The Story Teller.

Wairoa Bell, Volume IV, Issue 153, 8 July 1892, Page 6

The Story Teller.

THE ADVENTURE OF THE ENGINEER’S THUMB.

* We went upstairs together, the Colonel first with the lamp, the fat manager, and I behind him. It was a labyrinth. of an old house, with corridors, passages, narrow winding staircases, and little low doors, the thresholds of which were hollowed out by the generations who had crossed thorn. There were no carpets, and no signs of any furniture above the ground floor, while the plaster was peeling off the walls, and the damp was breaking through in green, unhealthy blotches I tried to pat on as unconcerned an air as possible, but I hud not forgotten the warnings of the lady, even though I disregarded them, and I kept a keen eye upon my two companions. Ferguson appeared to he a morose and silent man, but I could see from the little that he said that he was at least a fellow-country-man.

* Colonel Lysander Stark stopped at last -before a low door, which he unlocked. Within was a small square room, in which the three of us could hardly get atone time. Ferguson remained outside, and the Colonel ushered me in.

* We are now,’ said he. ‘ actually within the hydraulic press, and it would be a par ticularly unpleasant thing for us if anyone were to turn it on, The ceiling of this small chamber is really the end of the descending piston, and it comes down with the force of manyitons upon this metal floor. There are small lateral columns of water outside to receive the force, and which transmit and multiply it in the manner which is familiar to you. The machine goes readily enough, but there is some stiffness in the working of it, and it has lost a little of its force. Perhaps yon will have the goodness to look it over, and to show us how we can set it right.’

‘ I took the lamp from him, and I examined the machine very thoroughly. It was indeed a gigantic one, and capable of exercising enormous pressure. When I passed outside, however, and pressed down the levers which controlled it, I knew at once by the whishing sound that there was a slight leakage, which allowed a regur gitatiou of water through one of the side cylinders. An examination showed that one of the indiarubber bands which was round the head of a driving rod had shrunk *o as not quite to fill the socket along which it worked. This was clearly the cause of the loss of power, and I pointed it out to my companions, who followed coy remarks and asked several practical questions as to how they should proceed to set it right. When 1 had made it clear to them, I returned to the main chamber or the machine and took a good look at it to satisfy ray own curiosity. It was obvious at a glance that the storv of the fuller’s earth was the merest fabrication, for it would be absurd to suppose that so powerful an engine could be designed for so inadequate a purpose. The walls were of wood, bnt the floor consisted of a large iron trough, and when I came to examine it I could see a crust of metallic deposit all over if. I had stooped and was scraping at this to see exactly what it was, when I heard a muttered exclamation in German, and saw the cadaverous lace of the Colonel looking down at me.

' What are you doing there?’ he asked

I felt arfgry at having being tricked by so elaborate astd/v as that which he had told me. 'I was'admi>’ng your fullers earth,’ said 1 ; I think that 1 should t>£ better able to advise you as to your machine if x knew what the exact purpose was for which it was used.’ ‘ The instant that I uttered the words I regretted the rashness of my speech. His face set hard, and a baleful light sprang up in his grey eyes. * Very well,’ said he, ‘you shall know all about the machine.’ He took a step backward, slammed the little door, and turned they key in the lock. I rushed towards it and pulled at the handle, but it was quite secure, and did not give in the least to my kicks and shoves. ‘ Hullo!’ I yelled, ‘ hullo ! Colonel ! Let me out 1’

And then suddenly in the silence I heard a sound which sent my heart into my mouth. It was the clank of the levers, and the swish of the leaking cylinder. He had set tire engine at work , The lamp still stood upon the floor where I had placed it when examining the trough. By its light I saw that the black ceiling was coming down

upon me, slowly jerkily, but, as none knew better than myself, with a force that must within a minute grind me to a. shapeless pulp. I threw myself, screaming, against the door, and dragged with my nails at the lock. I implored the Colonel to let me cut, but the remorseless clanking of the levers drowned my cries. The ceiling was onlv a foot or two above my head, and with my hand upraised I could feel its hard, rough surface. Then it flashed through my mind that the pain of ray death would depend very much upon the position in which I met it. If I lay on my face the weight would come upon my spine, and I shuddered to think of that dreadful snap. Easier the other way, perhaps, and yet had I the nerve to lie and look up at that deadly black shadow wavering down upon me ? Already I was unable to stand erect, when my eye caught something whnh brought a gush of hone to my heart, £ I have said that though floor and ceiling were of iron, the walls were of wood. As 1 gave a last hurried glance around, I saw a thin line of yellow light between two of the boards, which broadened and broadened as a small panel was pushed backwards For an instant I could hardly believe that here was indeed a door which led away from death. The next I threw myself through, and lay half -fainting upon the other side. The panel had closed again behind me, but the crash of the lamp, and a few moments afterwards the clang of the two slabs of metal, told me how narrow had been my escape,

‘ I was recalled to myself by a frantic plucking at my wrist, and I found myself lying upon the stone floor of a narrow corridor, while a woman bent over me and tugged at me with her left hand, while she held a candle in her right. It was the same good friend whose warning I had so foolishly rejected, ‘ Come ! come 1 ’ she cried, breathlessly. ‘ They will be here in a moment. They will see that you are not there. Oh, do not waste so precious time, but come ! ’ ‘ This time, at least, I did not scorn her advice. I staggered to my feet, and ran with her along the corridor and down a winding stair. The latter led to another broad passage, and, just as we reached it, we heard the sound of running feet, and the shouting of t'fo voices—one answering the oth;-r—from the floor on which we were, and from the one beneath. My guide stopped, and looked about her like one who was at her wit’s end. Then she threw open a door which led into a bedroom, through the window of which the moon was shining brightly, ‘lt is your only chance.’ said she. ‘lt is high, but it may be that you can jump

‘ As she spoke a light sprang into view at the further end of the passage, and I saw the lean figure of Colonel Lysander Stark rushing forward with a lantern in one Hand, and a weapon like a butcher’s cleaver in the other. I rushed across the bedroom, flung open the window and looked oot How quiet and sweet and wholesome the garden looked in the moonlight, and it could not be more than thirty feet down. I clambered upon the sill, but I hesitated to jump, until I should have heard what passed between my saviour and the ruffian who pursued me, If she wore ill us ell, then at any risks I was determined to go back to her assistance. The thought had hardly flashed through, my mind before he was at the door, pushing his way past her ; but she threw her arms around him, and tried to hold him back.

‘ Fritz 1 Fritz 1 ’ she cried in English, ‘ remember your promise after the last time. You said it should not be again. He will be 6iiC at ■ will be silent! ’ ‘ You mad, Elsie 1 ’ lie shouted, struggling to break f»way from her. ‘ You will be the ruin of usf, fje has seen too much. Let me pass. I Say ! ■ He dashed her to one side, and, rushing to the window cut at me with his heavy weapon, I had let myself go, and was hanging by the hands t@ the sill, when his blow fell. I was con scions of a dull pain, my grip loosened, and I fell into the garden below, ‘ I was shaken, but not hurt by the fall so I picked myself up, and rushed off among the bushes as hard fts I could run, for I understoodHbat I was far from being out of danger yet, Suddenly, however, as I ran, a deadly dizziness and sickness came over me. i. glanced down at my hand, which was throbbing painfully, and then, for the first time, I saw that my thumb was severed and that the blood was poui-

| ing Iro n the- wound. • I endeavoured to tie j. my Ivan kerchief round it,-hue there came a 1 sudden buzzing in my ears, and the next moment I fell in a dead faint among the rose-bushes. ‘ How long I remained unconscious I cannot tell. It must have been a very long time, for the moon had sunk, anil a bright i morning .was breaking when I came to mv— I self, My clothes were ail sodden with dews and my coat-sleeve was drenched with blood from my wounded thumb, Tim smarting' of it recalled in an instant all the particulars of my night’s ad venture, and I sprang to my feet with the feeling that X might hardly yet be safe,frem my pursuers. But, to my astonishment, when I came to look round me, neither house nor garden were to be seen. I had been lying in an angle of the hedge close,by the high road, and just a little lower down, was a long building, which proved upon my approaching it, to be. the very station at which I had arrived the night previous. Were it not for the ugly wound upon my hand, all. what had passed during those dreadful hours might have been an evil dream. ‘ Half dazed, I went into the station, and asked about the. morning train. There would be one to Reading in an hour. The same porter was on duty, I found, as bad been there when I arrived. I enquired if he had ever heard of Colonel Lysander Stark. The name was strange to him. Had ne observed a carriage the niglit before ■■ .waiting for me ? No, be had not. Was there a police station anywhere near ? There was one about, three miles off.

• ‘ It was too far for me to go, weak and ill ns I was. I determined to wait until I got back to town before telling my stcry to the police. It was a little past six when 1 arrived, so I went,first to have my wound dressed, and then the doctor was kind enough to bring me along here, I put.-the case in your hands and shall do exactly as you advise,’ We both sat in silence for some little time after listening to this extraordinary narrative. Then Bherlock Holmes pulled down from the shelf one of the ponderous common-place books in which he placed his cuttings. ‘ Here is an advertisement which will interest you,’said he, ‘it appeared in all the papers about a year ago. Listen to this Lost, on the 9th inst., Mr. Jeremiah Hayling, aged 26, a hydraulic engineer. Left his lodgings at ten o’clock at night, and has not been heard of since. Was dressed in,’ etc., etc: Ha ! That represents the last time that the Colonel needed to haya his machine overhauled, I fancy.’

‘Undoubtedly. It is quite clear that the Colonel was a cool and desperate man. who was absolutely determined that nothing should stand in the way of his little game, like those out-and-out pirates who will leave no survivor from a captured ship. Well, every moment now. is precious, so, if you feel equal to T, we shall go down to Scotland Y ard. at once as a preliminary to starting for Eyford.’

. Seme three hours or so afterwards we were all in the train together, bound from Reading to the little Berkshire village. There were Sherlock Holmes, the hydraulic engineer, Inspector Bradstreet of Scotland Yard, a plain—clothes man, and. myself. Bradstreet had spread an ordnance map of the country out upon the seat, and was busy with his compasses drawing a circle with Eyford for iis centre. ‘ There you are,’ said he. ‘ That circle is drawn at a radius of ten miles from the village. The place we want must be somewhere near that line, You said ten miles, I think, sir ? ‘ It is an hour’s good drive.’ c And yon think that they brought you back all that way when you were unconscious ?’ ‘ They must have done so. Thave a confused memory, too, of having been lifted and conveyed somewhere. ‘ What I cannot understand,’ said I, ‘ is why they should have spared you when they found you lying fainting in the garden. Perhaps the villain was softened by the woman’s entreaties.’ ‘ I hardly think tiiat likely. I never saw a more inexorable face in my life.’ s Ob, we shall soon clear up all that,’ said Bradstreet, ‘ Well, I have drawn my circle, iar.cl I only wish I knew at point- upon it the folk we are in search of are to be found.’ ‘ I think I could lay my finger on it,’ said Holmes, quietly. tßeally, now !’ cried the Inspector, £ you

j have formed your opinion ! Co hie-now, we nil; see who agrees with vou, I pay it is s nth, for the country is moiV deserted there.’ '• ' And I say east,’ said my patient. ‘ I am for westremarked the plain-clothes man, ‘ There are several quiet little villages up there,? 1 And lam lor nurtl said T ; because (.her are no hills-th- r< , and our friend says i hat he dm not notice toe image go up any.’ ‘Come, cried the otor, laughing • its a pretty diversity m opinion We have boxed the compass among us, Who do vou give your casting vote to ?’ 1 You are all wrong,’ - • * But we can’t all be.’ Oh yes, you can. This is my point ’he placed his finger in the centre of the circle. • This is where we shall find them/ Lut the twelve miles drive?’ °"asped Heatherly. . * J anc ' six back. Nothing simpler. You say yourself that the horse was fresh and glossy when you got in. How could it be that, .if it had gone twelve miles over heavy roads ?’ Indeed it is a likely ruse enough/ observed Bradstreet, thoughtfully. ‘ Of course there can be no doubt as to the nature of this gang.’ ‘ None at all,: said Holmes, ‘ Thev are coiners on a large scale, and have used the machine to form amalgam which has taken the place of silver.’ YV e have known for some time that a clever gang was at work/.said the Inspector, ‘ They have been turning out half-crowns by the thousand We even traced them as far as Reading, but could get no further ; for they had covered their traces in a way thatshowed that they were very old hands. But now, thauics to this lucky chance, I think that we have got them right enough,? But the Inspector was mistaken, for those criminals were not destined to fall into the hands of justice. As we rolled into Eyford Station we saw a gigantic column of smoke which streamed up from behind a small clump of trees in the neighbourhood and hung like an immense ostrich feather over the landscape.

(To be concluded)