Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1914-08-22
BOOK ~.
A SpeCter at the Feast.
CHAPTER /.
What the Box Contained.

| SH F0@hACAA PAL LOOh AlOiG vi NAA6 La
ture OF vistation--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 dning-room-
modelled after Thane Cedric's banquet
ing-hall-an orchestra discoursed syn
copated melody in blissful ignorance
| OF anaehronism 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
mination of 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
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 1t with patent effort whiIsu
Mr., Van Vechten arose and in his
impassioned manner addressed
guests.
Gentlemen" said he, some of
friends have not forgotten the oc
sion we are assembled here tonight
celebrate. We have here / am
sured something that will commek -
rate this happy event in a most rev
markable and fitting way 81
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 a bit distrustfulIy. too
The box, suggesting as 1t did the end
Of human endeavor. was not an in
spirlting eenter-piece, nor was it in
harmony with the temper of the eve
ming but after much jocose specula-
ton respecting its likely contents, at
the hosts command servants appear
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 resultantIy;
for the box did not belle what it sug
gested. Il really contained a coffin:
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 a single engraved
line:
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 to
certain OF those present-particularly
to his uncle.
Was the whole thing a huge prac-
deal Joke?
The Man OF Iron pointed out that
II it was, II must have been an ex-
pensfve one for the perpetrator Then
came the suggestion Of an internal
machine, and once more a hush fell
upon the gathering
These men, however. we're not lack
ing in courage Very cautiously the
casket was removed from the box. the
box was taken away, and the former
was given the place of honor. where
il reposed like a beautiful but unat-
tractive epergne
In the silence that accompanied this
operation distinct ticking sound.
emahating from the casket. was PLAZA
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
unSelcogae prengurstion of the grave.
At this moment a quiet voice was
heard 10 say
Carefully. gentlemen; a slight Jar
might prove disastrous"
She company turned to behold
oman Fl Impressive appearance he