The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-01-10
BOOK w.
A Specter at the Feast.
CHAPTER !.


ture of a visitation-as of some heal
ing shrine's patron saint; for by Sat
urday night he had so far recovered
| that, at his uncle's repeated urgent So
licitations, he was able to attire him
self in the habiliments of formality
| and attend the directors meeting, of
which already he had been notified.
In the gallery Of the dining-room-
modelled after Thane Cedric's banquet
| ing-hall-an orchestra discoursed syn
copated melody in blissful ignorance
| of anachronism. The president of
the Continental Union Banking and
! Trust company and the head of the At
las Safe company occupied seats of
honor, and their long laudatory re-
sponses put the finishing touch to Ru-
dolph's Impotence to be up and away
| Midnight approached like the ter
mlnation of sentrys winter vigil,
and as he determined to slip from his
/ seat near the long tables foot and
! find his hat and top-coat, there came
a diversion that stayed him. By con-
trast, any interruption to the oratory
was interesting.
The butler noiselessly approached
the head of the table and held a whis-
pered colloquy with the host After a
/ minute or two the Man of Iron nodded,
the butler stole away, and the man
who was speaking at the time, realiz-
ing that something extraordinary was
impending, paused, faltered, stopped,
and sat down
Four men, clad in overalls and jum-
pers, entered, carefully bearing among
them large oblong box. They halted
and upheld it with patent effort while
Mr.. Van Vechten arose and, in his I'M
imprisoned manner, addressed his
guests.
Gentlemen" said he, some of our
friends have not forgotten the occa-
sion we are assembled here tonight to
celebrate. We have here, l am as
sured, something that will commemo-
rate this happy event in a most re-
markable and fitting way -
And much more to the same effect.
Then a space was cleared in the
center of the long table, few of the
diners were disturbed. and the box
was deposited thereon. The porters
| withdrew.
Everybody eyed the innovation Gu
riously-and bit distrustfully. too.
The box. suggesting as it did the end
Of human endeavor, was not an in
spiriting center-piece, nor was 1t In
harmony with the temper Of the eve
ming; but after much jocose specula-
ton respecting its likely contents, at
|
ed with screw-drivers, and, amid an
expectant hush. the lid was removed.
The disclosure, coming as it did into
) the very heart of the company's good
humor, was realized only resultantly;
; for the box did not belle what it sug-
gested. 1t really contained a coffin ::
; one distinguished by it's elegant cream
colored silk-plush covering and pure
; rose-gold ornamentation. The long
extension handles were of the same
; metal, as was also the name-plate.
Upon this latter was single engraved
; line:
1.-THE TIME LOCK-"
! With the injection into the banquet
of an element so sensational and
: startling, Rudolph Van Vechtens de.
sire to depart vanished; he was not
unaffected by the excitement that
stirred the rest OF the company. But
presently he observed that the Incl
dent conveyed a special meaning &c
certain of those neutrality-suspicious.
to his uncle.
Was the whole thing a huge prac
teal joke?
The Man of Iron pointed out that
if it was, it must have been an ex
pensive one for the perpetrator Then
came the suggestion of an Internal
machine, and once more a hush fel
upon the gathering.
These men, however, were not lack
ing in courage. Very cautiously tbs
r casket was removed from the box, the
box was taken away, and the former
: was given the place of honor, where
tractive epergne.
In the silence that accompanied this
operation a distinct ticking sound
emanating from the casket, was plain
1y audible, and the diners, some O
them overturning chairs in theil
haste, recoiled to the walls, whert
they stood staring in horror at thi.
unwelcome prefguration of the grave
At this moment a quiet voice ives
! heard to say:
Carefully, gentlemen; a slight jail
might prove disastrous"
The company turned to behold 6
man of impressive appearance. He
might have been one of them, though
j none had seen him previously tha
] night His white hair. his smooth
shaver, finely wrinkled face, his mag
netlc eyes, were all part of a com
handing personality, and it was III
more than natural that he should bt
: looked TO for an explanation of ths
C episode.
( Perfectly comnosed there was NJ