Rocky Ford enterprise., 1914-11-06
BOOK ".
4 Specter at the Feast
CHAPTER !.
What the Box c.

Jessie Willard's visit to Rudolph
Van Vechten partook more of the na-
| ture OF visitation-as of some heal
| Ing shrine's patron saint; for by Sat
| urday night he had 80 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 dlning-room-
modelled after Thane Cedric's banquet
ing-hall-an orchestra diBcoursed 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 impatience to be up and away.
Midnight approached like the ter
| mination Of a sentry's 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
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 a large oblong boz. They halted
and upheld It with patent effort while
Mr.. Van Vechten arose and, in bis un-
impassioned 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, / 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 space was cleared in the
center OF the long table. a few of the
diners were disturbed. and the box
was deposited thereon. The porters
withdrew.
Everybody eyed the innovation Gu
| riously-and a bit distrustfully. too.
| The box. suggesting as II did the end
| OF human endeavor. WAS not an in
| spiritinE center-piece, nor was It in
harmony with the temper of the eve
ming; but after much jocose specula-
tion respecting its likely contents, at
the hosts command servants appear,
ed with screw-drIvers. and. amid an
| eIpectant hush. the lid was removed.
The disclosure. coming as 1t 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 coffn:
one distinguished by its 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:
THE TIME LOCK-"
With the Injection into the banquet
OF an element SO sensational and
startling, Rudolph Van Vechten's 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 to
certain OF those present-particularl
to his uncle
Was the whole thing a huge prao-
teal joke?
The Man OF Iron pointed out that
II II was, II must have been an ex-
pensive one for the perpetrator. Then
came the suggestion OF an Internal
machine. and once more a hush fell
upon the gathering.
These men. however were not lack
ing in courage Very cautiously the
caskst was removed from the box, the
box was taken away, and the former
was given the place of honor, where
1t reposed like beautiful but unat-
tractive epergne.
In the silence that accompanied this
operation distinct ticking sound.
emanating from the cssket. was plain
ly audible. and the diners, some of
them overturning chairs in their
haste. recoIled to the walls, where
they stood staring in horror at this
unwelcome pref1guration OF the grave.
At this moment a quiet voice was
heard to say:
Carefully. gentlemen; a slight jar
might prove disastrous"
The company turned to behold q
man OF impressive appearance. He