Los Angeles herald., 1906-12-02

| Of the world" averred Golgotz "At the present
stage Of our knowledge and control it would be
suicide to attempt IL. The delicate balance be-
tween centrifugal and centripetal force, which
keeps the earth in its orbit, would be destroyed,
and the planet would either fall into the sun
or 90 hurtlng away into space. have begged
him to desist; but he will make the attempt be-
fore midnight If he is not stopped"
at is not like my uncle to be reckless" I
said still doubtful
''He is mad. I tell you--inad with excess of
power. Think what it is--to hold the fate Of
the world and its millions in the grasp Of ones
hand to turn it about like a playthngl You
won't believe mel I wish 20 Heaven | had died
before that Internal idea entered my brani
Watt Has he seemed like himself to you of
late"
The agonizing sincerity Of the man was not
to be doubted, and the last appeal decided me.
Certainly my uncle had behaved strangely to-
ward me, but had never before entertained the
possibility of his madness. | picked up my
medicine case and followed Golgotz. There was
cab waiting by the curb and we jumped into
It, and were driven a long distance. We alight-
ed before little square stone building | had
often noticed standing in field on the out
skirts of town, and Golgotz quickly opened the
padlocked door j went in after him in pitch
darkness
Careful" he warned me, in whisper.
'Downstars!"
Downstairs we went for what seemed end
less way, still in darkness. At last Gogotz,
ahead, softly opened door, and let in blind
ing flood of light / saw that we had entered
large chamber, full Of purring machinery, and
lighted by an immense arc light that hung from
the ceiling Across from us a man stood with
his back to us over wheel like that of ship.
He was studying sheet of blue print on the
wall in front of him, and bronze chronometer,
or some such instrument, lay on a table at his
right.
As we stood for a moment undecided what to
do he turned and saw us. It was my uncle.
A lvid change over his face at sight of
me, and quick light he seized the chronome-
ter and leapt forward. In the same instant l
lodged aside, and Golgotz sprang in front of
where l had stood. The chronometer came
down with full force on his head, and he drop
ped like stone.
My uncle backed away and stood looking at
him! He was laughing! Then he went for
ward, step by step, to the wheel his eyes always
fixed Golgotz, lying still on the floor, He
seemed to have forgotten my presence.
Poor fool" he said. Il am glad you are
out Of the way. Now I am sole master. will
begin tonight. / will turn the world upside
down" he broke into peal of laughter, unmis-
takably maniacal Halfway it checked in his
throat. He gasped his face turned pale, his
eyes started. Before I reached him he sank
limp across the Wheel quite dead.
I went back for the cabman, and with much
exerton we dragged the two men up the long
stairs into the open air. Then we drove to a
hospital where left to the care of others the
injured and the dead My uncle's death was
pronounced to be due to heart failure; Golgotz
lived, but rendered hopeless imbecile by
the blow his head. Of course there was a
great stir over the whole matter, and for while
| expected to be obliged to stand my trial. how
ever, no charge was brought The underground
chamber was exploited to the last degree, but
nothing was ever made of it, for the reason that
had gone back on the night of my uncle's death
and destroyed every evidence betraying the vital
principal of the control of gravity.
The earth's celerity of rotation varies from its
old standard by seven minutes and some sec
onds each year. This is destined to cause trou-
BILE to the calendar makers; but nobody worries
about it Sufficient unto the day is the
evil thereof