The Panchronicon

by Harold Steele MacKaye

  CHAPTER III

  A NOCTURNAL EVASION

  Promptly at the appointed time, Copernicus Droop might have been seenapproaching the white cottage. Still nursing a faint hope, he walkedwith nervous rapidity, mumbling and gesticulating in his excitement. Heattracted but little attention. His erratic movements were credited tohis usual potations, and no one whom he passed even gave him a secondglance.

  Nearing the house he saw Phoebe leaning out of one of the second-storywindows. She had been gazing westward toward Burnham's swamp, but shecaught sight of Droop and nodded brightly to him. Then she drew in herhead and pulled down the window.

  Phoebe opened the door as Copernicus entered the garden gate, and itwas at once apparent that her buoyant mood was still upon her, for sheactually offered her hand to her visitor as he stood at the thresholdwiping his feet.

  "Good mornin'," she said. "I've ben tryin' to see if I could find thePanchronicon out of my window. It's just wonderful how well it's hiddenin the bushes."

  She led him to the parlor and offered him a seat.

  "Where's Cousin Rebecca?" he said, as he carefully placed his hat on thefloor beside his chair.

  Phoebe seated herself opposite to her visitor with her back to thewindows, so that her face was in shadow.

  "Rebecca's upstairs," she replied.

  Then, after a moment's pause: "She's packin' up," she said.

  Droop straightened up excitedly.

  "What--packin'!" he cried. "Hev ye decided ye'll go, then?"

  "Well," said Phoebe, slowly, "we have an'--an' we haven't."

  "What d'ye mean?"

  "Why, Mr. Droop, it's just like this," she exclaimed, leaning forwardconfidentially. "Ye see, Rebecca an' I are both just plumb crazy to trythat wonderful plan of cuttin' meridians at the North Pole--an' we'rewild fer a ride on that queer kind of a boat or whatever ye call it. Atthe same time, Rebecca has to acknowledge that it's askin' too much ofme to go back to two years old an' live like a baby. For one thing, Iwouldn't have a thing to wear."

  "But ye might make some clothes before ye start," Droop suggested.

  "Mr. Droop!" Phoebe exclaimed, severely, "what _do_ you s'pose folkswould say if Rebecca and I was to set to work makin' baby clothes--twoold maids like us?"

  Droop looked down in confusion and plucked at the edge of his coat.

  "Phoebe Wise, you're only just tryin' to be smart fer argument!"

  This sentence was delivered with a suddenness which was startling. Drooplooked up with a jump to find Rebecca standing at the door with a pileof clean sheets on her arm.

  She was gazing sternly at Phoebe, who appeared somewhat disconcerted.

  "You know's well's I do," continued the elder sister, "that every oneo' your baby clothes is folded an' put away as good as new in theattic."

  Phoebe rallied quickly and repelled this attack with spirit.

  "Well, I don't care. They'll stay right where they are, Rebecca," sheanswered, with irritation. "You know we settled it last night that Iwasn't to be pestered about goin' back to 1876!"

  "That's true," was the reply, "but don't you be givin' such fool reasonsfor it. It's really just because you're afraid o' bein' whipped an' putto bed--an' goodness knows, you deserve it!"

  With this, Rebecca turned grimly and went into the garden to hang thesheets up for an airing.

  There was a moment's awkward pause, and then Phoebe broke the silence.

  "Our plan's this, Mr. Droop," she said, "an' I hope you'll agree. Wewant to have you take us to the North Pole and unwind about six years.That'll take us back before the World's Fair in Chicago, when I waseighteen years old, an' we can see fer ourselves how it feels to belivin' backward an' growin' younger instead of older every minute."

  "But what's the good of that?" Droop asked, querulously. "I ain't goin'to do it jest fer fun. I'm growin' too old to waste time that way. Myplan was to make money with all them inventions."

  "Well, an' why can't ye?" she replied, coaxingly. "There's that X-rayinvention, now. Why couldn't you show that at the World's Fair an' get apatent fer it?"

  "I don't understand that business," he replied, sharply. "Besides Ican't get one o' them X-ray machines--they cost a heap."

  This was a blow to Phoebe's plan and she fell silent, thinking deeply.She had foreseen that Droop would take only a mercenary view of thematter and had relied upon the X-ray to provide him with a motive. Butif he refused this, what was she to do?

  Suddenly her face lighted up.

  "I've got it!" she cried. "You know those movin' picture boxes ye seedown to Keene, where ye turn a handle and a lot of photograph cards flyalong like rufflin' the leaves of a book. Why, it just makes things lookalive, Mr. Droop. I'm sure those weren't thought of six years ago.They're span spinter new. Why won't they do?"

  "I ain't got one o' those either," Droop grumbled. "I've got a kodakan' a graphophone an' a lot o' Milliken's cough syrup with therecipe----"

  "Why there!" cried Phoebe, exultantly. "Milliken's cough syrup is onlyfour years old, ain't it?"

  Droop did not reply, but his silence was a virtual assent.

  "The's a mint o' money in that--you know there is, Mr. Droop," sheurged. "Why, I guess Mr. Milliken must have two or three millions,hasn't he?"

  Rebecca returned at this moment and seated herself on the hairclothsettle, nodding silently to Droop.

  "What's about Mr. Milliken's money, Phoebe?" she asked.

  "Why Mr. Droop says the X-ray is no good because it costs a heap and hehasn't got a machine fer it--an' I was tellin' him that Milliken's coughsyrup was just as good--for that wasn't invented six years ago, an'----"

  "Phoebe Wise, what do you mean!" exclaimed Rebecca. "Why, it would bejest like robbery to take Mr. Milliken's syrup, an' palm it off as Mr.Droop's. I'm surprised at ye!"

  This attack upon the ethical plane struck Phoebe speechless. Sheblushed and stammered, but had no reply to make. The seeming defeatreally concealed a victory, however, for it instantly convertedCopernicus into an ally.

  "You don't understand the thing, Cousin Rebecca," he said, gently butfirmly. "Ye see ef we go six years back, it'll be a time when Mr.Milliken hadn't ever thought of his cough syrup. How could we berobbin' him of somethin' he hasn't got?"

  Rebecca looked confused for a moment, but was not to be so easilyconvinced.

  "'Tain't somethin' he ain't thought of," she said, stoutly. "He's makin'money out of it, an' ef we get back before him, why, when time comesagin for him to invent it he won't have it to invent. I'm sure that'sjest as bad as robbin' him, ain't it?"

  Phoebe looked anxiously at Copernicus and was much pleased to find himapparently unmoved.

  "Why, you certainly don't understand this yet," he insisted. "Millikenain't agoin' back six years with us, is he? He'll jest go right alonglivin' as he's ben doin'."

  "What!" Rebecca exclaimed. "Will he be livin' in one time an' we belivin' in another--both at the same--" She stopped. What _was_ shesaying!

  "No--no!" replied Copernicus. "He'll go on livin'. That's what he _will_do. We'll go on havin' lived. Or to put it different--we _have_ gone onlivin' after we get back six years--to 1892. Ye see, we really have pastall the six years--so the's no harm in it. Milliken won't be hurt."

  Rebecca glanced at Phoebe, in whose face she found her own perplexityreflected. Then, throwing out her hands, as though pushing away hercrowding mental obstructions, she cried:

  "There--there! I can't get the hang of it. It's too much for me!"

  "Oh, when you've done it once it'll be all easy and clear," said Droop,soothingly.

  Phoebe looked hopefully into his face.

  "Will you take us, Mr. Droop?" she asked.

  "Oh, I s'pose I'll hev to."

  "An' only unwind six years?"

  "Yes--jest six years."

  She jumped up excitedly.

  "Then I'll be off to my packin'!"

  She ran to the door and, pausing here, turned again to their visitor.

  "Can we
start to-night, Mr. Droop?"

  "Yes, indeed!" he replied. "The sooner the better."

  "That's splendid!" she cried, and ran quickly up the stairs.

  The two older people sat for a while in melancholy silence, lookingdown. Each had hoped for more than this. Copernicus tried to convincehimself that the profit from the cough syrup would comfort him for hisdisappointment. Rebecca dismissed with a sigh the dreams which she hadallowed herself to entertain--those bright fictions centering on JoeChandler--not the subdued old bachelor of 1898, but the jolly youngfellow of the famous Centennial year.

  At length Rebecca looked up and said:

  "After all, Mr. Droop, come to think of it, you've no call to take uswith ye. I can't do ye any good--goin' back only six years."

  "Yes ye can," said Droop. "I'll need somebody to help me keep house inthe Panchronicon. I ain't no hand at cookin' an' all, an' besides, it'llbe mighty lonely without anybody in there."

  "Well," she rejoined, rising, "I'll jest go up an' finish my packin'."

  "An' I'll go tend to mine."

  As they parted at the front door, it was arranged that Droop was tobring a wheelbarrow after supper and transport the sisters' belongings,preparatory to their departure.

  The rest of the day was spent in preparation for the momentous voyage.Phoebe went to the little bank at Peltonville station and withdrew theentire savings of herself and sister, much to the astonishment andconcern of the cashier. She walked all the way to the bank and backalone, for it was obviously necessary to avoid inconvenient questions.

  When the two sisters stood in their little dining-room with the heap ofgreenbacks on the table before them, Rebecca was attacked by anotherconscientious scruple.

  "I don't hardly know as we're doin' right, Phoebe," she said, shakingher head dubiously. "When we get back to 1892 we'd ought to find somemoney in the bank already. Ef we hev this with us, too, seems to mewe'll hev more'n we're entitled to. Ain't it a good deal like cheatin'the bank?"

  "Mercy, no!" Phoebe exclaimed, pettishly. "You're forever raisin' sometrouble like that! Ain't this our money?"

  "Yes--but----"

  "Well, then, what's the use o' talkin' 'bout it? Just wait till we canmention your trouble to Mr. Droop. He'll have a good answer for you."

  "But s'posin' he can't answer it?" Rebecca insisted.

  "Well, if he can't we can give back the difference to the bank."

  So saying, Phoebe took her share of the bills and quickly left theroom.

  "I've got lots of things to do before night," she remarked.

  At promptly half-past nine all the lights in the house wereextinguished, and the two sisters sat together in the dark parlorawaiting Copernicus. It was Rebecca who had insisted on putting out thelights.

  "Ef folks was to see lights here so late in the night," she said,"they'd suspicion somethin' an' they might even call in."

  Phoebe admitted the justness of this reasoning, and they had bothdirected every endeavor to completing all their arrangements beforetheir accustomed bed-time.

  It was not long after this that a stealthy step was heard on the gravelpath and Phoebe hurried to the door. Copernicus came in with a lowword of greeting and followed the ghostly shadow of his hostess into theparlor.

  The three stood together in the dark and conversed in an undertone,like so many conspirators surrounded by spies.

  "Hev ye got everythin' ready?" Droop asked.

  "Yes," said Phoebe. "The's only two little trunks for you. Did youbring the wheelbarrow?"

  "Yep--I left it outside the gate. 'Twould hev made a lot of noise on thegravel inside."

  "That's right," said Phoebe. "I guess you'll not have any trouble tocarry both o' those trunks at once. We haven't packed only a few things,'cause I expect we'll find all our old duds ready for us in 1892, won'twe?"

  "Why, 'f course," said Droop.

  "But how 'bout linen--sheets an' table-cloths an' all?" said Rebecca."We'll need some o' them on the trip, won't we?"

  "I've got a hull slew o' them things in the Panchronicon," saidCopernicus. "Ye won't hev to bother a bit about sech things."

  "How long do you s'pose it'll take to make the trip," asked Phoebe. "Imean by the clock? We won't have to do any washing on the way, will we?"

  "I don't see how we can," Rebecca broke in. "The's not a blessed tub onthe hull machine."

  "No, no," said Droop, reassuringly. "We'll make a bee-line for the pole,an' we'll go 'bout three times as fast as a lightnin' express train.We'd ought to reach there in about twenty-four hours, I guess. Thenwe'll take it easy cuttin' meridians, so's not to suffer from sideweight, an'----"

  "Side weight!" exclaimed the two women together.

  "Yes," said Droop. "That's a complaint ye get ef ye unwind the time toofast. Ye see, growin' young isn't a thing folks is used to, an' itdisgrummages the hull constitution ef ye grow young too fast. Well, 's Iwas a-sayin', I guess it'll take 'bout eighteen hours by the clock tocut back six years. Thet's by the clock, ye understand. As a matter offact, of course, we'll be just six years less'n no time in finishin' thetrip."

  "Well," said Phoebe, briskly, "that's no kind o' reason fer dawdlin'about it now. Let's be startin'."

  "Where's the trunks?" said Droop.

  The trunks were pointed out, and with very little trouble Copernicus putthem onto the barrow. He then came to the door for his lastinstructions.

  "'S anythin' more?" he asked.

  "No," said Rebecca. "We'll bring on our special duds in our arms. We'llwait a spell an' come on separate."

  The door was carefully closed and they soon heard the slight creak ofthe weighted wheel as Droop set off with the trunks for Burnham's swamp.

  "Now, then," said Phoebe, bustling into the parlor, "let's get ourthings all together ready to start. Have ye got your satchel with themoney in it?"

  Rebecca gently slapped a black leather bag hanging at her side.

  "Here 'tis," she said.

  "Let's see," Phoebe went on. "Here's my box with the letters an'miniature, here's the box with the jewelry, an' here's that book Mrs.Bolton gave me about Bacon writin' Shakespeare."

  "Whatever air ye takin' that old book fer, Phoebe?"

  "Why, to read on the train--I mean on the way, ye know. We'll likelyfind it pretty pokey in that one room all day."

  "I don't know what ye mean by 'all day,'" Rebecca exclaimed in adiscouraged tone. "So far's I see, th'ain't goin' to be any days.What'll it feel like--livin' backward that way? D'ye guess it'll make usfeel sick, like ridin' backward in the cars?"

  "Don't ask me," Phoebe exclaimed, despairingly. "'F I knew what 'twaslike, perhaps I wouldn't feel so like goin'."

  She straightened herself suddenly and stood rigid.

  "Hark!" she exclaimed. "Is that Mr. Droop comin' back, d'you s'pose?"

  There were distinctly audible footsteps on the path.

  Phoebe came out into the hall on tiptoe and stood beside her sister.

  There was a knock on the door. The two sisters gripped each other's armsexcitedly.

  "'Taint Copernicus!" Rebecca whispered very low.

  The knock was repeated; rather louder this time. Then--

  "Miss Wise--Miss Wise--are ye to home?"

  It was a woman's voice.

  "Sarah Allen!" Phoebe exclaimed under her breath.

  "Whatever shall we do?" Rebecca replied.

  "Miss Wise," the voice repeated, and then their visitor knocked again,much more loudly.

  "I'll go to the door," exclaimed Phoebe.

  "But----"

  "I must. She'll raise the whole town if I don't."

  So saying, Phoebe walked noisily to the door and unlocked it.

  "Is that you, Mis' Allen?" she asked.

  The door was opened, and Phoebe found herself face to face with ashort, light woman whose white garments shone gray in the night.

  "Why, you're up'n dressed!" exclaimed Mrs. Allen. She did not offer toenter, but went on excitedly:

  "Miss Ph
oebe," she said, "d'you know I b'lieve you've ben robbed."

  "What!"

  "Yes; on'y a minute ago I was a-comin' up the road from M'riaPayson's--you know she's right sick an' I've ben givin' hermassidge--an' what sh'd I see but a man comin' out o' your gate withsuthin' on his shoulder. I couldn't see who 'twas, an' he was so quietan' sneaky without a light that I jest slipped behind a tree. You knowI've ben dreadful skeery ever sence Tom was brought home with his armbroke after a fight with a strange man in the dark. Well, this manto-night he put the bundle or what not into a wheelbarrow an' set offquiet as a mouse. He went off down that way, an' says I to myself, 'It'sa robber ben burglin' at the Wise's house,' says I, an' I come straighthere to see ef ye was both murdered or what. Air ye all right? Hez hebroken yer door? Hev ye missed anythin'?"

  As the little woman paused for breath, Phoebe seized her opportunity.

  "Did you say he went off to the north, Mis' Allen?" she said, withfeigned excitement.

  "Yes."

  "Oh, dear--oh, dear!" cried Phoebe, wringing her hands. "Didn't I sayI heard a noise--I told you I heard a burglar, Rebecca," she went on,hysterically, turning to her sister.

  "Is Miss Rebecca there?" asked Mrs. Allen.

  Rebecca came forward in silence. She was quite nonplussed. To tell thetruth, Phoebe's sudden outburst was as great a tax upon her nerves asMrs. Allen's unwelcome visit. Surely Phoebe had said nothing about aburglar! It was Droop that Mrs. Allen had seen--of course it was. Shedared not say so in their visitor's presence, but she wondered mightilyat Phoebe's apparent perturbation.

  Phoebe guessed her sister's mental confusion, and she sought to drawMrs. Allen's attention to herself to avoid the betrayal of their planswhich would certainly follow Rebecca's joining the conversation.

  "Mis' Allen," she exclaimed, excitedly, "the's just one thing to bedone. Won't you run's quick's ever you can to Si Pray, an' ask him tobring his gun? You won't meet the burglar 'cause he's gone the otherway. Rebecca 'nd I'll jest wait here for you an' Si. I'll get some hotwater from the kitchen, in case the burglar should come back whileyou're gone. Oh, please will you do it?"

  "Course I will," was the nervous reply. This hint of the possible returnof the robbers made an immediate retreat seem very desirable. "I'll goright now. Won't be gone a minute. Lock your door now--quick!"

  She turned and sped down the path. She had not reached the gate beforePhoebe walked rapidly into the parlor.

  "Quick--quick!" she panted, frantically gathering up her belongings."Get your duds an' come along."

  "But what d'you----"

  "Come--come--come!" cried Phoebe. "Come quick or they'll all be here.Gun and all!"

  With her arm full of bundles, Phoebe rushed back through the hall andout of the front door. Rebecca followed her, drawn along by the fierymomentum of her sister.

  "Lock the front door, Rebecca," Phoebe cried. Then, as she reached thegate and found it fastened: "Here, I can't undo the gate. My hands arefull. Oh, _do_ hurry, Rebecca! We haven't a minute!"

  The elder sister locked the front door and started down the path insuch a nervous fever that she left the key in the lock. Half way to thegate she paused.

  "Come on--come on!" Phoebe cried, stamping her foot.

  "My land!" stammered Rebecca. "I've forgot everythin'!" She startedback, running with short, unaccustomed steps.

  "My umbrella!" she gasped. "My recipes--my slips!"

  Phoebe was speechless with anger and apprehension at this delay, andRebecca was therefore allowed to re-enter the house without objection.

  In a short time she reappeared carrying an umbrella, two flower-pots,and a folded newspaper.

  "There!" she panted, as she came up to her sister and opened the gate."Now I guess I've got everythin'!"

  Silently and swiftly the two women sped northward, following theimaginary burglar, while the devoted Mrs. Allen ran breathless in theopposite direction for Si Pray and his gun.

  "We'll hev to go more careful here," said Rebecca as they turned intothe lane leading down to the swamp.

  With many a stumble and some scratches they moved more slowly down therutted track until at length they reached the point where they were toturn into the swamp.

  Here the sisters leaned against the wall to rest and recover breath.

  "My goodness, but that was a narrow escape!" murmured Phoebe.

  "Yes," said Rebecca, with reproachful sadness; "but I'm afraid you paida heavy price fer it, Phoebe!"

  "What do you mean?"

  "Why, 's fur's I could make out, you told Mis' Allen a deliberate wrongstory, Phoebe Wise."

  "What did I say?" said Phoebe, in shocked surprise.

  "You said you hed told me you'd heerd a burglar!"

  "Did I say that? Those very words?"

  "Why, you know you did."

  "Wasn't it a question, Rebecca?" Phoebe insisted. "Didn't I _ask_ youef I hadn't told you I heard a burglar?"

  "No, it was a plain downright wrong story, Phoebe, an' you needn't totry to sneak out of it."

  Phoebe was silent for a few moments, and then Rebecca heard her laugh.It was a very little, rippling thing--but it was genuine--there was reallight-heartedness behind it.

  "Phoebe Wise!" exclaimed Rebecca, "how ken you laugh so? I wouldn'thev the weight of sech a thing on my mind fer a good deal."

  "Well, Rebecca," tittered her sister, "I didn't have it on my mindyesterday, did I?"

  "Course not--but----"

  "An' won't it be yesterday for us mighty soon--yes, an' a heap longerago than that?"

  She laughed again merrily and began to climb over the wall, a proceedingnot rendered easier by the various articles in her hands.

  A few minutes later the two women had joined Copernicus within hismysterious machine and were standing in the brightly lighted antechamberat the head of the stairs.

  "Well--well!" cried Droop, as he caught sight of the two women for thefirst time in the light. "Where ever did ye get them funny dresses? Why,your sleeves is all puffed out near the shoulders!"

  "These are some of our old dresses," said Rebecca. "They was made in1891, an' we thought they'd prob'bly be more in the fashion back in 1892when we get there than our newer dresses."

  "Never mind our dresses, Mr. Droop," said Phoebe. "Where can we putdown all these things? My arms are breakin' off."

  "Right here, Cousin Phoebe."

  Droop bustled over to the state-rooms, opening both the doors at once.

  "Here's a room apiece fer ye. Take yer choice."

  "Oh, but where'll you sleep?" said Phoebe. "P'raps Rebecca and I'dbetter have one room together."

  "Not a bit of it," said Droop. "I'll sleep on one o' them settles underthe windows. They're real comfortable."

  "Well--just as you say."

  The sisters entered their rooms and deposited their bundles, butPhoebe returned at once and called to Droop, who had started down thestairs.

  "Mr. Droop, you've got to start right straight off. Mrs. Allen knows 'tyou've carried off the trunk and she's comin' after us with Si Pray an'a gun."

  Just then they heard the loud barking of a dog. He was apparentlyrunning rapidly down the lane.

  "Sakes alive!" cried Phoebe, in alarm. "Slam to that door, CopernicusDroop! Si has let his dog loose an' he's on your tracks!"

  The baying was repeated--now much nearer. Droop clattered franticallydown the stairs, and shut the door with a bang. At the next moment aheavy body leaped against it, and a man's voice was heard close at hand.

  "Sic um, Touser, sic um! Where is he, boy?"

  Up the stairs went Copernicus two steps at a time. He dashed into theanteroom, pale and breathless.

  "Lie down on the floor!" he shouted. "Lie down or ye'll get throweddown. I'm agoin' to start her!"

  By this time he had opened the engine-room door.

  The two women promptly lay flat on their backs on the carpet.

  Droop braced himself firmly and had just grasped the starting lever whena cry from Rebecc
a arrested him.

  "Copernicus Droop--hold on!" she cried.

  He turned to her, his face full of anxious fear. Rebecca lay on her backwith her hands at her sides, but her head was raised stiffly from thefloor.

  "Copernicus Droop," she said, solemnly, "hev ye brought any rum aboardwith ye? 'Cause if ye have I won't----"

  She never concluded, for at this moment her head was jerked back sharplyagainst the floor by a tremendous upward leap of the machine.

  There was a hissing roar as of a thousand rockets, and even as Rebeccawas wondering, half stunned, why she saw so many jumping lights, Si Praygazed open-mouthed at the ascension of a mysterious dark body apparentlyaimed at the sky.

  The Panchronicon had started.