Bisbee daily review., 1914-12-16
"rHE TIME LOCK"


 With the injection into the banquet of an clement SO sensational and | startling Rudolph Van Vechten's dc. | 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 specia meaning to ! certain of those particularly 1 to his uncle. Was the whole thing a huge prac- tical joke? The Man of Iron pointed out that if it was, 1t 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 casket was removed from the box, the box was taken away. and the former was given the place of honor. where it reposed like a beautiful but unat- tractive epergne.
 In the silence that accompanied this operation a distinct ticking sound, emanating from the casket, 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 prehguration of the grave. At this moment quiet voice was heard to say:
 Carefully, gentlemen; a slight jar might prove disastrous"
 The company turned to behold a man of impressive appearance lie might have been one of them, though none had seen him previously that night His white hair, his smooth. shaven, finely wrinkled face, his mag neuc eyes. were all a part of a com manding personality, and it was no more than natural that he should be looked to for an explanation of the episode.
 Perfectly composed, there was no mistaking the fact that he completely dominated the situation.
 Van Vechten noted that his uncle recognized the man, and that the Man OA AOu dllALuuH all dl OnNG uENdAlt one of tense, alert watchfulness.
 With an air that impelled many to follow his example, the stranger con. suited his watch an average deciara- tion of all the watches would have fixed the time at Welve minutes till midnight
 ] He advanced to the table, from | which everybody else shrank as far as the confines of the vast room per mitted, and laid a hand upon the casket Glancing once more at the watch which he still held in the other hand, he quietly remarked
 Gentlemen, this coffin contains enough willar3ite to wipe New Yorl of the map It is connected with one of my time-locks set to detonate the explosive at midnight precisely Hi. commanding regard met Theodore Var NeChtens s, as he added.
 No one better than you knows how likely it is to work without hitch"
 In the ensuing quiet the ticking, al of clock, which he plainly heard After a moment he went on:
 T shall not take the time to apolo gize for this interruption of your fes tivities, because glance a the watch-"only ten minutes stand l, between this moment and midnight
 But, as briefly as possible, want t, make it clear to you that l am re sponsible for the occasion that ha brought you together here. With ID. perfected time-lock and permanganat steel-the only metal that will with stand the oxyhyric fame-combine, with Theodore Van Nechten's bushes ' talent and his commanding position wherefrom he can persuade every on of the country's financial institution to purchase an Atlas safe, whethe they want 1t or not, the concerns ir itial year has been a phenomenal prosperous one.
 You gentlemen who are fortunat to be among the stockholders, an Theodore Van Vechten, are reapin the harvest; l get nothing-the il ventor's portion.
 Through my lack of business aci men l was frozen out of the compan. and it did not take long to dlscove that every avenue Of legal redress wa closed to me. Please bear in min that fact.
 Then what remained for me?" Tn brilliant eyes swept the wonderin audience. Why, either to accept th situation as Theodore Van Veehte willed it, or recover my rights force.
 Now, gentlemen, virtually l hay been robbed of fortune. l am nl seeking vengeance-no, no; nothiu of that kind--only justice and COT pensation. have spent months preparing for tonight; more than onS my secret operations have nearly m with shipwreck. and you must reali, that I come here fully determined exact the uttermost farthing of II dues. or else not one of you will li' to enjoy them. Call 1t blackmail ca it a hold-uG call it whatever you wi the fact is that l am here to enfor' not to beg or ask, mind you-b to enforce a distribution of my sha