The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1914-06-08

about thirty years ago. My
name 10 David Innes. am
q graduate Of Andover and
rr. Yale.
Ny father was q wealthy mine
o1ner. When Z was nineteen he
diSd. All his property was to DO
nine when had attained my ma
johty..
Than. Perry interested me in his
invention.
Roughly, II is a steel cylinder
hundred feet long. and jointed so that
ie'0ay turn and twist through solid
rock II need be. At one end Is a
miehty revolving drill operated by an
sukins which Perry said generated
>more power to the cubic inch than
any other engine did to the cubic
foot I remember that he used to
claim that that invention alone would
make Us fabulously weaithy-we were
going to make the whole thing pub
lie after the successful issue Of our
frSt secret trial-but Perry never re-
turned from that trial trip, and !
only after ten years.
recall as II were but yesterday
the night OF that momentous occA-
sien upon which We were to test the
practicability Of that wondrous In
yantion. 1t was near midnight that
We repaired to the lofty tower in
which Perry had constructed his
iron MOLE" as he was wont to call
the thing.
The great nose rested upon the bare
earth Of the floor. We passed
Jacket, secured them, and then pass
Ing on into the cabin, which con-
tained the controlling mechanism
within the inner tube. switched on
che electric lights.
Perry looked to his generator; to
the great tanks that held the life
irving chemicals with which he was
TO manufacture fresh air to replace
that which We consumed In breath
ing; to his instruments for recording
temperatures. speed. distance. ana
for examining the materials through
which we were to pass.
He tested the steering device. and
overlooked the mighty cogs which
transmitted Its marvellous velocity to
the giant drill at the nose OF his
strange craft.
Our seats. into which we strapped
ourselves, were 10 arranged upon
transverse bars that We would be
upright whether the craft were
/ bIuughtng her way downward into
NhO bowels Of the earth, or running
horisontally along some great seam
Of coal. or rising vertically toward
the surface again.
Az length all was ready. Perry
bowed his head In prayer. For q
moment we were silent, and then the
Ola mans hand grasped the starting
lever. There was q frightful roaring
bsueath us-the giant frame trembled
and vibrated-there was q rush OF
sound az the loose earth passed w
through the hollow space between
the inner and outer Jackets, TO be
deposited In our wake.
We were of!
The noise was deafening. The sen.
sation was frightful. For full min.
ute neither of us could do sught but
cling with the proverbial desperation
of the drowning man to the handrails
Of our swinging seats. Then Perry
glanced at the Thermometer.
"0ad!" he cried. ut cannot be pos.
sibls-quick! What does the distance
metre read?"
That and tho speedom eter were both
on nay side Of the cabin. and as
turned to take q reading from the
former I could hear Perry mutter'
Ten degrees rise. It cannot be
Then I saw him tug frantically upor
the steering wheel.
As finally found the tiny needle
in the dim light I translated Perry
evident excitement. and my hear
sank within me. But when l spoke
hid the fear which haunted me.
1T will be seven hundred feet
turn her into the horizontal"
you'd better lend me hand then
my boy" he replied, "for I canno
bulge her out of the vertical alone
Heaven give that our combined
strength may be equal to the task
for else we are lost"
] wormed my way to the old man
side with never a doubt but that tn
great wheel would yield on the instan
to the power of my young and vigor
ous muscles. Nor was my belief mer
vanity, for always had my physi9u
been the envy and despair Of my fei
lows.
And for that very reason 1t ha'
waxed even greater than nature ha'
intended, since my natural pride II
my great strength had led me to car
for and develop my body and m.
muscles by every means within m,
power. What with boxing. football
and baseball / had been In training
since childhood.
And 20 II was with the utmost con
fidence that I laid hold of the hug
iron rim. but though I threw ever.
ounce of my strength into 1t my bes
effort was as unavailing as Perry