Both Manners and Sir Ronald moved forward to examine it, for the room was but faintly lighted and they could barely see the dim outline of the instrument.

“Go back, go back,” screamed Edmund.  “Ronald, I look for no treachery from thee.”

“Tush,” contemptuously replied the knight, as he poured some more oil into the lamp, “get on.  We did but want to see.”

“This,” continued Edmund, unabashed, “is more dreadful than Roger Bacon’s powder;” and pulling out a short, stout iron canister, he poured some crystals into a hole.  “Look and behold,” he added.  “I invoke no saints, nor do I seek the aid of any deity, but see;” and rolling some of the crystals tightly up in some parchment, he dropped it into the midst of the fire.

For a few moments nothing was seen or heard of it, and the onlookers were smiling to each other when the wonderful crystals began to splutter and fizz, till the packet suddenly exploded with a loud report, rattling the bottles and jars together, while the rumbling report rolled up the long subterranean passage.

“Ha!” exclaimed Edmund, triumphantly.  “You shudder at the sight; that is nothing, I can do infinitely more than that.  I will do it with more crystals now.”

“Nay, we are convinced of thy prowess; when the fumes have cleared away, show us this engine,” replied Manners.  “It is full of wheels; show us their purpose.”

“That shook this chamber,” Edmund replied, “but this could well nigh shatter it.”

“Great man, we acknowledge thy mighty genius,” responded Sir Ronald.  “Reveal the limit of thy powers.”

“I will,” said Edmund, enthusiastically, “I will.”

All his reserve was worn off now, and he expatiated at length upon the wonderful powers of his mighty engine.  No such power had been known before; nothing would stand against it; it was indeed a miracle of force.

“But, prithee,” asked Manners, heartily sick of the ceaseless explanations, and anxious to see the practical outcome of it all, “how worketh it?  Show us, let it move this piece of rock.”

“You doubt me; I will show it thee; I will test it but this once again, and then the baron, curse him! dies.”

Edmund busied himself for some time in compounding some evil-smelling ingredients in a huge mortar, and, as he stirred the pestle round and round, the contents hissed and crackled, and emitted sparks of fire.  At length, after many bottles had been partially emptied, and many powders and the like had been employed, the mysterious substance was obtained, and he sprinkled a little of it upon the red embers, when a series of miniature explosions followed.

“Look, see!” he passionately exclaimed, “I have discovered something still more powerful; nay, stand back.  I found it once before, but lost the art.  Now we shall see; hey, hey.”

Slowly and cautiously the canister was replaced; the requisite powder was carefully measured and inserted, and after many an examination had been made, Edmund declared that everything was in readiness for the wheels to be set in motion.