A Meeting Of The Automobile Club

: The Master Of The World

Was the mystery of the Great Eyrie to be solved some day by chances

beyond our imagining? That was known only to the future. And was the

solution a matter of the first importance? That was beyond doubt,

since the safety of the people of western Carolina perhaps depended

upon it.



Yet a fortnight after my return to Washington, public attention was

wholly distracted from this problem by another very differen
in

nature, but equally astonishing.



Toward the middle of that month of May the newspapers of Pennsylvania

informed their readers of some strange occurrences in different parts

of the state. On the roads which radiated from Philadelphia, the

chief city, there circulated an extraordinary vehicle, of which no

one could describe the form, or the nature, or even the size, so

rapidly did it rush past. It was an automobile; all were agreed on

that. But as to what motor drove it, only imagination could say; and

when the popular imagination is aroused, what limit is there to its

hypotheses?



At that period the most improved automobiles, whether driven by

steam, gasoline, or electricity, could not accomplish much more than

sixty miles an hour, a speed that the railroads, with their most

rapid expresses, scarce exceed on the best lines of America and

Europe. Now, this new automobile which was astonishing the world,

traveled at more than double this speed.



It is needless to add that such a rate constituted an extreme danger

on the highroads, as much so for vehicles, as for pedestrians. This

rushing mass, coming like a thunder-bolt, preceded by a formidable

rumbling, caused a whirlwind, which tore the branches from the trees

along the road, terrified the animals browsing in adjoining fields,

and scattered and killed the birds, which could not resist the

suction of the tremendous air currents engendered by its passage.



And, a bizarre detail to which the newspapers drew particular

attention, the surface of the roads was scarcely even scratched by

the wheels of the apparition, which left behind it no such ruts as

are usually made by heavy vehicles. At most there was a light touch,

a mere brushing of the dust. It was only the tremendous speed which

raised behind the vehicle such whirlwinds of dust.



"It is probable," commented the New Fork Herald, "that the extreme

rapidity of motion destroys the weight."



Naturally there were protests from all sides. It was impossible to

permit the mad speed of this apparition which threatened to overthrow

and destroy everything in its passage, equipages and people. But how

could it be stopped? No one knew to whom the vehicle belonged, nor

whence it came, nor whither it went. It was seen but for an instant

as it darted forward like a bullet in its dizzy flight. How could one

seize a cannon-ball in the air, as it leaped from the mouth of the

gun?



I repeat, there was no evidence as to the character of the propelling

engine. It left behind it no smoke, no steam, no odor of gasoline, or

any other oil. It seemed probable, therefore, that the vehicle ran by

electricity, and that its accumulators were of an unknown model,

using some unknown fluid.



The public imagination, highly excited, readily accepted every sort

of rumor about this mysterious automobile. It was said to be a

supernatural car. It was driven by a specter, by one of the

chauffeurs of hell, a goblin from another world, a monster escaped

from some mythological menagerie, in short, the devil in person, who

could defy all human intervention, having at his command invisible

and infinite satanic powers.



But even Satan himself had no right to run at such speed over the

roads of the United States without a special permit, without a number

on his car, and without a regular license. And it was certain that

not a single municipality had given him permission to go two hundred

miles an hour. Public security demanded that some means be found to

unmask the secret of this terrible chauffeur.



Moreover, it was not only Pennsylvania that served as the theater of

his sportive eccentricities. The police reported his appearance in

other states; in Kentucky near Frankfort; in Ohio near Columbus; in

Tennessee near Nashville; in Missouri near Jefferson; and finally in

Illinois in the neighborhood of Chicago.



The alarm having been given, it became the duty of the authorities to

take steps against this public danger. To arrest or even to halt an

apparition moving at such speed was scarcely practicable. A better

way would be to erect across the roads solid gateways with which the

flying machine must come in contact sooner or later, and be smashed

into a thousand pieces.



"Nonsense!" declared the incredulous. "This madman would know well

how to circle around such obstructions."



"And if necessary," added others," the machine would leap over the

barriers."



"And if he is indeed the devil, he has, as a former angel, presumably

preserved his wings, and so he will take to flight."



But this last was but the suggestion of foolish old gossips who did

not stop to study the matter. For if the King of Hades possessed a

pair of wings, why did he obstinately persist in running around on

the earth at the risk of crushing his own subjects, when he might

more easily have hurled himself through space as free as a bird.



Such was the situation when, in the last week of May, a fresh event

occurred, which seemed to show that the United States was indeed

helpless in the hands of some unapproachable monster. And after the

New World, would not the Old in its turn, be desecrated by the mad

career of this remarkable automobilist?



The following occurrence was reported in all the newspapers of the

Union, and with what comments and outcries it is easy to imagine.



A race was to be held by the automobile Club of Wisconsin, over the

roads of that state of which Madison is the capital. The route laid

out formed an excellent track, about two hundred miles in length,

starting from Prairie-du-chien on the western frontier, passing by

Madison and ending a little above Milwaukee on the borders of Lake

Michigan. Except for the Japanese road between Nikko and Namode,

bordered by giant cypresses, there is no better track in the world

than this of Wisconsin. It runs straight and level as an arrow for

sometimes fifty miles at a stretch. Many and noted were the machines

entered for this great race. Every kind of motor vehicle was

permitted to compete, even motorcycles, as well as automobiles. The

machines were of all makes and nationalities. The sum of the

different prizes reached fifty thousand dollars, so that the race was

sure to be desperately contested. New records were expected to be

made.



Calculating on the maximum speed hitherto attained, of perhaps eighty

miles an hour, this international contest covering two hundred miles

would last about three hours. And, to avoid all danger, the state

authorities of Wisconsin had forbidden all other traffic between

Prairie-du-chien and Milwaukee during three hours on the morning of

the thirtieth of May. Thus, if there were any accidents, those who

suffered would be themselves to blame.



There was an enormous crowd; and it was not composed only of the

people of Wisconsin. Many thousands gathered from the neighboring

states of Illinois, Michigan, Iowa, Indiana, and even from New York.

Among the sportsmen assembled were many foreigners, English, French,

Germans and Austrians, each nationality, of course, supporting the

chauffeurs of its land. Moreover, as this was the United States, the

country of the greatest gamblers of the world, bets were made of

every sort and of enormous amounts.



The start was to be made at eight o'clock in the morning; and to

avoid crowding and the accidents which must result from it, the

automobiles were to follow each other at two minute intervals, along

the roads whose borders were black with spectators.



The first ten racers, numbered by lot, were dispatched between eight

o'clock and twenty minutes past. Unless there was some disastrous

accident, some of these machines would surely arrive at the goal by

eleven o'clock. The others followed in order.



An hour and a half had passed. There remained but a single contestant

at Prairie-du-chien. Word was sent back and forth by telephone every

five minutes as to the order of the racers. Midway between Madison

and Milwaukee, the lead was held by a machine of Renault brothers,

four cylindered, of twenty horsepower, and with Michelin tires. It

was closely followed by a Harvard-Watson car and by a Dion-Bouton.

Some accidents had already occurred, other machines were hopelessly

behind. Not more than a dozen would contest the finish. Several

chauffeurs had been injured, but not seriously. And even had they

been killed, the death of men is but a detail, not considered of

great importance in that astonishing country of America.



Naturally the excitement became more intense as one approached the

finishing line near Milwaukee. There were assembled the most curious,

the most interested; and there the passions of the moment were

unchained. By ten o'clock it was evident, that the first prize,

twenty thousand dollars, lay between five machines, two American, two

French, and one English. Imagine, therefore, the fury with which bets

were being made under the influence of national pride. The regular

book makers could scarcely meet the demands of those who wished to

wager. Offers and amounts were hurled from lip to lip with feverish

rapidity. "One to three on the Harvard-Watson!"



"One to two on the Dion-Bouton!"



"Even money on the Renault!"



These cries rang along the line of spectators at each new

announcement from the telephones.



Suddenly at half-past nine by the town clock of Prairie-du-chien, two

miles beyond that town was heard a tremendous noise and rumbling

which proceeded from the midst of a flying cloud of dust accompanied

by shrieks like those of a naval siren.



Scarcely had the crowds time to draw to one side, to escape a

destruction which would have included hundreds of victims. The cloud

swept by like a hurricane. No one could distinguish what it was that

passed with such speed. There was no exaggeration in saying that its

rate was at least one hundred and fifty miles an hour.



The apparition passed and disappeared in an instant, leaving behind

it a long train of white dust, as an express locomotive leaves behind

a train of smoke. Evidently it was an automobile with a most

extraordinary motor. If it maintained this arrow-like speed, it would

reach the contestants in the fore-front of the race; it would pass

them with this speed double their own; it would arrive first at the

goal.



And then from all parts arose an uproar, as soon as the spectators

had nothing more to fear.



"It is that infernal machine."



"Yes; the one the police cannot stop."



"But it has not been heard of for a fortnight."



"It was supposed to be done for, destroyed, gone forever."



"It is a devil's car, driven by hellfire, and with Satan driving!"



In truth, if he were not the devil, who could this mysterious

chauffeur be, driving with this unbelievable velocity, his no less

mysterious machine? At least it was beyond doubt that this was the

same machine which had already attracted so much attention. If the

police believed that they had frightened it away, that it was never

to be, heard of more, well, the police were mistaken which happens in

America as elsewhere.



The first stunned moment of surprise having passed,

many people rushed to the telephones to warn those further

along the route of the danger which menaced, not only the

people, but also the automobiles scattered along the road.



When this terrible madman arrived like an avalanche they would be

smashed to pieces, ground into powder, annihilated!



And from the collision might not the destroyer himself emerge safe

and sound? He must be so adroit, this chauffeur of chauffeurs, he

must handle his machine with such perfection of eye and hand, that he

knew, no doubt, how to escape from every situation. Fortunately the

Wisconsin authorities had taken such precautions that the road would

be clear except for contesting automobiles. But what right had this

machine among them!



And what said the racers themselves, who, warned by telephone, had to

sheer aside from the road in their struggle for the grand prize? By

their estimate, this amazing vehicle was going at least one hundred

and thirty miles an hour. Fast as was their speed, it shot by them at

such a rate that they could hardly make out even the shape of the

machine, a sort of lengthened spindle, probably not over thirty feet

long. Its wheels spun with such velocity that they could scarce be

seen. For the rest, the machine left behind it neither smoke nor

scent.



As for the driver, hidden in the interior of his machine, he had been

quite invisible. He remained as unknown as when he had first appeared

on the various roads throughout the country.



Milwaukee was promptly warned of the coming of this interloper. Fancy

the excitement the news caused! The immediate purpose agreed upon was

to stop this projectile, to erect across its route an obstacle

against which it would smash into a thousand pieces. But was there

time? Would not the machine appear at any moment? And what need was

there, since the track ended on the edge of Lake Michigan, and so the

vehicle would be forced to stop there anyway, unless its supernatural

driver could ride the water as well as the land.



Here, also, as all along the route, the most extravagant suggestions

were offered. Even those who would not admit that the mysterious

chauffeur must be Satan in person allowed that he might be some

monster escaped from the fantastic visions of the Apocalypse.



And now there were no longer minutes to wait. Any second might bring

the expected apparition.



It was not yet eleven o'clock when a rumbling was heard far down the

track, and the dust rose in violent whirlwinds. Harsh whistlings

shrieked through the air warning all to give passage to the monster.



It did not slacken speed at the finish. Lake Michigan was not half a

mile beyond, and the machine must certainly be hurled into the water!

Could it be that the mechanician was no longer master of his

mechanism?



There could be little doubt of it. Like a shooting star, the vehicle

flashed through Milwaukee. When it had passed the city, would it

plunge itself to destruction in the waters of Lake Michigan?



At any rate when it disappeared at a slight bend in the road no trace

was to be found of its passage.



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