The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-06-26


/ Hawkins bent over the plate-as much
to hide the concern which appeared up
on his face as for any other reason, ]
| think.
He arose rather suddenly, for cloud
of steam saluted him from a new spot.
We'll" he said, she's leaking a
trife."
But why?"
''The plate isn't steam-tight, of course;
and the engineers sending us more pres
sure"
His composure had returned, and he
| regarded me with such contemptuous
| eyes that could find no answer.
But Hawkins contempt couldn't shut
off the steam. 1t blew out harder and
harder from the leaky spots The little
car began to fill, and the temperature
! rose steadily
From a comfortable warmth it in
creased to an uncomfortable warmth
then to positively intolerable, reeking,
wet heat.
l removed my coat, and little later
my vest. Hawkins did likewise. We
both found some difficulty in breathing.
The steam grew thicker, the car hot
ter. Precipitation was oozing from every
pore in my body. Sparkling little rivu-
lets coursed down Hawkins coun-
tenance
Hawkins" I said, 'if you'd called
this thing the Hydro-Vapor Bath in
stead of Lift"
Don't be witty" Hawkins said cold1y.
Never mind 1t may be bit unreli-
able as an elevator, but you can let it
out for steam-baths-ffty cents ticket,
you know, until you've made up what
ever the thing cost"
Bzzzzzzzzzz said the steam.
'I'm going to- shout for that ak again"
said deterninedly. Ten minutes more
of this and we'll be cooked aIiver'
Now" began the inventor.
Hawkins, I decline to be converted
into stew simply to save your vanity.
He"
"Heyw shouted Hawkins, dancing
away from his lever into a corner of the
car and regarding the iron plate with
round eyes.
What is it now?" I asked GREATNESS
ly.
A queer, roaring noise was coming
from somewhere. The Hydro-Vapor af-
fair executed a series of blood-curdling
shakes From the edges of the plate
the steam Kissed spitefully and with new
Yigor.
"That-that jackass of an engineerp
Hawkins sputtered. Hes sending too
much steam!'
For a moment I didn't quite catch the
significance; then | faltered with sudden
weakness:
Hawkins. you said that this plate cor
responded to the cylinder-head of an en-
CINE? Then the tube beneath us is full
of steam?"
eyes. yes!"
And il we get too much steam-as
we seem to be getting twill the plate
blow off :"
.'Yes-no-yes-no. of course no"
answered Hawkins family It's bolted
down with"
But il it should" I said, dashing the
streaming perspiration from my eyes for
another lock at the accursed plate.
II it should the inventor admitted,
wed either go up to Heaven on 1t, or
we'd stav here and DROP"
"Help!" I screamed.
Look out! Look out Hug the WALTZ
Hawkins shrieked.'
A mighty spasm shook the Hydro
Vapor Lift I fell fiat and rolled in
stinctivelv to one side. Then. ere my
bewildered senses could grasp what was
occurring, my ears were split by ter
rife roar.
The roof of the car disappeared as if
by magic. and through the opening shot
that huge. round plate Of iron. seemingly
waited upon a cloud Of dense white vap-
or. Then the steam obscured all else,
and I felt that we were falling.
Yes. for an instant the car seemed
to shudder uncertainly-then she drop
ped
can hardly say more OF Our descent
from the fatal thirteenth story. In one
second-not more. I am certain-twelve
spots Of light. representing twelve floors,
whlzzed past Us.
| recall a very definite impression that
the Blank Building was making an out
rageous trip straight upward from New
York: and I wondered how the occu-
pants were going TO return and whether
they would sue the building people for
detention from business
But lust as I was debating this inter
esting point, earthly concerns seemed to
cease.
In the cellar OF the Blank Building
annex a pile OF excelsior and bagging