Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 February 1911 — A Columbus of Space [ARTICLE]

A Columbus of Space

By Garrett P. Serviss.

Copyright by Frank A. Munsey Co. CHAPTER IX—Continued. Between us and the swimming palaces was another range of hills, and. as we approached near enough to look over into the valley behind we uttered a cry of surprise. , A vast city made its appearance, a magnified counterpart of the aerial city above it. I have seen Constantinople in the morning from across the Bosphorus; I have beheld Damascus, with its spires; I have admired the domes and minarets of Cairo, shining in the gold of an Egyptian sunset — but ail that the imagination has pictured of such scenes, and multiplied a thousandfold in beauty and complexity, would give but a faint idea of what was spread before us. “It is surely the capital,” said Edmund. “There can be nothing greater than this.”

It was indeed the capital, for in the midst of it rose an edifice of unparalleled splendor, which could only he the palace of a mighty king. Above this magnificent building, which gleamed with metallic reflections, although it was as light and airy in construction as frostwork, rose the loftiest of the aerial towers, a hundred stories in height. While the other craft fell back, we kept on until we reached the principal stage of this tower. From below ran a crowd of smaller airships, which ran up and down the Bides of the tower, stopping at various stages, discharging their living cargoes. “Elevators,” said Edmund, sententioußly. Glancing around, we saw that the same scenes were occurring at all the neighboring towers. They were filling up with people, and the continual rising and descending of the little craft that bore, them, the holiday aspect of the gay colors everywhere displayed, and the general brilliancy of the spectacle, produced a deep impression upon us. But the most astonishing effect still awaited us. Just as our vessel reached the land-ing-stage the enormous tower, from foot to apex, broke out with all the hues of the prism, like an enchanted rosdtree, covered with millions of brilliant flowers at the touch of a wand. The effect was overwhelming. The air became, tremulous with' rippling colors, whose vibrant waves, with quick succession gave to the eye an exquisite pleasure, akin to that which the ear receives from a carillon of bells. Our companions, and the people crowded on the tower, seemed transplanted with ecstatic delight. “The music of the spectrum!” cried Edmund. “The diapason of color! This is their national hymn, written on a prismatic instead of a sonometric staff. And, mark me, this has a significance beyond your conjectures. Such a reception can only mean that our conductress is a person of the most exalted rank.”

We were not long in doubt as to that. Our craft was made fast, and Ala was the first to step upon the landing-stage and pass into the tower. She was received on every hand with the most respectful salutations. A tall young man, as handsome as Apollo, met her with a profound genuflection, and conducted her beyond our sight Then we were led ashore. The curiosity that we excited was immense. They pressed and thronged about us, men, women and children, speaking rapidly in their low tones, and exchanging thoughts by glances of the eyes. We could feel what they said about us. We knew that they regarded us as inhabitants of the mysterious, unvisited side of their world, and the contrast in appearance between Juba and us amazed them, as it had amazed their countrymen who first beheld us. But they were not afforded much opportunity to study us, for we were hustled through the throng, without catching sight of Ala again, and presently we embarked with our captors on one of the “elevators,” and made a thrillingly rapid descent Arrived at the bottom we were led through long stonewalled passages into a vertible dungeon. And there they left us! I wondered if this had been done by Ala’s orders. The reflection shook my confidence in my theory. “I wasn’t prepared for this,” said Edmund, speaking through the darkness, for we could not see one another, “but 1 couldn’t have better provided if I had foreseen the emergency.” Almost as he spoke a brilliant light illuminated the place. He had turned on a pocket electric lamp. We looked about, and found that we were in a square chamber, about IS feet on a side, with walls of heavy, closely dressed and matched stone. “They make things solid enough down here,” said Jack, "however light and airy they may be above.” Henry sank down upon the floor, the picture of dejection and despair, i expected from him another outbreak like that In the ice mountains, but he spoke not a word. His heart was too full for utterance. I pitied him so much that It served to reanimate my spirits a little. “Come, now,” I said, “don’t take it that way, man. Have confidence in

Edmund. He has never yet been beaten." "He’s got his hands fall this time, I reckon," Jack broke in pessimistically. “What do yon think, Edmond? Can your interatomic energy bore a hole through these walls?” “If I had anything to work with, you’d see,” Edmund replied. “But there’s no occasion to worry. We’ll come out all right.” It was his universal remark when in difficulties, and somehow it always enheartened us. situations; seemed to be the least disturbed member of the party. He rolled bis hage eyes around, and then lay down on the floor and seemed at once to fall asleep. “That’s a good idea,” said Edmund, smiling. “It’s a long time since we’ve had a nap. Let’s all try a little sleep, I may dream of some way out of this.” It was a fact that we were exhausted for want of sleep, and, in spite of our situation, we fell into deep slumber, as peaceful as if we bad been in our beds at home. Edmund had turne'i out the lamp, and the silence and darkness were equally profound. I have no idea how long I slept 1 only know that I awoke startled by the light, and found them all on their feet, except Juba, who sat on the floor blinking his big eyes. Edmund, seeing me rise, said at once: “I’ve found a way out. I’m half disposed not to try it, because I have an idea that we’ll come out all right anyhow. * But when you are in a hole, and Providence throws you a rope, perhaps it’s best to test it.” “What have you found out?” “Something extremely simple. This is no prison-cell, but a part of what we should call the engine rooms. Probably it’s a mere storeroom. They have put us here for convenience, trusting more to the darkness* than to the lock, for the corridors outside are ns black as Erebus and as crooked as a labyrinth.” “How do you know?” “Because while you slept I investigated. The lock is nothing. The merest tyro could pick it. Fortunately they never guessed I had a lamp in my pocket. “Around a corner, a little way from our door, there is another, door, opening into a passage that leads past a power house. That passage gives access to a sort of garage of aeroplanes, and when I stole into it, five minutes ago, there was not a soul in sight “We’ll simply slip out there, and it I can’t run away with one of their machines, I’m no engineer.” I thought of Ala again, and Edmund’s expression of confidence in our ultimate safety made me hesitate to take this new risk, but Jack and Henry were eager to get out, and we decided to try. Motioning to Juba to follow, we stole out, and stepping noiselessly by the power-house, where we saw several men at work, we found ourselves among the aeroplanes. Edmund had no difficulty in opening a door, which led out into a deserted courtyard. I never admired Edmund more than when I saw the masterly way in which he manipulated one of the aeroplanes. One would have said that it was his own invention, so well did he handle it It rested on runners, and all we had to do was to push it out of the door, while Edmund turned on the power. We jumped aboard, and in a moment were circling the air. At this instant we were seen! There 1 was a flashing of signals, and two aeroplanes shot into sight above us. “Now for a chase!” said Edmund. We darted upward in a long curve. The others turned and swooped upon us! (To be continued.)