The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-18

Now, there is a very remarkable story
connected with that, and 1t will show
you how / got my first clew to the mys-
terry, although It was rather mere sus-
picion than a clew. for at first / could
make nothing out of it. The alleged fire
occurred about a fortnight after our dis
covery OF the double tunnel. My mind
was then full of suspicious concerning
Syx. because thought that q man who
would fool people with one hand was
not likely to deal fairly with the other.
"Tt was glorious night. with a full
moon, whose face was so clear in the
lmpid air that, having found a snug
place at the foot of yellow pine tree.
where the ground was carpeted with
odoriferous needles lay on my back
and renewed my early acquaintance with
the Economically named mountains and
seas of the Lunar globe. With my
bnocular I could trace those long white
streaks which radiate from the crater
ring called 'Tycho' and run hundreds OF
miles in all directions over the moon. AS
l gazed at these singular objects re-
called the various theories which astron-
omers, puzzled by their enigmatical as
pect have offered to a more or less con-
filling public concerning them.
In the midst of my meditation and
moon gazing I was startled by hearing
the engine in the Syx works suddenly be-
u II "
shaped like the beam Of a ships search
light. but reddish In color. rose high I'm
the moonlit heavens above the mill. 1t did
not last more than minute or two. for
almost instantly the engine was stopped.
and with Its stoppage the light faded and
soon disappeared. The next day DR.. Syx
gave It out that on starting up his en-
CINE In the night something had caught
fire, which compelled him Immediately to
shut down again. The few who had seen
the light. with the exception Of your
humble servant, accepted the doctors ex-
PLANTATION without question But knew
there had been no fire. and Syx's anxiety
to spread the lie led me to believe that he
had narrowly escaped giving away vital
secret. 1 said nothing about my suspi-
cions. but upon inquiry l found out that
an extra and pressing order for metal
had arrived from the Austrian govern
ment the very day OF the pretended fire.
and I drew the inference that Syx, In his
haste to I'LL the order-his supply having
been drawn iow--had started to work.
contrary TO his custom, at night, and had
Immediately found reason to repent his
rashness. or course. l connected the
strange light with this sudden change Of
mind.
MY suspicion having been thus stimu-
lated. and having been directed In a cer-
tain way. began from that moment to
notice closely the hours during which the
engine iabored. At night IL was always
quiet. except on that one brief occasion
Sometimes It began early in the morning
and stopped about noon. AT other times
the work was done entirely In the after
noon. beginning sometimes as late as or
4 o'clock and ceasing invariably at sun
down. Then again II would start at sun
rise and continue the whole day through.
"For a long time | was unable to ae-
Tor wfr nd ha
problem was not rendered much clearer,
although startling sugges,iveness was
added to u when. at length. I noticed that
the periods OF activity OF the engine had
u definite relation 20 the age Of the moon.
Then I discovered. with the aid of an
almanac. that ! could predict the hours
when the engine would be busy. AT the
| time OF new moon Il worked all day, at
| fun moon IL was idle; between fun moon
| and last quarter II lahored IN the fore
| noon. the length OF its working hours In
I ereaslng as the quarter was approached T;
] between last quarter and new moon the
! hours OF work heightened, until, as
| have said. at new moon they lasted all
day: between new moon and hrst quarter
| work began later ard later IN the fore
/ noon as the quarter was approached. and
between FIRST quarter and full moon the
iahoring hours rapidly shortened, being
I confined 10 the latter part OF the after
| noon. until az fnli moon complete silence
! reigned In the mill
'swelll weilg' l broke In. greatly aston
4 ished ~ Hairs singular recital, ''you
must have thought Dr Syx was a cross
between an 'sichemist and an astrolo-
ser"
Note this" said Han. aisreEarding my
( interruption. the hours when shc engine
( worked were invariably the hagys dufius
I which The moon was above the horiEoh
what did yea infer from -hatF
+ 'sog course. | inferred taat the moon
( was directly concerned in the mystery
/ bat naWr That bothered ms Tor a loHs
I tlme hus a ifitls hghf broke into NY
I mind when picked Wp, on tho noun
tain side dead bird whose sroachsl
I feathers wege hron1ca with artemisiuua,
( and some tine LATER another similar vic
I Tim % 5 mysterious fcEm Of death. Tsien
game the attack on ths mine and It's
tragic nnlsh have already told vou
waat I Observed on gMnt asraaien But
I instead % helping 20 aas So The nays
( 1ery u rather eompaea' a time.
At length. heweyer q feA sd my say
partly 0ut az the diftetssA certain
things whieh ! had naiieel ia the syx
( mill convinced me that there was a
{ part 90 the usiiaing whose existence
10 visitor suspected, and putting one
thing With another I Inferred that the
I roof must BE- open above that secret par,
7 % the structure and tAas IL could get
upan sufficiently elevated place !
I eeaid see something u Khat was hidden
there
"At ibis point in The Investigation I
proposed a. you the trin 70 the top %
I the Teton, the result 81 which you re-
1 member I had calculated the angles
with great care. and I felt certain that
fseu The aasx o. sac xnosaista ! enerld