Virginia
of ihe
Air Lanes
A ROMANCE OF
FLYING
... By
Herbert
Quick
Copyright. 1999. X the Bobb
Merri.l Company
CHAPTER XIII.
UK
w
DEVILFISH VERSUS BIRD.
'HEN the aeronef was run out
on her ways by the long
shed In which she had been
built there was a flutter of
expectancy among those so deeply con
cerned in her flight
"The first mate always sails with the
ship, uncle." Virginia suggested.
"Would you really go on the trial
trip?" be asked.
"Try me," suld she. "I want to."
"You'd be worth a dozen of Captain
JIarrods." replied Carson. "lie basn't
the faintest Idea of the principles of
the Virginia, while you could fly ber In
a week."
"I could now," asserted Virginia.
"The Virginia is a simple, manageable
little thing, like ber namesake."
"If she shows all ber namesake's
sweet traits" began Theodore.
"Then I'm to go?"
"Captain." cried Theodore, "here's a
girl that wants to ship as first mate
Make sail, captain. We're going."
But Virginia seated herself beside
Theodore, wearing a dress of soft
white wool, a close fitting little cap on
her head and carrying a Jacket over
her arm.
"Now. shnll I keep the manometer
readings? Oh. you haven't any! Well,
then, the altimeter statoscope?" she
suggested.
"It's self registering," said Theodore.
"Really there's nothing to do except in
emergencies, and"
"And there'll be no emergencies!'
she cried. "Throw in the clutch, ad
miral of the circumambient inane
You do the work, and I'll play ludy
We're off!"
"Are ynu willing," said he. turning
to her. "to forgive me for this and ev
prything I may ever have done, what
ever happens?"
"Whatever happens or doesn't hat
pen. I forgive you!" she cried. "Throw
in the clutch before the gyroscope!
stop and the Virginia gets brain fag-
or shall I"
"Just for luck." said Theodore, "you
. throw it in."
She threw over the lever, and the
wing sections started like 40.000 boys'
"buzzes." The big bird rose perpen
dieularly from the ways and fanned
the ground no more. Theodore turned
on a little more speed, put the rudders
aport to bring her head to the light
seaward wind, and as she mounte
higher and higher he tried her con
trol. He pushed over the lever that
determined the thrust of the driving
blades, and she shot in over the dunes
like a wild thing until he beaded ber
back for the gulf. Well inside the bar,
so that an overturn might not mean
drowning, he circled about in a wide
curve, which he gradually narrowed
by a more extreme use of the helm un
il she was spinning round and
found In an orbit, in which the tips
of the Inner wings were almost sta
tionary and "treading" air like a paus
ing swimmer.
"That tests out the balancing de
vice!" shouted Theodore. "How's
that?"
"Aye. aye. sir!" said Virginia. "That
do sure test out the balunclug device.
And If you let ber chase her tall like
this much longer I'm going to be in
disposed. Please whirl ber tbe other
way awhile, tinkle."
Virginia walked forward. They
were flying higher now. and she could
see the pine woods far Inland, with
their square patches of plowed fields,
their white houses behind the great
greeu globes of the china trees. Far
over the northwest soared a great
aeronat. silver white, as if covered
with tin foil.
"1 .wonder If that isn't the Hoc?"
queried Virginia.
"If It Is." said he. "and she comes
about this place we'll show her what
real aviation Is."
Then they swept over and down the
coast. They turned hark and swirled
out over the sea.
"Oh. look, look!" suddenly said Vir
ginia. "There's some one In the wa
ter!" Below floated the half collapsed and
sinking go-devll of a submarine.
side it lay a great blotch of darkness
so symmetrical that Theodore was Im
pressed with the sudden Idea that It
was a submarine rather than a patch
of dark sand A uum on the. derelict
was struggling, shouting and waving a
white cloth as If in distress. Theo
dore's eyes flashed. He reversed the
thrust of the wing propellers, aud In
an Instant they were fltfhtlng the air
with all the power of the mighty en
glues. The pnsengers felt their bod
les swav forward with the uionipn
turn as the Virginia slowed up. halted
and moved astern, and as accurately
as If he hud had years of practice
Carson brought her to over the strug
gling man and lowered her slowly
lowly, toward the swells which rose
to meet her until the line thrown over
by Carson dabbled In the water by
the castaway's side.
.. "Can you climb up?" cried Theodore
"I don't dare coma much lower."
For or ." rsiwxi tn man.
bring ber down a foot or so! I'm too
weak to climb."
Cheer up!" called Theodore. "It's
risky, but I'll try."
If be was to be saved there was no
time to be lost So thought Carson as
be depressed the Virginia more and
more. Wlzner set his teeth In a fierce
determination to put both man and
hip out of the field at once. He was
the sole custodian of the secret of her
construction save for Carson. If be
could drown ber and master the se
cret of the glass globe he could re
build ber. make bis terms with
Sliuyne. be the greatest in bis line.
And he seized the nacelle with fierce
euergy. threaded a steel chain through
an opening in the structure and drop
ped back into the water, holding the
chain in his band. It ran around the
aluminium beam with a sharp, rasp
ing, startling rattle.
"He's fallen in!" cried Virginia.
Theodore looked over the side. A
small double chain ran down from the
airship, Its ends moving about In a
most mystifying manner in the sea.
And as be looked in astonishment the
S3
tfVtoffiK.- TA
HE AIMED AT CARSON, FIRED AND THE
BULLET 8ANQ AWAY INTO THE SEX.
dark blotch of sand rose to the sur
face and defined Itself as the rounded
top of the Stickleback, on the black
hull of which sat Wizuer blowing
brine from his mouth, his head shin
ing with water. The manhole opened.
Wlzner snapped the chain Into a ring,
slipped Into the submarine and reap
peared with something small and flat
In bis band.
"I'll fix you. you d d whelp!" he
yelled. "Take that!"
He aimed at Carson. Bred, and the
bullet sang away Into the sky. Theo
dore seized Virginia In his arms and
drew her down Into the bottom of the
car. where they lay panting in each
other's arms, panic stricken.
"I must put the ship out of range!"
cried Carson, leaping to the lever.
She rose tike a feather for Just a
moment,' and then she swung about
like a kite with Its string fouled, an
chored by some devilish contrivance.
Carson stepped to the side again and
looked over. The Virginia hung some
thirty yards above the water, and
straining backward and downward ran
the steel chain looped through her
works aud fastened by both ends to
the submarine. The harsh, raucous
laugh of Wizuer rose with horrid sig
nificance from the Stickleback's man
hole, which was again above water
and open.
"Dou't be In a hurry!" he shouted.
"Stick around with us awhile. We're
going nut where It's deep. Come In;
the water's tine! Got your bathing
suits'; When sin- draws short tele
phone down. . I hurt yell, tor there
won't uo one hear you. -There won't
no one hear either of you again in this
world exrepi just you two. By-by!
See you In lavy Junes' -d-n you!"
And Willi this, as If pulled down
from below, the man vanished Into the
dark Interior, the manhole closed, and
the chain, like a line taken by some
titanic tlsh. started out to sea. The
airship had been captured by the sub
marine! The mechanical devilfish was
not running very deep; her round deck
rose awash sometimes, but with the
manholes closed, and with no sign save
the erection of ber periscope that she
was more than an inert mass of steel
she swam on.
Still seated where Theodore had
placed ber, Virginia looked at blm in
questioning terror, ne was white and
horrified. At this moment ho was de
pressing her in her flight so as to get
all possible slack in the chain, so that
by a sudden upward rush he might
break the tether. Once, twice, thrice
he did tbls. but the chain held.
"What is it. Theodore? What is It?"
said she.
"I don't know," said he. "but I think
it's the end!"
Corson was not looking nt her. He
was looking upward, like a man seek
ing for some sort of inspiration. She
stood looking out over the great deso
late sea and back to the receding shore,
on which she saw a group of forms
the forms of their friends. Nothing
could seem more helpless. They were
chained to their fate a dark fiend of
a machine that was taking them out
to sea. to deeps profound enough to
drown them-lt might be an hour; it
might be the next moment.
Corson stood over her with a pistol
In his bard. .
"Virginia, cm :nu shoot'"
"1 shall have to ask you to protect
me." said be, '"while I try to cut that
chain. Thr cuu see with their perl-
scope what I'm dolug. aud when it Is
necessary tbey will come up into the
open and fire. By pulling out to sea I
can get ber at an angle that will force
them Into the open to shoot When
the manhole opens shoot Into it If
you should hit one of them don't let It
trouble you."
"I shall kill one of them If I can."
said she. "Never mind that! Tell me
the things to dor
"I shall take the pliers and a file."
said be. "I don't think the pliers will
cut It 1 may be too weak to climb
back. I don't know that I can do it
anyhow. You must take us back to
land If 1 cut her free."
"Never fear. I know every lever."
"There's another thing." said he
"We came out with only a little gas
If we go much farther we haven't
enough to get ashore with. I think I
could soar ber In with the aeroplane
set of the blades. I think we had bet
ter fly low going back and not waste
fuel. Keep her gilding about a bun
dred feet from the water, but If you
want the aeroplane set this Is the way
to fix it"
With .a swift movement he showed
her the way to manage the meehan
ism. He lashed a pair of pliers about
his neck with a lanyard, thrust a cou
pie of flies Into his pockets, took off
his boots, his coat and waistcoat and
stepped to the side.
"You may get ashore." said he
"while I may not. If so goodby, and
God bless you. dearest!"
She threw her arms about his neck
and kissed him over and over again
He felt her warm tears ou his lips.
"Don't cry!" said he. "Clear your
eyes and shoot straight. Goodby!"
She stepped to the rail and looked
fixedly at the black shadow like a gi
gantic fish that represented the sub
marine. Carson had disappeared over
the side In a terrifying hand under
hand descent until he reached the
trusswork of the nacelle. The black
shadow grew more distinct, the round
deck broke water, and as the manhole
opened Wlzner appeared and aimed
at Carson coolly as at a target. Too
hastily Virginia fired. The bullet
struck the edge of the deck with i
vicious spat. WIzner's pistol spoke
his bullet, striking metal, flew singing
away, and the girl replied with the
third shot of this strange duel. Sh
braced herself against the rail, aimed
conscientiously at the middle of the
mark presented by the villain below
and fired tired with the curious certi
tude the marksman feels when he Is
making a good shot. Wlzner bad Jus
lifted his arm to fire again, but his
hand fell as if. struck down by
giant's blow. He dropped back into
the darkness like a shot woodchuck.
the manhole closed, und the submarine
went on toward deep water as grimly
os before.
"Good!" said Theodore. "But watch
the manhole just the some. I shall
have lo (lie the chain. The pliers
won't do "
Suddenly she heard Carson rolling.
"They've hove to," said he "I think
they're goi:ig to try drowning us bere
Don't los:- control nt yourself Ke
member this is a tight, and we aren't
whipped yet. Do you hear?"
"Yes." said she. "But It's so nwful
so awful! If you were only up hers
where you could- Tell me what to
do'. Tell me what to do!"
"Do you see how the ehnlu short
ens?" asked Carson. "She's going
down.' If the water's deep enough she
can drown us unless we can overcome
her gravity. Turu the index so as to
show a dead down thrust of the blades
and theu.fuii yower ou the last speed
It will take fuel, but It's the only way
Hurry!"
The airship sank. sank, nearer and
nearer to the water. But without
waiting to learn bow the girl was car
rying out his orders Carson again at
tacked the chain.' and . the shrill
"screek" of the file greeted Virginia's
ears as she turned the Indicator and
threw on the power. As they had
never done before the great engines
purred, the wing blades trod the air
with a terrific roar, but with remorse
less suction-like force the submarine
drew her down closer, closer to the
water, and she seemed lost The sink
ing was slower now, but nevertheless
more and more of the cbaln disappear
ed In the sea every moment. Virginia
looked and despaired. The waves were
so terrifylngly uear. death In their cold
depths seemed so unthiuknbly horrible,
she bowed her face in her bands.
The "screek. screek. screek." of the file
kept on with the regularity of a ma
chine. Carson was at work. He might
be drowned. But when he went under
he would go fighting, ne was a man!
She stepped to the side and called to
Mm.
'"I think." sold she. "that we are
doomed. Is there anything I can do?"
"You might advance the spark." said
he. "Not much. Just the least trifle
Yes. I reckon they've got us."
She sprang to the machinery and did
this last thing ordered by her com
roander did it with unshaklng hands
as a soldier might take up the weapon
of his comrnde killed at his post. By
the folntest trltle she advanced the
spark aud went to the side to see the
effect Tbey were lower now, and the
trusswork In which Carson hung must
be In or neor the crest of the swells,
but the "screek" of the flip went on.
not so strong perhaps, but steadily
still, the paean of the unconquerable
spirit of the man rllnglug to the truss
work beneath her. It was grand. It
was Immense. Her spirit rone to the
occasion, rose to the prosaic "screek.
screek" of a file In n hand that was
dabbled In the waves at every lifting
swell of the stolid oepnn thnt rolled on
Just rhe same where Its prey dangled
within thv lapping of I s tonjrue and
out yonder where perhaps no man Dad
been since creation's morn.
Theodore!"
The file stopped for a minute.
"Keep her as she Is." said he. "We've
got the submarine utoppcd. I've got
the chain about tiled through, but I'm
little tired Keep her as she Is for
Just a little whiter'
CHAPTER XIV.
LIFE OR DEATH?
A'
GAIN the file began Its work.
The Immediate danger was
over, but both the man be
low and the girl in the car
knew that the terrific consumption of
gas in the engines made the seconds
too precious for use in conversation.
A minute's supply of gas, ten seconds'
supply, one second's supply, might
save their lives in the home stretch,
when the chain should be filed through
and tbey should take their flight to
ward land, to make triumphant land
ing after this deadly peril or to sink
In the waves from which they were
now fighting to save themselves. The
roar of the machinery filled the air
with tempest; the wind from the wing
blades driven down on the water set It
boiling like a whirlpool; one moment
the straining submnrlne drew them
down by a link or two of the chain;
the next the struggling airship lifted
the submarine up an Inch or so from
her dark lair In the depths. At last, at
the very height of the fierce struggle.
the airship shot upward with the Jin
gle of dropping chains, a worn file fell
Into the foam of a white capped wave,
and the girl leaped to the levers In
obedience to the voice of Carson telling
her to moke haste, for God's soke, and
set the wings for a forward flight, to
cut the rpeed down one-third and to
steer straight for shore.
She obeyed. They hod risen to a
height of perhaps 200 feet before her
Inexperienced hands could change the
propellers, and Carson told her to keep
the height She asked If sho might
not use a little higher speed, but he
said no economy in gas was in the
moderate speed. "Keep her as she Is."
said be.
"Can you come up?" she asked,
"nave you the strength?"
She asked this two or three times
and got no reply. Suddenly she
screamed with the fenr that he had
fainted, and as If aroused from a stu
por he asked her to advance the spark
a little and when she had done so to
retard It again.
"Are you in danger?" she asked.
"Can you hang on?"
"I'm all right.", said he. "only my
hands. Con you seo shore? Is it far?"
The shore was rising fast, she told
him. It was not so very far now, but
the gas was almost gone. Could she do
anything? Was there nothing to be
done to eke it out so as to bring them
a little closer before they fell into the
sea? Could he do anything if he were
In the car?
"Keep her as she Is," said he. "When
we get close enough so she can glide
In I'll lighten her."
"How lighten her?" she asked.
"It's easy." said he. "from down
here. Keep her as she Is!"
The dunes lifted white In the sun,
shimmering In the heat, swelling as
the Virginia darted nearer and nearer
to shore The horror stricken people
on the beach saw her coining, like an
albatross before n gole. The girl on
the deck prayed fervently for the mi
raculous renewing of the little cruse
of oil from which was made the gas
that kept them up. and the man under
neoth bung on grimly, awaiting the
cessation of stroke, which would prove
that the mixture which was the breath
nf life of . the great engines was ex
hausted a', last. Once, twice, thrice,
came the halting In the machinery that
was the death rattle of the motors.
"Virginia!" said he.
"Yes." she replied.
"Fix the gilding mechanism. The
gas Is done." '
"Yes. Theodore."
"Turn her nose down a little. , With
momentum enough she'll make it from
here. And when she gets within those
breakers, if she is less than twenty
five feet high, tilt ber up again a little.
Do you understand?"
"Yes. I'll do It. Anything more,
Theodore?"
"No; only remember what you said
about forgiving me If I'd let you come
with me. Remember, turn her prow
TUB AIRSHIP SHOT tJI'WARD WITH THE
JINOt.E OP MlOI'l'INO CHAINS.
8
A J W
up a little when she Dears shore,
You'll make It. dear; you'll make it!"
Mrs. Graybill, s'anding on the shore,
noted with the rct the new motion of
the airship when the engines were
stopped and wondered why It behaved
so queerly.
And then Mrs Graybill screamed.
She bad seen the man under the car
deliberately let go bis hold and drop
Into the water. The lightened car
tilted slightly upward now as Virginia
obeyed orders, soared slowly onward,
rising a little as ber momentum
brought the great gliding surfaces
gainst the air. and then, clearlug the
foam of the surf, she softly settled ou
the sand with her stern rudder, like
the tall of a great dead bird, washed
by the hungry waves which she had
as by a miracle escaped. And rowing
In from the oiling where he had gone
in his fishing boat in the wild and im
probable belief that be might help his
master came Captain Ilarrod with a
white faced young man lying lu the
bottom of the boat whose fingers drip
ped blood from the remorseless work
of the file.
"Allow me to suggest," observed
Craighead as the gentlemen of the par
ty at Harrod's camp sat in lounging
attitude on various articles used as
chairs, mostly Jetsam aud flotsam of the
gulf, "that In perfecting the first really
practicable flying machine we have set
In motion social and economic reac
tions that will go on and on far beyond
the ken of those who, unlike myself,
have not made a specialty of thorn.
As that submarine dragged the Vir
ginia out to sea yesterday we all
thought it was the last of Carson, M.
A., didn't we?"
Mr. Carson picked at bis bandaged
Angers, embarrassed.
"I didn't see much hope of escape,"
said he.
Breakfast was served. Mr. Waddy
was upon tenterhooks until the Vir
ginia had been explained to him, so
a trip was arranged for Waddy, Craig
head and Carson. They would fly
down to Fort Morgan, thence to Pal
metto Beach, get their mall and bo
bock for dinner.
Mr. Waddy shied from the sea, but
once In air be became intoxicated with
enthusiasm. If this machine, said he,
was so good that the Aerostatic Tower
people thought It good business to hire
Wlzner to drown It and Its Inventor
he could not otherwise explain the hor
rible affair of yesterday It was good
enough to be backed with all the
Waddy money in all the eight banks.
The Virginia bad alighted on the
parade ground at Fort Morgan. The
bamboo braces fell outward, and she
lay on an even keel. The aeronats In
variably halted at the mooring balloon
and received passes, but Mr. Waddy's
declaration of fealty was so absorbing
and the speed of the Virginia so un
wonted to her pilot that tho fort had
been spread beneath blm like a map
before be was aware of It To alight
might mean arrest. Inquiry and dis
charge after explanations to the com
mandant, Colonel Krlmnltz, of whose
severity Carson felt no real fear. But
If he tried to go away after running
the guard he might be fired oil as a
spy making off with complete photo
graphs. Altogether it was safest to
alight, thought Carson, and he settled
on the parade ground, greatly to the
agitation of an awkward squad drill
ing under a sergeant, whoso bellowed
commands were cut short off by the
whir of the reversal of the Virginia's
wing blades. He turned and sow the
huge dragon fly with Its bow rudder
pointed ot him like n great mandible.
The drill sergeant's expression car
ried conviction to the sergeant of the
guard, where his description of a devil
of a bird thing that you couldn't see at
all till it struck the ground might not
have been credited. Tho guard turned
out and moved on the parado ground.
The guard encountered a great sliver
winged Insect with a snug car amid
ships, her four braces sticking In tbe
Bermuda grass like very short legs.
Tbe guard halted at flvo paces, and
tbe sergeant advanced, obtaining his
first good look at Mr, Craighead, main
talulng tbe attitude of military carlca
ture with a steadiness perfectly statu
esque. The sergeant, a little man
with a red mustache turned up a la
kaiser, looked at him for half a minute
and uttered a mysterious exclamation
Craighead remained motionless, his
hand to his cap. The sergeant a maz
ed ly returned the salute. Craighead
relaxed bis tense muscles, dropped bis
band to bis side and winked with the
utmost sobriety of expression.
'Todner," said he, "have yeh got any
ealln' tobacker?"
"I'll trouble you gentlemen for your
passes," returned tbe sergeant
"Unfortunately," replied Mr. Craig
head, "we omitted to obtain passes,
Say no more. Mr. Sergeant. We are
all soldiers. This is Gennle Theodo'
Cnhson. M. A., and this Mr. Waddy,
who served In his youth In tho typhoid
uprising at Chlckamauga In the Span
lab-American war. Show your button,
Mr. Waddy. as an S. A. W. V. You
see, sergeant, that you ore quite safo
against our capturing Fort Morgan."
"Here's Contain Holger now. Tell
him about It."
Captain Bolger was a choleric gen
tleman with whiskers like General
Sherman's, much thinned by tho In
crease In the area of the face since the
establishment of the folloge. He ad
vanced rapidly, with a hlppety-hopplng
gait, as if catching step with an Imag
Inary companion very careless of the
march.
"What's this, sergeant?" he sputter
ed. "This Is quite Irregular, sergeant
Irregular. The parade ground! A
d d thing with wings and V type
enirlnes! And no passes? Borne one
will sweat for this. Highly Irregu
lar!"
'Tardon me." said Therdire. "My
name U Carson. I miscalculated my .
peed, i know Colonel Krlmnlts, and
ir-
"Colonel Krlmnltz, sir." said Captain
Bolger, "is temporarily on leave. I am
the officer of the day. sir. You will
produce a pass for your confounded
aerouef or I shall order you"
"1 feel sure." said Mr. Carson, "that
Colonel Krlmnltz" -
"Colonel Krlmnlts be hanged! re
torted Captain Bolger. "You cant
come tbe Krlmnlts game, sir, while he
Is on leave. Sergeant!"
"Captain!" said the sergeant salut
ing. "See what that thing Is In the fel
low's hand." pointing to Mr. Waddy'
camera. "Take it and If it's a bomt
explode it at sea. If it's a camera,
turn It over to me Instantly and confine
these men. My compllmeuts to Major
Flat hers, and say to him that I have
confined three men who ran tho guard
In an airship, with bombs or cameras,
as the case may be; that I have the
airship under guard and await hla In
structions at headquarters."
And Captain Bolger hlppety-hopped
to headquarters, followed by a soldier
with a camera. Tho three Interloper
went into the guardhouse, while Cap
tain Bolger's message went to Major
Flathers, commandant In the absence
of Colonel Krlmnlts.
"I won't stand It!" Mr. Waddy shout,
ed. "I want to wire John H. Gunnt t
want to wire Washington. I tell you
John IL, Gunn, speaker of tbe house!
He'll make somebody chew hay for
this!" '
Mr. Craighead began humming "IfS
Twenty Miles to Vassar." evidently a
West Point ditty, paced tho guard
house, turning comers with military
precision or stood accurately with cer
tain fingers on certain seams of his
trousers as precise as a tin soldier.
The atmosphere had permeated bis
system, and when a corporal'a guard
called for them Ms stride might have
been offered as a model. s
Access to Major Flathers' desk was
opened for them by orderlies described
by Mr. Waddy as state's prison look
ing fellows, armed to tho teeth, The
major was thin, solemn, bilious look
ing, as if he had a bod liver from aery.
Ico lu the tropics; haughty, as It the,
liver had overflowed his temper.
"Who ore you?" sold Major FlatherM
"Who aro we?" cried Mr. Waddy
"Who ore wo? American citizens, slrl
Citizens and taxpayers before you wa
ever born, slrl Wire John II. Gunn,
t Washington that Cyrus Waddy
shut up lu Jail, an' you'll find outt
You'll"-
"It would seem on economy of time
Mr. Waddy." said the major, after
quelling blm with a yellow glower,
"not to trouble Mr. Gunn or the presi
dent who might find It Inconvenient
to atteud for purposes of Identification.
What can you say, sir?"
This query was directed at Cralj
head. "
"Most high ond Illustrious one." said
ho, "the world is wide, its population
so mo Blxteen hundred millions. Of
this considerable force we are but
three. You ask us. O serenity, to set
ourselves apart from the others by
brands and marks. How can the thing
be proved? It Is a hard saying, and
yet didst ever seo that serrated noser"
Give me a pen, ond let me mark It
Exhibit A!' "
The major nrose with pronounced
OBAIQHEAD
CAcnirr theodobi as
BTAUOEKED.
absence of "haste," adjusted" a palr'of
rimless glasses to his precipitous beak
by a clasp of special construction, ex
amined Craighead's nose critically and
Impersonally, os If looking at a speci
men' lu a cose, slowly removed the
glasses and deliberately reseated him
self. "1 have observed such a nose In but.
one case." said ho, "but Its Introduc
tion in evidence does not establish Its
Identity with the only snout of similar
symmetry recorded. 'Exhibit A' will
bo considered for what It Is worth as
evidence. Proceed."
"I will now render a song, which t
beg this honorable body to receive as
'Exhibit B.' "
Though this declaration made a dis
tinct sensation among the officers and
orderlies, and though the sergeant
who was a shorthand reporter, broke
three pencils in his agitation, Major
Flathers never let down by even on
degree tbe saturnine dignity of b!
presence. Craighead sang with a fln
Independence of tune, but with aa
air and stvlo of tone emission which,
(Continued to rage 8).
; L