Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1897-08-12

He was Impatient Tor the time TO ar.
rive at which he was to meet the prin-
cess After awhile he noticed the peo-
pie closing the shops and booths and in
holiday dress going to the parks and
public squares. He hastened to the pal
ace. The great rotunda and the throne
room were energetically astir. Every
body wore rich apparel and was talking
of the coming fete The king was on
his throne, surrounded by his men Of
science. In cluster of ladies in court
dress the Englishman recognized Ber-
pardino. Catching his eye, she looked
startled for an instant, and then, with q
furtive glance at the king, she swept
her eyes back to Thorndyke and raised
them Significantly toward his cham.
bers. He understood, and his quick
movement was his reply. He turned i'm
mediately to an elevator that was going
up and entered it.
Again he was alone on the palace
roof. The color Of the sunlight looked
so natural that he studied it closely to
see if he could not detect something ar
tificial in its appearance, but in vain.
He found that it did not pain his eyes
to look at the sun steadily. He took
from his pocket small sunglass and
focused the rays on his hand, but the
heat was not intensified sufficiently to
burn him.
Just then he heard a loud blast of a
trumpet in a tall tower to the left Of
the palace. 1t seemed a momentous sig
nal The jostling crowds in the streets
below suddenly stood motionless Every
eye was raised to the sky. Not sound
broke the stiffness. Following the
glances of the crowd, a few minutes
later, Thorndyke noticed dark cloud
rising in the west and spreading along
the horizon. A feeling of awe came
over him as it gradually increased in
volume, and in vast black pillows began
to roll up toward the sun.
Suddenly out of the stiffness came
faraway rumble like fusillade Of can
non, now dying down low, again reach.
ing such height that it panied the
ears. Belated flying machines darted
across the sky here and there, like storm
frightened birds, but they soon settled,
to earth. Every eye was OH the cloud?
which was now gashed with dazzling,
vivid, electric flashes. Thorndyke look
ed over the vast roof. He was alone. He
walked to the western parapet to get q
broader view.
The clouds had increased till almost
q third of the heavens was obscured by
the madly whirling blackness. There
was a rumble in the cloud or beyond
it, like thunder, and yet it was not, un-
less thunder can be attained, for the
sound was like the music of great or.
shestra magnified thousandfold. The
grand harmony died down. There was
a binding fash Of electricity in the
clouds, and the Englishman involun-
tarily covered his eyes with his hands,
When he looked again, the blackness
was covering the sun. For moment
its disk showed blood red through the
fringe of the cloud and then disappear
ed. Total darkness fell on everything.
The silence was profound. The very
air seemed stagnant.
Then the wind overhead by some un-
seen force was lashed into fury, and all
the sky was filled with whirlpools of
deeper blackness. Suddenly there was q
fash of soft golden light. This was fol-
lowed by streams of pink, of blue and
of purple till the whole heavens were
hung with banners, flags and rainbows
of flame. Again darkness fell, and it
seemed all the deeper after the gorgeous
scene which had preceded it. Thorndyke
strained his sight to detect something
moving below, but nothing could be
seen. and no sound came up from the
motionless crowds.
Behind him he heard a soft footstep
OIL the stone tiling. 1t drew nearer. A
hand was being carefully slid along the
parapet. The hand reached him and
touched his arm.
It was the princess. "Ah, I have at
last found you'll" she whispered. II saw
you in the lightning, but lost you
AGAIN."
He put his arm round her and drew
her into his embrace. He tried to speak,
but uttered only an inartioulate sound.
II could not possibly come earlier"
she apologized, nesting against him
80 closely that he could feel the quick
and excited beating Of her heart. my
father kept me with him till only mo-
ment ago. Captain Tradmos will be
here soon."
when do we start?" he asked.
"That Is the trouble" she replied.
"We had counted Oh getting away in
the darkness before the display Of light
ming, but there is moro danger now. II
our flying machine were noticed, the
searohlights would be turned on MS, and
we would be discovered at once"
"But even if we get safely away in
the darkness when could we return?"
"Oh, that would be easyl' she re.
piled. GAS soon as the fete is over COM
merce will be resumed, and the air will
be hlled with airships that have been
delayed In their regular business, and
in the disguises which have for us
both we could come back without rous-
ing suspicion. We could alight in Win
ter park and return home later"
"What is Winter park?"
"You have not seen it9 You must do
so. It is one Of tho wonders Of Alpha.
1t is vast park inolosed with high
walls and covered with roof of glass!
Inside the snow falls, and we have
sleighing and coaaSing and lakes of ice
for skating. 1t was an invention of the
king. The snowstorms there are beauti-
ful."