Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-09-25

|ious to promote feeling of confidence,
and suiting my action to the words.
The second ruffian approached and
helped me. He handled my pockets
and patted my waistcoat to satisfy
himself that 1 hid nothing. 1t soon
became clear that I had spoken the
truth, and he returned to his place be.
tween the table and the door to con-
suit with his comrade as to their next
step. -,
aWhat have you got in that box p
then inquired the gentleman with dup
lex sight, .perceiving for the first time
that / had at least one portable article
lin my possession. "What is inside
that box ?"
"That is my business" I replied,
sharply.
"Come, come, we don't want any of
you pertness. Open up, and look spry
about it,"
"No."
eyes" he roared, adding frightful
expression which I should be sorry to
repeat.
"No," said, very firmly.
The two men glanced at one anoth-
er. NV opposition was beginning to
enrage them. I wondered what they
would do next. They evidently meant
mischief, and I anxiously watched the
burlier blackguard as he hesitated, and
then apparently determined to open
the box himself. He stepped forward.
"Good heavens !" I cried, holding
out my hand to stop him. "You don't
know what you are doing. You will
be blown to atoms !'
The man started back as if he had
been struck. Ipursued my advantage,
after little smile at the situation.
81 will open the outer case" said 1,
after q pause, "and explain. But by
all that's sacred, if either of you come
one step nearer, I'll touch the spring,
and we'll all 60 to atoms together !
Do you think I'd stick at finishing the
business? r you think man cares
two straws about what happens to him
when he makes an internal machine,
and carries it about, dynamite and all,
on his way to set the blessed thing
going in tidy corner of--well, no
matter where-for the good of his
country ?" The two ruffians stood as
Iif turned to stone. "Ha, ha !" laughed
II. "You don't know what stuff an
anarchist is made of !"
The bullies turned as pale as ghosts.
They had not bargained for this sort of
thing. I gave them no time to doubt
me and recover. In moment l in-
serted key in the lock of my wooden
case, turned it and raised the lid.
Opening an inner mahogany box, l
displayed the face of a dial.
"This," I said solemnly, sis the
clock. If I turn this screw, I set the
indicator for whatever hour or minute
1 desire. If I touch this button, l
start the exploding mechanism. This
brass rod ends in decorating fuse. l
have only to release this spring and
blow the whole street down."
My cowardly captors uttered an ex-
clamation of surprise and terror. They
seemed to have entirely lost their
power to articulate speech.
I looked at a clock-a trumpery,
cheap, French ticker-on the mantel-
piece, and continued, remorselessly:
"It is four minutes to ten. will
now turn the screw, and set the indi-
Gator to explode at ten. I will then
touch the button, and set the dyna-
mite mechanism in motion. This
will give you three minutes to open
this door and the front door-wide-
and to make yourselves scarce. If
you don't do so, pretty quick, the in
fernal thing will take its course-and
I don't think 1 should meet either OF
you in Paradise"
The two rufians, petrified with ter
ror, glared at me while I made the
necessary movements.
"Now," l said, firmly, "you have
three minutes 10 which to do as / said.
And remember-at the very first sign
of any attempt at violence, l touch
this spring under my finger and blow
you both to smithereens. Now-only
two minutes and a half left."
The crosseyed william glanced at me,
then at his comrade, and lastly at the
face of the dial. A bare two minutes
of respite remained. But it was
enough for him to deliver a parting
shot, in words that forced themselves
hoarsely from his throat.
"Well," he said, "of all Mephisto-
pheelses ever set my blessed eyes on,
you're the most horrible! !"
And without another word ne and
his borrow stricken companion hurried
out. There was but one minute more
to go. They were clearly awake to
that
1 heard them fling the front door
open hastily, and run clatteI:ng along
the pavement in the street-~fIr dear
life. There was not the slightest
chance they would attempt to interfere
again with the anarchist.
1 shut up my box in its case, taking
it by the handle, and quickly made
- IL t. l. RI