Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1900-07-27
Copyright. 1SS1. by Roher. Eonner's Sons.
CHAPTER Nm.

Copyright. 1881. by Robert Bonner's Sons.
CHAPTER Nm.
The exhibition building. into which Sir
Luke Dalzicl and his companions made
their way shortly after quitting The
Towers. WAS crowded with Il vast and
noisy bar soo,l-naturc,l thro,g.
III was an exhibition of manufactured
articles, as we'll as of newly patented
machinery, a;il though there was lacking
the variety and brilliancy of display that
would have been presented hy a similar
exhibition Of equal magnitude in the
United States, the exposition snbscrvcd
the wide Industrial interests of Great
Britain and Ireland. and it was one of
the most important of the kline that had
been ope.ed To the public for several
years.
N brass band was playing vigorously in
an ~osna!nented balcony just Yer and in
side of the main entrance. The hum and
rustic OF the moving throngs filling the
paSsageways, ranged at right angles be-
tween the ordered heaps and pyramids
and booths and stalls and glass eases of
the various samples of manufactured sta
pies. to which the front part of the vast
interior WAS devoted, formed Il breathing
and not in~aarmonious accompaniment to
the instrumental music. The archings of
The iron roof were studded with ROWS OF
little gas globes of various hucs, arrang-
cd i'll wido-rcaching inverted fcstoons,
which blended pleasantly with the larger
illuminating powers of massive chand,A
Tiers that depended from the ceiling ut
regular intervals.
Where is the machinery You both
vauntcd SO iighly?' discontcntedly NUT
tered Sir Luke. soon after his companions
and he had Incorporated themselves. i'll
the main body of sightsccrS. and We're
making their way slowly through one of
the principal passages.
"paticncc," counsclrd Chelmsford. who
was just i'll front of him. while Werms
was S,urdily shouldcring him forward
from behind. Don't YOU hcar the tlrob-
bling and bu2zing of it all back yondcr!
Wen make our way there soon, and then
1 predict WE shall be granted more elbow
ROOM
''Fhe whole things a bcastly bore, any
wny..' Sir Luke continued to growl. II
wish we hadn't come
Our trio came to II sort of irresolutc
pause in tie midst of Il minor knot of
spectators. with II ncw-famgled steam
Jump hard ut work and being vociferous-
ly clucidatcd by its presiding genius on
one hand, and what WAS just as earnestly
hcraldcd as the very latest Improvement
in cylinder printing presses by an attend
ant spritc directly opposite. when the
voice of another exhibitor a little farther
along arrested the attention of Weems
in !; manner that seemed at the same time
to disturb and fascinate him.
This little instrument. ladies and gen
.tlcmen,' called out the voice i'll question,
SIS an invention the like of which has
never before been exhibited iii public. 1t
is IL clcckwork for the firing of explosives
at any given time for which it may be set.
1t is as delicate as the motive power OF
a lady's watch i'll some respects. but rs
true as time itself. as swift as the light
ning's stroke in its appointed mission. and,
when communicating with dynamite,
nitro-glycerin. giant powder. or other eA-
plosives. more powerful for good or mis-
chief than can readily he conceived OF.
Yes. indeed, you will find it worthy of the
closest examination and study. i will
now wind it up Il mere hairs breadth. say
for five minutes, and at the end of that
time you can see how it operates
During this discoursc-evcry word of
which Wecnis. ut least. had caught by /;
sort of frightened instinct. i'll spite OF
the hubbuh of other sounds and voices
with which it minglcd-he had grown as
pale rs his bronzcd complexion would
admit of, and his hands had gradually
closed in 81 painfully tight grip. one OH
Sir I.uke's arm. and the other on Chrlm>-
ford's. for he had happened To be stand
ing between them Mt the time.
What the deuce, man! do you take my
arm for an cnemy's throat. that your re
crushing it in that wly?' exclaimed Sir
Luke. wheeling angrily upon him. as did
the lawyer at the same One and with
even Il more painful contortion of the
face.
'fsr silent. and come with me. both of
yon." whispered Wccms. relaxing his
grasp on their rms. but mt the same time
hurrying them forward 10 where the iiap
OF the %clockwork was still going on with
his explanations for the benefit of two
or three specialized individuals of scicn-
titic aspect. who We're closely examining
the c%ontrivancc. Now listen. Heavens
and earth. there seems to he ii fatality
here
Step right up. gentlemen. and exam
inc the greatest clockwork invention of
the age" hlandly continued the exhibitor,
Al gauut. ssIllow young man. also spccta-
clcl. and with Il wave of the hand h.
made room for the newcomers. who forth
with approached the stand on which the
instrument was standing. You will find
it worthy of attention. l assure Won. 1
have just given IL turn of the key. and
set the hand on the dial to mark Il mere
fraction of timc-ive minutes. as YOU per-
ceivc. am timing the operation With
my watch here. Just wait and you will
witness the action"
Whats it for:' queried Wcems. con-
trolling his agitation and assuming an air
of curiosity.
"f'or setting of explosives at any cNac
time for which it may have been preyi.
ously Set was the repluy. "It can be
adjusted for any moment inside of TWEEN
ty-tive days, and, no matter where the
contrivance may be conceaied-down in a
coal mine. deep under q sunken rock il
the bottom of the sea, or, say, hidden
away in the hold Of an enemy's ironclad
-. -. af S.eA 80 49, o,.;.o - A.