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outline. Say Jane was to cross the herring pond again, and the same thing was to
happen. The submarine, the sinking ship, every one to take to the boats--and so
on. Wouldn't that do the trick? Wouldn't it give a mighty big bump to her
subconscious self, or whatever the jargon is, and start it functioning again right
away?"
"A very interesting speculation, Mr. Hersheimmer. In my own opinion, it would be
successful. It is unfortunate that there is no chance of the conditions repeating
themselves as you suggest."
"
"
"
"
"
Not by nature, perhaps, doc. But I'm talking about art."
Art?"
Why, yes. What's the difficulty? Hire a liner----"
A liner!" murmured Dr. Hall faintly.
Hire some passengers, hire a submarine--that's the only difficulty, I guess.
Governments are apt to be a bit hidebound over their engines of war. They won't
sell to the firstcomer. Still, I guess that can be got over. Ever heard of the word
'graft,' sir? Well, graft gets there every time! I reckon that we shan't really need to
fire a torpedo. If every one hustles round and screams loud enough that the ship
is sinking, it ought to be enough for an innocent young girl like Jane. By the time
she's got a life-belt on her, and is being hustled into a boat, with a well-drilled lot
of artistes doing the hysterical stunt on deck, why--she ought to be right back
where she was in May, 1915. How's that for the bare outline?"
Dr. Hall looked at Julius. Everything that he was for the moment incapable of
saying was eloquent in that look.
"No," said Julius, in answer to it, "I'm not crazy. The thing's perfectly possible. It's
done every day in the States for the movies. Haven't you seen trains in collision
on the screen? What's the difference between buying up a train and buying up a
liner? Get the properties and you can go right ahead!"
Dr. Hall found his voice.
"
But the expense, my dear sir." His voice rose. "The expense! It will be
COLOSSAL!"
"Money doesn't worry me any," explained Julius simply.
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