The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-07-26

hef nanQS with deSpalrlng gesture,
and vanished as suddenly and as noise
lessly as she had come.
"The newcomers were Colonel Lysan-
der Stark and short, thick man with |
a chinchilla. beard growing out of the
creases of his double chin, who was in
troduced to me as Mr.. Ferguson.
This is my secretary and man
ager,' said the colonel. by the way,
], was under the impression that 1 left
you have felt the draught.'
:" On the contrary, said /, 4 opened
the door myself, because felt the room !
to be a little close
He shot one Of his suspicious looks
at me. Perhaps we had better proceed
guson and | will take you up to see the
z" I had better put my hat on, I
SUPP suppose Sc = = :. ! -. 49,.
-. What, you dig fuller's-earth in
"'No, no. This is only where we
we wish you to do is to examine the
machine, and to let us know what is
wrong e Rgo with IT, .4, =,
colonel first with the lamp, the fat
manager, and I behind him. It was
labyrinth of an old house, with CORR
doris, passages, narrow winding stair
olds Of which were followed out by the
generations who had crossed them.
There were no carpets and no signs of
any furniture above the ground floor,
while the plaster was peeling off the
walls and the damp breaking thru in
green, unhealthy blotches. I tried to
put on as unconcerned an air as posi-
| h1o h11t hoe tho
ings of tho lady, even tho disregarded
them, and / kept a keen eye upon my
two companions. Ferguson appeared to
be a morose and silent man, but | could
see from the little that he said that he
was at least a fellow.countryman.
Colonel Lysander Stark stopped at
last before a low door, which he I'M
locked. Within was a small, square
room in which the three of US could
hardly get at one time. Ferguson re-
NAMED outside, and the colonel ushered
me in
We. are now said he, sacutally
within the hydraulic press, and it would
be a particularly unpleasant thing for
us It any, one were to turn it on. The
ceiling OF this small chamber is really
the end of the descending piston, and it
comes down with the force of many tons
upon this metal floor. There are small
lateral columns of water outside which
receive the force, and which transmit
and multiply it in tho manner which
is familiar to you. The machine goes
readily enough, but there is some stiff
lost a little of it's force. Perhaps you
will have the goodness to look it over
and to show us how we can set it right. -
IL took the lamp from him, and ]
examined the machine very thoroly. 1t
was indeed, gigantic one, and capable
Of exercising enormous pressure. When
, passed outside, however, and pressed
knew at once by the Whishing sound
, that there was slight leakage, which
: allowed a reorganization of water thru
| one of the side cylinders. An examina.
} tion showed that one of the india-rub
, Der bands which was around the head
quite to fill the socket along which it
3, worked. This was clearly the cause
: of the loss of power, and I pointed it
+ out to my companions, who followed my
: remarks very carefully. and asked sew
, eral practical questions as to how they
l should proceed to set it right: When ]
< had made it clear to them, I returned
!. to the main chamber of the machine and
+ took a good look at it to satisfy my OWL
}. curiosity. 1t was obvious at a glance that
> the story of the fuller 's-earth was the
m n, r. t fabrication: for it would be alb
f Surd to suppose that so powerful en-
n CINE could be DESIGNED for so made
! wood, but the floor consisted of ;
I large iron trough, and when I came tt
= examine it could see a crust Of metal
y lie deposit all over it. I had stopped
/ and was scraping at this to see exactly
}. what it was, when I heard a mutteret
V exclamation in German, and saw tn.
: cadaverous face of the colonel looking
4 down at me.
q "tWhat are you doing there7' h,
:. asked
;. II felt angry at tricked been tricket
v byso elaborate story as that which h
I had told me. Il was admiring you
+ fuller 's-earth.' said I; Il think that
!, should be better able to advise you a
II to your machine if knew what the ex
J. "The instant that / uttered the word
= | regretted the rashness Of my. speech
r His face set hard, and a baleful Egh
It sprang- up in his gray eyes.
p :" Very well, said he, you sha!
le know all about the machine. He too
y door, and turned the key in the loci
: rushed toward it and pulled at tn
" handle, but it was quite secure. and di
i. not give in the least to nv kicks an
v shoves; 'Hello!' 7 yelled. Hello
n colonel! let me out!'
II - ana Then sSuQQenlV IN the silence
~ heard sound which sent my heart
- my mouth. It was the clank of the le,
20 ers and the swish of the leaking cylil
20 der. He had set the engine at worl
"a The lamp still stood upon the floor whe1
1a had placed it when examining th
a. trough. But its ight.I saw that til
e black ceiling was coming down upo
If me. slowly, ierkily. but. as none kne
"a better than myself, with q force whic
must within minute grind m
10 to a shapeless pulp. / threw m,
,F self, screaming, against the door, an
~ dragged with my nails at the lock.
=, implored the colonel to let me out, bl
1T the remorseless clanking Of the level
ot drowned my cries. The ceiling was onl
he a foot or two above my head, and wi,
- my hand appraised 7 could feel it's har
RI rough surface. Then it flashed thru m
SO mind that the pain Of my death wou.
nd depend very much upon the position
ol< which I met it. If lay on my IA,
or the weight would come upon my spin
Il and shuddered to think Of that drea
ior full snap. Easier the other way, pc
II haps; and yet, had the nerve to |
~ and look up at that deadly black sha
ow wavering down upon mes Alreac
hv I was unable to stand erect, when n
e ee eye caught something which brought
nln guSh of hope back to my heart.
~ 81 have said that tho the floor al
~ ceiling were Of iron, the walls were
IL wood. As / gave last hurried CLAN
70 II around, I saw thin line of yellow lig
nk between two Of the boards, which broa
NJ NJ, ened and broadened as a small pan
~ was pushed backward. For an lnSta