Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-02-22

give it pp?" Again no answer. Not
sound save the humming and creaking
overhead. A cold pang of fear and doubt
struck through Pericord's heart. He
felt aimlessly about in the dark, and
his fingers closed upon hand. 1t was
cold and unresponsive. With all his
anger turned to icy horror, he struck
match, set the lamp up and lit it,
Brown lay huddled up upon the other
side of the packing case. Pericord seized
him in his arms, and with convulsive
strength lif:ed him across. Then the
mystery of his silence was explained.
He had fallen with his right arm don
bled up under him, and his own weight
had driven the knife deeply into his
body. He had died without a groan
The tragedy had been sudden, horrible
and complete.
Pericord sat silently ON the edge Of
che case, staring blankly down and shiv-
ring like one with the ague, Will the
great Brown Pericord motor doomed
and hurtled above him. How long he
sat there can never be known. 1t might
have been minutes, or it might have
been hours. A thousand mad schemes
flashed through his dazed brain. IL was
true that he had been only the indirect
cause. But who would believe that?
He glanced down at his blood spattered
clothing. Everything was against him.
1t would be better to fly than to give
himself up, relying upon his innocence.
No one in London knew where they
were. If he could dispose of the body,
he might have a few days clear before
any suspicion would be aroused.
Suddenly loud crash recalled him
to himself. The flying sack had grad
ually risen with each successive circle
until it had struck against the rafters.
The blow displaced the connecting gear,
and the machine fell heavily to the
ground PericOrd undid the girdle. The
motor was uninjured. A sudden strange
thought flashed upon him as he looked
at it, The machine had become hateful
to him. He might dispose both of it and
the body i'll a way that would battle all
human search.
He threw open the barndoor and car.
ried his companion out into the moon
light There was hillock outside, and
on the summit of this he laid him rev.
erently down. Then he brought from
the barn the motor, the girdle and the
phlanges. With trembling fingers he
fastened the broad steel belt round the
dead mans waist. Then he screwed the
wings into the sockets. Beneath he
slung the motor box, fastened the wires
and switched on the connection. For
minute or two the huge yellow fans
tapped and flickered. Then the body
began to move in little jumps down the
side of the hillock, gathering gradual
momentum until at last it heaved up
into the air and scared heavily off in
the moonlight. He had not used the
rudder, but had turned the head for the
south. Gradually the weird thing rose
higher and sped faster until it had
passed over the line of cliff and was
sweeping over the silent sea. Pericord
watched it with a white, drawn face
until it looked like a black bird with
golden wings half shrouded i'll the mist
which lay over the waters
In the New York state matte asy-
lum there is wild eyed man whose
name and birthplace are alike unknown.
His reason has been unseated by some
sudden shock. the doctors say, though
of what nature they are unable to de-
termine. 1t is the most delicate ma
chine which is most readily put out of
gear" they remark and point in proof
Of their axiom to the complicated cleo
trio engines and remarkable aeronautic
machines which the patient is fond of
devising in his more lucid moments.
THE END.