Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 68, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 March 1911 — A Columbus of Space [ARTICLE]

A Columbus of Space

By Garrett P. Servlss.

Copyright by Frank A. Munsey Co. o CHAPTER XIX. An Extraordinary Hunt* The significance of what had occurred in the temple gradually dawned upon me afterward, tut it was never so clear in my mind as to produce more than on uneasy and growing foreboding. Edmund did not mention the subject again, and there was no outward manifestation of the new opposition which had been set up against us. Naturally, it would require time to develop its force. It was a struggle between two opponents of equal power, for if the “Big Medicine Man,” as Jack continued to call him, was supreme in religious affairs, Ala was nevertheless queen, and her.popularity was a bulwark to her authority. While the people, and even the high officials in the palace, apparently knew nothing of what bad occurred, I felt certain that our arch-enemy would learn of it and remorselessly pursue the advantage that it gave him.

Again and again 1 was on the point of urging Edmund to leave the planet while there was yet time and take Ala with us# If she would consent to go, as he had himself suggested. He was etf absorbed in his schemes, however, that I hesitated to distrub his thoughs. In a short time all our preparations were made, and we set out on what I must regard as the *wildest and most inconsiderate adventure that we had yet undertaken.

We started, as usual, from the great tower of the palace, our company consisting of nine persons—all that the car could conveniently accomodate. These comprised, besides ourselves, Ala, Julia, two maids chosen from Ala’s immediate attendant and a high official of the palace—a sort of majordomo—a very intelligent person and of great physical strength.

Of course, we had our weapons, both the pistols and the guns, with an abundance of ammunition and of provisions. We were attended by half a dozen aeroplanes, which were to accompany us as far as they could go, and were there to await our return from the unknown regions, We took the direction of the mines, and beyond them we entered the‘wilderness, and soon found ourselves involved in the zone of clouds and semidarkness. Here, at a point where a curiously shaped mountain peak, rising just on the border of twilight-land and pointing its bold outlines againstthe strongly illuminated sky behind, served as a landmark which we could not miss on our return, the aeroplanes were ordered to await us, and we pushed on alone with the car. Jack, of course, was all alive for this adventure, as.he always was for anything promising excitement, but Henry didn’t like it, and would have stayed behind if he had had the courage to remain alone among strangers. For my part, my curiosity was greatly aroused, and, beside, I found immense interest in watching the enthusiasm of Ala.

Her adventurous spirit was in its element; and, as far as appearances went, she gave no thought to future troubles. According to custom, the control of things at the capital had been left in charge of a sort of board of regency, which was a permanent institution, as I learned, Ala not being the first queen whq was fond of visiting distant parts of the country, though she was the first who had shown a disposition to explore the unknown regions.

On leaving the aeroplanes behind, we plunged deeper and deeper into gloom, and were compelled to use our electric lights. Among Edmund’s special preparations was a sihall searchlight placed at the peep hole in the front end of the car, and this was now brought into requisition. It gave us startling views of the nature of the surface beneath.

First we ran for many miles above an area covered with vast "swamps and bogs covered with the oddest conceivable shapes of vegetation. We were keen to see some of the gigantic animals which we knew, from our first startling experience, dnhabited this region, and it was not* long before the light found one out. We were about a hundred feet above the ground and proceeding slowly, when Edmund, who had placed himself beside the searchlight and was peering through the opening, said quietly,

“There! Would you like to take a look?” Ala was beside him in a moment, and She could not repress an exclamation or refrain from starting backward, although in a second she recovered and laughed at her own nervousness. There was room for only one, beside Edmund, at the little window, and when Ala had satisfied her curiosity we each took our turn. Whenj mine came I was for an instant almost as much agitated as Ala had been. Directly ahead of us, not more than seventy-five yards distant, there was a shallow pond, its banks thick with tangled bushes, and in the midst of it stood a monster on eight legs, tawny colored in the electric light, seeming to bristle With stiff hairs all over its huge round body. Its head was relatively small, black, and apparently armored with polished jet, and faceted with innumerable eyes, which flamed in the brilliant beam poured upon them. "Good Lord!” I could not but ekelaim. “It is like a prodigious tarantula! Look! It’s going to leap at us!" ’ “Upon my word,” said Edmund, “I think the fellow does mean fight Get away a moment, and I'll swing the car round. We’ll give him a broadside if he becomes too ugly.” Accordingly, the car was swung into such a position that one of the side windows faced, the creature, add Edmund brought the moveable search • light to the window, which he threw wide open. “For Heavfen’s sake!” cried Henry. “Don’t do that He’ll get at us.” “Don’t be alarmed,” Edmund replied. “He can do us no harm. We are two hundred feet away.” All of us crowded about the window, and it is unnecessary to say that the

automatic suns were in oar hands and the pistols ready. ‘Daring the few seconds that the streaming light had been removed the monster had changed his position, and now, as the glare fell upon him again, we were startled to find that he had approached us. He was within forty feet of the car, standing in a glassy glade, having with inconceivable rapidity and agility clambered or leaped over the stunted trees and bushes surrounding the pond in which we had first seen him. His huge spiky body seemed to bristle with anger, and his countless eyes blazed like so many great rubies in the piercing light. It was truly a heart quaking sight! Ala started back with a womanly cry of alarm, and Henry, I am almost ashamed to say, sank helpless upon a bench. “I believe he is going to jump at us,” said Edmund, (fuietly. “Aim for his head and let him have half a dozen shots in quick succession.” Before anybody could touch a trigger the awful creature bounded with lightning speed upon the car. If you have ever seen a “hunting spider” leap upon a fly you know the incredible rapidity of its spring and its stroke. This monster was no less swift in his action.

Through sheer nervous shock we simultaneously discharged our guns, but without aim, and, unfortunately, without effect.

The monster struck the car with a force that made it roll back, and two shaggy legs entered the window. A yell of horror and terror broke from Jack’s lips, and in an instant he was dragged from the window, our terrible assailant dropping out of sight at the same moment! Edmund sprang to the controllers and the car sank swiftly to the ground. As we landed in a tangle of bushes Edmund Reaped out into them, calling upon me to follow. Then the light streaming from the open window fell upon the most awful spectacle that a man ever lived to tell about. The monster was within twenty feet of us, holding Jack high above the ground with i the claws of two of its legs, and turning him round and round, as a spider prepares a fly for his meal. The dreadful jaws were open to receive the morsel, when a stream of fire shot from Edmund’s gun, followed instantly by half a dozen more. The animal reeled and its legs gave way, thrashing the bushes as it tumbled on its side. - Jack dropped like lead, and I rushed to his side, while Edmund pumped more shots into the huge rolling body, whose struggles broke the intertwining branches with terrible crashes. As I reached Jack he resembled a shapeless lump. Edmund rushed bacK as soon as he could to look at him. (To be continued.)