Virginia
of the
&ir Lanes
A ROMANCE OF
FLYING
... By
Herbert
Quick
Copyright. 1909. by the Bobbi
Merrill Company
CHAPTER XV.
A RETREAT FROM BABTLOX.
HE date wben the Virginia left
the duties of the Alabama
coast for her first long voyage
Is now historic. It placed
man as a flying animal on an equality
with the birds and bats and insects.
The gas bag of the aerostat and the ae
tonefs of the first decade of the century
vent the way of the tentative and im
perfect with the steam engine of Hero
and the war gins of Archimedes. Calll
mac h us and Demetrius. The new era
Is one of great flying engines beside
which the Virginia was as a bumming
bird to a hawk, but which are. every
one, built on the Virginia's principles
the direct thrust of the blades and the
balancing by the automatic dlstrlbu
tlon of power by means of light gyro
scopes. The new hero was the mlsera
ble young man who looked like one
jwlth bis death wound and maneuvered
Jthe new machine like a veteran Theo
dore Carson. Every schoolboy knows
these things.
' But every one does not know of her
difficulty In getting off. At least three
times did Carson turn back to allow
Craighead to converse In farewell with
Mrs. Grayblll and Mr. Waddy. Final
ly Craighead consented to be separated
from the alluring Mrs. Grayblll, and.
passing over the bay with a wide west
erly detour, the Virginia came In over
.Spring hill and alighted softly at the
aeronef landing at Mobile. From a
hundred sally ports streets, alleys and
Wharfs poured a throng of people at
. tracted by the strange craft that bad
made port
"Ilowdy. folksT said Craighead.
"Take a good look, for even when ye
wist not we vanish. Out of the great
deep we come, into the great deep we
go. The elementals who send us are
the pow'fulest spirits what there la
But a brief space have we to warn
Mobile. Repcntl Repent! Yet a few
tno' days an' Mobile shall be done de
stroyed!" "Dan Thomas." said Carson to an
' Id negro with a whip in bis hand,
"come here!"
"Yes, MIstah Cahson," responded the
negro. , , '
"Fetch me at once one No. 2 can of
A quality methanose, and get me a
list of the aeronat clearings for the
last two days." '
"Yes, suh." 1
Thomas darted away,
"rardon me," said a man who had a
withered arm drawn up to bla side In
such a way as to give one the lmpres
fllon that he was holding his breath,
"but are you going far so short hand
ed?"
"Not far in time," replied Theodore
"Only to Alaska," added Craighead
"We meet a Russian admiral In St
Michael at 3. If that nigger doesn't
hurry we shall be late, general, and
what will Admiral Phlaskovodka say
then?"
The man lifted his sailor hat, bowed
politely and stepped back, unveiling a
face behind him which Carson knew
the foxy, suspicious face of Wlzner.
the Inventor of the lost helicopter
Carson stooped as If for some casual
purpose and laid hold on a spanner.
With the spnnner In his hand be rose,
and with an angry leap he stood In the
midst of the crowd Wlzner had fled,
but through the thinned crowd Theo
dore saw his wiry figure, with the arm
that Virginia" bullet had reached
hanging In a sling Carson gave chase.
Some one cried. "Sum blm!" and an
officer, seeing In Carson the only fugi
tlve In sight, stopped bitn.
"Let me go!" cried Carson, strug
gling. "Come with me and arrest a
man for attempt to murder."
A boy in a messenger cap Interrupted
the colloquy ly calling "Mr. 'Cahson.
Mr. Cahson!" as If "paging" a man in
a hotel.
"I'm Carson." said Theodore. "What
do yon want 7"
"Somebody on the wire for yon at
the telephone booth In the hotel." re
plied the messenger.
Wondering who In Mobile might de
sire speech with him. Carson said.
"Who's this?" Into the transmitter
"Your old friend Wlzner." said the
receiver. "Crazy as ever Never mind
where I am. I'll tell that after I've
talked if you" want me to. yon pup!"
Carson glared fiercely Into the re
ceiver. "I didn't get that." said Carson. '
"You can have me pinched, but I can
prove an alibi. And while I'm proving
things I'll fix von fellows for smug
gllng and put Ilarrod where the dogs
won't bite him ami you too!
"I don't know anything about smug
gllng." protested Theodore.
"Well." went on Winner. "If yon dig
Into the ble sand hill with the steel
buoy on it. you will. You'll find
what'll put you In a better trade than
putting me In prison for a frolic with
your aeronef Oh. don't talk so inno
cent! How did ynu finance your air-
ship except by free trade?"
(arson liinl tiothlua to say. He re-
nienibersl f'aprutn "Harmd' expre
sion when Wuiier had called tiltn an
oil siimcding fool. He remembered'
a thtuisHiiil mysterious things now
made plain ty the hypothesis of Har
Mil's having yielded to the coastwise
temptation of smuggling Wlzner ut
tered Into the Instrument m sly. slnis
ter. exasperating chuckle.
"Lost your tongue?" he taunted
"Well, arrest tne Any one cau teli
you where I am Hut will the girl
leave Sillerlerg to come and testify
The courtship's Just getting good now
Too bad to disturb tlieut.'"
Carson hurled the, receiver away and
strode back to the Virginia He found
Thomas, the negro, with two men.
hoistln;; the can of methanose aboard
Thomas gave him (he list of aeronat
clearings.
The sailings wer not many the
Tern for Memphis, the Loug Tom for
St. Andrews Hay. and. yes. the Uoc
departing the morning before "for
northern points."
"We can overhaul the Teru." said
Cralghend, with a Judicial air, "at. say,
Jackson and take on our friends for
Alaska. 1 do hope the president can
Join us at Omaha. Geutlemeu." ad
iresslng the crowd, "here you see a
new aeronef lnveuted by me. By
reaching Alaska before ulghtfall we
win a million dollars. This Is a sure
thing, as the sun will not set there for
three months. The bet Is with a Bra
zilian who forgot about the days com
Ing quarterly at Nome. But we shall
be honorable and j hltu the million
on the nail If we fall to make It before
sunset In Rio, the real locus. Tomor
row we shall win five buudred thou
sand from Rothschild by leaving
Greenwich observatory at sunrise go
ing west and returning at sunrise next
day from the east, circling the world
In twenty-four hours of coutluued sun
rise. Wish us well, gentlemen! Good
by. houest peasantry, your country s
pride, goodby!"
The majestic rise of the Virginia
with no preliminary run, drew a round
of annlause. Craighead waved his
cap. but Carson, paying no attention,
laid the Virginia dead for New York
They flew high, and the constant pick
Ing up and dropping of railway trains
and steamers and the swift succession
of villages and towns spoke of the
fierceness with which the Virginia was
hurled against the leagues between
Mobile and New York. They left
Montgomery to port and Atlanta to
starboard. Carson had assigned him
self and Craighead their duties, and
both were busy, Craighead at the till
er, with bis eye on the compass, Car
son looking at every working part, oil
ing, feeling for hot bearings, watching
for the slightest quiver or Jar, greedy
of every mile. Finally they weru
speeding along over the great uutloutl
Appalachian forest wben be relieved
Craighead.
In the little locker were found. the
elements from which Cralgheud pre
pared the luncheon of bacon, eggs and
coffee, cooked on the methanose stove
"We shall get into the upper At Inn
tic regions," said Carson. "Just in time
to hit the area of local storms to
night.?
lie looked from the tiller to the com
pass and hesitated about leaving it to
eat He bad never tried letting the
Virginia follow her nose with the tiller
lashed.
"Of course." said he. "she'll fall off
But if she turns 1 can put her back
on her course. I believe I'll try her."
Whereupon Craighead recited a
poem:
"I go away this blosned day
To sail across the state, MatlMa.
My airship starts tor various parts
At twenty after eight. Matilda.
I do not Know where we may go
Or whether near or tar, Matilda,
For Captain Carson don't make a parson
Of any foremost tar, Matilda.
That mystic man beneath my ban
Shall suffer, coute qu'll coute. Matilda,
What rlRht has he to keep from tne
"The airy, scary route, MainJaT
Although, In sooth, 1 am a youth
Of common sailor lot, Matilda,
Am 1 a man on human plan
Devised, or am i not, MatlldaT
"And echo. If there were any place
to echo from, would answer, 'Not Ma
tilda!' Have some of the milk while
the Virginia chases ber tall above Mr
Piuchot's forest"
"She doesu't chase her tall much."
replied Carson, "so far, at least"
She did not The gyroscopes held
her on an even keel, and the altimeter
statoscope delivered the verdict that
the Virginia was following a course as
level as a battleship's. Carson ate,
watched the triumphant test and for
got to frown, and he little knew to
ward what danger be was burling him
self. Peak after peak, village after village
and occasionally a big smokeless town
about the national power plants of the
Lelghton reservoirs came hurrying to
ward them, passed beneath like vi
sions and fell behind.
"See that big stratus cloud?" asked
Carson. "Shall we go over or under
It 7"
"Personally," replied Craighead. "I've
been under a cloud long enough."
The stratus was hii Immense vapor
sheet balf a mile above the earth. Un
derneath were the gloom and dullness
of cloudy weather, but above It the
snn shone with a brightness augment
ed by tho brilliancy reflected from the
upper surface of the cloud as from a
great glltterlug plain of snow. The
sun was past the meridian and shining
warm, but on the wing over that
great expanse of pearl the air felt not
cold, but "caller," and they put on
their topcoats. The shadow of tho
Virginia ran with her across the cloud
like a blnck bat haloed hi the tin
pvnkable glory of a triple rainbow
which ringed the scudding shadow
about In concentric circles, to bright,
so refulgent In dye, so glorious In their
mingling Hues, that the rnynner
glancing from radiance tu radii n-v
lowered their volees to the thrill of a
beauty too inteuse tor speech.
The Immense engine were moving
more regularly than clockwork, keep
ing the pledge of their makers that If
supplied with fuel mid oil they would
run without a single stop until worn
out the perfection of the Internal
combustlou eugine. once so untrust
worthy
"I want to see wheie we are." finally
said Carson "This ts like an oh-o
oceau. I want to compare the map
with the laudscae."
Oliodieut to the tilted rudders, the
Virginia pointed her prow downward.
Her pnHller blades burled her swift
ly forward and toward the eartfc, and
Rhe plunged Into the cold stream of
the stratus cloud Into mist and white
scarfs of lacy fog and the snowy ob
scurity of an aerial blizzard. Craig
head gasped at the chill and the blind
ness.
"Ring for a guide." said he. "I'm
lost"
He was not lost for long, for the Vir
ginia clove the fleecy hoodwink and
emerged through its lower levels iuto
the clear shadows of the netber air.
They could feel the warmth radiated
from the ground, balmy with earthy
scents. Far to the northeast lay a
shining river, widening at the limit of
vision Into a broad estuary, and Just
within sight could be discerned the
clustered spires and towers of a city.
Parson looked the landscape over and
studied bis map.
"Craighead.' cried Carson, "we've
made Richmond three hours quicker
than I thought It possible. A stork or
a Canada goose couldu't have covered
the distance, and both sometimes go
200 miles an hour! Why"-
"Let us exult over yon Insufferable
plutea!" cried Craighead. "Let's fly
rings around 'em! Let's sail circles
around the snobs!"
Cralghend. scanning the southeast
with bis fleldglasses. had discovered
at a distance of six or seven miles a
huge silver aeronat steering north
ward. Theodore threw over the tiller
and made for the airship. Craighead
looked at him In wonder.
"That ship looks." said Carson, ad
vanclug the spark and crowding the
engines, "like the Roc."
After a few moments on a straight
course to Intersect that of the aeronat
Carson threw the Virginia up Into the
cloud. Soon they emerged on the shin
Ing upper levels of the clovl, which hid
their approach to tiie otter craft One
below the curtain and one above it,
the airship of the future and the air
ship of the past flew on converging
courses. They dropped below the
cloud Into the thinner vapor. They
looked about and saw nothing. And
yet above the purring of the machln
ery, come to their ears the tremor
from powerful engines. Could the
Condor have ascended Into the cloud
as they descended from It? Voices
came closer and closer.
"My God. Carson!" shouted Craig
head. . "You're going foul of her
Look down!"
Just In time Carson looked From
the depths of air below the great bub
ble of silver rose, swelling In her swift
approach A collision meant ruin.
The propelling blades of the aeronef
would cut the envelope of the gas hold
er like paper, and the two ships in a
buge mass of tangled wreckage would
fall to the earth In death and ruin, or
the escaping gas from the aeronet Ig
nited from the exhaust of the Vir
ginia's engines, might explode, burling
the fragments of both vessels far and
wide And Carson saw In the ruin the
fair form of Virginia Suarez hurled to
earth from the Itoc and crushed to
formlessness below
Quick as lightning Carson threw on
full speed forward. The Virginia obey
ed ber machinery, and as she swooped
to the ueronat's starboard the latter
rose swiftly. The Virginia's stern rud
der grazed the gas bag and was all but
carried away; a cord of the suspension
system of the airship snapped with a
detonation that set the buge fabric In
a tremble. There rose a cry from the
deck of the hitherto unconscious mon
ster as ber people realized the fearful
fact that here In these dizzy heights
they were In collision with something.
A man came running out of the cabin
with a gun In bis hand, as If with
some wild notion of giving battle to
the destroyer.
The Virginia was balf a mile from
the airship before the crew of the lat
ter had time to assure themselves of
her safety. The Virginia went astern
as well as athwart the course of the
other craft and as she sheered to star
board the aeronef and the aeronat
sped from each other at the sum of
their two speeds, perhaps four miles
a minute. The people on the latter
must have thought the other gone for
ever when an astounding thing hap
pened. Tho aeronef wheeled about
and gave chase nay, she gave chase
so swiftly that she swelled visibly In
her swift overhauling of the aeronat
In a time so short that It seemed like
a breath the Virginia, on a level now
with the other's deck, came In close
astern, then sheered off and deliberate
ly ran around the big Condor as she
stood on her course at full speed. As
she crossed the bows a cry went out
from the great ship's engine room a
cry of mingled fear and astonishment
Why did this uew craft so course about
tbcm? It was some new engine of
aviation that was sure. And with
such incredible speed and such uu
beard of mobility!
So as Carson came up on his second
circumnavigation of the Condor there
stood at the rail of tho big airship
two or three men with guns, who made
threatening gestures and shouted to
him to stand off or they would shoot
"Wbat ship Is that?" cried Carson.
"None of your business! You stand
off or we'll shoot!"
"Shoot If yon dare!" cried Carson
"Don't you see thai I run go above
r
"YOU'US OOISO FOUL OF HER. tOOC
DOWN I "
where you can shoot and rip your gas
bag In perfect safety? Come, now, an
swer my question."
"This is the Daedalus of Spokane,"
was the reply. "What devilish thing
is that?"
"The Virginia of-of Carson's Land
ing, in Alabama." replied Theodore.
"Whose aeronef Is that?" asked the
man who seemed In command.
it's mine." said Theodore. "I built
her."
"Well," said the man on the other
deck, "you've got the world by the
tall, and If you need money apply to
Calvin J. Fry of Spokane. Hold on.
nleao"
her speed, left' the bustling Calvin J
Fry gesticulating far out of hearing.
"That, to originate a locution," said
Craighead, "ought to hold them for a
brief period. Looks as If they were
back pedaling."
"1 will find them." said Carson, evi
dently meaning something else, "if
they have bidden her In ths farthest
cave of that thundercloud."
CHAPTER XVI.
A BACK WITU TBE ELEMEXT8.
PAST Richmond, tbey left the
domed capltol at Washington
far to port passed between
Baltimore and Dover and dl
rectty over Philadelphia, where Car
son made a wide circle above the
fast aerial harbor, scanning the berths
for a buge silver aeronat of the Con
dor type, but finding none. It was
growing dusk, and the west and north
west were ramparted with towering
thunder beads, quivering with light
nlng, toward which Carson burled the
Virginia like a bullet The town stud
ded suburban region of New Jersey
swept under them as If drawn by
swift mechanism, and the harbor of
New York lay beneath, alive with
shipping. The lights were already
burning, and the far spread Babylon
of the modern world hung like a fairy
dream from the foreground to the far
ther rim of the concave cup of tbe
earth. Carsou was amazed and stun
ned. fie bad never seen New York
and bis Ideas were all Inadequate to
tbe actualities before blm. The streets
flashed into sight as tbe Virginia pass
ed Into positions permitting a view of
the bottom of one metropolitan canyon
after another. The boy was afraid.
The buge city roaring np at them like
a ravening beast struck him with ter
ror.
"Why dost circle about like a sand
hill crane?" said Craighead. "Why
don't you 'light?"
"Like tbe sand hill crane," replied
Carson. "I'm afraid. Where can we
alight r
"Gad," said Craighead, "I never
thought of tbatl New Ynrk .has al
ways reached out for me 09 lovingly
that the Idea of there being any dif
ficulty In getting Into her embrace
never entered my brain. We are a lit
tle shy of knowledge of how to get in
from above, aren't we?"
"What are the harbor rules?" asked
Carson.
"Hanged If I know," replied Craig
head.
It was quite dark now, save for the
moon, which, nearly full, was climbing
tbe eastern sky, still clear. To the
northwest towered the pearly clouds
palpitant with lightning. Craighead
expected Theodore to turn tbe Virginia
to some far New Jersey village and
was astonished wben he entered upon
a swift flight up tbe Hudson, which
lay shining In tbe moonlight, laced
with the wakes of boats. Far ahead,
on both sides, quivered the lightning
of the storm, and from afar came the
rumbling of thunder. Carson seemed
to be seeking night In the heart of
thunderstorm. Craighead seized his
nrtn and tried to glean something of
his mood from a scrutiny of bis face,
"I'm going to tho Catskilla," said
Theodore. "Before I sleep I'm going
to And Shayne's Hold!"
Carson crossed the Hudson In a slow
drizzle at Kingston and stood north
west toward heavy dense mosses of
towering clouds screening the high
penks of the Cntskllls and Shayno'
Hold.
"Why not hurdlo the tempest col
tiff?" cried Craighead.
"Those highest towers," replied Car
son, pointing to the thunder bends now
again snowy In the moonlight "ore
thirty, forty, fifty thousand feet high.
"Well, what do we care?" protested
Cralghend
"There's, an opening, yonder In the
rain." said Carson. "If It doesn't close
up we may slip through to the back of
the storm ncalu."
As If the wings of the advancing
army had extendis.1 Its lines until they
pulled apart In the center, the rain
opened
"We must en lower." said Carson,
and pass under. The rain Is closing
In. but I reckon we can, slip through
pretty dry.
The oncoming black arch, lighted to
whiteness when the lightning blazed.
swelled fearfully as they approached.
its rainless gap narrowing momently.
It was a race with the elements. The
penalty If they lost was. to be sure,
nothing more than a drenching, but
it was none the less exciting for that.
The curtains of water, drawn aside as
If to let the travelers through, swung
together as they approached.
"Whoop!" cried Craighead. "The
Virginia wins!"
As he spoke they passed uuder the
rain cloud.
Carson was thinking of Shayne'a
Hold and conjecturlug as to Its where
abouts. If he read his chart correct
ly the lights seeu afar to the north
east indicated that they had left the
Kaatersklll behind and were nearlng
Blank Head mountains, though he con
fessed to himself that the crags reveal
ed by the lightning might be the Hun
ter peaks or even the summits of Slide
mountain. All he really knew was
that he was above the Catsktlls and
that unless he could outmaneuver the
elements they faced an encounter with
rain, wind and great possibilities in
the way of lightning. The domes of
thundercloud a few miles to their right
seemed almost low enough to be over
passed, so he set the levers for an
ascent, and the Virginia rose like an
osprey chased by an eagle.
"I'm trying your suggestion," said
Carson "I'm scaling the front of that
shower."
Kven Craighead's voice was hushed
In awe. Like the fairy domes of some
city of oriental fable rose the cloud
castles, their summits white In the
moonlight, their folds dark like a
dove's wing. Suddenly the lightning
blnzed out In the heart of tho black
base on which the city of enchantment
wns reared, and Instantly the whole
vast fabric grew white and palpitant
and terrible, while the blue sky be
yond and above It turned black velvet
by contrast." The lightning censed,
and there hong the billowy cloud, sil
ver white a lid drab on a base of dark-
ness, as before. Tbe air had grown
chill as with frost, and still the clouds
were far above them. Tbe bite of the
propellers on the air seemed to fall,
for the cloud masses no longer appear
ed to fall as when the aeronef was rls-
lug.
"We can't make tt," said Carson.
'"Don't try!" exclaimed Craighead.
"It's effrontery!"
Changing a lever or so, Carson drove
straight toward the bosom of the
cloud.
Carson sat with bis band on bis
levers, pale as if dead; Craighead
clutched a hand rail, bis eyes turned
aloft as If In Invocation. A more re
mote flash and darkness returned, but
not so densely. The space before them
grew softly light and In a moment
they swam into the moonlight
Through an Immeasurable chamber of
cloud darted the aeronef Into a second
smother of rain and mist and out on
a lower level Into tbe calm space be
hind the storm. From this region of
shadow they emerged Into tbe moon
light again and began their search for
signs of human habitation. Finally,
just as Theodore was at tbe point of
retreat both at once saw wbat neither
doubted was Shayne's nold
The bold was on tbe triple peak of one
of tbe ruggedent and highest masses
of the Catskilla, rising steep as a wall,
hundreds of feet In tbe air, to three
summits, In the midst of which stood
the mansion. Tbe buge buildings bad
been built the animals had been Intro
duced, tbe last luxury had been sup
plied, and Shayne's nold bad been
scaled up. Down from tbe mountain
flowed three streams, up which bad
run the precipitous roads to the top,
and when tbe time came for closing
tbe bold to those who bad no way of
navigating the air Mr. Sboyne bad
built across them Immense dams, using
materials blasted from tbe mountain
sides at such places as to render them
quite unscalable. Tbe steepened preel
pices thus carried across the ravines
In masonry made a lofty wall entirely
around the mountain.
Every effect that could be produced
by lights, white and colored, the elec
trlclan-artlsts had worked out for the
Illumination of this enchanted palace
bung on cliffs. Overlooking the region
as Its owner overlorded his fellows,
the bold was a place of mystery, bold
Ing no neighborship with tbe people
below. It was a real Laputa, an Island
In tbe air, and thoso only could reach
It who could fly.
About the peak ran a labyrinth o
bridle paths and carriage roads, all
outlined from obove by winding lines
of lights, like the route of on army of
bewildered glowworms. Hidden by a
spur of cliff was the Immense airship
garage.
The lightning hnd disabled Its light
ing system for the most part, and the
hold bad gone dark. Carson bad
made two or three reconnolssances
over the very spot but bad not bus
pectod Its presetico. for the sky was
clouded and the luster of the pools too
feeble to reach his eyes, so That tlie
sudden outflnsh of the myrlnd lights
when tho currents were restored came
to both men with astonishing unex
pectedness. The hold bad blossomed suddenly In
Are. The lakes edged with lights glim
mered like mirrors; the clustered arc
lights delimited the high mesa like a
map; the winding labyrinth of Itican
descents netted the peaks like glowing
' Lilliputian threads ulxuit the recuni-
lient tltilliver. .1,1, i ;:i iie iniiisr stsl
a great roomy columned uiausion. Its
wings la shade, its central court
agleam. the radiant heart of an elab
orate splendor. Carsou drew In hU
breath sharply
"My God!" said he "Who could
ever think of such a thing?"
Craighead was silent.
But he must see V irginia. Utterly
estranged as they were, this night voy
age had a reason the hope of seeing
her. of asking her forgiveness, of
bringing her to see that when sh
dropped from the sky to his feet he
had loved her; that when she had
come to live with that uuele of whom
she had heard so little and had found
the last Carson In blm tbe temptation
was so masked In duty that it was too
strong for blm. And had he ever once
In that delicious, perilous time of act
ing Uncle Theodore Inexcusably pre
sumed on the relationship or failed la
goodness? True, be bad let her stay
as his niece, but had not his father al
ways thought himself of tbe same
blood? Vlrglula must allow some
weight to this tradition. She must seo
that, while too remotely related to be
objectionable In a nearer, dearer way.
he was too probably of kin to have
turned her away. And he would land
In Shayne's Hold If It were the last act
of his life.
With the ancient Instinct of the sur
reptitious lover he made for tbe angle
between two dark wings of tbe greet
house. Glimmers of light from two
windows were their sole sign of occu
pancy, the center of human concourse
being about that cere of light In the
rourt. The wlugs seemed like low ad-
uncts for conservatories or billiard
rooms, and the angle between, with Its
light mottllngs, looked like a flower
sprinkled lawn on which Carsou felt
confident of placing the Virginia gen
tly and with no disturbance. With a
slow soaring motion the aeronef came
Into the angle like a steamer Into ber
slip and found. Instead of a lawn, a
graveled roof cluttered with tables and
chairs as If for the serving of refresh
ments. Among, these the Virginia
nosed In, dumped some chairs into the
court and settled dowu amid crackling
furniture and crashing pottery.
The Roc had reached Shayne's Hold
Just In time to escape the storm, and
the wearied Virginia had retired, sick
of the harping of her aunt upon the
disgrace of her sojourn with "Uncle
Theodore." weary of telling how inno
cent It hnd been. With a book close to
the light she was composing her mind
to sleep, when Into the dreamy quie
tude came a purring that was so un
mistakably tbe voice of the aeronef
that Virginia rose, with her hand to
her heart in an amazement not all un
pleasant, wondering where her name
sake might alight and wbat Shayne's.
hired constabulary might do with The
odore, wben from the roof came a
scraping, chairs and tables went ovet
tbe parapet with a crash, and the
voices of Craighead and Carson cams
In at the window, low, hurried and
agitated.
Virginia turned out the dim light
"Well," snld she, In auswer to bet
maid's tap, "wbat Is It Fanny Y'
"I 'eard an awful noise," said Fan
ny. "It seemed to come from 'ere,
miss."
"Some things fell Into tbe court," re
plied Virginia. "Please tell the serv
ants and say that things must not be
piled upon tbe parapet That's all,
Fanny."
Virginia walked to the window.
There lay the dear little airship that
she and Theodore bad planned cam
paigns for and conquered the world
with. Theodore was passing tbe othee
way now, peering Into every bearing
and gearing for signs of damage.
"It's a miracle," said Theodore at
last, "but she's all right and ready to
rise at a touch." .
Thank God!" said Virginia.
"Did yon And a way down?" asked
Carson of Craighead, all unconscious)
of tbe nearness of what be sought
"Only the old way by wblcb I earn
off the back stoop of tbe emporium,1
replied Cralghend, who bad been skirt
ing along the edge of tbe parapet "If
a matter of specific gravity. As to get
ting back, unless you brought your
specific levity with you I really don't
see, old chap, bow It'a going to be man
aged." "Once down I can force my way tro
said Theodore, raising bis voice in bla
intensity. "Do you think I'll go back
without seeing ber? No! You stay
here, and"
"Mr. Craighead!"
Tbe voice came from tho darkness)
of the bouse, cool and calm.
"Present!" answered Craighead "But
don't shoot! I'm a starving man. la
charge of a maniac"
"Please come here," said the voice.
"Virginia!" cried Corson.
Tlease tell your friend," said the
voice, "that If he presumes to address
any person except yourself this win
dow will be closed!" 1
Cralghend approached the glimmer
of white drapery, and Virginia gave
him her hand, which he gallantly
kissed.
"You may tell your friend." said Mlsa
Suarez, "that his coming here Is a fool
hardy thing and quite uncalled for.
No ono here either can see bltn or
would If she could."
"You bear, old man?" queried Cralg
hend. "The Imprisoned damosel salth
It's all a mistake She don't want no
knight. This bnleony business lacks
appeal, being hackneyed and over
worked. It's no go. colonel except for
you."
"You may tell htm." went on Vir
ginia, "that his movements have been
reported and the Aerostatic Power
company Is about taking Iciral steps-l
don't know wh it to 1 test with hltti
1 don't know what !"
"That's in im i,.;i"ii-nt " r 1 i 1 S d
(Continued to Page 8).