The Topeka state journal., 1919-09-13
rIK-roK THE MACHINE MAN.


After an hour or so most of the
band of Wheelers rolled hack into the
forest, leaving only three of their
number to guard the hill. These
curled themselves up like big dogs
and pretended to go to sleep on the
sands; but neither Dorothy nor Bill
lima were fooled by this trick so they
remained in security among the rocks
and paid no attention to their cum
ming enemies.
Finally the hen, fiuttering over the
mound, exclaimed: why, here's a
PATH"
So Dorothy at once clambered to
where Billina sat- and there, sure
enough, was a smooth path cut be-
| tween the rocks. 1t seemed to wind
| around the mound from top to bot
tom, like a corkscrew, twisting here
and there between the rough boulders
but always remaining level and easy
to walk upon.
Indeed. Dorothy wondered at first
why the WheelerS did not roll up
this path; but when she followed IL
to the foot of the mound she found
that several (big pieces of rock had
been placed directly across the end of
the way, thus preventing any one out
side from seeing it and also prevent
ing the Wheelers from using it to
climb up the mount.
Then Dorothy walked back up the
path, and followed it until she came
to the very top of the hill, where a
solitary round rock stood that was
bigger than any of the others sur
rounding it. The path came to an en1
just beside this great rock. and for a
moment it puzzled the girl to know
wi hea ha a.
But the hen, who had been gravely
following her around and was now
perched upon a point of rock behind
Dorothy. suddenly remarked:
1T looks something like a door.
doesn't II 2"
What looks like a door?D INQUIRED
the child.
why, that crack in the rock, just
facing you," replied Billina, whose lit.
| tie round eyes were very sharp and
seemed to see everything. ut runs up
one side and down the other, and
acrss the top and the bottom"
What does?"
why. the crack. So I think It
must be a door of rock, altho I do not
see any hinges"
"oh. yes" said Dorothy, now OBJ
serving for the first time the crack
in the rock. And isn't this key
! hole, Billina?" pointing to a round,
| deep hole at one side of the door.
''Of course. If we only had the key
now, We could unlock it and see what
is there" replied the yellow hen.
Maybe it's a treasure chamber full
! OF diamonds and rubies, or heaps Of
shining gold, pr
That reminds me-" said Dorothy
''of the golden key I picked up on
! the shore. Do you think that it would
1 fit this keyhole, Billina? p"
TRY it and see," suggested the hen.
-
! of her dress and found the golden
! key And when she had put ii into
the hole of the rock. and turned it, a
| sudden sharp snap was heard; then,
with a solemn creak that made the
shivers run down the child's back. the
! face of the rock fell outward, like a
door on hinges, and revealed a small
dark chamber just inside.
Good graciousIp cried Dorothy.
! shrinking back as far as the narrow
path would let her.
For, standing within the narrow
chamber of rock, was the form of a
/ manor, at least. 1t seemed like a
| man, in the dim light. He was only
about as tall as Dorothy herself, and
| his body was round as ball and made
out of FURNISHED copper. Also his
head and limbs were copper. and these
were jointed or hinged to his body in
a peculiar way, with metal caps over
| the joints. like the armor worn by
| knights in days of old. He stood per-
fectly still, and where the light struck
upon his form it glittered as if made
Of pure gold.
Don't be frightened" called Bill
lima. from her perch. 1T isn't alive"
ct see it isn't replied the girl draw
| ing long breath.
TITS only made out of copper, like
| the old kettle in the barn yard at
home" continued the hen. turning her
| head first to one side and then the