The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1898-07-07
CHAPTER VII.

CHAPTER VII.
Johnston followed his guide to fly
ing machine outside. He hesitated an
instant as the officer was holding the
door open and looked back toward the
conservatory. but he could not see
Thorndyke.
"Where are you taking me?" he asked
desperately. But the officer did not seem
to hear the question. He was motioning
! to tall man Of athletic build who wore
dark blue uniform and who came has
| tily forward and pushed the American
! into the machine. Through the open
door Johnston saw 'Thorndyke' anxious
| face as the Englishman emerged from
the conservatory and strobe toward
them. The two officers entered and
closed the glass door.
Then the machine rose, and john
ston's, spirits sank as they shot upward
and foated easily over the humming
crowd into the free white light above
! the smokeless city. The poor captive
leaned on the window sill and looked
out. There was no breeze and no cur
rent of air except that caused by their
rapid passage through the atmosphere.
Up, up, they went till the city
seemed blur Of mingled white and
gray, and then the color below changed
to vague blue as they flew over the
fields of the open country.
The first officer took glass and a
decanter from receptacle under seat,
and, pouring little red fluid into the
glass, offered it to the American. ,..
"Drink it," he said. "It will put
you to sleep for time.''
81 don't want to be drugged."
''The journey will Try your nerves.
It is harmless.
II don't want it, If I take it, you
will have to pour it down my throat
The officer smiled as he put the glass
and decanter away. Faster and faster
flew the machine. They had to put
the window down, for the current of air
had become too strong and cool to be
pleasant. The color of the sunlight
changed to green, and then at noon
from the zenith glorious red light
shimmered down and yelled the earth
with such beautiful, translucent haze
: that the poor American for a moment
almost forgot his trouble.
r he afternoon came on. The sunlight
became successfully green, white. blue,
lavender, rose and gray, The sun was
10 longer i'll sight, and the gray in the
west was darkening into purple, the
last hour OF the day. Night was at
hand. Johnston's limbs were growing
stiff from inaction, and he had strong
desire to speak or to hear one of the Of
ficers say something, but they were
DOING in their respective corners. The
moon had risen and hung far out in
space overhead, but they seemed to be
leaving it behind. Later he felt sure Of
this, for its light gradually became
DINNER anG DINNER till at last they
were in total Observation-Disclosures pierced
only by the powerful searchlight which
threw it's dazzling, trumpet shaped rays
far ahead. But search as he would in
the direction they were going the un
fortunate American could see nothing
but the ever receding wall of blackness.
Suddenly they began to descend. Tho
officers awoke and stretched themselves
and yawned One of them opened the
window, and Johnston heard faroff,
roaring sound like that of multitude
of skaters on a vast sheet of ice.
Down, down they dropped. John
ston's heart was in his mouth.
/ The machine suddenly slackened in
J its speed, and then hung poised in mid
air. The rays OF the searchlight were
directed downward, and slowly shifted
from point to point. Looking down, the
American caught glimpses of rugged
rocks, sharp cliffs and yawning chasms
/ "How is it?'' asked the first officer
through speaking tube Of the driver.
! IA good landing. was the reply.
"Well, go down." And moment
later the machine settled on the uneven
ground.
/ The same officer opened the door and
gently pushed Johnston out. Johnston
/ expected them to follow him, but the
door of the machine closed behind him.
sStand out of the way. !" cried out
! the officer through the window. "Yon
may get struck as we rise. -
Involuntarily Johnston Obeyed. There
was sound of escaping air from be-
meath the machine, a fierce ccmmOtion
in the atmosphere which sucked him to-
ward the machine, and then the dax-
cling searchlight blinded him a. the
airship bounded upward and sailed back
over the course it had come.
Johnston ssood paralyzed with tear.
"My God his is awfulr' be exclaimed
in terror, and his knees gave way be-
meath him, and he sank to the rock.
They have left me here to staxve in
this hellish darkness = He remained
there fer moment, his face covered
with his hands, then he sprang NJ des-
/ perately and started to grope thfengh
the darkness he know not 1Atekak E