Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-05-06

] L
that for you. Come with me- '
Picard took Delore to his house, let
! ting himself in with a latchkey. No
| body seemed to occupy the place but
! himself and Lamoine. He led the way
to the top story and opened a door that
communicated with a room entirely
| bare of furniture. Leaving Adolph
there. Picard went down stairs again
| and came up shortly after with a light
/ ed candle in his hand, followed by La
moline, who carried a mattress
"This will do for you for tonight, "
said Picard land tomorrow we will sec
/ if we can get you any work. Can you
make clocks
"Oh, yes, and good oncsr'
every well. Give me list Of the
/ tools and materials you need, and / viii
get them for you
Picard wrote in notebook the items
AdOlph recited to him, Lam0inc watch
ing their new employee closely, but say.
ing nothing Next day a table and q
chair were put into the room, and in
the afternoon Picard brought i'll the tools
and some sheets of brass.
Picard and Lamoine were somewhat
suspicious of their recruit at first, but
he went on industriouslv with his task
and made no attempt TO communicate
with anybody. They soon saw that he
was an expert workman and quiet, in
nocent, half daft, harmless creature, 50
he was given other things to do, such as
cleaning up their rooms and going cr-
rands for beer and other necessities of
life.
When Adolph finished his first ma
chine. he took it down to them and OK
hibited 1t with pardonable pride There
was a dial on it exactly like a clock, al
though 1t had but one hand.
Let us see it work. said Picard
"Sot it so that the bell will ring in
three minutes
Adolph did as requested and stood
back when the machine began TO work
with scarcely audible tick tick. Pr
card pulled out his watch. and exactly
at the third minute the hammer fell on
the bell "That Is very satisfactory. 80
said Picard Now can YOU make the
next one slightly concavo, so that a
man may strap il under his coat with
out attracting attention. Such q shape
Is useful when passing the custoGs
Il can make it any shape YOU like,
and thinner than this one if You wish
it. -
Every well. Go out and get Us a
quart of beer. and we will drink u
your success. Here is the money.
Adolph obeyed with his usual docili-
{.
longer than usual. Picard, impatient at
the delay. spoke roughly to him when
he returned and ordered him to go NJ
stairs to his work Adolph departed
meekly. leaving them to their beer
See that you understand that ma.
chine, Lamoine. - said Picard. "Set II
half an hour.
Lamoine. turning the hand to the fig
ure VI on the dial, set the works III mo.
ton, and to the accompaniment of 1t,
quiet tick tick they drank their beer.
"He seems TO understand his bust.
ness said Lamoine.
Eyes, answered Picard "What
heady stuff this English beer isl / wish
we had some good French book. Thi.
makes me drowsy.'
Lamoine did not answer. He wa,
nodding in his chair Picard threw
himself down on his mattress III on,
corner of the room. Lamoine, when he
fell from his chair, muttered an oatI
and lay where he fell.
An hour later the door stealthily
opened, and Adolph's head cautiously
reconnoitercd the situation. coming in
to the silent apartment inch by inch
his crafty eyes rapidly searching the
room and filling with malicious glet
when he saw that everything was as be
had planned He entered quietly ant
closed the door softly behind him II,
had 4 great coil of strong cord in hi.
hand. Approaching the sleeping mel
on tiptOe, he looked down on them foi
a moment, wondering whether the drug
had done its work sufficiently well fol
him to proceed. The question was set
tied for him with a suddenpess thai
nearly unnerved him. An appalling
clang of the bell, a startling sound tina
seemed loud enough 70 wake the dead
made him spring nearly to the ceiling
He dropped his rope and chung to III,
door in a panic Of dread, his palpitatinc
heart nearly suffocating him with it:
wild beating staring with affrightet
eyes at the machine which had givel
such an unexpected alarm. Slowly re-
covering command over himself, he
turned his gaze on the sleepers, Neither
had moved. Both We're breathing a.
heavily as ever.
Pulling himself together, he turned
his attention first TO Picard as the more
dangerous man Of the two should al
awakening come before he was ready
for it. He bound Picard s wrists tightly
together then his ankles, his knees anC
his elbows. He next did the same fol
Lamoine With great effort he got Pr
card i'll a seated position on his chair
tying him there with coil after coil d
the cord. SO anxious wa7 he TO make
everything secure that he somewhat
overdid the business, making the twC
seem like seated mummies swarhed il
cord. The chairs he fastened immoyably
to the floor; then he stood back gnt
gazed with sigh ut the two grim seat
ed figures, with their heads droopin.
helplessly forward on their corded
breasts, looking like silent efhgies o
the dead
hopping his perspiring brow, Adolpl
now turned his attention to the machin,
that had startled him so when he frs