Oxford Democrat., 1903-09-08

September o, lSO
above US. Seen from down there, one
could imagine that the waters OF all
the lakes were being tipped over upon
one out of the sky. and the clouds above
vanished behind that overhanging
brink.
"Aw," remarked Bowers at last,
"give us something simpler. Better
20 down an take a swim in the whirl'
pool, Jake. an let her go ut that"
"Do You really think" questioned
Westerman. that any man could 60
down that place and liver
We'll" replied lie thoughtfully, up
there can't help tiiinkin' there a be
kind of Al chance The American fall
is no good. and. besides. they've spoiled
II drawin' the water of. This full here
is lower than the American. an there's
lots more water to float in. an that, l
guess. would bc my chance. There's
place u, there where the curve Is I've
locked ut "A good deal. Water seems
fr.,ndlier somehow. an 1t keeps a-goin
over an u-goln over SO easy" He re-
covered himself with un effort and be-
came sullen again. But I'll tell you
what" he added to Skitters-"youll
have to get that rubber rig an send II
over first want to see how she
stands It."
"Oh, yes. of course, Of course" Skit'
ters replied. He had not been looking
at the falls, but at Westerman and the
rest of us. Presently he drew me
apart.
"Well." said he and cooked his head
on one side like bird.
"Pooh! replied l. ITS mere mad
ness. Niagara means DEATH"
"Death?" said he cheerfully. Il
should say it did-death and your bones
mashed up. What's that got to do with
us? Now that we've got the man and
the machine for the public to look at
all that we need is good management,
and that's where your little friend
comes in. Yes. SIR" he cried and swell
ed with the sublime ideal, lust little
GOOD management, and we've got the
fake of fakes"
81 refuse" said l, with proper sever
ity. 'to become party to any fraud
upon the public"
"Oh. WELL" he replied. still cheerful,
we'll arrange it some way" Skitters
and | rode back to Buffalo together,
leaving the two others to lurk about
the place and enjoy their own society.
That was the last that ! saw for
some little time Of Skitters and his
Niagara Navigation company. When !
met him again he reported that ar
rangements were being perfected; that
lie had d rowboat all ready below the
falls and a scheme worked out to put
the supposed swimmer into the river
above.
And we've tried the rubber suit"' he
exclaimed one day. "We sent 1t over
by moonlight night before last. 1t got
bumped bit. but stood 1t pretty well.
tiills, though, is such an old fogy, al
ways afraid that his invention Is going
TO get hurt. I've got Westerman down
there, learning the ground and prac-
ticinc with the suit All he needs to do
,s TO seem to get in above the falls and
then seem to get taken out below. and
then-oh, mamma. the world is ours!'
"I'Il have some people fixed all right"
he used to hint mysteriously. and the
motto that he gave his followers was,
Remember Steve Brodie."
He began to be afraid, horribly
afraid, that some one would be before
him. There were indeed. as may be re-
membered, vague rumors Of attempts
upon the falls. for such ideas seem at
times to come like contagion. Skit-
ters got so at last that he would eye
the people who got upon the yellow
cars with positive hatred. He saw
rival in every traveller and chafed at
the flight of hours. "Some one will
beat us yet, some one will beat us yet"
he used to bitterly cry. But for myself
l had begun to lose all interest in his
scheme, believing that 1t would end IN
nothing.
Then came that day in June, a men,
orable day in the history Of Niagara.
On the drowsy hush Of noon hour the
telephone bell in the office suddenly
jarred. went to the telephone, expect
Ing some ordinary message. but 1t was
boys voice from far away which was
speaking and a strange excitement was
vibrating In 1t.
"Hello, hcllo!" that voice said. Say.
this is Bowers down ut the falls. We're
goin' to try that thing today. You'd
better come OIL down. An, say"-the
voice seemed to hesitate-"I can't quite
make out Westerman. I'm kind Of
afraid he-means-to- Come on down,
will you"
hung up the receiver and did some
sober thinking. 1t began to dawn upon
me all at once that Skittcrs and | had
been playing with fire. II the express
sion may be allowed In this connection.
bad heard of how men could some
times keep gazing upon dangerous
thing until the wish to conquer 1t be-
came a mania with them, and l re-
membered the queer look I had seen IN
westGman's eyes and the answering
CLEAN in the eyes Of Curley Bowers
They belonged to a gang whose creed
was to take no bluffs" and whose ideal
was audacity. A presentiment of dam
ger came heavily upon me and fever
fish longing to be away, and 1 went
down into the street, almost running
into people as I went, and boarded one
of the yellow cars which go to Niagara
Falls.
CHAPTER II.