The morning times., 1896-12-20

resolved to meet whatever 1t might imply,
unflinchingly "Very well,'' answered;
"if Graemantle approves, will accept his
| decision
We three then went down the hillside,
| not speaking further, and joined the rest
| of our party. Whether Graemantle suspect
| ed anything sinister in Hammerfieets plan
| or not l could not guess; bat l was rcas-
sured by his approving it, since was GER
| tain that he could not wish me any Ill.
/ set out that night with Hammerfleet,
| as sort OF advance guard. Our first
| stop, early in the morning, was somewhere
| near Buffalo, when we got out and walked
| for while along the highways. Here l
| noticed the method OF getting on anu OFT
trains. The cars never stopped \ spnng
platform bounced passengers from the sta
| lion or to the end platform OF the cars,
| where they were received Oh spring cush-
| ions. II. the case of quick express trains, a
| parallel train was run at swlfter rate
! along a neighboring track for short dis
! tance, and the passengers were hurled from
| this, lightly and upright. into the express
| Bicycles, found, were no longer fad
| or "A nuisance. Separate paths We're pro-
| vided for them, and on these electric bicy
| cles, t-lcyclcs and carriages were run, with
! power supplied from stations, at regular
| intervals, and at all hotels, by recharging
the storage batteries.
Horses We're but little used fer travel,
and existed mainly as a form of preserved
life, like deer in parks, or for racing
purposes; although, even In racing, their
speed was so greatly surpassed by that OF
fIotation sails and rubber-oared boats and
various mechanical fOurlegged machines
for running, that they Were now not much
more than domestic pets, like cats and
dogs. However, although moving was
we saw some draught horses and carria ge
horses in use on farms, or on the road We
We're travelling afoOt. In sandy regions
the wheels of the horSe-wagons had out
ward curving flanges, which prevented
the sinking OF sand into the wheel ruts
and did away With friction and the loss OF
power by displacement OF the sand. Many
wagon wheels, also, were coated with
naphthaline, to cOuDteract the friction and
the retardinG effect of mud in the road.
Part OF the way we travelled in hCrSe-
less electric carriages, after we grew tired
of walking. Then again we took to our
feet, and after a time halted before a vast
expanSc of machinery installed under
seemingly illimitable shed 1t looked like an
enormous jungle OF metal mocha mSm.
What is this?' asked of Hammerfleet
1T resembles forest, but forest of iron
and steel
That's precisely what it is he answer
ed. ''And we're now going to stroll
through it,
We passed in and were soon lost in the
shadows OF this wilderness, where the
mighty trunks and the waving branches of
huge trees were represented by the up
rights, beams, levers, cranks and rods Of
vast machinery.
.AHour factory works done in this way,
now," Hammerfleet courteously explained
to me. This tangfe of mechanism runs for
the most part automatically, and is gov
erned by one man. ltcoverS many acres.
Wheels were spinning round in the most
be ewi!dering manner, huge trip-hammers
were thuddng down, with tons of force, in
various places: and at intervals, some great
overwhelming bar OF metal weighing thou
sands of pounds would come swinging down
from the roof and almost touch the ground,
with a heavy swoop that meant death to
any man who gotinits way.
why l exclaimed, lit is ike the maze
of life. Anyone who should pass under one
Of those swinging beams at the wrong
moment would be crushed out as though
by a blow of DOOM They seem to eXem-
plify fate"
quite So" he agreed.
Let us go back" 1 proposed.
NO. he objected; THAT would be cow
ardly. Besides, you cannot find Your way
back safely, now. The same sort of steel
front If you were to turn back you would
have to run the risk of being crushed. l
am your only guide You must go for
ward with me, and take your chances.''
Yet l returned, "you say that this
whole forest of moving machinery is reg
ulated by one man? Suppose anything
should happen to him; that he should Gle
suddenly, or should be asleep or fainting
and incapable at this very moment The
machinery would go on, and We might,
perhaps, be destroyed under it"
THAT is the situation exactly" an
swered Hammerfleet. The engineer is
asleep; had him drugged in advance"
Then you intend to murder me here in
this forest of steel?" l asked defiantly,
but with decided inward shudder
''Oh, no; didn't say that" he returned
coolly; but 1 shall leave you TO trace your
own course; and if anything fatal happens
to you. it will be laid entirely to the
machinery"
'.You yillain!'' I exclaimed. $50 this is
your trap for me, is it? Well, it's a pretty
large one for such small game, and I'll see
whether can make my way through"
/ started running and dodgng ahead
nimbly, but warily, through the awful
shadows, the bewildering electric lights
spotted here and there, and the thrCbbhing.
swinging, whirling, or rising and falling
masses of metal; all Of which appeared
TO be consciously aiming blows atme.
s.Hold on cried my enemy. You VIII |
cert ainly be killed. Stop On one condition
l will help you out"
And that?'' shouted back, pausing.
''Is that you never again speak word of
love to Electra. or recHr to the wild idea of |
her"
death, sOonerr' I rctorted ''I will
never consent~to such promise" And !
once mere started on my perilous advance
the forest of steel,
1t was q frightful experience. In all my
former life put together had net suffered |
so much fearful excitement, anxiety and |
terror as We're crowded into the next few
minutes A numbing chill crept up through
me. from my feet to my brain; and it
seemed to me thatI could actually feel my
hair growing white.