The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-02-16

-" "1S eNAANN - NAAaNA NAVs 49,
at the ruin of the collapsed bird.
tected. The fellow passed out Of sight. A
minute later there came TO the watchers
ears the melancholy boot OF an owl: and In
stantly he was seized with n curious sense
of foreboding. He was Uneasily impressed
by the stealthy movements Of the peasant
who had passed him.. and was IN the act 20
rise and follow no!selessly. when again he
heard the sound of n footstep. From his
lair he saw another man so by-a peasant
too, with a coarse. brutal face and a thick
set frame. This one walked boldly. with no
attempt at concealment; and It flashed into
the watchers mind that the first had been
a scout to see that the way was clear. Lin
coin waited n minute. then rose. and fol-
lowed cautiously.
The rain was ceasinE; shafts Of sunshine
! were again piercing the clouds: n refresh
ing aromatic scent Of pine filled the air.
Inc young artist put aside the thought Of
the NumnelscG. determined to follow To
Its end this new adventure. The narrow
path curved among high rocks. and Lincoln
feared. If he advanced too fast. 10 trend
upon the heels of his quarry. Presently
the rocks ended. and the path ran straight
through a thicket Of young pines. closely
planted. The vista made by the cutting in
the trees was blocked by something so
strange that Lincoln paused and drew a
breath Of astorishment.
The men he was tracking were nowhere
to be seen, but at the moment this made
little Impression upon his mind. SO occupied
was he with the amazing thing that filed
the daylight space at the end Of the green
tunnel through the trees. For an instant he
recalled Sinhad the Sailor and the EiCan-
tic rock; for the thing that he saw re-
sembled n huge bid poised 10 begin a
flight. Skeleton wings, clothed with diapho-
nous fabric, were outstretched motionless:
where the birds body should he was a light
cage. with what looked Ike the figure Of
a man: and to the watchers ears there
seemed to come the regular beating of an
engine. Astonished greatly. Lincoln hur-
fied on down the cutting in the wood.
The path was perhaps a quarter Of n
mile long. and he had gone but half the
distance when the vast wings stirred and
beat the mir with quick, powerful strok es.
The bird rose a little way into the air;
there was Il monstroUs snortinC and whlr-
ring. and the huge thing was travelling
rapidly away from him. He started forward
at p run.
Az the abrupt edge Of the dark wood he
pulled up, seized with a sudden bewilder-
ment. \ curious scene spread before his
eyes. He found himself at the upper edge
of n narrow N-shaped valley. scooped out
among the mountains by a glacier-chisel
of the dim past. The bottom was fiat and
bore n growth of rich grass; the sides as
cended at a steep angle up to the pine-clad
heights. Half way down, perhaps n mile
from where he stood. was a substantial
timber house. These things Lincoln noted
IN a flash. scarce knowing that he saw
them: for all the energies of his mind were
concentrated on the strange phenomenon
that was happening in the valley bed.
Close to where he stood was a platform
OF wood. whence extended q double line OF
rails. which ran the whole length OF the
vale. diminishing to n perspective poin. in
Inc distance Alnn rEila rrara ell 100. -.
regular intervals, with horizontal and trans
verse wires, the whole much resembling the
arrangements for electric to he
seen In large cities. Racing along this ave-
nue. of wire was the great bird. which Lin
coin had seen from the other side OF the
wood. Its extended wings beat the air with
strong. plunging strokes; and marvellous to
see, the body of the bird was lifted in the
air. several feet above the tramway, 50 that
the upper wires alone appeared to prevent
the ponderous creature from soaring into
the skies as high as the mountain tops.
As Lincoln watched this extraordinary
sight, the bird reached a point midway
down the valley and just opposite the
house. Suddenly something seemed to go
wrong. one of the wings failed. dropped,
stopped. the bird turned Sideways, and with
a CHATTER OF metal collapsed helpless on the
rails. Lincoln bounded forward again with
the vague idea Of rendering assistance to
the SltCk OF z human DtiNs. VINO, from MS
cage, had seemed to direct this sky
threatening portent.
He ran fast. and was close upon tho
wreck of the machine. when he became
aware that a girl had darted down from
the balcony of the house and was racing
him to the scene OF the disaster. With u
sidelong glance he could study her as she
ran obliquely to his own path. Tall, slight,
clothed all in amber-yellow. she moved
with the elastic freedom of a doe-her clear
cut face pale. some tendrils of dark hair
escaping and floating on the wind. Their
speed was timed so that they met at the
ruin Of the collapsed bird.
Entangled in a mesh OF metal, where q
vicious little engine still whirred helplessly, |
lay an elderly man. with fine. distinguished
features and the air OF q scholar. He
smiled up at the girl as she bent over him:
but his delicately formed lips twitched with
o modification he could not wholly conceal.
Father! Father came the appeal. as
she put her hand in his: You are not
hurt?"
Little. II at all. my darling" was the
reply. only the engine Is pressing down
my leg
Let me help you," said Lincoln, stepping
The girl appeared to see him FOR
the first time. SO full had been her MIND OF
her fathers danger. The old man looked up
at him with a delightful and undiminished
dignity. Lincoln took q good grasp OF the
engine; putting out his strength. he lifted
1t SO that the prisoner could get free. then
silently preferred further aid The girl. her
large eyes still wide and startled, supported
her father on the other side.
Sir said the old gentleman, turning to
you have come at the moment OF
defeat. but mark me. 1 shall conquer
yeti" A vision rose before his eyes. the
hand that rested on Lincoln's arm twitched
and thrilled. /
ACE .zrt, rrtaH rhA clrl. ssa,-
was going splendidly. One more
trial. and you will succeed. I am certain
Of it! But now come to the house and
let me nurse you" /
The inventor first bent to his machine,
stopped the engine, brought together the
broken ends Of the metal ribs that formed
one wing of the great bird; then hobbled
to the horSa leaning on Lincoln and his