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THE NORTH PLATTE SEMl'WEEKLY TRIBUNE.
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7
SYNOPSIS..
J'rofppnor Desmond of the 1'eolt obiorva
ory uumifl a great sensation throughout
th- country by announcing that wlint ap
pears to be u satellite Is upproachliig ut
icrrltte speed. Destruction of tho earth Is
fen red I'anlr prevails everywhere. Tho
juitclllto barely mlsip the earth. The at
mospheric disturbance, knocks people tin
fonsilous, but does no damage. A lent
!ourlnK n cabalistic design flutters down
among tl.n gUcstH nt a lawn party, Jt Is
Identical In design with a curious orna
ment worn by Dorln Fulton. A hideous
man-like being with huge wings descends
In ll.e midst of the guests. He notices
Dorta' ornament nnd starts toward her
VU men fear ho Intends soma harm to
Doris and a llerco bottle ensues. In which
Tolllver and March, suitors of Doris, and
I'rofessor Desmond or Injured Tho Ily
Ingr man Is wounded by u shot from Tol
llver but escapes by living away A far
mer reports thot tho Hlng man carried
off Ids young daughter 1'coplo overy
vrhero nro terror-stricken nt the possi
bilities for evil possessed by tho mon
ster The governor offers a roward of
M0,00o lor his capture, dead or alive. Put
nam Is (hi; tlrst of tho aviators to re
iipond. After a thrllllngjchaso In tho air
h Is thrown from his machine by the
flvlni? inun niul killed Doris tellH Marcll
of awakening In tho night to seo the faco
or tiu n-onstcr at ner winuow.
CHAPTER VII. Continued.
"And ou iinw "
"HIM Ycb, I saw him as plainly
nn I did that night on tho lawn when
lio fell from Hpaco, only now he was
ft hundred times moro hideous. And
lio was making mouths nt mo or try
ing to Hay something or Oh, I don't
Know what ho monnt, hut anyway I
jumped out ot bed and ran to fathor'B
room Ho camo back InBtantly with
tho gun ho Iiub Just bought, hut thero
wna nothing In Bight then. Why Is
ho haunting mo? What can It bn?
Thd llrflt night on tho lawn ho Boomed
o tilngle mo out from everybody clso,
and now again In tho mldBt of all
these horrible things ho la doing ho
comes to my window at midnight, I
am frightened, dreadfully frightened
nnd do not want to bo alono n moment.
I hnd to call up Homo protector to bo
-with mo this afternoon, so I rang you,
Can you imngluo what tho .creaturo
meanB?" A cold, prickly chill had en
veloped March, n namoleos fear at tho
thought of tho monstor'a apparently
otrango fascination for tho swoot
woman at his side, hut while his volco
vmn moru or less sorlous as ho nn
oworcd her ho tried to present tho
xnatter In ns light a form nu possible
"I am Inclined to think llko tha.
It Is probable that your trinket with
Its peculiar UkencBS to' a leaf with
-which ho was familiar In his own
world and which may have uomo sym
TjqIIc meaning among IiIh people, ilrat
attracted his attention and curiosity
to you. And so having noticed you "
Match had to start his love making nt
tho first opportunity "and your sweet
ncsH and prettlnoBs " She checked
him.
"As if a monstrosity like him could
appreciate what wo are pleased to call
prottluess among ourselves, even as
suming that any of lis posbobs It. Why,
we must look qb grotesque to him us
lio does to us, with our wingless bod
ies, earth-bound forms, clumsy looking
Umbo, queer flapping garments and
unnlMlko gait."
"Vory well. Wo will assume thon
that you, personally, wore a Becondury
consideration and that ho was merely
fabcinated by tho trinket. That should
,reliove your mind, and nothing is sim
pler &tn to leave him tho ornament
outside as a peaco offering. Also, you
svuisl remember this house is tho place
twhero ho received his first introduc
tion to human beluga, and last night
pn his prowllngs he probably chuncod
this way and stopped for a momunt
Ipieroly out of curiosity,"
"But why como to my window ?"
"Probobly through colncldonco puro
ffmd slmplo. Perhaps ho merely wished
o see what was inside. Ho sees like
.a bat in tho dark, you know."
j3ho removod her hands from her
tfaco and onco moro sat composedly.
'"Ot courso It may bo that what you
Jiavo sold is truo, since nil any of ub
can )lo Is guess. However, I think
differently. I think It was u doslro
for rovongo that brought him here, for
bnt ho ia malovolont and revongoful
there can ho no doubt. And it was
here, remembor, that ho was first at
'lacked, attacked boforp ho had offered
vlolonce to ub. You know Clay start
ed It by uhoottng him, and Clay was
hero for Bovoral days afterward whllo
fio was getting well, It Is possiblo
that the creaturo know that to bo so,
docs not know that Clay has loft and
cainu hero looking for him. And then
Again perhaps ho was after mo onco
mora. Oh, I don't know, but I urn
terribly worried."
"Doris!" ho cried almost fiercely.
"Fathera are all right enough as far
hh thoy go, but what you need above
U .other thlngB Is ono who can bo nt
your fitdo In tho darkness uu well ns
the light, someone who can guard you,
protect you and comfort you In times
of distress llko this as no fitthur can "
"Which I suppobo mennfl that I need
a huRband," she broko In quietly,
"You hnvo guessed marvelously."
"And therefore that tho husband
tshould by rights bo you."
"Unquestionably,"
3V faint sulla rippled across her faco,
"Vory well, sir. I will lllo this appli
cation among tho others, and n little
later if J find I havo need of such nil
assistant I will bo plonned to commu
nicate with you further," she respond
ed In a monotonous, businesslike voice.
Sho leaned forward, looking down tho
street "Thero comes Clay," she an
nounced. DlBpleasure amounting to anger, and
disappointment approaching disgust
porvnded Alan's being. After ton days
of not Boeing her and now, Just when
thoy woro getting started on the right
conversational track to havo an ex
ceedingly dlsngrecable third person
who had Just loft hor house after stay
ing there constantly for days appear
upon tho scene was somewhat more
than Irritating Ho would rather Clay
line Ic3: the Flying Mun himself, for
being armed now he could hnvo tcsent
ed tho Intrusion of the other with
vigor, whereas he must now tamely
submit. However, he would ascertain
If this was of-Doris' bringing about.
"Did you not expect him?" he In
quired cnsually. Her head shook.
"No. It Is entirely of his own mo
tion." "Havo you told him ot your e.perl
onco of Inst night?"
"I havo told no ono but father nnd
you."
"And nro you going to tell him 7"
"I do not know not at present nt
least. Ho might Infer that tho Flying
Man was searching hero for him and
bo worried because of Its worry to mo
I shall say nothing to him about It
at present." She arose and went to
tho head of tho stops to greet him,
smiling, hor hand outstretched Ho
bowed ovor It, muttering B6methlng
inaudible to March'H earn, then nodded
to him.
"Hardly expected to seo you again
bo soon," he said drily to tho latter
with ono of his qiioor lookB. The
whole affair exasperated March. Hut
a few hours beforo ho hud confessed
to tho other man that ho had not heard
from Doris for days, and It must look
to Tolllver as though his rival, not
daring to compoto with him faco to
faco, had kopt out of I1I3 eight until
his back was turned, when ho had at
onco rushed to her upon tho first In
formation that thoro was nobody upon
tho Held to dispute with him. Doris,
howover, relieved the situation somo
what. "Yes, I sent for him and ho was good
enough to come. Wo hnd not had a
llttlo visit for somo time wo havo
both boon rather busy, you know."
Clay did not seem in the least dis
turbed at tho possibility that ho had
Interrupted a tcto-a-tote.
"It was frightfully lonesomo to bo
by myself after the delightful society
of the pnst week, so I Just abBent
mlndodly followed up my thoughts uu
Ml I found myself hero," he laughed.
"Beastly tho way that flying animal
Is misbehaving himself. Too bad I
did not get him that first night and
save all this commotion."
"It you hadi not attacked him it is
quite poBslblo no commotion would
havo arlson," sho suggested mildly.
Ho seomed a trifle put out at that view
ot it.
"I don't think that Is quite apprecl-
"He Was Maktnn Mouths at Mo.H
atlve. Ho wbb aftor you, reaching for
you, and of courao I could not permit
nuythtug llko that from man or beast
If tho advance was repellent to you.
You did not wish him to touch ou?"
"Most certainly not. Hut diplomatic
troatmout might havo boon moro effec
tive." "MlBfTDorlB, .whan It cgmes to pro
tecting our women folks from tho crea
tures of this or any other world, I bo
Hove In tho gunpowder treatment llrat
nnd tho diplomatic afterwards If
thoro la any afterwards. Hut If you
think I was hasty "
"I nm not criticising, nnd you know
how much I appreciated your motlvos.
But lot us talk about something else."
Jopijrijjlvt , 1912, by
Heforo them tho mountains rising
almost ns straight as a wall, vast,
brooding, tumbled as an angry sea
stretched away and away Into tho dls
tanco to where tho everlasting snow
crowped peaks glinted marblo whito
in tho sunlight. Lazily tho three upon
the porch talked nlong In tho warmth
of the sunny afternoon, tho girl
scorning to forget hor misgivings and
lnughlug au lightly as had been her
wont beforo tho coming of the strange
creaturo from another sphere to haunt
her. In fact, the spirits of all threo
aro3o and for once all friction between
the rivals for tho time disappeared and
Alan even condescended to accept the
cigarette that Clay condescended to
proffer him. Then In the midst of
their light chatter a grotesque thing
happened. Across tlit mid-afternoon
sun a black cloud camo floating,
sprawling, malformed, a cloud which
had huge batllko wings and a loan,
outstretrhed nrm thnt ended In a
grasping lnuid And us their tongues
stopped ub they stared at this appari
tion of tho bky Its shadow fell black
upon tho lawn, approached them with
silent stealth, ran snakellko up the
porch until the claw mounting to Dor
Is' waist held her for an Instant in its
grasp, then releasing her passed on
beyond tho house. So stnitllng and
realistic was it all that March half
arose to his feet with hands clenched
as though to do battle, whllo Tolllver
muttered a flerco imprecation beneath
his breath and tho girj grow pale ns
death. For a moment they looked at
each other with startled eyes, then
Tolllver forced n lnuglu
"Uncnnny that! Too realistic by
half to be comfortable. Hut of course
it was nothing but a fool cloud, and
thank goodness wo nro not supersti
tious. Listen to that!" From over
head thero camo tho peculiar clanking
whlstlo of aerial propellers and step
ping quickly to tho lawn thoy gazed
up. Two now aeroplanes wero speed
ing towards the little treeless play
ground park a little way beyond which
has boon set asldo for their uso.
"It Is North and Luthor arriving,"
March told them. "I saw In tho paper
that they wero expectod to arrlvo to
day. North 1b an old friend of mine.
Suppobo wo go down and aeo him.
Doris quickly assented, and walking
one at each side ot her March and
Tolllver passed out of tho gato and
waudored towardB tho alighting placo
of tho planes. Her head uncovered,
her glossy hair glinting opalesque In
tho sunlight, exceedingly fair of face
and faultless of form In hor porfectly
fitting gray gown, no man passed her
without a second admiring look, fow
women without socrot envy. And proud
of her indeed wero tho two who
walked so erectly at hor side.
They found North buBy about his
machine, tightening this, loosening
that, testing overythlng. Ho was a
good-looking young fellow of about
twenty-five, determined of faco and
slnowy of form and an aviator ot the
foremost rank, although almost Uio an
tithesis ot tho ill-fated Putnam. For
where tho dead man had beon boast
ful North was modest, whore ono had
been reckless tho other was morely
brave, nnd whero obstlnncy had been
predominant In the former in tho man
they npw saw cool determination held
sway. Ho greeted March enthusias
tically. "Mighty glad to soo you again, old
man. Remembered that thla was your
homo and havo been thinking of you
off nnd on nil day. Maybe we won't
havo a good old tlmo together onco
moro when I got thnt million. Bo good
enough to introduco mo." Ho removed
his cap.
"Delighted to meet you, Miss Ful
ton " Ho gazed at Doris with frank
admiration. "Don't know a'a I blame
Alan nnd tho Flying Man for making
their headquarterB here." Ho saw the
shadow that flitted across tho girl's
faco and haatoncd to npologlzo. "Beg
pardon for mentioning ouch a disagree
able beast In your presence, Miss Ful
ton I mean tho Flying Man, not
March. Ho Isn't half bad when you
got to know him. Glad to know you,
too, Mr. Tollivor." Ho turned to Alan
"I wonder If your frlonds will et
cuso you for Just half an hour while
you show mo a decant placo near hero
whoro I can got a bito to cot merely
for half an hour, jou know." Doris
bowed
"If you will both promise to return
at tho ond of that time "
"It is a contract." Ho took Alan by
the arm. "Wo havo got to hurry to
make It, and theso aro busy days with
mo, you understand. Somehow I al
ways did havo a hankorlng deslro to
bo a mllllonalro and thla Is my tlrst
chMCQ nt It, ho rattled on. Off
tteftnigh tho loiterers tho two frlonds
wont rapidly, lenvljig Clay and tho
girl to ramblo about by themselves
until thoy should return. For llfteon
minutes thereafter, and very contrary
to hla usual manner, Tollivor soomlng
to bo thinking deoply seldom apoko
and Bho finally began o wonder mild,
ly as to the cnuso of it.
"You nro fooling qulto rocovered by
now?" Bho inquired at length Ho
laughed with nn uneasy noto In hlu
Harry Irvirvtj Grcono
voice that caused her n slight perplex
ity. "Yes, MIbb Doris, that Is, physical
ly speaking. Hut mentally " He
halted and seemed to bo seeking tho
words ho wished "I am very much
disturbed." She glanced at him quick
ly. "May I ask about what?"
"You may. It Is about yourself,
Doris. Thoso'slx days at your hoibo
brought my mental disease to a cli
max, that is, if it be truo that lovo
Is a disease, as some psychologists
would mako us believe. I restrained
myself from speaking to you about It
whllo I was at your houso, although
you may be very sure it wub over up
permost In my mind. Yet tho tlmo
comos when love, like murder, must
out. In my case that time has como,
and now you must listen to me for a
few moments beforo making mo vory
The Claw, Mounting to Doris' Waist,
Held Her for an Instant In Its Grasp.
happy or very wretched," She averted
der faco' that he might not see the
warmth ot her color, while he proceed
ed in a voice that was low and pas
sion filled.
"It Ib Impossible thnt you with your
keen perception have not read my
feelings towardB you, for ho woman
could remain oblivious to such a pa
tent stato of mind ns mine has boen
towards you. Doris," have you not
known?" Her faco still remained
averted, her volco unchanged.
"I have realized that you have been
kind, courteous, considerate. No wom
an could desire a more gallant admir
er, since you assert that you have
beon such."
"You susplcloned nothing more than
admiration?"
"I think I am by nature unsuspi
cious." His dark faco clouded with a slight
dlsplensure. "Believe mo, I nm far too
serious to Jest- "Doris, I have boen in
lovo with you with a lovo that has in
creased with each passing moment
sinco tho day I first met you. I havo
tried .to mako you understand It in
many ways, and I am convinced that
you havo known It for months. And
always your uniform kindness, and
often your apparent plensure at Beelng
mo havo fannod my hopo until 1 havo
sometimes thought I would not be
over-presumptuous In spoaklng to you
as I nm doing now. And your solici
tude 1 might almost say tenderness
In caring for mo during those days
when I was disabled determined nic. to
out with it. Therefore I came this
afternoon to toll you that I lovo you
bettor than nil else, that I would sac
rifice my life for you and I want you
to romomber thnt phrase if tho tlmo
should over como when I shall bo put
to tho tost and that abovo all othor
things earthly I wish to marry you."
His eyes had brightoned, ills face
grown palo with suppressed emotions,
his rather sharply cut features soemed
to havo softened and tho girl, glanc
ing quickly sldowlse at him, thought
him handsomo lndeod. Sho nnswored
him quietly, half seriously, half lightly.
"It would mako almost any woman
proud and gratified to feel that so hou
orablo a man so highly esteemed her.
Hut I had not thought seriously of
marrying na yet."
They walked a dozen stops In alienee.-
"Tlmo' snld he at last, "need
not bo considered tho ossonco of this
contract, should there bo a contract
botwoen us. I will bo content to await
any , length of tlmo If I may only
continue to hope. May I havo that
hope, Doris?"
"I will answer you tomorrow."
"Today, now" ho bogged. But she
only shook hor head nnd he walked
bculdo her with downcast eyes nnd
moody faco until presontly lie spoko
ngaln.
'I am going to ask you whnt you
' Sfp - ' - "
may consider to be nn Impertinent
question. Of course you may ignore
it altogether, evado It or answer ns
you please without fear of offending
me. Is there nro you "
"No," sho interrupted quickly. "I
am not promised to nnyone else, If
that Is what you are about to say."
Instantly his faco grow lighter and
ho even laughed a bit,
"Then to every cloud thero is a sil
ver lining after all, I was dreadfully
frightened for a few momentB nnd tho
relief is unspeakable. I beg your par
don for hinting nt such a possibility.
Until tomorrow at least I shall con
tinue to cherish hopes yes even after
that no matter what tho answer may
be. Tonight, even though It bo for
the last time, I shall revel in my
dreams."
"I think We had better turn back
now," she said quietly.
Hack at his machine after his lunch
North was testing tho motor, March
watching him with mild interest
Suddenly the aviator clutched his
friend's arm with a grasp of steul, his
face down bloodless his eyes staring,
his voice coming In nn awed whisper.
"Great Maker ot Miracles! Look up
there!" -
CHAPTER VIII.
The Pursuit of the Planes.
March raised his eyes and an excla
mation burst from his own lips ab
well. Just rising from the nearby
range, whero ho had doubtless been
roosting as ho watched, swinging wide
over the plain perhaps two miles dis
tant and two thousand feet up, mar
velously distinct In tho tenuous moun
tain air. the Flying Mun was floating
and sonrihg with occasional sweeps of
his thin pinions. Alan had witnessed
hl3 flght with tho ill-fated Putnam,
but North, now seeing him for tho
first time, was fairly awed at the won
derful poise nnd caHo of the enemy's
flight. For perhaps flvo seconds he
gazed nt him in fascination as ho con
tinued to squeeze his companion's arm
with an undiminished grip, then re
leased his hold and gnsped:
"Shado of Darius Green! Now that's
what I call flying!"
He was speaking in a flerco, harsh
whisper, already working frantlcnlly
at his engine. "Don't you dare loolf
up don't you dare make a move.
They will all seo him In another min
ute and then things will bo turned up
side down. I want to get away early
and avoid the rush. Ho sprang into
his seat and grasped hla operating
gear. "Make way, there," ho roared
at tho stragglers about. "I am going
to start, and when I do I'll bo a cy
clone on wheels. Mako way, MAKE
WAY!" Like sheep charged by a
raging wolf, thoy scattored before tho
great monoplane, and North, throwing
on tho power, shot forward and sprang
lightly into tho air liko a bounded
iubber ball. With his prbpoller whir
ring at topmost speed he turned at
a dizzy slnnt and as n bee goes for
its hive so did he head onward and
upward for tho marvel beyond that
floated bo buoyantly In tho limpid air.
Instantly wild tumult and hoarse
uproar burst forth. A hundred voices
bellowed the discovery at once and In
half n dozen seconds a score of avia
tors had leaped upon their seats with
flerco shouts of warning to tho fleeing
crowd. Monoplanus and biplanes
streaked tho earth aB they achieved
their momentum for the upward leap.
Twenty great propellers wero whir
ring, churning, roaring all at once.
Then rising In buzzing flight llko a
covay of mammoth grouso, they wont
whistling away In, twos, threes nnd
clusters In tho wnko of North, whose
powerful "Blue Dragon" was splitting
the air at nearly ninety miles au hour.
Bctts nnd Fairfield, tho last to rise,
collided bofore they had fairly left the
ground and came down with a crash
and a snapping of wires, themselves
receiving awkward tumbles, but
springing to their feet practically un
hurt. Their machines, however, wero
temporarily disabled, and calling down
maledictions upon their luck and each
other's heads they could only stand
rooted to the spot like other men and
watch their companions in the mad
million-dollar chase, when but tor a
little 111 fortune they would have been
close In their, wake. The greatest op
portunity of a" Tuellmo had gone a
glimmering became someone In his
frantic haste had blundered. Small
wondor that their rago was boundless.
And now once moro tho Flying Man
seemed to have made up his mind to
test them out on masse as ho had dono
Putnam Individually before ho had
slain him. For a mlnuto after North
hnd madojils start Iho other remained
like n spldor suspended nt tho end of
his thread, floating practically mo
tionless In the air, then ns the cloud
of other pianos arose and with his
foremost foe more than half way to
him ho became active. Throwing him
self forward upon a horizontal In much
tho same position as though he was
ahout to swim in water, ho gave a
mighty beat of his wings. Like a
darting fish ho leaped forward ,a hun
dred feet, nnd starting In a mighty
circle went whistling out over the
plain, his score ot pursuers instantly
changing their courso to n tangent in
order to cut him off. And seeing that
they bid fair to do bo tho pursued ono
straightened his courso into direct
flight, nnd with his face turned back
ward over his shoulder led them
straight away. For the next mllo tho
Bluo Dragon nnd about half a dozen of
the fastest of tho machines seemed to
bo holding their own with him, whllo
tho rest, unable to keep up tho terrlflo
pace, gradually strung out behind like
a kito's long tall. Whither ho wbb
leading them none but himself could
guess, but as for tho pursuers thoy
cared llttlo provided thoy could keep
him in sight. Whether they ran tho
race and fought tho flght over Jagged
mountain tops or lovel ground mado
llttlo difference to these seasoned sail
ors of the upper air sea, whose con
stant close nssoclntlon with death
had made them almost contemptuous
of it, and ns grayhounds course a hare
they went whistling on with strained
muscles and eyes glued upon tho blueij
streak that sped as nn arrow beforw
them. Whether the pursued one wnu
doing his best or only trilling with
them the could only conjecture,
but this much was evident, doing
their own best as thoy Wero,
they wero bnrely holding their own
with him. North, still retaining his
initial advantage over his nearest com
petitor, could not see that ho had
gained a foot upon the enemy. To
tho spectators upon tho ground nnd
now far behind, the ones In'tho nlr
appeared but dlstnnt floating specks.
Then ono by ono oven the specks dis
appeared and a great sobblnjg sigh ot
relaxation welled from the bosom of
tho watching city.
Fire minutes had elapsed since
Ioith left the ground, flvo minutes
dining which time March, grown to
the spot, had stood staring after the
flyers with his heart pounding and
his enthusiasm mounting with Its ev
ery beat as he thrilled with admiration
at tho skill and daring ot tho pursuers
of this half human-like, half bird-like
creature of prey of tho upper air. Car
ried away by the excitement of it, he
had in spirit flown with North In his
aerial lush, seeming tp rido by his
Bldo as ho loaned forward In his seat
as a jockey rides a leaping race horse,
every muscle taut aa the singing stays
about about him. the rush of wind in
his face, tho throb of tho machlno be
noath him, tho roar of tho propeller
behind. Ecstatically ho gloried In the
long, sweeping upwnrd rise of the
machine when they rose and rose aa
a ship mounts a towering, upheaving
billow; Involuntarily ho drew his
breath with a sharp intake as thoy
swept downward in a long dip aa tho
shp Bweops down from tho towering
crest of a lord of tho ocean when tho
deck falls from beneath one's feet
and he feels as though ho floated in
midair, so rapid is tho plunge Into the
valley below. Then tho graceful rise
again with the sudden plunge Into aa
Whither He Was Leading Them, None
but Himself Could Guess. t
!
air bank that opposed them with a
solidness that caused thd light plane
lo shudder nnd shiver at tho impact,
and wherein the machlno again
Boomed a ship wallowing lu;i sea that
had swopt her from stem to .stora,
until shaking herself free she' onco
more raced on, buzzing llko a hornet.
(TO UK CONTINURD)
Noble Enough for Him,
Miss "Of course ou know, baron,
that my father lu not in tho remotest
degroo a nobloman?" Ho "Say no
moro, bountiful one. A man who will
give Ills daughter a dowry of n mil
lion is noble enough for mo "
J
