The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-24
ARRANGEMENT
a CHRISTMAS BOMB.
BY ". L. ALDEN
Of of Jimmy Broom. -" Told BY the
Colonel" Among the Eeaks' Etc.. Etc.
By ". I. ALDEN,

1t was plainly bomb and nothing else.
In shape II was a cylinder OF about an
inch and half in diameter. and three
inches In length. Apparently II had been
made In two halves, which had been
screwed together in the middle. From
each end radlated half a dozen small tubes
OF the thickness Of lead pencil It was
evidently intended by the maker OF the
fiendish affair that when thrown It should
strike on one Of these projecting tubes,
and that the charge should be thus ex-
ploded. Mr.. Bennett was not acquainted
with firearms, and he did not understand
the precise method by which the explosion
OF the bomb was to be brought about. but
stu there could be no doubt that the small
tubes were intended to bring about an ex-
plosion by conclusion. A footstep in the
hall outside his door caused Mr.. Bennett
hastily to return the bomb to his pocket
II 1t should be discovered In his possession
no explanation that ne could make would
avail to shake the universal impression
that he was an anarchist and an assassin.
What was he to do with the dreadful
thing? He could not hide II In the room
and go away and leave It, for in time It
would be certain to be found. and would
probably blow some unhappy chamber
maid to fragments. He dared not leave
1t IN his luggage. lest by chance his lug
gage should be stolen or should be rough
~ handled In q way that would bring
about an explosion. To throw 1t out of the
window was obviously out Of the question
To drop 1t down the well, in case there
should happen to be a well In the court
yard, would be fatal, for 1t would explode
the moment 1t touched the bottom. In all
probability, the bomb was filled with some
high explosive, and he fanc!ed that he had
heard that high explosives were not In
jured by water. The more he thought
over the matter the more certain It APP
peared that he could not get rid Of the
bomb in the hotel
He finally decided to stroll out beyond
the town, In the hope OF finding quiet
place where he could either bury the
Domo. or throw 1t into the river. Taking
the fre-shovel with him. concealed under
MS coat, Mr.. Bennett went out in search
of quiet place. The Grand Duchy of
Schwerin-H olstein is probably the most
thickly-settled principality In ell Ger
many outside the town the road was
lined with houses and villas, and the fur
Their Mr.. Bennett walked the more the
impossibility of secretly burying the bomb
became evident Three miles outside OF
the gate he found a river, but its depth
was only about four inches, and to throw
the bomb into 1t would have been prac-
tically the same in its result as to throw
1t into the middle of the road. 1t would
explode the instant 1t struck the rocky
bottom Of the stream, and the flying
pieces could hardly fail to hit some one
OF the numerous persons that were close
at hand. For the banks of the river were
fairly lined with people-idlers who were
passing the day out of DOORS peasants
on their way to and from the town, and
washerwomen who were washing inter-
minable quantities of clothes in the
stream.
Mr.. Bennett was in despair 1t seemed
a mn vya tn uyH,tn he
rid himself of the bomb. Must he spend
the rest Of his days travelling about with
bomb concealed in his pocket? It
really looked like 1t. He could not think
of any possible scheme for Kidding him.
self of 1t with safety to other people.
He sat down on convenient stone to
think OF the terrible future that awaited
him, and as he did so he noticed that
man, who had been walking in the same
direction few yards behind him, also
sat down. 1t flashed on Mr.. Bennett that
he had noticed the same man standing
just outside of his hotel, as he set forth
on his bOotless search for a quiet place
In which to bury the bomb. The man
had followed him, and was even now
watching him. Clearly the police still
suspected him, and detectives had been
ordered to follow him wherever he might
go. All idea of Kidding himself of the
bomb, either by throwing 1t in the river.
or by burying 1t, now vanished from the
Keeling mind of the clergyman. The mo-
ment he should draw it from his pocket
he would be seized by the detective, and
with such evidence against him not even
the British Ambassador at Berlin would
be able to save him.
Mr.. Bennett arose and walked slowly
back to the town. The detective followed
him at discreet distance. Mr.. Bennett felt
a wild desire to turn and hurl the bomb at
the man. What right had the fellow to dog
the footsteps of clergyman of irreproach-
able character. especially at a moment
when he was In the involuntary possession
of an anarchist bomb? Still Mr.. Bennett
had not yet arrived at a sufficient degree of
evaporation to forget that any attempt on
his part to resent the detectives attentions
would lead to a swift catastrophe. If he
wished to avoid another visit to the police
station. he must ignore the detectives ex's-
tence. So he resolved to return to his hotel
and to shut himself up in his bed room
until the night train would carry him away
from Altberg.
Half way to the hotel carriage stopped
abruptly close beside him, and he heard
the CHEEKY voice of his friend. the Ameri-
can colonel $50 here you are at Iast!'
cried the American. why on earth didn't
you some straight to us, as you promised to
do?" The colonel was sitting in an open
carriage with his sister and daughter. The
latter smiled a welcome to Mr.. Bennett,
and the sister, dignified middle aged lady,
looked at him somewhat sternlv.
you are very kind" said Mr. Bennett,
"but I-the-a-in fact I felt little lone
some when I arrived here, so I went to a
hotel"
When l feel lonesome I look up my
friends" replied the colonel. "a strange
hotels no kind Of place for man In the
dumps. Just you climb into this carriage
and come right home with u.s."
THANK you! Thank your murmured the
clergyman. but the truth Is am a little
lame: footsore. you know. and don't dare
to drive
you Britishers are curious people," ex-
claimed the colonel. you go to a hotel
when you are lonesome, and you walk
when you are lame. Now. see here, my
friend! Something has gone wrong with
you as sure as my name is Cyrus p. Skim
ner. You amt fit to be left alone. and
the long and short Of 1t is that you've got
to get into this carriage and come home
with us. or Wen have a difficulty"
s.pnppartt Mt cd Mfss Skfppar