Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1913-10-02

EnUrely so, sir.
$50 that no one, here or elsewhere,
shares our knowledge of the new
points ii. this mechanism"
4 say so. sir"
"Then if should kill you" came in
ferocious accents, nowhere"
You would be the only one to own
that knowledge. But you won't kill
me-"
swhy?"
Need go into reasonsf"
Why? say"
Because your conscience is already
too heavily laden to bear the burden
of another unprovoked crime"
Brotherson, staring back, glared
with open ferocity upon the man who
dared to face him with such an accu-
sation.
"Gcdl why didn't shoot you on en-
trance!" he cried. your courage is
certainly colossal.
A fine smile, without even the hint
of humor now, touched the daring de-
tective's lip Brotherson's anger
seemed to grow under it. and he loud
~ repeated:
It's more than colossal; it's abnor-
NAL and" A moments pause, then
with ironic pauses-"and quite unnec-
essary save as matter of display, I'M
less you think you need it to sustain
you through the ordeal you are court
ing. You wish to help me finish and
prepare for fiight?"
= sincerely do"
You consider yourself competent"
Il do"
Brotherson's eyes fell and he walked
once to the extremity Of the oval floor
ing and back.
Well, we win grant that. But that's
not all that is necessary. Ny require
ments demand companion in my
first fight. Win you go up in the car
with me on Saturday night?"
A quick Affirmative was on Sweet
waters lips but the glimpse which he
got of the speakers face glowering
upon him from the shadows into which
Brotherson had withdrawn, stopped its
utterance, and the silence grew heavy.
Though it may not have lasted long
by the clock, the instant of breathless
contemplation OF each others features
across the intervening space was Of
incalculable moment to Sweetwater,
and, possibly, to Brotherson. AS
drowning men are said to live over
their whole history between their first
plunge and their final rise to light and
air, SO through the mind of the de-
tective rushed the memories of his
past and the fast fading glories of his
future; and rebelling at the subtle
peril1he saw in that sardonic eye, he
vociferated an impulsive.
mo! III not" and paused, caught
by new and irresistible sensation.
A breath Of wind--the first he had
felt that night-had swept in through
some oreyice in the curving wall, flap
ping the canvas enveloping the great
car. 1t acted like peal to battle.
After all, man must take some risks
in this life, and his heart was in this
trial Of redoubtable mechanism in
which He had full faith He could not
say no to the prospect of being the
first to share triumph which would
send his name to the ends of the
earth; and, changing the trend OF his
sentence, he repeated with calmness
which had the force of great de-
cision:
Il will not fail you In anything. II
she rises" here his trembling hand
fell on the curtain shutting off his
view of the ship, she shall take me
with her, SO that when she descends
may be the first to congratulate the
proud inventor of such marvel"
so be iti' shot from the others
lips. his eyes losing their threatening
look, and his whole countenance sud
denly aglow with the enthusiasm of
awakened genius.
Coming from the shadows, he laid
his hand on the cord regulating the
rise and fall Of the concealing curtain.
Here she isl" he cried and drew
the cord.
The canvas shook, gathered itself
into great folds and disappeared in
the shadows from which he had just
stepped.
The air-car stood revealed start
ling, because wholly unique, vision
Long did Sweetwater survey it,
then turning with beaming face upon
the watchful inventor, he uttered
loud hurrah.
Next moment, with everything for
gotten between them save the glories
of this invention, both dropped stimuli
taneously to the floor and began that
minute examination Of the mechanism
necessary to their mutual work.
CHAPTER xxxvII.