Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 February 1911 — A Columbus of Space [ARTICLE]

A Columbus of Space

By Garrett P. Serviss.

Copyright by Frank A, Munsey Co. o CHAPTER Xlll—Continued. 4 . I looked and saw that in front of us the sky was dark. Great clouds were rolling up, high above the mountains, and the latter were shadowed by them. We seemed to be approaching a region of twilight. Once within it we should be lost to sight! •’lt is the edge of the temperate zone,” said Edmund. Between that zone and the central circle of eternal, unclouded sunshine lies a region of contehding air currents, rains and storms, not unlike that which we crossed this Bide of the Crystal mountains*. Having entered it, we* shall be as if behind a curtain, and they can work their will with us.” Was it the knowledge of this fact that had restrained Ingra from throwing us overboard? Was he meditating for us a more dreadful fate? It was, indeed, a land of shadows that we now entered. Ahead, we were passing the crest of the mountain range, which was nowhere of any great height, and even in the gloom we could, perceive that ahead of us the inclination of the ground was downward.

I glanced eagerly backward to see if Ala’s aeroplane was yet in pursuit. Yes, there it was, a distinct dot on the bright dome behind, the upper part of which was now beginning to be obscured from our view by the roof of inky clouds that spread darkness round us. We could see them very plainly, but could they see us? I tried to hope that they could, but reason taught me that it must be impossible. Still, they were evidently holding to their course, and there was a gleam of hope in that. But even this hope faded when Ingra, with devilish cunning, as soon as we bed entered deep into the gloom, abruptly changed our course. He knew well that we were now invisible to our pursuers, but to prevent the bare possibility that they might be able to follow us if we maintained a straight course through the air, he doubled like a hunted fox.

We watched for the effect upon the other aeroplane. The change of our perspective revealed the fact that they w ere continuing straight on as before. They had not seen us, then, and even if, as must surely be the case, they anticipated such a ruse as Ingra had practised, how could they baffle him and find our track again? At last the spreading darkness swallowed from sight the arch of illuminated sky behind, and then we were alone in the gloom!

Understand me, this wqs not the deep night of the other side of the planet. It was more truly what I have already' called it, twilight—a dark twilight, and as our eyes became accustomed to it we could see a little.

We had dropped down within a few hundred yards of the ground, which had now become a level expanse, and soon w r e began to notice that it was covered with small bodies of water, interspersed with masses of trees and bushes. It was, in short, a gigantic dismal swamp or everglade. I shuddered as the evident design of Ingra burst upon my consciousness. He meant either to throw us into the or to leave us to starve in the midst of these fens. His real design, as you will see in a moment, was even more diabolical.

The aeroplane gradually approached the ground, just skimming the tops of strange trees, the most horrible vegetable forms that I have ever seen. At length we settled down upon a comparatively dry space, perhaps a quarter of an acre In extent, and there, without warning, we were seized and pushed off the aeroplane, which instantly rose circling above us. Ingra’s staring face appeared for a moment, and even in the gloom we could see the devilish glee that overspread it If our arms had not been bound his triumph would have been ended then and there. I saw Edmund straining desperately at his bonds to reach his pistol. But in ten seconds the aeroplane had risen beyond pistol shot

"Quick!” said Edmund. “Hold your hnnds here.”

I turned my back to him and stretched out my fingers, not knowing yet what be wished. “Take a match from this box which I have twisted out of my side pocket,” he said, “and while I hold the box scratch it and for Heaven’s sake, bold the flames quick against the bonds around my wrists.” V \

I managed to get hold of the match, and, finding with my fingers the box, scratched aa best I could. But the match broke. Bdmund, with tbs skill

of a prestidigitator, got another match out of the box and pushed It Into my fingers. It failed again. ■ “It’s got to be done!” Edmund cried. “Here, Jack, you try.” Again he succeeded in extracting a match, and Jack backed up in my place. Wether his hands happened Ao be less tightly bound or whether he had more skill and nerve, on the second attempt he succeeded. “Don’t lose it!” cried Edmund, as the Jigbt flashed. "Burn the cord.” Jack tried. The smell of burning flesh arose, but Edmund never winced. In a few seconds the match went out. “Another,” said Edmund, and the same operation was repeated. A dozen seperate attempts of this kind had been made, when, with a violent effort Edmund snapped the charred cord and was free. His hands and wrists were severely burned, but, paying no attention to them, in a minute he had us all cut loose.

It was a mercy that they had not noticed the flame from the aeroplane, for if they had, undoubtedly they would have returned and made an end of us before we could have released our hands. Now, gripping our pistolwe felt less anxiety. • • . • ’ We could no longer see the aeroplane, which been swallowed up in the darkness, but suddenly a loud splash in the water close by startled us. A moment later this was followed by a second and a third splash. We had dimly caught sight of some long, slender objects, apparently falling from the sky. Instantly Edmund, whose eyes were marvelously quick, sang out: “It’s the rifles!” “The rifles?” “Yes. Ingra had them, and he has thrown them overboard.” And at the words Edmund dashed into the shallow water where the Splashing had occurred. In a minute he returned with one of our cruising rifles in his hand!

“Hunt for the others!” he exclaimed, and we ran with him into the water, and actually found the other two sticking in the mud, for the water was not more than a foot deep. “Heaven be praised!” said Edmund. “This is a piece of luck.” “I should think so,” said Jack, dryly. “It’s positively humorous.”

“In Heaven’s name,” I exclaimed, “why did he throw them overboard? Not for us, surely.” “Of course not,” said Edmund. “It’s plain enough. He had taken them, but couldn’t find out how to use them. He did not want to carry this evidence of his guilt back with him, and so it occurred to him to get rid of them along with us. No doubt when he cast them out the aeroplane was some distance away and high up. He never dreamed that they would fall within our reach.

“But you observe the heavy wind that is blowing overhead. The weapons are light, and the wind carried them our way. If the aeroplane had not been so high up they never would ‘have reached us.” Dumbfounded, the rest of us said nothing, except Jack, who grumbled: “Hanged if I don’t think this kind of luck is uncanny.” “I cannot be thankful enough for the return of the rifles,” said Edmund, presently. “We shall have use for them. Without them I doubt if it would ever have been possible for us to pull out of this trap.” “It seems to me,” said Jack, “that three pairs of seven-league boots woiHd be more to the purpose ju3t now than three rifles. Whfit are you going to shoot?” Edmund started to reply, but was interrupted by another noise—not a splash this time, but a heavy, sonorous, sighing sound. In the gloom, surrounded by the repulsive, half-spectral forms of that monstrous vegetation o? the swamp, that mysterious sound, .which plainly denoted some giant kind of life, fairly made us quake. “My Heavens,” said Jack, “what can that be?”

“We’ll see,” replied Edmund, calmly, and threw open his pocket lantern. As the light streamed out there was a sudden rustle close by and an answering gleam, which passed a shaft of light illumination over us. With a united shout of joy we all cried out: “Ala!” It was, indeed, she, with her aeroplane, within a dozen yards of us, but her approach had been concealed by the distorted limbs of the hideous vegetation that towered on three sides of us.

Our shout of astonishment had not ceased to echo when out of the horrible tangle rose, with a swift, sinuous movement, a long, anaconda-like arm, flesh-pink in the electric beam, bu> covered with dark, spike-edged spiracles. It curled itself over the edge of the aeroplane and swiftly drew it downward. (To be continued.)