Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 58, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 March 1911 — A Columbus of Space [ARTICLE]

A Columbus of Space

By Garrett P. Serviss.

Copyright by Frank A. Munsey Co. o CHAPTER XVI. Turning The Tables. For a minute I was too startled to be able to speak. Then, knowing the need of caution, I approached Edmund and whispered in his ear: “We are entrapped. Inguh is behind you.’’ Edmund did not change countenance. He did not even alter the direction of his eyes. “Hush!" he whispered in return. “Make no sign, but be ready for an emergency. Go to Jack and Henry, in an indifferent manner, and* tell them what you have seen, but say that I am prepared this time, and that we shall not be caught; tell them to keep perfectly cool.” I did as Edmund directed. Jack showed no fear, but Henry was a little shaken. We stood fast, not knowing what it was best to do. I saw no sign of Ingra, but I knew that he was there, plotting mischief, and no doubt with enough force at hand to overwhelm us. I cursed the accident that had thrown us once more into his power. Without question, he had come to this remote place to conceal himself while laying his plans, and fate had thrown us into his very lair! Presently, Edmund calmly rose and, taking Ala by the hand, indicated a wish to return to the car. I could see that his eyes furtively surveyed the thicket, although he hardly turned his head. I drew my pistol, and Jack imitated me. "Stop that!” Edmund whispered sharply'. “Keep them within reach, bat don’t use them except in an emergency, and not then without a sign from me.” . Ala understood the situation, and her cheeks paled a little as she followed Edmund, shoving through the underbrush. The car was only four or five rods away, but our path to it was obstructed by the vegetation, and never in my life have I been more nervously apprehensive. I expected every second to feel a rough hand laid upon me. But, whatever Ingra’s plans were, he did not attack us during the anxious minute that we were pushing out way to the car. N But, just as we were on the point of entering the open door, the blow fell. There was a rush, the branches parted, and Ingra, with more than a dozen followers, fell upon us. The onset was so sudden and fierce that we were swept away from the door, into a small, comparatively open space at the side of the car. Since we were unable to enter the car, this was the best thing that could have happened, because it offered a little room to act together for defense. Ingra’s aid were all, like himself, tall and powerful, but they carried no weapons as far as I could see; not even bludgeons. Opr pistols were In our pockets, and they remained there during the first few minutes of the breathless struggle. There were at least three men upon each of us, and they gave us no time for anything but the quickest kind of sparring.

In this we were all adepts; I have told you of Edmund’s Skill. Jack was an equally hard hitter, but, owing to his bulk and weight, not so quick. 1 was only second to -Edmund in allround work, and even Henry was better than the Average in sparring, though somewhat lacking in strength. The effort of our assailants was to grip and hold us, and ours was to keep them off long enough to Enable us to draw our weapons. A kfeen regret darted through my mind that Edmund had not permitted us to keep the pistols in our hands. Yet they might have been knocked out in the sudden rush before we could have used them. ’ Even in the midst of the desperate struggle, I saw that Edmund had leveled two of his assailants, and then I was tripped and down I went. What happened to the others during the half minute that I lay prostrate, with my foes atop of me, I do not know; but when I felt myself pulled into a sitting posture, with my arms held tightly behind, a strange sight confronted me.

It was a sight that surprised my captors as much as it did me. Edmund was lying on the ground, his arms above his head, held by two of his assailants. Ingra was standing by him, leaning forward as if to strike, with a long, glittering knife in his hand—the first weapon I had seen among them —and Ala, who from the Commencement of the fray I had not seen, knelt by Edmund’s side, with one hand upon his shoulder and the other extended in a gesture of command toward Ingra. The latter seemed frozen in his tracks. The knife remained poised, his body was thrown forward on one leg, but his eyes met Ala’s and quailed. So dramatic a pose I have never seen on any stage. It was not the pleading look of Pocahontas saving Captain John Smith from his savage enemies that I saw in Ala’s face, but the irresistible glance of an imperious will. Kneeling though she was, her attitude and manner were those of a queen who knows only obedience. The whole force of her character was concentrated in her wonderful eyes. Not only Ingra but his followers were arrested as if they had been hypnotized. Not one of them made a motion. Jack and Henry were also prostrate and guarded, for we seemed all to have been overthrown almost at the same moment, but their| captor, like mine, remained motionless and staring with amazed looks. Evidently Ala was speaking, or had spoken, in that voiceless language, and her words, if I may so say, had a potency above all physical strength. But, the thought flashed through mjhead that this spell could not endure. The passion of Ingra was too fierce, his provocation was too Intense, his own rank was too near that of the woman’s to permit of his being effectually and permanently restrained by her interference. I expected, each instant, to see him dash aside the arm that Ala interposed, and finish his murderous stroke. The same thought must have occurred to Edmund, and he, at least, never lost the fraction of a second in acting upon the impulses of his mind. The sudden staying of the unremitting attack had furnished the opportunity so long desired, and, with a motion as quick as thought, Edmund wrenched his right hand free from the now unnerved assailant, who had held it above his head, and in another instant his pistol was aimed at Ingra’s heart. “Quick!” I yelled, imitating his act. “Your pistols!” I got mine from my pocket, for the fellows, in their astonishment, had let go of me, and waiting for no further guidance from Edmund, I fired, without particular aim. The shot struck a tall chap at my feet, and down he went. The other two who had held me gave back, and I sprang upon my feet.

The whole situation was changed in a twinkling. Jack freed himself as I had done, but without firing, and Henry’s assailants retired from the muzzles of our pistols. It was our turn now. “Shall we shoot the dogs?’’ demanded Jack. “No,” Edmund replied. “Simply scare them off. But I’ll keep this fellow, now that I have him." Our assailants retreated Into the bushes as we threatened them with the pistols, but Edmund would not allow Ingra to escape with the others. The fellow was completely cowed, knowing the deadly power of the pistol, and he obeyed Edmund's commands with a dejected air, occasional - ly glancing at Ala, who disdained to return his look. Edmund backed him into the open door of the car, and we all entered, after hunting up the maid who, half scared to death, had concealed herself in the bushes. Then Edmund closed the door and turned to "be machinery, leaving to us the care ot guarding our prisoner. The latter sat quietly enough on a bench, Jack on one side of him and I on the other, while Ala placed herself as far, from him as aha could get

I wondered at the fellow’s audacity. Surely no man in his senses would have thought of winning a woman’s heart by violence, hut evidently his passionate nature had overcome a 1 scruples of reason, and as for conscience, he had none. Ala’s detestation of him was written on her every feature. After we had got out of the wild tangle of branches, vines and flowers, the car rose to a considerable elevation, and Edmund circled about to get his bearings. Then Ala went to his side. Conversing together, they looked out of the windows, and she indicated the direction we were to pursue. First we darted high in the air, and then set off at a great rate. It now became evident at what a great distance from the capital, and from the inhabited lands of Venus, we had landed in our wild descent from the cloud-dome. But for Ala’s topographical knowledge we should have been long m finding the proper route. The way once pointed out, however, we never swerved aside, and Edmund worked up the speed to as high a point as he deemed safe in that dense atmosphere, which seemed to flow in translucent waves about the sides of the rushing car. At last I asked Edmund what he intended to do with'hi 5 prisoner. I’ll put him behind bars,” he replied grimly, “if I have to construct them myself.” Notwithstanding our great speed, the journey was a long one. We kepi at an elevation of several miles, in order to command a wide view, and the scene was magnificent. The wilderness we were leaving behind was in the tropical zone, on the borders of that savage region where we had encountered the saurian monster, an>! a vast roll of strangely glowing clouds lay upon the far horizon. But beneath us the country continually improved in aspect, signs of cultivation making their appearance, until at length ute began to pass over villages, and then over smaller cities, each of which, in imitation of the s metropolis, had Its little group of aerial towers, with fluttering banners. Occasionally we saw a few airships at a distance, traveling in various directions and these became more numerous as we approached the capital. Our approach was not unobserved, and a crowd of aeroplanes and airships came to meet and escort us as we drew near. Our reception at the principal laiffiing of the great tower was most joyous. The aerial part „of the city seemed suddenly to swarm with inhabitants, and the air was filled with excited excursionists rushing together from all sides. On approaching the landing-stage, I saw a throng of brilliantly dressed people and officials awaiting us with welcoming smiles and gestures, and among them, to my great pleasure, 1 noticed Juba, standing in the foremost rank, treated with evident respecWand showing every sign of joy on his broad hairy face. We had been absent not more than twenty-four hours, but we were greeted as warmly as If our stsy had been a year. No sooner was the car well over the landing, tjjan Edmund brought it to rest upon the broad platform, and threw open the door. Jack and Henry were the first to alight The maid followed, and I qpme next.