Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-12-08

klAz-.A1s - sASAsy
IL trdS ,ri'd pluuGe.
made by the discharge was not wide.
yet it sufliccd 10 give Us view of
portion Of the ourvirc shore Of the lake.
which was ablazc with electric lights.
Whether our shot had dome any dam
age beyond making the circular open
ing i'll tho cloud curtain we could not
tell, for almost immediately the sur
rounding black smoke masses beloved
in to I'LL up the hole,
But in the brief glimpse we had
caught sight If two or three large air
ships hovo-ins in space above that par,
Of the Lake ii the sun and its bordering
city which we had behsld. 1t seemed to
mo in that brief glance had that one
ship had been touched by the discharge
and was wandering i'll an srratic man
ner. hut tho clouds closed in 81 rapidly
that | could not be- certain.
Anyhow, wa had demonstrated ono
thing. and that was that we could pene.
trate tho cloud shield and reach the
Marsians i'll their hiding place.
1t had been presrrsnged that the first
discharge from the lla2ship should be- =
signal for the concentration Of the fire
Of all the other ships upon the same
spot.
y little hesitation. however. occurred
and half minute had elapsed before
the disintesraturS from the other nsm-
berS of the squadron were got into play.
Then suddenly we saw an immense
connection in tho cloud beneath us, II
seemed to be beaten aud hurled in every
direction and rCnctured like a sieve
with nearly 100 great. circular holes
Through these gaps We could see clearly
large region Of the planets surface.
with many airships tiOas.nc above it
and the llaze of innumeratle electric
lights illuminating it. The Nar;iSns
had created al artificial day under the
curtain.
This time there was no question that
the blow had been effective. Four or
five Of the airShipS, partially destroyed.
tumbled headlong toward the ground
while even from our great distance there
was unmista6.ble evidence that fearful
execution had been done amonc the
crowded structures along the shore Of
the lake.
As each Of our ships possessed bat one
of tho new disinteSra,OrS. and since u
minute or 50 WAS required To adjust
them for fresh discharge, we remained
for IA little while inactive after deliver.
ing the blow. Meanwhile the cloud cur.
tain, though rent TO shrsds by the con-
contracted discharge of the ti>in,Ccra-
torS, quickly became uniform black
sheet again. hiding everything.
We had Just had time To congratulate
ourselves on the successful opening II
our bombardment. and the disinlesraloS
Of the flagship was poised for another
discharge, when suddenly out Of the
black expanse beneath quivered i'm.
mense electric beams. clear cut and
straight As bars Of steel, but dazzling
our eyes with uncomfortable brilliancV.
1t was the reply Of the MartianS to
our attack.
| Three or four Of the electrical ships
were seriously damaged, and one, close
beside the flagship, changed color. with
cred and collapsed with the same sick
eninS phenomena that had made cur
hearts shudder when the tirSt disaster
OF this kind occurred during our brief
battle over the asteroid.
Another score OF our comrades We're
gone, and yet we had hardly begun the
fight.
CHANGING at the other SHIPS which had
been injured, saw thar the damage Ia
them MAS not 50 serious, although they
were evidently hors de combat fer the
present.
Our fighting blood WAS row boiling,
and we did not stop long TO count OuE
losses.
''Iuto the smoke." WAS the signal,
and the 30 and moro electric ship,
which still remained in condition fOl
action Immediately Shot downward,
1t was wild plunge We kept oil
the decks while rushing through IN,
binding smoke. but the instant W,
emerged below. where We found our
selves still mile above the ground. W,
were out again, ready tn strike.
l have simply a confused recollection
nj flashing lights beneath and great,
lark arch If clouds above. out of which
'ur ships seemed dropping ON all sides,
and then the fray burst upon and around
rs, and 20 man could see or notice any
hing except by half eOmprehend,s
dances
Almost in an instant. it seemed. ,
warm OF airships surrounded us. Will
from what for lack Of moro desscriI
tive name shalt call the forts aboU
the Lake st the sun leaged tongues C