Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-07-28

thC AdA &c DdCh AAbc viz
city, Billy slipped around and squatted
down on the front step in the shadow,
and not until they had fully started did
he find out that it was not his chum,
but the car who had charge of the
car. The latter hadn't seen Billy, and
the boy made himself as small as pos
sibie in the shadow, hoping he would
not be seen.
CHANGING back, 1.-The ear" fastened
the front door of the car with its strong
catch on the outside, and then took
from his pocket bottle OF some liquid
that sparlzled in the moonlight Plac-
ing this on the little stand in front
holding the switch and buttons con-
trolling the current. he took several
strips OF some kind of metal and bend
ing them so that one end went down
into the bottle while the other went
down among the buttons of the switch,
he rubbed his hands together in glee,
and said to himself, as he auivered with
excitement:
Now for the test, I know | am
right, but / must prove it to myself,
What are a few lives in comparison
with al eternal truth?
Il will give the crank one notch, and
make connection with the elixir. Now
the speed ought to be four times
great as it is usually with one notch.
for there is four times the amount of
current on. Aha. So it Is. We are GO
ing as fast as if ] had turned on four
notches instead OF one. Now / will put
on another notch: and if my rule of geo
metrical progression is right the amount
of current will be, not eight times
what it usually is on one notch, but
eight times what it usually is on tire
notches See how we fly! I'm right.
I'm right. Now for another notch to
make our speed sixteen times the or
binary speed of three nOtshes.
The car seemed TO be simply flying.
Was it really going as fast as it seemed,
or was it simply going at its usual
speed down a smooth grade? Billy
was fearfully frightened, and so were
the passengers. Every face grew white
with fear at the horrible laugh of the
motor-nan. and women and children
screamed as they realized the danger
that seemed to threaten.
The track was perfectly straight for
miles, but at the rate ut which they
We're going they wouid soon cover II.
and right at the curve was the crossing
of trunk line of railroad. while up
the valley could be seen a train COM
ing swiftly down towards the same
cross ing.
When the maniac saw this he sent
forth another yell of laughter and cx-
claimed: Heaven aid me, Now for the
supreme test, Five nOtches will lift
these cars bodily into the air and we
will clear that train ut n bound. How
lucky that I prepared the motor to take
all the current | can give it -
His shrill scream attracted the atten-
ton of those in the cars to the certain
death at the railroad crossing. and in
rushing back to the trailer or the next
car, or in the effort to jump off, a man
stumbled and caught hold of the trolley
rope. thus pulling the trolley wheel
from the wire and shutting off the cur
rent. With yell of rage the car,
surprising it done Intentionally, grasped
the heavy steel svitch-bar, unfastened
the door. bounded into the car. Drained
with one blow the man who had grasped
the rope, and then reaGjusted the troll
ley-wheel. No one dared to lay hands
upon the naBiac. with his terrible
weapon.
Then it was that Billy saw his
chance. He had been paralyzed by the
remarkable proceedings OF the car
but now, springing up. he slammed
the door, fastened it with the catch |
then grasped the crank and turned off
all current. at the same time acct
dentally knocking off that strange
bottle of liquid as he did so. Then he
put on the brakes, using all his boyish
strength. The momentum that had
been acquired by the ear carried il for
ward without any perceptible diminu
ton of Jpeed; the old fiagman on the
crossing was frantically waving his
lantern to both trains, and the czar"
with the steel bar was hammering
down the door in frenzy of rage as he
had seen his bottle of precious liquid
broken and lost.
Billy soon saw that he would not be
able to stop the car with the brakes,
but before he could take any other ac
ton the maniac was through the door
and upon him. Grasping the boy by
the throat, he held him up and shook |
him as "a terrier would rat and then |
hurled him down upon the track in |
front Of the flying car.
just at this instant the car stopped; |
and with such suddenness that it threw !
full force. hurled the maniac over the |
front of the car, started backward, |
jumped the track. broke connection. |