Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1904-03-31

determined to take the bull by the
horns; so boldly walking to the head
of the table, | lifted the gong, and
began turning it round and round. as
if curious TO learn the mechanism.
No one but waters being in the room,
and they, / suppose, hesitating to in
terfere lest they should be rebuked
for insolence to member, | strolled-
the gong still in my hands-towards
the window, as if TO avail myself of
the light. Then turning my back for
a moment, | Contrived to effect the eX-
change; and placing the musical box
on the table, left the club with Hub
books Internal machine under my
cloak, and having taken the thing TO
place of safety, returned in time to
be present at the dinner
l was present also next morning at
the meeting, when lubbock had hoped
to receive the congratulations of his
fellow-conspirators. Why the expect
ed explosion had not taken place is
no mystery to the reader; but Hub
books mystification and modification
were equally great.
To have TO report utter, if unacCount-
aAi2 failure was humiliating enough;
but the smiling incredulity with which
Number Two refused TO accept any
other explanation than that lubbock
had become flurried, and in his haste
had placed the wrong machine on the
table, added immeasurably 10 the poor
mans wrath. Grinning with impotent
rage and irritation, he again and again
declared that the failure was due to no
mistake of his.
He might as we'll have talked TO a
brick wall.
My good lubbock, my excellent
lubbock, it is quite unnecessary for
you to excite yourself about the mat
ter" said Number Two, smiling i'm
perturbably. ANY of us might have
done as you did. Outwardly the two
machines-the musical box and the
bomb-were exactly alike, and as the
walters were no doubt inconveniently
near at the time, it was quite easy to
make the mistake. The muddle is un-
fortunate, very unfortunate, but very
natural, and we all admit you did your
best"
Il tell you l didn't muddle the
thing" roarcd the unhappy lubbock,
with tears of veXation in his eyes. Il
had marked the two gongs, so that |
should know which was which, and
tell you l put the internal machine
upon the table"
Stop a moment" interposed Num-
ber Six. 1T is easy enough for Mr.
lubbock to prove himself right if he
is right. When he changed the gongs,
he kept one of them. Where is it?
There were only two gongs, and if the
one our friend here put on the table
was an Internal machine, the other
one plays God Bless the Prince of
Wales Let's have a lCok al the thing
and Mr.. lubbock can prove that he's
right, straight Off"
Yes" said lubbock, almost crying
openly now; but that's just what
can't prove. After | had made the eX-
change, and as soon as the dinner was
far enough advanced for me to slip
away unnoticed, | left the club
needn't say that | didn't want to wait
for the explosion. | cleared out. and
took the other gong-the musical box
with me. | meant to have kept il as
a memcntO; but when | thought what
a hullaba!OO therc'd be after the eX-
ploSiOn, and the death Of the prince,
and that every one who was known
10 have been in the place would come
under suspicion. l thought Id better
not run the risk of having the thing
found on me, so | went along the
Thames embanlment, and dropped it
gently over into the water. So | cant
prove that I'm right. All the same
I'll swear that the gong ! set upon the
table was an Internal machine, though
l can't get Mr. Hall to believe me"
My good and estimable lubbock, >"
smiled Number Two, I've never
known you TO make a mistake But
you have made one now, and you'd
better recognize the fact, and not dis
tress yourself unnecessarily. The gong
you put upon the table not only didn't
go off, but it actually played God Bless
the Prince of Wales The papers are
whole contemplate business of a two
penny-halfpenny musical box seems a
tin-pot thing TO me, for the club and
the papers to gush about But your
gong didn't have musical box inside
it, as well as a bomb, so, as | say, you
must have put the wrong one on the
table"
"No, I'll be damned if | did," vocif-
Grated the angry lubbock, positively
dancing round the room in his eXas-
peration.
I'm that case you did do it, for you'll
certainly be damned" laughed Number
Two. You make yourself easy on
that score, my friend. And | don't
think ii will be altogether on account
of a musical-boX"
CHAPTER XIII.
HOW THE POLICE DISCOVERED A
HAREM IN THE HEART OF EN-
GLAND.