The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-06-15

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
and shoulder. .sains. IL Una butted
his way stubbornly along.
All day long on his high seared ma
chino Mr.. Beck pushed on at the same
steady. unchanging. untiring pace
Only once. when more than half OF
his Journey was accomplished. did he
stop at . wayside inn for q crust OF
bread and a pint of stout.
Evening began to close in. His
cyclometer marked 81 miles already
covered. Looking at his watch. of
which he could hardly distinguish the
figures in the gathering dusk. Mr.Bec
found he had still more than two hours
left In good tims." he muttered. and
slackened speed = little. for the head
wind all day was stiff and persistent.
At last! He could Just distinguish
the steep slope AZ the road rose abrupt
ly ana leaped over the railway. He
dropped OF at the foot. lifted the be
cycle over the wooden ratings. and
stood It carefully in the shadow of The
bridge wall. He took the bag from
tho handlebars and walked with 10
down to the rails. A faint metallic
CLEAN came from the rails, that
stretched like two threads Of light
away into tho darkness.
Mr.. Beck took ono Of the silk hands
kerchiefs from the bag and shook out
the folds. He drew the cork of one
OF the oil cans with his teeth. soaked
the silk a. full as It could hold: thcn.
| bending down over the near rail. he
| began smearing the smooth metal
thickly with OIL 30 he worked stead.
lily and swiftly for more than a hun.
dred yards down the steep gradient.
until one can of oil was exhausted
He crossad The line and came Up. mop
ping and daubins the orfer Xxi I1urn
the other can in the same plentiful
fashion. Then he took his stand right
between tho rails Mt the head of the
gradient. under the bridge. with .
cool night wind sweeping past him.
| Il hope I am safe here" he NUT
tered. right In the track Of the mail
train"
Almost as he spoke there appeared
| a steady white star. distant and low.
| Tho wind was blowing almost straight
down tho line. Under a full head Of
steam, the engine Of the Lightning Elk
press, with a long rrain trailing behind
in the darkness. came laundering up
the incline. Then suddenly the wheels
struck the oil. There was an instant
!
rough jar and rattle died out Of II.
But the acquired momentum stiri
forced the huge weight forward. the
wheels sliding like a horses hoofs on
an fey pavement. and taking no grip
on the creased metal. The engine came
on slowly and moro slowly. until It
was within twenty yards Of where Mr..
Ecck stood at the end of the creased
~ '. It wavered. stood stili for one
second. and then began. silently
'ow1y at FIRST, to slip back down
slope, gaining speed as II went.
-, wheels slid helplessly on the oiled
steel The engine. like a wounded
monster, shrieked horribly through the
still night. Far away. down Mt the
foot of the long gradient. the train Mt
last came to dead halt. The sound
Of the opening and shutting of many
doors and the babble Of excited voices
struggled family up against the wind
to the listening Mr.. Beck. He knew
tho train was safe for the night. So
he drew his bicycle from its shelter
with an easy mind. and with the wind
at his back went sailing away swiftly
and smoothly along the road he came,
| which stretched like faint gray streak
into the night.
Next day. at 8: so o'clock while Mr.
Snow. with the deed In his black calf.
skin bag. was still a long I'VE miles
from Rathcool and was vigorously
cursing the 60 as you please light rail.
way, a very curious performance was
in progress in the House Of Lords.
The little Lord Chancellor, with .
cooked hat perched on his huge bec-
hive wig. was seated on the broad
scarlet woolsack. Two other lords,
respondent in scarlet and ermine,
were beside him. This ''combination
company represented the absent Ma.
jesfy of England. There were a mum.
Der of other performers In a variety OF
costumes But most remarkable Of ali
was a very tall man. wearing . wig
Of particularly white horsehair. q long
black gown, aad a face Of pretsrnaturai
solemnity. A shorter man was read
. ing = list Of bills which had passed
through the storms Of Lords and Conn
mons. and were now sailing peacefully
into port. AS each title was read the
, tall man jerked himself half around.
, like an automaton on springs. bowed
to the empty throne. and with the me-
} tallic twang Of a photograph uttered
the magic formula that converted the
bill into an Act Of Parliament.
. The Voluntary Conveyance Bills
read the short man.
10 Roi lie veut." terked out the
tall man.
In that second the bill was an act
an integral part Of the law of the
. land. and the rights of little Mist
florence Burton were secure.
} All that afternoon. at Mount Eagle
Miss Trixie Mordant and Mr.. Jerome
Bloodsmith waited. eagerly expectant
Of kilograms. 1t was well on In thu
} evening when two pink envelopes ar.
5 rived together, at last There was bul
! one word In each message.
{ Her word was 'Lost"-and hia
1 Won"