Lincoln's Wizard Read Online Free PDF Page B

safe with me,” Lincoln chuckled. “If the contraption is broken how will you pass the instructions on to Miss Lawton, then?”
    “Not to worry,” Pinkerton said. “I’ve got my man bringing around a prototype from Menlo Park. He should be here by tonight. I’ll make your excuses and have young Captain Wright put up in the Hotel till then.”
    “Yes, a sound enough plan,” Lincoln nodded, signaling an end to the discussion.
    Pinkerton turned and left. He made his way back to his office, humming softly to himself. Despite the time lost to the broken Mesmer machine, things were shaping up nicely. As he approached his door, he paused. A soft, familiar music came from beyond the closed door.
    “I’ll be damned,” he said, recognizing the tuneless melody. He hadn’t expected Braxton to be able to do anything with the Mesmer Device, but now he wondered if he had seriously underestimated the young man’s abilities. He’d read Ericsson’s report on the tall gun project, but the Swede didn’t seem to think Braxton was anything special. He’d have to take another look at Ericsson’s files to see what else his chief engineer was missing … or concealing.
    Putting his hand on the doorknob, Pinkerton started to turn it, but stopped. Whatever Braxton was doing in there, he wanted a look before the young captain realized he was there. Easing the door open a crack, Pinkerton peeked in.
    The sweet scent of incense drifted out through the opening. Braxton had lit the lamp.
    Confused as to why he had done this, Pinkerton opened the door further. Braxton Wright sat at his desk with his elbows up and his head cradled in his hands. His eyes were fixed on the glittering lights dancing in the fully repaired Mesmer Device, and he wasn’t blinking.
    Pinkerton closed the door quickly but didn’t let it latch.
    His mind raced. Somehow Braxton had repaired the machine. A machine, Pinkerton reminded himself, that took a team of the Union’s finest minds in Menlo Park over a year to develop. And Braxton had done it without models or blueprints or even knowing what it was for.
    Pinkerton paced the soft carpet, taking care not to look directly into the lights of the device coming from the slightly open door to the room beyond.
    He’d planned to use the machine on Braxton to hypnotize him, then give him information for his agent Hattie Lawton, currently held in Castle Thunder, the confederate prison in Richmond. Hattie had acquired information about where the Confederates were making their Gray soldiers, information Pinkerton desperately needed. Knowing Hattie, she would insist on going and seeing the process in person. But even if Hattie could watch Jefferson Davis himself operating the engine that manufactured these unnatural horrors, she was no engineer. She’d need someone along, someone who could look at what the Confederates were doing and understand it.
    Someone like Braxton.
    Even as he thought it, Pinkerton knew Hattie would never willingly submit to a partner. She was smart and capable, one of the best operatives he had ever trained, but she had a stubborn streak as wide as the Mississippi, and she didn’t like taking help from anyone.
    Well, that’s just too bad , Pinkerton thought. I’ll just make sure she has to take Braxton with her … the only question is how?
    He paced for a few minutes more, mulling the problem over in his mind. Then, he stopped. Sometimes a little improvisation is required , he thought.
    Satisfied that he had the solution well in hand, he pushed the door open and went in. Braxton didn’t seem to notice Pinkerton’s entrance, his eyes were still fixed on the Mesmer Device.
    Pinkerton made his way around the desk and stood beside Braxton, being careful not to look directly at the machine.
    “Captain Wright,” he said, softly. “Braxton, can you hear me?”
    “Yes,” the captain’s dreamy voice floated back.
    “Good. My name is Allan and I want you to listen to my voice. I’ve got some