The Argosy, June 1904 — page 38: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

524 stant. Then it ascended the shaft—and very gently and pleasantly. “There! LI suppose you’ve trembled until your collar-buttons have worked loose?” Hawkins said contemptuously, turning on me. “Not quite that,” I murmured. “Well, you may as well stop. In a moment or two we shall have reached the top floor; and there, if you like, you can get out and climb down sixteen flights of stairs.” _ “hank you,” I said sincerely. “This, of course, is only the slow speed,” Hawkins continued. “ We can increase it with the merest touch. Watch.” “Wait! I like it better slow!” I pro- tested. “Oh, Vl slacken down again in a moment.” Hawkins gave a mighty push to the controlling apparatus. A charge of dynamite seemed to have been exploded beneath the Hydro-Vapor Lift! Up we shot! I watched the freshly painted numbers between floors as they whizzed by us with shuddering appre- hension: 9—10—11—12 “We're going too fast!” I cried. Hawkins, I think, was about to laugh derisively. His head had turned to me, and his lips had curled slightly-——when the Hydro-Vapor lift stopped with such tremendous suddenness that we almost flew up against the roof of the car. That was the law of inertia at work. Then we descended to the floor with a erash that seemed caleulated to loosen it. That was the law of gravitation. I presume that Hawkins figured without them. I was the first to sit up. For a time my head revolved too rapidly for any- thing like coherent perception. Then, as the stars began to fade away, I saw that we were stuck fast between floors; and before my eyes—large and promi- nent in the newness of its paint— loomed up the number 13. It looked ominous. “We-—we scem to have stopped,” I said. “Yes,” snapped Hawkins. “What was it? Do you suppose any- thing was sticking out into the shaft? PRODUCED BY UNZ.ORG comicloook THE ARGOSY. Has—can it be possible that there is anything like a mechanical error in your Hydro-Vapor Lift?” “No! It’s that fool of an engineer! ” “What!” I exclaimed. “Do you blame him ? ” “ Certainly.” “But how was it his fault?” “Oh—you see—bah!” said the in- ventor, turning rather red. “ You wouldn’t understand if I were to ex- plain the whole thing, Griggs.” “But I should like to know, Haw- kins.” . * Wiity o | “I want to write a little account of the why and the wherefore, so that they can find it in case—anything happens to us.” Hawkins turned away loftily. “We'll have to get out of this,” he said. He pulled at his lever with a confi- dent smile. The Hydro-Vapor Lift did not budge the fraction of an inch. Then he pushed it baeck—and for- ward again. And still the inexorable 13 stood before us. : “Confound that—-er—engineer! ” growled the inventor. Just then the Hydro-Vapor Lift in- dulged in a series of convulsive shud- ders. It was too much for my nerves. I felt certain that in another second we were to drop, and I shouted lustily: “Help! Help! Help!” “Shut up!” cried Hawkins. “ Do you want to get the workmen here and have them see that somcething’s wrong?” I affirmed that intention with un- printable force. “Well, I don’t!” said the inventor. “Why, Griggs, Pm figuring on equip- ping this building with my Hift in a couple of months!” “ Are--are they that?” J gasped. “Why, nothing’s settled as yet; but it is understood that if this experimen- tal model proves a suceess-——’” But my cry had summoned. aid. Above us, and hidden by the roof of the car, some one shouted: “allo! Phwat is it?” “Wallo!” [ returned. “Air ye in the box?” said the voice. allow going to CO ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED