South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-06-30
--ITI73 EsEEIsIa AT,EAW
la.For Gods sake, AZ stop her I ezclain:

"tMe? he answered, with q quiet laugh.
tTm practical engineer, working in the
interests of science. I've studied for years
and years, and years; and now want to
make an experiment. Dou't interrupt
mel
5lls He gave me another look, full of wild
determination, and then hurst into Mt OF
hilarious laughter. a 1 -
~at tGood goodi goodi' he cried. But
sheH do better, better. better, by and by
| Now-she fiiesP0 p
He cave the throttle lever another
| Jerk; the engine shot away Faster tnsn
ever, and trees, telegraph poles, fences
and houses went by like lightning. te5 2
-oa For a moment sunk down upon my
seat in utter despair. To measure strength
with the madman was saw; simply SUI
EcidaI. A struggle could only result m
certain destruction to myself, and probable
destruction to the train and all on board
of it. But one possible chance of regain
ing control of the engine presented itself,
and that would require all the nerve ana
/ GOODNESS had IN me. l must draw nm
into conversation, and watch Tor my -op-
porsunity TO gain advantage, either OF his
creduIity or his vanity, sufficiently to In
duce him to give me his place. once
there, must trust to Providence and
my own courage to prevent turther mis-
chief
'f"I scanned him closer than ever for
moment or two. He seemed 70 have en-
| tirely forgotten my presence; now jump
ing up, and laughing and clappiDg his
hands; now letting more steam on; now
| looking eagerly out ahead, and murmur-
| ing: Better, better, better still = '-,-i
My heart was humping against my
chest, as j said: 5.s..-r r.ss r,l,.rz.
90 Yon seem to understand your busi-
ness pretty well, anyhow, my friend. Been
long at itY
"He looked at me, looked away again,
but did not answer. = sei5F % j
"I see you are good, practical engi-
neer, as you say l continued. How
long have you been in the businessT
"' Years, and years, and years, tell
youP h answered. { It was who fitted
out PEGASUS, the winged steed. I who
gave that fellow, Icarus, the wax wings;
but he flew too near Old Sol, and they
melted and let him down into the water.
Hal hal haF -
al wish I only had your experience at
it, said / what a team we'd make to-
gether, pulling in the cause of science, ehP
L "a new light, an expression of un-
speakable delight, lighted up his face as,
catching my words, he turned toward me
and, looking me full in the face, answered,
but no longer abstractedly:r veseZ O..
"sAre you for science, tooY q -.=s.
"f Science, every inch of met said 1.
"'Give US your handP and he shook
mine with a fervor which sent tingle TO
my very collar bone Hurrah for
science. You're the man I've been search
ing for with lantern these thousand
years. You can help me. But t'-and he
leaned and whispered in my ear, so dis
tinctly thatI could hear every word and
letter of it above the racket around us
can you keep secret?'
Certainly I can,' replied, while a sort
of creeping horror stole over me, as felt
his hot breath upon my face. ~
90 You swear you CAM he continued,
looking inquiringly into my face.
al swear 1 canF said 1, with des-
perate effort, looking back at him.
Because he grated out, between his
teeth, if / thought you meant to betray
me, I'd tear your tongue outp
i"Never fear one man of science be-
traying another answered, with sickly
attempt at bravery. Pm your mani
"sWeI, then, mind what say said the
mailman, apparently -reassured, and pull
ing from his coat pocket bunch of dirty
papers, scrawled all over with lead pencil
marks. Here's my secret, the result of
five hundred years hard study. To you,
as friend of science, / will impart it.
But remember your promisep
"By this time felt terribly uneasy
not only in apprehension of my strange
companions intentions, but on account of
the alarming rapidity at which we were
moving. The madman was crafty enough
to keep his position upon the foot board,
and | saw there was no hope of stealing a
march upon him in that direction.
az Now, you see,' he went on to say, "a
tangent from parabolic curve goes on to
infnity,' and he held up one of the soiled
scrawls before me, pointing out the marks
upon it with his long, craw-like fore
finger; and infnity is what? Do you
know? No; bnt you shall. Do know
Yes; and, in the cause of science, l am
going to show you. Speed, in locomotion,
tends toward infnity. Infnity is unknown.
The higher the speed, consequently, the
greater the proximity to the unknown.
Down where I've been studying, they
wouldn't let me build my engine to make
this experiment with. So,' and here his
/ voice fell to horrid whisper again, i
came away secretly the other night, and
now-hai ha ha 1--we got good engine
of my ownl Speed, speed, speed is what
we want Byand-by we'll be ready for
the tangent; then infnity, and then our
fortune is made foreverr -
"Isaw that hope was fast disappearing
His intention plainly was to put the en-,
CINE TO her highest speed, and send Us
whizzing over an embankment at the first
short curve. we had gone nine miles al.
ready, although only thirteen minutes had
elapsed since we left III nerved my
self for final effort. F#5
90 Come said /, your secret is a won
derful one, and now that know it, / viii
give you all my help to carry out you
plan. But you have overlooked one i'm
portant point The tangent which viii
quickest bring US to what we are after
infnity-must be directed from point a
near as possible to the base of the cone
That point we cannot discern, unless you
with your superior insight into the prin
eiple involved, take position upon tn
outside of the engine, and give me tn
signal when to send her Off
"The idea seemed to strike him.
"'Good better! bestp he exclaimed
: clapping his hand, and shaking mine
| LUZ NoA Jun liz!
That I shan't,' said, fervently, as b
e opened the window, and made a move
ment as if to pass out upon the ratnnin
board.
l "My heart beat high again, but thi
: time with hope and anticipation. Ono
, outside, he would be at my mercy lon
enough for me to whistle down brake
r shut off steam, and reverse the engine
"Alasl suddenly he turned, slammin
the window, and then, glaring upon m
e like demon, he hissed - ~
e ""You've betrayed mel What did
n tell you?" p aTz;iz-
a trembled with horror rrrT. r.--
J, asCome, come said; mo 1 haven
t Go ahead. Seel there's the curve ju
!, ahead. Hurry, be quick, or the chance
L gonep -@Il- fr--l
5 al say you've betrayed me, and II
i going to kill you'll l heard you whispt
o my secret a moment ago' and he can
, toward me with all the frenzy and savag
cruelty of maniac 7a
b Now thought 1, 'one last struggl
u for life OF death, and mastering all m
force, / struck him fearful blow with m
e clenched fist upon the forehead.
is g Still he neared me / felt his lon