The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1898-08-04

dent gaze. "Tbat is, ] knew you would
not know where to co. She paused,
her face suffused with bushes.
! II did not hope to find you here" he
said, coming to her aid gallantly, "but
it was a delight to sit here where last
saw you. ., ...
She blushed even deeper; and a pleased
look flashed into her eyes. t1@..a
ut was important that I should see
you this morning." she continued, with
a womanly desire to disguise her own
feeling II wanted to tell you where to
meet ME when the storm begins"
| "Where?'' he asked.
son the roof Of the palace, near the
stairs leading down to your chambers.
At first it will be very dark, and it is
then that we must get out of sight OF
the palace. No other flying machines
will be in the air, and Captain Trad
mos thinks, if we are very careful, we
can get away safely before the display
of lightning"
eff we find my friend, what can we
do with him?"
She hesitated moment, u look of
|
''We can bring him back and keep
him hidden in your chambers till some
! better arrangement can he made. We
| shall think of some expedient before
long, but at present he must be saved
! from starvation.
ThorndyEe attempted to draw her to
seat beside him, but she held back.
| NO." she said resolutely, cit would
never do for US to be seen together. If
! my father should suspect anything now,
all hope would be lost.
Thorndyke reluctantly released her
hand.
"You are right. I beg your pardon"
he said humbly. II shall meet you
! promptly. Of course want to save poor
Johnston, but the delight of being with
you again, even for moment, SO intox-
icates me that forget even my duty to
him."
After she left him he wandered out
in the streets, along the busy thorough
fares and into the beautiful parks, the
flowers and foliage changing color as
each new hour dawned. The fragrance
Of the flowers delighted his sense of
smell, and the luscious fruits hung from
vine and tree in great abundance.
He was impatient for 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 tie parks and
public squares. He FASTENED - the pa!-
ace. The great rotunda and tie thTGH.c-
room were energeticGlly astir. Every
body wore rich apparel and was talking
of the coming fete. The king was Oh
his throne, surrounded by his men of
science. In a cluster of ladies in court
dress the EDglishman recognized Ber-
nardino. Catching his eye, she looked
startled for an instant, and then, with
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
SEQ if he could not detect something ar
tiicial in its appearance, but i'll 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 loud blast of a
trumpet in tall tower TO the left of
the palace. 1t seemed 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
chances of the crowd, few minutes
later, Thorndyke noticed dark eloEa
rising IN the west and spreading along
the horizon. A feeling Of awe cane
over him rs it gradually increased III
volume, and III vast black pillows began
to roll up toward the sun.
Suddenly cut Of the stiffness came q
faraway rumble like q fGsillade of can
non, now dying down low, again reach.
ing such a height that it panied the
ears. Belated flying machines darteG
across the SKY Lere ard there, like storm
frightened birds, but they soon settled,
to Garth. EveDy eye was on the clouai
which was HOW gashed with dazzling,
vivid, electric flashes. Thorndyko lcok-
cd over thevast roof. He was alone. He
walked to the western paraEet TO get,
broader view.
The clouds had increased till alnos
third of the heavens was ohs,7red 4,
the madly whirling blackness, Thele
was rumble ia the cloud. or beyond
it, like thunder, and yet it was not, nm
less thunder can be attGnod. fcr the
sound was like the music Of grea: or
chestra ,nagnifed a thunsandfold. The
grand harmony died down There was
binding fash of electricity in Tic
clouds, and the Englishman ingoirn-
tarily covered his eyes With his hands
When he locked asain, the blsckness
was covering the srn Fcr !. liolneEt
its disk showed bleed rcd through he I
fringe cf the cloud aud tLen disappear.
ed Tctal darkness fell on everything.
The silence was profound The very
air seemed stagnarlt.
Then the wind overhead by some un-
seen force was lashed into fury, and all
thu sl-v vas filed with whiFlpools Of