Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-12-22

with single stroke. And so successful
were we that the two sentinels disap-
peared as if they had been ghosts of the
night.
Instantly we all buried forward and
entered tho door. Before us extended
long, straight passage, brightly illu.
minated by number of electric can
dies. Its polished sides cleaned with
blood red reflections, and the gallery
terminated, at distance of 200 or 800
feet, with an opening into large cham
Der beyond. on the farther side of which
we could see part of gigantic and
complicated mass of machinery.
Making as little noise as possible, we
pushed ahead along tho passage, but
when we had arrived within "a distance
of u dozen PAGES from the inner end we
stopped, and Colonel Smith, getting
down upon his knees, crept forward un-
til he had reached the inner end of the
passage. There he peered cautiously
around the edge into the chamber, and,
turning his head moment later, beck
oned us to come forward. We crept to
his side and, looking out into the vast
apartment, could perceive no enemies.
What had become of the sentinels
supposed to stand at the inner end OF
the passage we could not imagine. At
any rate, they were not ut their posts.
The chamber was au immense SQUARE
room at least leo feet in height and
400 feet on side, and almost filling
the wall opposite to us was an intricate
display of machinery, wheels, levers,
rods and polished plates. This we had
no doubt was one end of the great en-
CINE which opened and shut the great
gates that could dam an ocean,
There is no one in sight" said Colo.
mel Smith.
Then we must act quickly" said
Mr.. Edison.
Where" he said, turning to Alma,
"is the handle by turning which you
saw tho Marian close the gatos?"
Alma looked about in bewilderment.
The mechanism before us was SO com
pllcated that even an expert mochanican
would have been excusable for finding
himself unable to understand it. There
were scores of knobs and handles, all
glistening III tho electric light, and one
of which, SO far as tho uninstructed
could tell, might have been the master
key that controlled the whole complex
apparatus.
"Quick!' said Mr. Edison. "Where
is it,"
The girl i'll her confusion ran this
way and that, gazing hopelessly upon
the machinery, but evidently utterly
unable to help us.
To remain here inactive was not
merely TO invite destruction for our.
selves, but was sure to bring certain
failure upon the purpose of the expedi-
ton. All of us began instantly to look
about in search of the proper handle,
seiaing every crank and wheel in sight
and striving to turn it.
stop thnt!" shouted Mr.. Edison.
"Eou may set the whole thing wrong.
Don't touch anything until we have
found the right lever"
But to find that seemed to most Of
us now utterly beyond the power of
man.
1t was at this critical moment that
the wonderful depth and reach of Mr.
Edison's mechanical genius displayed
itself. He stepped back ran his eye
quickly over the whole immense mass
of wheels, handles, bolts, bars and levers,
paused for all instant, as if making up
his mind, then said decidedly, There
it is. and, stepping quickly forward,
selected a small wheel amid a dozen 9TH
ers, all furnished at the circumference
with handles like those of pilots
wheel, an5, giving it a quick wrench,
turned it half way around
At this instant u startling shout fell
upon our ears, There was a thunderous
CHATTER behind us, aud, turning, we saw
three gigantic Martians rushing for.
ward.
Sweep them! Sweep them !" cried
Colonel Smith as he brought his disin.
tegrator to bear. Mr.. Phillips and / in
stantly followed his example, and thus
we swept the Martians into eternity,
while Mr.. Edison coolly continued his
manipulations of the wheel.
The effect of what he was doing be.
came apparent in less than half "a min.
ute. a shiver ran through the mass of
machinery and shook the entire build.
ing.
Look Look" cried Sydney Phillips,
who had stepped "a little apart from the !
others.
We all ran to his side and found our.
selves III front of u great window which |
opened through the side of the engine,
giving view of what lay in front of !
it, There, cleaning in the electric |
lights, we saw the SyrtiS Major, its wa
tiers washing high against the walls of |
the vast power house Running directly |
out from the shore there was an inn |
mense metallic gate mt least 400 yards |
in length and rising 800 feet above the |
present level of the water.
This grent gate was slowly swinging |
upon an invisible hinge in such L man
ner that in few minutes it would evil |
IDENTIFY stand across the current Of the |
Syrtis Major at right angles.
Beyond was n second gate, which was |
moving in the same manner. Farther on |
was third gate and then another and |
another as far as the eye could reach, |
evidently extending IN an unbroken So
ries completely across the great strait.
AS the gates, with accelerated motion |
when the current caught them, changed !
together we beheld "a spectacle that al
most stopped the beating of our hearts.
The great Syrtis seemed to gather it,
self for moment, and then it leaped |