Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1894-05-04

EVILS OF SOCIETY.
accustomed to deal with facts and ad-
Just myself to circumstances. You are
under some obligations to me. / pro-
pose to avail myself of those obliga-
tions II only one way-it is by making
a confoant of you and depending upon
your sense of loyalty, no matter what
arrangement we effect. The pledge is
implied. have to put myself in your
hands to a certain extent You are a
free man. You are not directly or in
directly to betray my confidence, even
| If you do not stay with me. That, l
merely say, is understood"
Laport bowed his head in acquies-
cence.
Kent smiled. 1T is hardly Deces-
sary for me to say to you that would
not have this confidence In your sense
of loyalty If had not acquainted my
self with your character and l hardly
would have taken the extraordinary
means to secure your services II / had
not believed 1 could depend upon you.
Verbal pledges are unnecessary, my
dear sir.
'In carrying out the vast projects
which have in my mind for the recti-
fcation of some of the evils of so
ciety, shall necessarily come in col
lision with society and it was neces-
sary first of all to find a secure place
safe from interruption, impregnable
and unknown to the world, where I
could carry on the extensive organic
ing scheme. That place is under your
feet"
Il do not understand you," said La
port, looking curiously about him.
Under this floor" continued Kent,
sis the entrance to the largest cave
that has probably ever been explored
by man. / discovered it by accident
seven years ago. l bought this piece
of land and erected this house over the
entrance. purpose to buy the whole
two thousand acres of wild land that
covers a great portion of 1t, and erect
here large building ostensibly a san
itarium. 1t Is for the fitting up of this
underground domain that have taken
such pains to secure your aid. l need
in it an electrical plant; a water sys-
TEN; electric railway, and heating ap-
paratus, besides means of defe 1se and
other modern appliances. l have esti-
mated the cost of my internal-or,
perhaps, should say, intestinal-im-
provement at something like a mill
lion dollars. 1t is for you to say, when
have taken you over the ground, IL
you will sell me your mechanical skill
for a year and what it will be worth" Z"
Kent waited for a reply.
After moments hesitation Laport
said: at seems to me, sir, that at this
time 1 am not in a position to make
terms. If you succeed in demonstrat-
ing to me the practicability of your
plans, the best I can do is to offer you
my services and advice in so far as the
scheme meets with my appreciation"
"WeIl, / can only say that such an
arrangement will not do at all. do not
intend to implicate you in any of my
schemes. I wish to employ your con-
structive ability at a reasonable price.
II the work that l want done is practi-
cable to the engineering and mechan-
ical mind, and you give me your serv-
ices for a year, will fifty thousand dol
lars compensate you?"
For the first time it flashed over La
ports mind that he was listening to a
monomaniac; one of those restless and
harmless characters who conceive pro-
digious schemes and make fabulous In
vestments with no other capital than
their disordered imaginations. Kent
guessed what was passing In his mind,
for he said:
"I see the suddenness and largeness
of my schemes have disturbed your
confidence. Two or three days of In
vestigation will restore it. We can
talk farther of the matter after we are
better acquainted. Before 1 show you
the underground laboratory, let me
explain to you the Typographical Pc
ouliarities Of the country"
and, moving his chair closer to La
ports, spread out the paper on the
table. There" he said, indicating a
point on the map with pencil, ais
about where we are. This original
map Is q sketch-plLn of the subter.
ranean domain as near as l have beer
able to survey it. I estimate the south
western extension of the cave to be
about eighteen miles in length. There
is another hidden entrance at that ex.
treme limit, but it needs little exca'
waiting to be of practical use. intend
to purchase that land also and erect q
house over it. That entrance, or t<
speak more correctly, that exit, Is
within four miles of the great Wash
bayou on the Mississippi The coun
try is such that hard road can be
easily made. The bayou is one of the
ID ,xy,lIact tho r~iuar A
sternwheel boat can land her supplies
there entirely hidden from the river
with little difficulty. The nearest
house is eighteen miles distant. The
transportation overland is not much
of problem, but the eighteen miles
underground needs an engineers skill.
That is where l want an electric rail-
way. You will see the necessity of
that when you examine the place, for
it Is the northeastern end of the cave
that can best be fitted up for habita-
ton and workshops
"The difficulties to be overcome, as
you will readily understand, are
physical difficulties and involve light
ing, ventilation, transit and defense.
Ny idea is that the subterranean do
main offers magnificent field for the
abode of an army of mechanics and
soldiers"
Laport was amazed. Would 1t be
impertinent," he asked, ''if inquired
what you are going to do with the
soldiers?"
''Not at ALL" replied Kent. But 1t
would be better perhaps If you were
kept in ignorance of my ultimate plans
or at least not made acquainted with
them until you had grown to under
stand their possibility. In case you
did not approve of them, it would be
better not to be implicated in them.
Let me ask you one questionable you
not offer to the government a gun con-
structed on a novel plan?"
''Yes, did," replied Laport-
"And the government rejected it?"
"The government laughed at 1t, and
l spent months and all my money try
ing to lobby through an appropriation
to get 1t tested"
when was that?"
TT is eight years ago."
"Yery good" said Kent. II should