The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1914-06-20

he was as fast as though he had been
nailed to the line. He could bend his
body or knees, but from knee to ankle
he remained wholly perpendicular, and
the muscular strain OF returning his
body to the plumb line which the lower
part OF his legs maintained was SO
severe that he abandoned further Of.
forts to move.
you see," said G~reaves, "the mech.
anism is working although It Is not at
present connected with the running
gear. Until II runs or is shut OF you
will be unable to detach your foot from
the metal. But don't be alarmed
just place your hands In your over.
coat pockets"
Hopkins obeyed; a steel trap snap
ped in each; he was securely hand
cuffed, his wrists caught in an easy.
unbreakable grip. And then be un-
derstood that all his efforts had avail
ed him nothing and that the blow had
fallen.
John Haynes went back to the au-
tomobile and lifted out a five-gallon
can Of gasoline. Opening a fold in the
back of Hopkins overcoat, he poured
the fluid into a hidden receptacle un-
til the lower part of the garment
bulged like a balloon.
yes, 1t is rather a weight" Haynes
said ironically. But you will hardly
feel 1t, Mr.. Hopkins, for your feet will
carry you to your destination, and
the personal effort will be practically
nothing. Besides, the gasoline will
act as a ballast and so enable you to
enjoy greater speed than you might
otherwise obtain, while also prevent
ing you from injuring yourself by in
convenient movements. For instance.
il you were to lose your balance ir-
~retrievably, you might perform the
last few thousand miles of your jour
ney with your head and heels hori-
zontal."
Edward Philemus Hopkins stared
up at the blue sky. A little cloud a
floating overheard, a lark was rising
from the ground, mounting skyward,
pouring out her soul in a joyous melo-
dy. A few half incoherent words
burst from between his lips and John
Haynes Inclined toward him to catch
them.
Fifty thousand dollars?" he echoed.
mot for the world, Hopkins. Not for
all you have. You scoundrel," he
cried, with a sudden outburst of fury,
do you think you can buy your mis-
cradle life when better rogues than
you have paid the penalty for their
treachery? What of the five years
that I dragged out at Nokomis Falls ?
What Of my wife and daughter torn
from me when / IA treacherously en-
trapped? Answer me that. No, 1t is
no use to scream. Even il anybody
were near to hear you, that would but
rob you of a few more minutes of an
ticipation."
He paused and strove to recompose
his features, which were distorted by
the vehemence Of his emotion.
In the pursuit of my revenge" he
continued, more calmly, ~ have made
1t a principle OF honor to let the pun
ishment, as far as possible, fit the
crime. There was Jack Poole, for in
stance. He 1t was who lured me into
that fight in which I received a treach-
erous' bullet wound. Jack Poole was
not murdered by me, as you believe.
He died by his own hand-the result
of a new attempt at trickery. Then
there was Judge Charters, who sent
me to a ~convict's cell. He is not
dead, as you imagine, but Is expiat-
ing his crimes in a penal institution
under an assumed name, just as he
sent me to suffer under an alias at
Nokomis Falls. And you, Hopkins
you built your railroad from the pro-
ceeds Of my stolen lands. You have
made yourself rich on 1t; you have
helped people to travel. And so | am
going to send you travelling"
What T you going to do with
me?" implored the other. Where am
l to go?"
Fol answer Haynes drew from his
pocket the early morning edition of
the '~Belguique." On the first page
in huge, black lettering was a column
of news, standing out prominently
from the type in which the remainder
of the page was printed.
you do not read French, / believe,
Hopkins?" asked Haynes. II am sure
you do not. Had you done so, you
would have understood the warning
which I penciled upon the outside of a
letter Of yours q few days ago, and
would have taken yourself from Spa
in the hope Of Guiding me. Well, lis
ten!" He read:
by special arrangement with the
Belgian and Imperial German govern
ments, Mr.. Cyrus w. Walkenphast will
demonstrate the practicability of his
new railroad foot velocipede' by trav-
cling from Spa to Bonn upon a single
rail on the morning of April is. A
special line will be reserved for him,
and he is expected to cover that dis
lance at the rate of five and thirty
miles an hour, arriving at his desti.
nation some time in the afternoon.
In military circles the remarkable in
vention of this clever American, who
is stated to own large railroad inter
ests in his own country, Is awaited
with the utmost eagerness, and it is
anticipated that large crowds will line
the track throughout the greater part
Of the journey"
He folded up the newspaper and re-
placed 1t in his pocket. you, my
dear Hopkins, are Mr.. Cyrus Walken-
phast," he said.
Then you are going to send me to
nAnn ou AuIrNl ~ 80
ing his hopes revive.