The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-09-17

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another button was touched, and
a sort ofdoor admit ted us to tho in
terror. The door shut behind us and
there was darkness for moment.
Then a dim light revealed tho mys-
terious mechanism within.
"'You see l have windows below
the wings. When the machine be-
comes a fish ! hive to depend upon
electricity. OF which Ihave stored a
sufficientsupply to afford light and
motive power for twenty-eight hours.
Following the curve OF the earth in
this latitude and going east or west,
have calculated that the storage
would bring me back to this starting
point.
"'Here are the springs which cause
the machine to descend. 1t also is
in the interior arrangement, and pro-
duces the fish form. BY this button
the depth of it's immersion in the wa
teris regulated. A like arrangement
on this side gives the bird form when
desired, and regulates the elevation.
This button develops the electric
force
'All this had been said with sim
plicity and assurance which turned
my head. reached out my hand
and touched Mr.. Brunton, to assure
myself that flesh and blood stood be-
fore me. He was surprised, and then
MS If understanding my gesture, he
said
"'Yes, it is allsurprising. Even to
me, when first dreamed of it, it all
seemed impossible. But have taken
night journeys with my machine
which prove it's reliability. On one
occasion remember surprising you
ut IL O'Clock at night by calling at
your house to give an order which l
had omitted when l saw you at noon.
crossed Lake Michigan that night
in just two minutesv
"He must be mad, and yet l re-
membered the incident he mentioned.
Let me see you turn on the pow
err said, with absolute incredulity
as to it's existence.
Certainly, ifyou wish it, he re-
piled. Excuse me just a moment
and he stepped into the open air.
When outside he touched spring
just as the door shut behind him,
and-I tell you the rest is too horrible
to think of.
CHAPTER II. -
GA sudden blaze CT light, an almost
imperceptible jerk, were my momen-
tary sensations when the door closed.
l waited for Brunton's return, but
strange, rushing sound forced itself
on my ears-a sound which / could
not understand. could liken it only
to the roar of cyclone. Could it he
possible that real cyclone was APP
preaching, and that was shut up in
this trap, and entirely at the storms
mercy? looked through one of the
openings, expecting to see the wood
en- structure within which Brupton
concealed his secret work.
"God in heavenl What did it
mean? Around the Internal machine
in which / was inclosed there were no
wooden walls. Only the open sky,
and now and then a bank offog, into
which / passed and from which l
emerged, almost as soon as had en-
tered it. was dazed; but in few
moments the conviction forced itself
upon me that the mailman had trap
ped me to make me the means oftest-
ing his insane conception of bird and
fish travel. Yes, below me was the
earth-far, far down; and as Hooked
tho depressions and elevations of the
surface were becoming more and
more indistinct. / was rising,
as well as speeding along as
l had never Travelled before. l
thought of the button which the
lunatic had told me would regulate
the ascent of the bird. But ahead of
me l saw a glittering surface, which l
recognized to be Lake Erie. was
hurrying toward it with fearful ra-
pidity. Dare l touch the button?
Higher and higher was ! being car
ried. The chill of the atmosphere
was becomming intolerable. Almost
below me was the long, cleaning
lake; and if the button should guide
me downward into the lake there
could only be one consequence
death. But every instant Twas ris-
ing, and the chill was becoming more
unbearable. must die at any rate
if l rose much higher. l could only
die il l plunged into the lake. l
touched the button-very lightly.
The effect was like magic. began
to descend, not SO rapidly as had
feared, but / was descending, and now
the lake was below me. My finger
was resting on the button, aud an in
voluntary movement of my fingers
turned it little TO the right. The
descending motion ceased, and ]
seemed now to maintain a fixed
height above the water. The end of
the lake was near. There was But
falo, and onward Traced, faster than
q cyclone-faeter than anything of
which human beings had ever
dreamed. Onward over northern
New York, and ahead of me saw
mountains, against which l must be
dashed, unless / could again ascend.
"My whole thoughts were now con-
centrated in trying to control this
devils ship. But there was an I'M
comfortable fascination rising within
me as thought that l was the first
,x,b<~ 10 Il f,o roIaI M moe ,0u IL