Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1896-04-11

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view small room in which stood a ie-
yarkable piece of furniture. lie was
about to enter when he stopped sud
denly.
Half moment, though; I must
slackcn those valves Bit" he said, and
stepped over to the turbines. entered
and began curiously 10 examine his In.
vcntion; next moment Their, was a
sharp click, and, turning, I found the
door closed OIL me.
A moment more and was clutchins
wildly ut my throat and fell TO the
ground, choking. I didn't choke, how.
ever, for some time afterwurd became
conscious and when I had collected
my scattered wits I found myself seat
ell In his horrible chaIr--strappal In.
tried to free myself, but I was firm.
ly held; my hands were each fixed In
kind of wise, leather outside end
metal within, rs could tell by the feel.
These things were hollow ind like large
mittcns. AMI within them ana Enclosing
my hands was some liquid. mercury,
aftcrward discovered. ~ I took 10
these details the door opened aud CHS.
by appeared.
"Ha! ha! my fine bird, you're Gagged
at last, are your
"Don't stand foollng there" I NIT.
tered. "Your internal chair IL break.
ing my back"
"Oh, Is It? Well soon nltcr that"
He stepped 10 my side, but instead Of
released me he simply loosened the
straps Mt my back. This was too much
for me; I simply yelled at hlu, that TN.
less he freed me instantly would sim.
ply smash him when did get fec.
"When you have finished your ubuss
I will favor you with my Intentions"
ami continuing: "You fancy am your
friend, don't your am not. I am
your enemy. hate you. Yon thought
to win Madge Cameron from me, and
no far you have succeeded.
perhaps you did not know I loved
her, but all the same you tried to win
her. and I hate you for Il. might
lGvc killed you a while ago. before
turned on the oxygen and you revived;
I had my hand on the switch, but no,
let You revive to tell you this, TO tor.
tui" you tho more. for have you not
stolen my Madge's love from me? Oh,
Madge, Madgev' he cried: "Oh, will you
not love me?
DO you think am going to he an
outcast from society for nothingY'' he
Kissed. '"rhlnk you have spent q
whole year In making this thing for
nothing? have waited long for sub.
ject. but at Inst can operate, aud on
you. No! No! don't invent things for
nothing: not I!
"You have just half an hour to live:
II II 1850 now: on the stroke of I? I
complete the circuit and you will ax.le
up"
He left me, a prey to horrible
thoughts. Was there no way Of e.
cape? Would NO one come In timci
And the time passed on.
The time was almost up. and Clisby
returned. He was all smiles. He asked
me II I had any wish no might carry
out for me. I shook my head. lie
offered mo brandy. and I gulped Il
down, and more, and drank that also
''Onc minute more" he yelled, land
send you to Jericho"
He walked toward the switch-to XIII
me-and I sat there looking at him. !
could not remove my eyes: was fas'
! cinatcd.
And then saw-I saw bis feet catch
In the wires that led from the switch
to my hands, and he fell. Al no did %
he clutched the air, and both his hands
, came down on the switch contracts.
A dreadful scream broke from bill
lips, and he bounded up quite six feet
: In the DIR. and then fell backward righ
I. In the middle Of large. dat distribu
ton table. Then I saw quick success
!. sion Of blue flashes, and immediately
, after this the band came on tho dyna
: mo pully and the humming ceased.
A grating sound drew my eyes In til,
direction Of tho turbines. Something
was wrong evidently, for the offsid'
bearing of ono Of them was literally ret
! hot; the governor was wrecked and thu
!, wheel was racing away and increasing
= In speed every moment.
: 1t was not long before something
happened. There was loud snap, ant
= then q crash. and saw the steel casing
), ripped up like paper aud the waite
: came pouring into the room, thousand
). Of gallons per minute.
Slowly the water rose, until. when I
was about six feet deep. the light wen
= out. I was floating about In the chair
Y but was anchored to the SWITCHBOARD
y by the wires.
Beneath me could still hear the uu
. damaged turbine thrashing away, an
= ! rose until my head, or rather the to-
= Of the chair, was scraping the ROOF
> when suddenly felt that was falling
and was rapidly carried toward tn
v door.
The wires held for q moment, Blu
the jerk snapped them, and ] sale
= along the passage. through tho battery
- room and out into the open. whert
. after being whirled around a few timel
= was left high and dry till the morn
= Ing. The weight Of the water had burr
open the outer door. hence my sudde
:: exit.
" was rescued from my unpleasan
= position by Cameron himself, who ha
|, como to look for me. We found pool
- mad Cllsby quite close to where he ha
died. tangled nm in sOmo wire and I'll