The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1914-05-30

forward at about twenty miles an
hour. Theobald attempted to spring
from IL; instantly the speed increased
to thirty, forty. ffty-seventy-ive.
The machine bowled along on it's rail,
without a jolt or jar. Theobald might
have thought 1t to be stationary, but
for the whirl of objects that spun past
them.
While he sat there aghast, John
Haynes rose on his crutches, drew up
the windshield, pressed another
spring, and then the machine became
an alright case Of glass, save for a
ventlator overhead. John Haynes sat
down and put his hand to his hip;
Theobald found himself looking into
the muzzle of a pistol.
You skunki" said John Haynes
softly. Look at me harder. Do you
remember me2"
Pete T1mmonsl" gasped the doc
tor, the name flashing into his mind
for the first time since he had sold
his patients body for fifty shares of
stock in the Nokomis Land com
pany.
Eyes, Pete Timmons," answered
Haynes. What have you to say?
You have convicted yourselfi"
DR.. Theobald, whirling along that
narrow line in the car with his vic
tim, felt a horror steal through his
soul. Encased in glass, helpless, at
this mans mercy, he might have been
suffering in an inferno such as the
earlier medicos had depicted as the
penalty for those who broke the hip
pocratic oath which they had taken.
II don't know what to say" he
pleaded. you won't take my life?
Before God, l swear / can cure you.
1t was so terrible a temptation, just
to leave the bullet beside the spine
and get"
Yes, how much did you sell out
for?"
Five thousand dollars" the doctor
answered.
"Theobald," said Haynes, lowering
the pistol because he saw that the
man was incapable of further resist
ance, you are one Of the least of the
scoundrels who railroaded an inno-
cent man to prison to get his millions.
How much you knew, l do not want to
know. You will do two things, and in
the consideration for these your life
and reputation shall be spared. First,
you will operate on me-"
Eyes, yes" urged Theobald eagerly.
Turn around and l will go straight to
your house with you"
Second" continued Haynes, when
1 summon you, you will be at my dis
posal. Later l shall have need of
you"
II agree" cried the doctor, wiring
ing his hands in fear. But for heav-
ems sake, let US turn back and begin
the operation"
mo, no. DR.. Theobald," answered
the other. you will operate here"
"Here?" gasped the doctor.
Here. This seat on which you are
seated is also Of glass. The two to-
gether make a very practicable oper-
ating table. 1t is a little short for the
legs-but, as o see, my legs are
without sensation. Under this seat
are bottles containing alcohol and BIZ
chloride of mercury for sterilizing
purposes. Under the other are basins,
physicians sponges, and two gallons
Of distilled water, which can be boiled
on an electric heater. You can wash
your hands here, sterilize your instru-
ments, operate and administer ether
which you have brought, l presume,
In hat bag of yours" Then, over
come by his smoldering resentment,
he grasped the doctor with his strong
right hand. you dog" he shouted in
his ear, do you suppose l will give
you a second chance to betray me;
that / will place myself in YOU hands,
to lie helpless at your mercy?
mo, Doctor, this time you will
work as you eve worked before, for
the sake of your life and mine. This
car is mounted on a gyroscope wheel
and Is travelling now at seventy-three
miles an hour. 1t is going so fast that
track-walkers along this line will be
unable to distinguish 1t from one of
those little machines on which line
superintendent are apt to move from
station to station. If they can so dis
tinguish 1t, it will not matter in the
least, for / am now going to increase
the speed to just double the amount
n hundred and forty-six, nominally
n hundred and fifty"
He looked at his watch. ut Is now
nine fifteen" he said. The track will
be clear until t~en-thirty, when we
shall encounter the transcontinental
express at Buffalo Ford. My compu-
tation is exact. No one but l knows
the mechanism by which this car can
be stopped. You will. therefore, pro
coed with your operation and bring
me out of the ether In time for me
to stop the a before the train bears
down on us. If you succeed you shall
be dropped near Buffalo Ford, from
which point you can, no doubt, find
your way homeward. If you fail, we
three will be ground to death under
the wheels of the tra~ns-continental
Do you agree to operator"
, Theobald looked despairingly into
the resolute face of the man whom he
had betrayed. He looked at the nurse
seated quietly at his head and seeing
that she remained impassive, nodded
in token Of acquiescence.
For the first time Eleanor spoke
Il am no nurse" she said. II an
his daughter. You must instruct me
, In the application Of the ether"
Theobald nodded again. And now
, to the credit of the man, be 1t said
A. --oRo.H.- = =