The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-27


 old house. with corridors passages, nar- row winding staireases and little low doors, the thresholds of which were hol- lowed out hy the generations who had crossed them. There were no carpets and 1 no signs of any furniture above the ] ground floor, while the plaster was peel Ing off the walls and the damp was break Ing through Tn green. unhealthy blotehes. ] tried To put on as unconeerned air ] as possible. but I had not forgotten the l warnings or the lady, even though I dis 1 regarded them. and l kept q keen eye upon my two companions. Ferguson ap- ] peared to be a morose and silent man. but l could see from the little he said that he was at least fellow-countryman.
 "Colonel Lysander Stark stopped at last before a low door. which he unlocked. Within was small. square room, in l which the three of Us could hardly get at one time. Ferguson remained outside and the Colonel ushered me in.
 " We are now said he. actually with in the hydraulic press, and it would be a particularly unpleasant thing for us If 1 any one were 10 turn it on. The ceiling | of this small chamber is really the end of the descending piston, and 1t comes down with the force of many tons upon i this metal floor. There are small lateral 1 columns of water the outside which | receive the force and which transmit
 
 i familiar to you. The machine goes readily | enough, but there is some stiffness in the working of it, and it has lost a little of it's force. Perhaps you will have the l goodness to look 1t over and to show us l how we can set it right
 T took the lamp from him and I ex- amlned the machine very thoroughly It was indeed gigantic one and capable of exercising enormous pressure, When l passed outside, however, and pressed down the levers that controlled it 1 knew l at once by the whishlng sound that there was slight leakage which allowed a re- l gurgitation of water through one of the l side cylinders. An examination showed that one of the India rubber bands which 1 was round the head of a driving rod | shrunk so as not quite to fill the socket | along which 1t worked. This was clearly l the cause of the loss of power and I l pointed it out to my companions, who l followed my remarks very carefully and asked several practical questions as to i how they should proceed to set it right l When l had made 1t clear to them I re- | turned to the main chamber of the ma 1 chine and took good lock at it to sat 1 lsfy my curiosity 1t was obvious at l glance that the story Of the fuller's earth | was the merest fabrication, for 1t would l be absurd to suppose that so powerful 1 an engine could be designed for so mad
 
 I but the floor consisted of large iron 1 trough and when l came to examine 1t could see crust of metallic deposit all 1 over 1t. l had stopped and was seraping at'this to see exactly what I saw a nut 1 tered exclamation In German and saw the eadayerous face of the colonel looking down at me.
 What are you doing there2 he asked. i T felt angry at having been trieked by l so elaborate q story as that which he had l told me. I was admiring your fuller's earth, said l; I think that I should be better able to advise you as to your ma chine 1T knew what the exact purpose was for which it was used
 "Ihe instant that l uttered the words I regretted the rashness of my speech. His 1 face set. hard and baleful light sprang up in hfs gray eyes.
 !" Very we'll, said he, you shall know all about the machine. He took a step backward, slammed the little door and turned the key in the lock. l rushed to- ward 1t and pulled at the handle. but it was quite secure and did not give in the least to my kicks and shoves. Helon i l yelled. 'Hello Colonell Let me outr
 And then suddenly in the silence 1 | heard sound which sent my heart into my mouth. It was the clank of the levers and the swish of the leaking cylinder. He 1 had set the engine at work. The lamp
 
 l placed 1t when examining the trough. By It's sght l saw that the black ceiling was coming down upon me, slowly, jerl1ily, I but as none knew getter than myself, with a force which must within a minute grind me to a shapeless pulp. I threw myself, screaming against the door and dragged with my nails at the lock. 1 implored the colonel to let me out but tho remorseless elanking of the levers drowned my cries. The ceiling was only a foot or two above my head. and with my hand upraised 1 could feel It's hard rough surface. Then it flashed through my mind that the pain of my death would depend very much upon the position In which I met it. If I lay on my face the i weight would come upon my spine, and l shuddered to think of that dreadful snap Easier the other way, perhaps, and yet, had the nerve to lie and look up at l that deadly black shadow wavering down upon me? Already I was unable to stand erect, when my eye caught something which brought gush of hope back to my heart.
 "I have said that though the floor and ceiling were of iron, the walls were of wood. As l gave A last hurried glance around l saw a thin line of yellow light between two of the boards, which broad ened as small panel was pushed back ward For an instant I could hardly be- lieve that here was indeed d door which led away from death The next instant I threw myself through, and lay half fainting upon the other side. The panel had closed again behind me, but the crash of the lamp. and a few moments after ward the clang of the two slabs of metal, told me how narrow had been my escape. T was recalled to myself by a frantic pluckng at my wrist, and l found myself lying upon the stone floor of narrow corridor. while woman bent over me and tugged at me with her left hand, while she held candle in her right. It was the same good friend whose warn- ing had so foolishly rejected.
 !" Come! comet" she cried breathlessly. They will be here in moment. They will see that you are not there. Oh. do not waste the so-precions time, but come'
 "This time. at least. l did not scorn her advice I staggered to my feet and ran with her along the corridor and down a winding stair The latter led to another broad passage. and just as we reached