The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922, January 13, 1914, Image 2
II THE NORTH PLATTE SEMl-WEEKLY TRIBUNE. "s-sV ;'':"P " X u Barbara o iheSiiow "nLa a Z.T'''" "" SS""2!-. -vv' 'S """5- Jopyrljht, 1912, bij Harry Irvitvg Grceno'NN """-"- "?'"iS!2as- Sj SYNOPSIS. I'rofessor Desmond of tlio I'oak observa loiv c'Iiiuhik u Brent sensation lliroiiKliout Cl i fountry by nnnoiiticlnK that what ap pi am to lie 11 satellite In approaching at trrrllli speed. Destruction of the earth is fi'jr. il Punic premlls everywhere. The iii lllte barely misses the eiirth. The. at liii spherlr disturbance knocks people tin ronm Ions, but does no damage. A 1' af li irlr.j? it, ciilmllxtlr dcslKn Mutters down Hnionjr the Ktiexts nt a lawn party. It Im Mi ntlenl In design with a curious orna l icnt worn by Doris l'llllon. A hideouw man like bclns; with Iiuro wins descends In the midst of the KiiestM. lie notices Ir.rln' ornament and starts toward her. 'i'h' men fear he Intends some harm to IJcrls and a fteree buttle unsucB. In which Tolllver and March, HUltorH of Doris, and Prof, ssor Desmond are Injured. The fly nr rnon In wounded by a bIioI from Tol llvtr but escapes by Myitis nwny. A far ini r reports that the flying man carried off Ids younK dauKhtor l'eoplo overy wlitte are terror-stricken at the, possl b'lltles for evil possessed by the mon stir The governor offtrs a reward of oooon for his capture, dead or nllve. PUt Ham Is the nrst of tin aviators to re spond After a thrilling chaso In tlio air In Is thrown from his machine by the living man and killed North and a score, of other nviators arrive. The le wnrd Is Increased to a million. The avia tors flml themselves outdistanced and out maneuverrd by the HylriK man. Artillery proves futile. A ncKress Is the latest vic tim. Tlio avlntors ko to tho sceno of the Iniffudv, some Siyi miles distant. Doris In cites March to accompany her on a rnlrse b ick ride. They Hro Joined by Tolllver, much to March's distrust. While tho mon nro rounding up he horses, which have, become tinnrc ountably frlKhtencd, tho tly. Ing man suddenly swoops down and car Mrs Doris on. March and Tolllver pur U(i tho df in in i. Tho way leads through rjmyons and over mountains. Tolllver, driven lnOno by tho strain, shoots fuarrh 1 CHAPTER XII. Contfnued. Vncnnnlness. It lurked about him upon every Bide, In tlio malformed pile, tho creeping shndowH, the dead nlr, tho brooding flllenco. As well might he have boon a newly created being Buddenfy finding himself alono upon a world which ho know to bo In habited only by ono other ljumnn and un evil spirit which ho must meet In deadly combat. Tho thought nrouBcd lilm Ho must creep lileo a lynx around tho outer edge of tho plateau, taking rtdvantngo of ovcry rock which might screen his form, narrowing his circle with every Btep until ho had found hem. In tills ByBtematlc way ho could to cover the ground that thero would bo no possibility of his overlooking (hem, and If his caution wns keen ho could tako tho dragon unawares, and tako him unawares ho must olso tho flying ono would bo off with her again and once more tho maddening chaso would have to bo resumed, Ho drow lils pistol and Btolo off among tho recks, his oyos flicking them as close ly as a prowling animal's, his care pre Icrnaturally acute. Behind tho shelter Df ovory pile ho paused to peer and listen, while across the bare places ho flitted as silently as n specter. Ono complete circuit of tho plateau ho made amidst tho utter desolation and tllcnco without results, then narrow ing his circuit by a hundred yards be Can again. Ho would close in upon them llko a contracting nooso until nt last ho had found them. Tho Bun sank behind tho range- and dusk fell upon him still crouching, crawling and darting across tho un icroened places. In tho uncertain hndow of n rock pllo his foot tripped Igalnst a stono and ho fell upon his face, remaining its motionless ns n watching lizard as ho listened for an naworlng sound. Nono camo and ho lowly raised himself. Clearly enough It would bo folly for him to attempt to puiBiie his search for tho night-eyed dragon in the dnrknoss. Ilo might miss them, overrun thorn, bo amhuBhod himself or eluded In the darkness, l'herc remained but n few momonts of oen seml-dayllght, and taking advan tage of It ho crept into a niche in ono Dt the rock piles and composed him ifdf to watch and wait with tho cun ning of the mad. ' , The darkness thickened. Fold by told it fell upon tho peaks and sottlod fletiHo In the valleys, while mlnuto by Mlnuto the glitter or tho stars grew brighter, harder, more, sclntlllant. STom his narrow retreat ho watchud thorn blazing In their brilliance, Nov tt had he seemed bo near to them ns now, when bruised, torn and unuttor ibly weary of body but burning of brain he attired up at them with throb tilng oyes. The cold or night came intUlng down from tho nearby snow rlad peaks, and coatloBB and damp ho Jlilverod beneath Its touch. Fuel thero is'as hono upon this rock littered ri"iBte, nor would he lmvo chanced a Dvo had there been lest tho ono for hom ho Bought might seo or smell It. A now thought Unshod through his a bid Undoubtt'dlj tlio Hying ono now tl ought himself Bnfe from hlB day-long pursuers, and If he pobbocsoiI tlm Rklli ir making lire, us did raceB of tho Urth no matter how low their order ' Intellect, then tonight of all timoB t'ter his labors of tho day ho would bi ond doubt seek to warm and cheer i iiiself beside a blazo. And to croop lon an enemy who sits beside a Hro it night Ib tho very A 11 C of stalking. Shivering with tho cold ho cropt .forth. AcrosH the eastern peaks tlio moon irosu and flooded the mountain top Kith Its ehlmnior, and hooping In tho IhadowB of tho piled inaBses and pur Wing hlB way with tlio stealth of a tuaraudorlng Apaoho ho crept on. 1'wlce ho climbed to tho top 6f piles that commanded an exceptionally wide outlook act oss tho waste, and from their summits scanned the llatcau through tho misty light. Nothing but tho broad oxpanso with Its cluttered fragments met his view, and each tlmo ho crept softly down again to steal through tho shadows as he resumed his quest, alternately shuddering with cold and burning with fovor. Above him the snow , peaks glowed plios phoroscently, on every hand the rock shadows lay llko Bqunt, fantastic mon sters, while below was an nbyss flllod to tho brim with solid blncknesn. He numbed of limba but with eyes and ears ncuto as thoso of a prowling beast of tho night ho cropt along. Ho had mndot two circuits of tho plateau without discovery and for tho third tlmo turned to constrict the cir cle. HIb physical weariness was such that ho seemed to move upon wooden limbs, and all pain had loft him savo tho burning of his brain. Ho thought of the strange premonition of tho day beforo which hnd told him that ho was about to dopart upon an unknown journoy of mystorlouBnesB, a premoni tion which he had not dared mention boforo March for fear of ridicule. Wns this, then, the Journoy of which he had been bo subtly warned by that mystic Bcnso which at times ho had seemed to possess this pursuit into these wild heights where tradition said no human foot had over stepped besido his own. Ho wondered as ho paused for a moment In a strip of moonlight and fixed his dyes upon tho next point which he must seek In his ever nar rowing search. Then from above camo a Bound that thrilled him as an electric shock and ho throw his glance upward. Close above him and falling with tho speed of a pouncing hawk was a great black Bhapo with enormous wings and huge, bulbous eyes that glowed phosphores cently. With a rabbit llko spring to ono Bide ho nttomptcd to raise his pis tol, only to fall headlong upon tho stones beneath n heavy weight. For a moment ho struggled desperately, but an Instant lator his weapon was torn from his hand and ho found himself encircled by an arm that hold him as In a vise. Thon slowly but suroly he felt himself being borne upward, up and up through tho cold shimmer until tho black throat of tho canyon yawned bottomless below. From afar, as though traveling through infinite dis tance ho soomed to hear a cry, tho cry of a woman who 1b filled with n name less horror, and onco moro ho strug gled fiercely against tho iron grip that hold him. Then tho grip seemed to loosen nnd ho thought himself falling falling ondleBBly Into an lntormln ablo abyBB through a great and roar ing darkness. CHAPTER XIII. The Search March lying flnt upon the rocks first stirred unoaslly ns a sleeper who gradually awakes, moaned and then slowly nushod himself to n halt "He Attempted to Raise Hlo Pistol," upright posture, sitting in tho dazed manner of ono just recovered from an nnnesthotic. Ho looked around uml abovo, lleotilug cliffs nnd ragged mountain tops surrounded him, u deop gorgo lay nt his feet, tho dropping sun wns Bonding Its horizontal raya into his oyes. Ho looked himself over. His clothing wuh- torn, his hands and kneus lacerated, hiu head humming llko a taut wire vibrating In tho wind He trlod to recall, struggling to com pel his memory to yield Its secrots as ono might attempt to drlvo his limbs to some groat physical effort, but his brain, partially paralyzed by tho bul- lot which had raked ills hand, respond wcwm vmdwmfLM ed but feebly. Uowlldered he tried to think It out step by step. Whsro was he? He cast his eyes over the Jagged mountain crests that nroso on ovcry aide llko the waves of a tempest lashed Ben. Ho had seen them before ho wns sure of that but where? Stilyo us ho would ho could not recall. Who was he? Vain ly ho tried to remember, but his per sonality had wholly escaped him even his name nnd place of abode were blank In his mind. Why was ho here in tho midst of this jumbled chaos of barren mountain peaks? Not a glint of recollection nnswercd hjm. Ho was as loat as ono would be who suddenly born of full growth found himself ndrift in space possessed of hlB full faculties but with no past and therefore with nothing to remembor. He looked at his hand, one finger of which wnB encircled by a heavy seal ring. It looked familiar to him sure ly he had seen that ring before but whore? Mechanically ho searched his pockets nnd found therein an envelope addressed to Alan March. Tho name wns aB familiar to his eyes as was tho rng nnd hand, yet ho was totally unablo to place It. Ho thruBt tho pa per back Into his pocket nnd arose Unquestionably he was upon a great holght and Instinct told him that he should get down ns quickly as pos sible. Automatically he began tho de Bccnt, his unfeeling legs finding the way clumsily, his brain benumbed, his throat dry as the waste that lay about him. Ho went ns one In a dream, sliding, scrambling, sometimes for minutes lying prostrato as a stone rolled from beneath his feet nnd tripped him Into a fall. Eventually ho reached tho bot tom of the canyon and there he foun there he foundd 1, cold as lecfl snows of then a stream, clear, musical born of tho evorlastlng Brent peak which had fathered and mothered It. Ho plunged Into It as a seal leaves a rock, wallowing in its 1cy coolness, drinking deeply, sub merged himself. Its liquid coldness washed tho haze from his brain and ho crawled forth refreshed and Invig orated. In a. twinkling ho remem bered. He looked back at tho tremendous slide which ho had just come down, crowned by its Inaccessible top which arose steep as a wnll and to the eye as unsurmountablo to the foot as tho sldo of a giant bnstllo. Yet Tolllver had said that ho had onco been to Its top and would now go again. Hut Tolllvor was now Insane and Httlo depondenco could be placed upon his statements. Yet Doris was undoubtedly somewhere up thero and at tho mercy of that merciless Hying thing that had led them all day long tn that fearful pur suit. Desperato and despairing though ho was ho forced himself to reason calmly. To return to tho bottom of tho cliff and heat blindly about it as a beetle attacks a window pane would bo a wasto of time, each mlnuto of which wAs priceless. He must return, wire tho aviators and with their help assail tho height from tho air. It would tako at least a day's tlmo to do this, twenty-four hours of maddening suspense to be endured, yet it seemed his only hope of eventually rescuing nor In case she remained nllve. As to what might happen to her in that interval ho dared not think, hut per haps after all Tolllver might reach tho summit, and Tolllvor loved hor also and despite his madness might be depended upon to protect her to his lust gasp. Perhaps for tho task In hand his madneBB was even In his favor, slnco It might give him nddl tlonnl Btrongth, dosperatlon and cutir nlng. Dronched and shivering from his ley bath, ho wont scrambling off ovor the bouldors. Tho suit sank and tho darkness be- enmo Intense. Guided by instinct nlone. ho scnlod tho opposlto sldo of tho canyon, ofton dragging hlmsolf upwnrd by pure strength of limb, more than onco Bending loosened rocks crashing downward to the bottom In leaping flight, tholr roar nccontuated by the darkness. Ho reached tho summit of tho ridge and found him self standing In tho glow of tho moon, nnother deop plunge beforo him, but with light onco moro to servo him. Again ho scrambled down tho trail. An hour later from tho mountain Bldo ho paused as he fought desper ately for breath. Ho looked backward. Miles behind him across canyon and rldgo the dcfolate top of tho table mountain loomed uncannily. Tho moon seemed to hang directly ovor It. What was happonlng there, what unspeak able tragedy In thnt dizzy land of des olation Inhnbltud by an unennnj fly ing thing, a madman and a more than llkoly half sonsoless girl! He bit his lips until they bled, crying aloud In hlo Impotonco, his volco as cracked and broken as tho volco of a raven. Then of a sudden ns ho gnzod ho bo came frozen to tho Bpot, staring across tho wustn and upward with oycB Which wero dilated by horror. For against tho faco or tho rounded moon ho had Been r. grotesque, bnt-liko shape arise, hover and thon relonso n squirming object that hhot downward as nil nr row falls. lie passed his hands to hiu head, closed Ills eyes, then looked again. Tho forms had vanished, and uncertain whether ho hnd really seen this grewsomc thing or hnd been the victim of an apish trick of hlB Imagi nation he onco moro plunged onward. Ho camo to the narrow trail which led around tho shoulder of tho moun tain and where with n blank wall upon ono sldo nnd a sheer descent of hundreds of feet upon tho other ho had Involuntarily closed his eyes when ho hnd traversed It hours before In the pursuit, guiding hlmsolf along It now sololy by tho sense of touch. Tho darkness wnB deop here und he was more thankful for It than other wlso, since It concealed and rendered less unnerving tho death which he know must come from a false stop aside. Over tho delicately polBed slide of shale he crept on hands and knees, feeling his way with his fingers, testing each rock beforo putting his faith upon it, until reaching its fur ther side and finding tho going fairly good and tho light sufficient, for a short space he broke Into a shambling run. Interminably, seemingly through ages, ho struggled on with all sense of tlmo lost and all distance but a dream. Yet gradually and despite his effortB to Ignore It tho consciousness was forced harder and moro Inslst ontly upon him that ho was reaching the limit of human endurance. His strength was leaving him ns water rushes through a gap, draining the reservoir of his enduranco to its dregs, nnd moro than once ho was awakened by the shock of a fall to find himself lying prostrato after his legs had giv en out beneath him nnd ho had tumbled with no recollection of the mishap remaining. But beforo him and but two or three miles away, black and serrated against the sky, loomed tho summit of the great chain that arose abruptly from the plain, nnd thero he would And the head of the canyon that led to the level ground and the, city beyond with lta hordo of. brother men who upon his talo would leap to tho chase of the monster of tho table mountain as hounds run down u mortal nnd natu ral enemy. Somehow he must make thoso miles, and somehow lie would. He struggled on with thq choking des peration of a drowning man who floun ders townrds a life line. In his exhaustion both mind and body worked mechanically and he pur sued his way as thoughtlessly, yet as unerringly as tho needle points the magnetic polo. Ho soemed to have been traveling forever. Perspective both of timo and space was lost and ho was wandering In an endless dream through wastes of rock that towered about him to Incnlculablo heights, hanging over him suspended by a hair and threatening to crush him at every step. Ho no longer wondered that Tolllver with his latent streak of mad ness had at last succumbed beneath tho fearful strain upon body and mind. Tolllver! Ho felt not tho least ani mosity towards him despite that rak ing wound across his skull made with murderous intent in fact, ho mumbled a prayer for his safoty yet who else could It have been that ho had seen whirling downward In that awful fall? During some moments he doubted whothor ho himself really lived, as with slow desperation he forced his way along stoop Inclines, sought the bottoms of gulches and dragged him Belf again from tho darkness below Into tho misty light of nnother sum mit. An hour moro nnd ho had reached tho crest that rising abruptly from tho plain contained the canyon from which ho had started in tho chaso tho morn ing bofore. Ho hnd been traveling for twelve hours now almost without a pauso, his brain wns exhausted and tho driving power of his will, which had for so long forced him on, was no longer dominnnt. It was miles yet to tho city, and with tho realization that it would bo impossible for him to trnvorso It without a respite he sank upon the ground with his face burled in his arms. Ho would rest for an hour, then pursue his way, sum mon North and his comrades and then neither rest nor Bleep until they had hunted down tholr qunrry, saved Doris and rid tho world of a creature not Intended for It. Irresistibly tho stupor of exhaustlou enfolded him. His head swam, his form relaxed, darkness engulfed him. He slept. CHAPTER XIV. North. March awoko. Bat up and looked about In the bofoggod manner of one who Hnda himself suddenly transport ed from the doptliB of utter oblivion Into tho broad light of day, the In stantaneous transition of tho uucon-' bcIoub brain to tho fully conscious, the doad into tho living. Where the moon had hung who.i ho throw him self down in a weariness of soul and body that could not longor bo combat ed, tho sun wns now poiBod half way ivji In Its morning (light. For ton hours ho had lain prostrate, dream less, ,unmoving, sensolesa as the unborn- thou hours through which ho had existed only In absolute uncon sciousness. Slowly ho gathered- hla scattered faculties. No sensation was in his limbs. Had they been made of wood they could not have been more unfeeling, yet au tomatically they obeyed tlio command of IiIb brain. Ho propped himself up on his arms and gathered his legs un der him. Slowly, carefully, testing himself like one who arises nfter a heavy fall and knows not whether bones linve been broken, ho got upon hla foet, felt tho first warm rush of blood through his bqdy nnd in a flash was coherent of mind once moro Doris! Ho turned his head towards the dizzy plateau of tho table moun tain miles behind. Tolllver! The Fly ing Mnn! God what was happening there what had happened what was to linpprn? His throbbing temples seemed nbout to burst as remembrance of It all surged through his memory the coming of tho unknown body through space, the night upon the lawn, tho nppearanco of tho winged monster, the fight, the duel in tho air, the death of Putnam, North and the pursuit by tlio aeroplanes, the awful chase of the day before, the madness of Tolllver, the falling of tho whirling body through the moonlight! And now for twonty-four hours Doris had been in the possession of the superhuman creature of the murdeious mind and unguessable Instincts, while more houi'B must elapse before ho could hope to have the air crafts once more upon tho scene. He looked down Into tho depths of the canyon which he must traverse before he reached tho level land which led to tho city, thought for an Instant of the weary, muscle-racking miles that lay before him, then turned for tho descent. He slowly became cognizant of a sound, sibilant, thin as tho barely au dible ringing of cut glass when rubbed gently, yet insistent and shrilling louder with each moment until it had grown into a penetrating whistle. Then with a flash of understanding he looked up. Far abovo him and coming from out of the southwest with tho speed of a homing pigeon was an aeroplane, broad as the wings of the Flying Man himself, riding tho air with the grace of floating thistle down. 'Weakness seized him, tho weakness which sometimes comes to strong men In the reaction from fierce emotions. For a moment ho was sickened by the fear that he would faint and be passed over unnoticed, then his strength surged back to him in full flood and he drow his revolver. Yes, it was North there could bo no mistaking tho bluo wings of the "Dragon" North returning through some inscrutable human reason or by Divine direction he knew not which, nor in his wild rush of hope did he care. Twice his heavy revolver sounded its thunderous command, and A Squirming Object Shot Downward as an Arrow Falls. far abovi' him tho man nt the wheel, hearing the roar, peered down at tho lone figure that with arms out stretched stood upon that bleak sum mit like n cross. From his height ho could not recognize tlio upturned face, wondered for a moment as to what he should do, thou ns tho re volver again spoke its deep command ho wheeled in a broad circle which would bring htm around and clcso by ills challenger. Back he came at his slowest speed as he sought to baroly skim tlje head of tho olio who hnd shot, l?urn the cause of the signal and then decide what to do, for It was an unfavorable) placo to land nnd ho did not purpose attempting it unless ho first know tho renson why. At the dlstauco of a score of yards ho for tho first time recognlzod March, torn, disheveled and wild of face, who, for getful of what he was doing, clutched frantically at . tho machlno as It sailed closo over his head. Wildly he sprang after It as it soared away, shouting hoarsely as he ran, "North North It Is I March. In the namo of God, como down." Fllfed with wonderment nB to what all this could mean, yet knowing well enough that much lay behind that wild appeal, ho shut off his motor, raised his planes obliquely and as his momentum died settled almost as lightly as a feather falls. Scarcely had the wheels of hla machlno struck the rock than he had leaped from his seat and was hurry ing back to tho ono who was approach ing him upon a stiff-legged ru . Closo beforo him tho aviator Btoped and stared. "March in tho name of all. things! What has happened, man? Out with it." Brokenly, almost Incohorontly, tho ragged ono made known tho moat Important details of the twenty-four hours last pa3t, tho bearing away of Doris by tho flying monster and her being In his possession dead or allvo that very moment upon tho distant tabic top; of Tolllver gone insane and now probably dead, the awful fall of that squirming body through tho moonlight, his own all-night run, which had brought him back to fall exhaust ed upon tho spot. And as ho listened North's face grew hard as fint until at last ho grasped tho speaker vice like by the arm. "Got your nerve with you yet?" ho demanded grimly. March nodded, knowing what was to come. "Then come along. That instinct that told me that tho Flying Man had only gone to this other place and com mitted that crime to luro us thero that ho might double on his trail and como back here was right after alt It haunted me until I couldn't sleor And Imlay got the same hunch at th same time, too, and sot out alonf with me. Wo had it neck and neck for a hundred miles and then tho 'Dragon' left him In tho lurch. But ho can't be far behind. Ought to be along most any timo, but we won't wait Get on there, quick. If you don't look down you will be all right But remember every mlnuto that it is a case of keeping your nerve or losing your lifo. Now sit down and freezo yourself to that seat." Tho starting apace was short, but beforo the pow erful motor the car left the ground as a grayhound clears a hedge. Straight over the canyon as boldly as an eaglo leaves a cliff North shot, hundreds of feet of emptiness lying beneath him. Then turning towards tho east ho headed for the mountain that stood llko a great, grim bastlle at tho end of the weary miles that March hud stumbled over upon the day and night before. From his scat and disregarding tha Injunction of his friend, March gazed down at tho speeding earth as tt leaped backward like an unrolling film. The BensatlonB of his Imaginary flight with North upon tho day when the air fleet had pursued tho flying one now became actualities, tha thrumming stayB, tho whistle of tho wind, tho throb and vibrations, tha leap of tho machine like a thorough bred beneath him. More and moro with each passing moment did it seem liko a dream to him, a gro tesque unreality from which ho must awako to the every-day llfo that had boon his before tho uncanny evening upon the lawn. He turned his drawn faco towards North. No, thero could be no doubt but that ho was being whisked through spaco at tha rate of moro than n mile a minute nnd thercforo tho whole hideous thing must bo true tho Flying Man Doris ho groaned as ho thought of her and must have lurched a bit, for North's voico instantly arose in stern command for him to be still. Ton3oly ho gathered himself together. Tho volco of tho aviator came in shortly clipped sentences, seeming to be snatched from his lips by the rush of tho wind. "Wo had better rise up to the- top from below and alight in that way. Then wo will try and surprise him on foot. If wo should sail ovor tho summit he would bo sure to see or hear us. Can't toll what ho might do thon bofore wo could Ktop him." Already tho barren top with Its Junibled wasto loomed closo beforo them upon a level with their eyes, fearsomo in Its chaotic desolation. With the slow Bweep of a water craft mounting a long swoll of the mid Atlantic the "Dragon" skimmed the summit, circled sharply, tilted and sank upon Its wheels. Quickly they woro upon their feet and peering about. (TO HE CONTINUHD.) Disappointed. My llttlo niece came home from school rather lato tho other day. On her mother's questioning her ns to what kopt her so long, Bho oxclalmod: "Oh, mothor, a horeo foil down, and they said thoy were going to send for a horso doctor. And what do you think? It wasn't a horso doctor at all. It was only a man." t iW s i v i