Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-11

| manded.
az not only saw it, l smelled it Just to con-
vince myself that it was real tossed my cane
in front of the thing, and it smashed it to
| toothpicks.
Perhaps, then, if everything is as you say,
| the auto actually has wings" remarked the
| scientist
You mean Hatch inquired eagerly, that
| the phantom may be an auto-aeroplane affair,
and that it actually does fyl"
It's not at all impossible
had an idea of something like that my
self,'' Hatch explained, land questioned every
person within mile or SO; but l didn't get
anything
THE perfect stretch of road there might be
the very place for some daring experimental
to get up sufficient speed to soar short dis
tance in light machine" continued the sci
enlist.
Light machine!' Hatch repeated "Did
tell you that this car had four people in it,"
Pour people!" exclaimed the scientist.
Dear mel Dear me! That makes it very
different: Of course, four people would be too
great lift for"
For ten minutes he sat silent, and tiny cob
webby lines appeared in his dome like brow.
Then he quered, ' suppose what you really
want to learn is if the car is "a material one,
and to whom it belongsl"
That's it," agreed the reporter.
do you happen to know a fast long dis
lance bicycle rider?" demanded the scientist
abruptly. If you can arrange with fast
rider who can go distance of thirty. forty,
or fifty miles, we may end this little affair
without difficulty"
Under these circumstances Professor Van
Dusen met the famous Jimmie Thalhauer, the
worlds champion long distance bicyclist He
held every record from five miles up to and
including SIX hours, had twice the six
day race, and was altogether a master in his
field.
You ride the bicycle?" inquired the SCI
enlist.
well, some," confessed the champion mod
estly.
"Can you keep up with an automobile for a
distance of say thirty. or forty mi;e;?"
Il can keep up with anything that amt got
wings, was the response.
The Thinking Machine examined the cham
pion as curiosity. In the seclusion of his
laboratory he had never had opportunity
of meeting just such worldly young person.
How fast can you ride, Mr.. Thalhauer!"
I'm ashamed to tell .you," confded the
champion in hushed voice II can ride SO
fast that l scare myself He paused mo-
ment. But it seems to me- he said, If
there's thirty or forty forty miles to do ought to
Now that's just the point, explained The
Thinking Machine. "A motor cycle makes
noise, and if anything of that sort could have
been used we should have hired fast auto
mobile. This proposition briefly is: | want
mobile which may also run without lights,
and find out where it goes. No occupant of
the car must suspect that it is followed"
Without lights?" repeated the champion.
Geel Rubber shoe, chr"
The Thinking Machine looked his bewilder-
ment.
Yes, that's it, Hatch answered for him.
So arrangements were concluded, and then
and there The Thinking Machine gave definite
and conclusive instructions to the champion.
While these apparently bore broadly on the
problem in hand, they conveyed absolutely
no mixing of his plan to the reporter. At the
end the champion rose to go.
you're most extraordinary young man,
Mr.. Thalhauer," commented The Thinking
Machine, not without admiration for the
sturdy, powerful figure
Nightl Utter blackness, relieved only by a
white, ribbon like road which winds away
mistily under starless sky. Shadowy hedges
line either side, and occasionally tree thrusts
itself upward out of the somberness. The
murrnur of human voices in the shadows, then
the cracking chug of engine, and auto
mobile moves slowly, without lights, into the
road. There is the sudden clatter of an engine
at high speed and the rushes away.
From the hedge comes the faint rustic of
leaves as of wind stirring, then figure moves
impalpably. A moment and it becomes sep
arate entity; a quick movement, and the
creak of a leather bicycle saddle. Silently the
single figure, bent low over the handle bars,
moves after the car with ever increasing mo-
mentum.