United labor bulletin., 1914-05-02

SoAoi. eAe spedhtT- ne ldtter eyes
met the Man of Irons intent look. and
he added;
Or else | shall annihilate every
one of you and myself" He looked at
his watch again.
You all understand You have Just
six minutes within which to make up
your MAIDS
The Man CT iron was not of the stuff
/ that is easily frightened-else he
would not have been the Man OF Iron
He was taken unawares and rendered
bewildered-as who would not have
been?-but he was first to recover him
self. His voice rang out with an au-
thoritatlye command that the casket
be removed.
The intruder. with one hand still ly-
ing lightly at an end of the handsome
casket the other still holding his
watch. calmly interposed:
Just a moment-if you please.
have only to press trifie harder upon
this bit Of ornament and the explo-
sion Will be precipitated. l trust
for your sskes: don't care SO much
for myself-that you will not force me
to such an extreme.
"However. | have come here pre-
pared for any turn. II my rights are
! not TO be recognized. then II is a mat
ter OF Indifference TO me wether |
\ destroy myself along with the rest of
you J prefer not to do so. of course;
but ] give you my word, at the FIRST
movement OF opposition / shall term
mate this unpleasant scene"
/ An lmpulsive movement of Theo-
I dore Van Vechten's was followed by
a gasp Of horror; for the stranger was
so selfpossessed and determined that
nobody doubted his dispassionate dec
laration II was only too obvious that
he would do to the last extreme exact
/ ly what he said he would
The Man OF Irons fists suddenly
clenched. and he took step toward
the speaker. The mans magnetic
eyes turned upon him with a steady.
inscrutable lock.
Theodore Van vechten." the quiet
voice vent on. lit lowers the high
feeling OF respect and admiration
which l entertain for your genius to
see you choose the role of fool now"
MAJ Willard retored Van vechten
eveut, you know me well enough to
rec 5ebeze that can not be coerced: !:
SO il ir you who are playing the part
OF fool Can't you see that this
means your utter RUM"
Said the other: Everything that hu-
man agency can accomplish toward
that end has been done-by you, Theo-
dore And now. Just one more chance.
Your niece has been missing for some
time has she not?-
Theodore Van Vechten started The
inventor went on:
Il merely want to add that-in addi-
tion to well-calculated charge of
willardite-she too is in this casket-
alive at this moment" Again he
glanced At his watch. 1T is precisely
two minutes until twelve"
Nothing was 60 be heard save the
regular ticking. each pulsation mark
ing on one more fateful second. The
two men-Max Willard. cool and stead
fast In his purpose: Theodore Van
Vechten. an image of power and in
domitability-looked long into each
others eyes
With a quick movement. Willard's
hand slid to another part Of the cas-
ket II could be seen that he pressed
tribe harder. The whole thing fell
apart into the shape OF a davenport
| lounge.
In the midst OF the creamy cushions
thus disclosed. clad in a white yacht
ing costume which. in its present set
ting might well have been the cere-
ments OF the dead. her hands ciasped
lightly and naturally upon her bosom.
reposed beautiful young girl Her
glowing hair afforded the one mark
of vivid color against the ivory and
dull gold OF the casket and the pallor
of the huge tables spotless napery.
The ticking still continued.