," the detective admitted. "I should imagine the motive to be jealousy. Of course the story
- 128 "What happened?" he asked."She was stabbed," said Dr. Brander again. "When we examined her we found the knife-a long, keen, short-handled stiletto. It was driven in with great force directly under her left arm and penetrated the heart. She must have
- 127 "And the motive?" asked Detective Mallory, at last."Will you tell us just why you killed Mr. Dudley?" asked The Thinking Machine of the j.a.panese."I will not," exclaimed Osaka, suddenly. It was the first time he had spoken."It probably had to do w
- 126 Mrs. Dudley left the room an instant and returned with a cabinet photograph. Hatch and the scientist looked at it together; it was unmistakably the man in the motor boat."You can do nothing yourself," said The Thinking Machine at last, and he moved as i
- 125 The Thinking Machine ascended the steps, followed by Hatch, and rang. After a minute or so the door was opened and a light flooded out. Standing before them was a j.a.panese-a man of indeterminate age with the graven face of his race."Is Mr. Dudley in?"
- 124 Captain Hank watched the boat curiously until she was swallowed up, lost in the mist, then turned to his own affairs. He was a couple of miles out of Boston Harbour, going in; it was six o'clock of a gray morning. A few minutes after the disappearance of
- 123 "In that event they were in the motor boat when it left the Romanic and we must believe they were not in it when it docked. Yet the motor boat neither spoke nor approached any other vessel. The jewels were not thrown into the water. The man Ches.h.i.+re
- 122 "There are still three possibilities," he told himself at the end as he carefully restored the room to its previous condition. "He might have left them in a package in the s.h.i.+p's safe but that's improbable-too risky; he might have left them in a
- 121 The paper burned, and The Thinking Machine crumpled up the ashes and dropped them in a waste-basket.Two days later Franklin Phillips was himself again; on the fourth day he appeared at his office. On the sixth the market began to feel the master's clutch
- 120 "And then if I demonstrated tangibly how it sounded you would be satisfied?""Yes, of course-yes.""Very good." And the scientist turned to the reporter: "Mr. Hatch, 'phone the Weather Bureau and ask if there was a storm about midnight preceding the
- 119 "I didn't expect you to," interrupted The Thinking Machine crustily. "I merely want to know if you noticed one.""No," retorted Mr. Phillips shortly."And could you explain your precise feelings?" continued the scientist. "Did the effect of the be
- 118 He turned away from the window, and, for a second time, examined the still and silent gong. Somewhere in his mind seemed to be an inkling that the gong might be more closely a.s.sociated than appeared with the mystery of death, and yet, watching him curio
- 117 "You need about six months in Europe more than anything else," Doctor Perdue declared. "Take three weeks, shape up your business and go. Meanwhile, if you won't sell the gong or throw it away, keep out of its reach."Next morning a man-a stranger-was
- 116 Mr. Phillips regarded him keenly. He was seeking in the other's manner some inkling to a solution of a mystery which each moment seemed more hopelessly beyond him."I shouldn't care to part with it," he replied casually. "It was given to me by my wife
- 115 "Do you happen to have any clerk?" he asked. "Or did you have three months ago?""No, I never had a clerk," explained the German with a violence which Mr. Phillips did not understand. "There has never been anybody here but me. I never had a j.a.pane
- 114 __________________________.THE HAUNTED BELL.I.It was a thing, trivial enough, yet so strangely mystifying in its happening that the mind hesitated to accept it as an actual occurrence despite the indisputable evidence of the sense of hearing. As the secon
- 113 "Come right up," he instructed.There was that in his voice which caused Hatch to jump. He seized his hat and rushed out of his office. When he reached The Thinking Machine's apartments that gentleman was just emerging from the room where the telephone
- 112 "Just what sort of a suit case was that she carried?""Oh, I don't know," replied Professor Dexter. "I didn't particularly notice. It seemed to be about the usual kind of a suit case-sole leather I imagine.""She arrived in this country yesterday y
- 111 "Right where you are, facing the laboratory door."The Thinking Machine glanced back at the window behind him."And you?" he asked."I sat here facing her.""You know that she did not enter the laboratory?""I know it, yes," replied Professor Dexter
- 110 She handed the letter to him and together they seated themselves under one of the windows near the door into the outer hallway. Professor Dexter pulled up a light chair facing her and opened the letter. He glanced through it and then looked up with a newl
- 109 Three days later came another tragedy. Bartow Gillespie and his brother James were found dead in a room together ten miles from the scene of the Barrett affair. Bartow, the eldest, had been strangled to death precisely as Mildred Barrett had been. James G
- 108 Still silence. He entered and began groping around pitifully. Mildred must be there, somewhere. And finally, as he groped on, he came upon her. One foot struck some yielding obstacle, and he dropped on his knees beside it. A touch of his fingers on the fa
- 107 There was a pause while the chief and the remainder of the party absorbed this."Dead," exclaimed the chief. "How?""Suicide by poison," was the brief response. "Anyway, I had established the owners.h.i.+p of the dagger. I also learned that Ha.s.san
- 106 "Mahogany," Hatch replied."Good, very good. Now, Mr. Hatch, you go to Boston, see this young man, Willard Clements, the real estate collector. Don't be afraid to ask him questions. Ask him pointedly if he happens to be acquainted with a burglar. It wi
- 105 "Well, under the circ.u.mstances, I suppose, perhaps--""Now," said The Thinking Machine.The chief pressed a b.u.t.ton. After a moment one of his men came in."Bring Wilkes in here," directed the police official.The man went out and after a time retur
- 104 IV.Mr. Ha.s.san left Boston that night for Was.h.i.+ngton. He took the dagger with him. The Thinking Machine made no objection, and the very existence of the man was as yet unknown to the police."When it is necessary to produce that dagger," he explaine
- 103 "Will you produce it?" asked The Thinking Machine calmly."I will not," was the firm response. "I have explained that it is not to be seen by the eyes of unbelievers.""If a charge of murder should be laid against you, would you produce it?" insiste
- 102 "That seems perfectly clear," Hatch remarked smilingly. "That is, the nature of the problem itself is clear, but the solution is as far away as ever."The Thinking Machine arose abruptly and pa.s.sed into the adjoining room. After a while Hatch heard t
- 101 "Here, O'Brien," instructed the detective, "run out and 'phone to Dr. Loyd and tell him to come up as fast as he can get here. It's probably only suicide."One of the men went out, and the detective picked up and examined the m.u.f.f. From it he dre
- 100 "Well, our acquaintance was rather brief," replied Miss Bellingdame. "I met him abroad, and at his at his suggestion came directly over with him. Now that everything has happened, I hardly know just what I shall do next."The telegraph sounder clicked
- 99 "I don't know if Dr. Maher even knows just why I ordered Tennell under arrest," continued the Captain. "Miss Bellingdame's story decided me. She was going to the wireless office to send a message, when she saw a man-it was First Officer Tennell-thrus
- 98 "You know whose knife it is then?" asked the Captain finally."Yes," and the first officer's head dropped forward. "It's mine."There was a long dead silence. The hands of the first officer were working nervously, with heavy fingers threading in and
- 97 _________________________.PROBLEM OF THE INTERRUPTED WIRELESS.Seven bells sounded. The door of the wireless telegraph office on the main deck of the transatlantic liner Ura.n.u.s was opened quietly, and a man thrust his head out. One quick glance to his r
- 96 "Are all your grandfather's belongings still in the house?" asked the scientist."Yes, everything just as he left it; that is, except his dog and a parrot. They are temporarily in charge of a widow down the road here."The scientist looked at Dr. Balla
- 95 "Five thousand dollars?" exclaimed Mr. van Safford."Five thousand dollars," repeated the scientist."Why, man, it's perfectly absurd to talk--"Mrs. van Safford laid one white hand on her husband's arm. He glanced at her and she smiled radiantly."D
- 94 "To watch Mrs. van Safford and see where she goes.""I wouldn't have done it before, but I will now." Hatch responded promptly. The bull-dog in him was aroused. "I want to see what the joke is."It was ten o'clock next evening when Hatch called to m
- 93 "Two years-last June.""Most remarkable," supplemented the scientist. Mr. van Safford stared. "How old are you?""Thirty.""How long have you been thirty?""Six months-since last May."There was a long pause. Mr. van Safford plainly did not see the
- 92 Mr. van Safford arose suddenly, stood glaring down at her for an instant, then turning abruptly left the house. Involuntarily she had started up, then she sat down again and wept softly over her coffee. Mr. van Safford seemed to have a very definite purpo
- 91 "May I inquire," she went on placidly, and a dimple snuggled at a corner of her mouth, "if that particular grunt means that you are or are not?"Mr. van Safford lowered his newspaper and glanced at his wife's pretty face. She smiled charmingly."Reall
- 90 "You must not speak or call, or make the slightest sound," she whispered tensely. "If you do, I'll kill you. Do you understand?"Hatch confessed by a nod that he understood. He also imagined that he understood this sudden change in guard, and the warn
- 89 "Oh, no.""Truthfully?""Truthfully.""You may lower your hands," she said, as if satisfied; "then go on ahead of me straight across the field to the road. Turn to your left there. Don't look back under any circ.u.mstances. I shall be behind you wi
- 88 "Dear me!" exclaimed the scientist irritably. "That's bad. Well, has it any knots in it?" he asked with marked resignation.Hatch felt that he had committed the unpardonable sin. "Yes," he replied after an examination. "It has two knots in it-just
- 87 "For your benefit, Mr. Mills," continued the scientist, "I will state that the motive for the girl's act was one which reflected her great courage, and her loyalty to you-perhaps at the same time her regard for another man. Do you follow me? In some w
- 86 "But he's the sort of man who would scuttle to cover like a scared rabbit," Hatch protested. "Wouldn't matter how badly hurt he was, if he could walk he would hide.""You seem to think, Mr. Hatch, that leaping through a window, taking all the gla.s.
- 85 Several times he ran his fingers slowly through his red hair. It was plain that he was deeply puzzled. He was on the point of rising to continue his investigations in other directions, when he heard something. It was a voice-a quiet, soothing, pleasant vo
- 84 "Anything missing, sir?" inquired Young."Not so far as we know," was the reply. "Don't make any excitement about it, please. He is breathing yet, isn't he?""Yes," answered Carroll. "He doesn't seem to be hurt-just unconscious.""Lack of air,
- 83 Again he examined the instrument under the light, with something akin to perplexity on his drawn face; then allowed his eyes to follow the silken wire as it led up, across the room, and out the window. Did it go up or down? Probably up, possibly down. He
- 82 "About two hundred and fifty thousand dollars," was the reply. "It was to be used under his direction in furthering an investigation into the psychic. He and I had planned just how it was to be spent."Personally Mr. Varick is no longer interested in t
- 81 "Now, Mr. Varick, the keys to your apartment, please," asked the scientist.They were handed over and he placed them in his pocket. Then he turned to Varick."From this time on," he said, "your name is John Smith. You are going on a trip, beginning imm
- 80 "Of course if you've made up your mind to do it," he said irritably, "I don't see what can be done." There was a trace of irony in his voice, a coldness which brought Varick around a little. "Just how is it going to happen?""I shall be murdered-s
- 79 "Danger?" repeated Varick with a slight lifting of his brows. "Oh well, in that case I shall keep out of it.""Not danger to your business, Sahib," the crystal gazer went on with troubled face, "but danger in another way."The girl, Jadeh, looked at
- 78 "I'm sure I don't know," The Thinking Machine confessed frankly. "I think, perhaps, it was Monsieur St. Rocheville, so called; but there's nothing to connect him-- Please sit down, Mallory. You annoy me. It would do no good to search his apartment.
- 77 Indignant at the intrusion of the police in what she was pleased to term her personal affairs-the detectives who had been there before were from a private agency-Mrs. Wardlaw Browne bustled into the room where The Thinking Machine and his party waited. Mo
- 76 "Had been cheating," The Thinking Machine supplied crabbedly. "Go on.""As a result of that little unpleasantness," St. Rocheville continued, "the game ended, and we joined the ladies. Now, please understand that it is not my wish to retaliate upon
- 75 "They say she's a bird charmer," Rex went on. "She charmed me, all right. Gad, I always knew I was a bird!"In his own apartments again, St. Rocheville, hot from his exertions on the tennis court, was preparing for a cold plunge, when Blitz fluttered
- 74 "There's a man named Howard Guerin now asleep in his state room aboard the steamer Austriana, which sails at five o'clock this morning-just an hour and a half from now-for Hamburg," began The Thinking Machine without any preface. "Please have him arr
- 73 " 'Now, Mr. Richards,' he said at last very slowly, 'what we want you to do is very simple, and as I said there's a hundred dollars in it. I know your circ.u.mstances perfectly-you need the hundred dollars.' He offered me a cigar, and foolishly enou
- 72 One hour later the long lost family plate and jewels of the ancient Harding family had been unearthed. The Thinking Machine and the others stooped over the rotting box which had been brought to the surface and noted the contents. Roughly the value was abo
- 71 "Enough to understand and to make myself understood," replied the girl. "Why?"The Thinking Machine scribbled off a copy of the cipher and handed it to her."I'll communicate with you when I reach a conclusion," he remarked. "Please leave your addre
- 70 "Naturally I was a little surprised," she remarked falteringly, "that I should have appeared just in time to interrupt a discussion of the singular happenings in my home last night; but really--""This bracelet," interrupted the little scientist agai
- 69 "You have," Miss Harding a.s.sented. "And may I ask why you want this bracelet?""I should answer that it was no concern of yours.""You said borrow it, I believe?""Either I will borrow it or take it.""Is there any certainty that it will ever be
- 68 "Precisely five weeks and four days ago," replied The Thinking Machine. "Your records show that. On your own books, in your own handwriting, is a complete solution of the problem, although you didn't know it," he added magnanimously. "Everything is
- 67 "Silence, please," whispered the scientist.He took the lantern from the warden's unresisting hand, and going softly to the cot turned the light full into the face of the sleeping man. For a second or so he gazed steadily at the features upturned thus t
- 66 "Not on your life!" declared the warden. "He's in for eight years, and he doesn't get out till that's up.""I have reason to believe-the best reason in the world to believe-that he has been out," insisted the reporter."You are talking through you
- 65 When she appeared again at the open door with pitcher and drinking gla.s.s she paused a second time in amazement. The distinguished scientist was sitting cross legged on the couch, thoughtfully caressing the back of his head."Martha, did anyone call?" h
- 64 For a long time no one spoke. The Thinking Machine had dropped back into a chair and was staring through his thick gla.s.ses at the ceiling; his finger tips were pressed tightly together. At last he began: "There are certain trivial gaps which only the i
- 63 "Murder?" gasped Cabell, at last."Yes, he speaks English all right," remarked The Thinking Machine. "Now, Mr. Cabell, will you please tell me just who Miss Austin is, and where she is, and her mental condition? Believe me, it may save you a great dea
- 62 The reporter silently considered that for a moment, then: "Well, I have the main facts, anyway. There may be one or two minor questions left, but the princ.i.p.al ones are answered.""Then tell me, to the minutest detail, what you have learned, what has
- 61 "Heard the news?" asked the manager."No," Hatch replied. "What is it?""Somebody's shot Mr. Henley as he was pa.s.sing through the Common early to-night."Hatch whistled in amazement."Is he dead?""No, but he is unconscious. The hospital doctors
- 60 "Here, I believe, is the real clew to the problem," he explained to Hatch. "What does it seem to be?"Hatch examined it closely."I should say a strand from a Turkish bath robe," was his final judgement."Possibly. Ask some cloth expert what he makes
- 59 "Any other entrance to the bas.e.m.e.nt except this way-and you could see anyone coming here this way I suppose?""Sure I could see 'em. There's no other entrance to the cellar except the coal hole in the sidewalk in front.""Two big electric lights
- 58 "Turned on full," was the reply."Were both the doors of the room locked?""Both, yes.""Any cotton, or cloth, or anything of the sort stuffed in the cracks of the window?""No. It's a tight-fitting window, anyway. Are you trying to make a mystery o
- 57 MYSTERY OF THE SCARLET THREAD.I.The Thinking Machine-Professor Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen, Ph. D, LL. D., F. R. S., M. D., etc., scientist and logician-listened intently and without comment to a weird, seemingly inexplicable story. Hutchinson Hatch, repo
- 56 "Next I asked for the handkerchief. Mr. Fraser asked me into his office to look at it. I saw a woman-Miss Clarke it was-in there and declined to go. Instead, I examined the handkerchief outside. I don't know that my purpose there can be made clear to yo
- 55 "Because I understood you were making the investigation for the bank," she responded, unhesitatingly, "and I dreaded the notoriety of telling the police.""If this William Dineen is at large you believe he did this?""I am almost positive.""Thank y
- 54 He finished the test he had under way, then left the little laboratory and went into the hall leading to the sitting-room, where unprivileged callers awaited his pleasure. He sniffed a little as he stepped into the hall. At the door of the sitting-room he
- 53 "And the others?" asked The Thinking Machine.Generally there was acquiescence, and as the men came forward the scientist searched them, perfunctorily, it seemed. Nothing! At last there remained three men, Dunston, West and Fraser. Dunston came forward,
- 52 "Yes," said the reporter. The bank officials exchanged wondering looks."Also, Mr. Hatch," and the scientist squinted with his strange eyes straight into the face of the cas.h.i.+er, "go to the home of Mr. West, here, see for yourself his laundry mark
- 51 President Fraser called Professor Van Dusen-The Thinking Machine-and talked for a moment through the 'phone. Then he turned back to West."He'll come," he said, with an air of relief. "I was able to do him a favor once by putting an invention on the m
- 50 It was an hour after closing time. Dunston was just pulling on his coat when he saw West come out of his private office with the money to put it away in the big steel safe which stood between depositors and thieves. The cas.h.i.+er paused a moment to allo
- 49 "Oh, I see what you mean. Shot from the outside. No, there was no hole."The brow of the scientist had been smooth and unruffled as the summer sea; but now the minute corrugations which Hatch knew so well appeared again, and he sat silent for a time."Wh
- 48 Then for a time The Thinking Machine sat with fingertips pressed idly together, squinting blankly at the ceiling."While a motive is never absolutely essential to the solution of any criminal problem," he observed after awhile, "it will frequently indic
- 47 "I don't want his devotion!" blazed Miss Farrar. "The mere sight of him is intolerable to me. It's all just like-like I was being sold to him. It's perfectly hideous, and I won't-I won't-I won't!"Defiance melted into tears of anger and mortifica
- 46 "There are shades of emotion intuition, call it what you will, so subtle that it is difficult to express them in words. As I had instinctively a.s.sociated Harrison with Bell's present condition I instinctively a.s.sociated this woman with Harrison. For
- 45 "Anything important?" asked Doane, anxiously."Yes," said the scientist, and he slipped a finger beneath the flap of the envelope. "It's clear now. It was an engaging problem from first to last, and now--"He opened the telegram and glanced at it; th
- 44 "His health has been bad for some time and recently he gave up active business," said the woman. "Previously he was connected with a bank.""When did you see him last?""Six weeks ago. He left the house one day and I have never heard from him since.
- 43 "What were the circ.u.mstances, exactly?" asked Hatch."I'm a traveling man," Manning explained. "I go everywhere. A friend gave me a card to the Lincoln Club in Pittsburg and I went there. There were five or six of us playing poker, among them Mr.-M
- 42 "Well, well, well!" he exclaimed at last. Then again: "Well, well!""What is it?""See here," and The Thinking Machine took the hundred-dollar bills in his own hands. "These bills, perfectly new and crisp, were issued by the Blank National Bank of
- 41 "It may be that when he comes to he will have recovered him memory, and in that event he will have absolutely no recollection whatever of you and me," explained The Thinking Machine.Doane moved a little at last, and under a stimulant the color began to
- 40 II.When John Doane of Nowhere-to all practical purposes-left the home of The Thinking Machine he bore instructions of divers kinds. First he was to get a large map of the United States and study it closely, reading over and p.r.o.nouncing aloud the name o
- 39 "It's perfectly incomprehensible," he said. "It's precisely as if I, full grown, had been born into a world of which I knew nothing except its language. The ordinary things, chairs, tables and such things, are perfectly familiar, but who I am, where
- 38 "The first five days were bad enough-short rations, little or no water, no sleep, and all that; but what came after was h.e.l.l! At the end of that fifth day there were only five of us-Ordway and me, the woman and child, and another man. I don't know wh
- 37 "You believe, then," Hatch demanded, "that Walpole is innocent?""I believe nothing of the sort," snapped the scientist. "He's probably guilty. If we find no bullet mark, I'm merely saying what sort of man we must look for.""But-but how do you k
- 36 "Nerves," he said. "Overwork, and no recreation.""But, doctor, I have no time for recreation!" the old millionaire whined. "My business--""Time!" Doctor Anderson growled indignantly. "You're seventy years old, and you're worth fifty million d
- 35 On the following morning the card appeared again, with only three words, as before: One million dollars!Abruptly the aged millionaire wheeled around to face Walpole, who sat regarding him oddly."It came the same way, sir," the seedy little secretary exp