The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-05-06
BY W. HOLT WHITE.

the silver symmetry OF the aiTship
cleaned In the shadows.
IL has taken "A year TO build, bit by
bit. IL had been Strong who. In his
caution. had drawn skilled mechanics
from different parts OF the country TO
complete each section OF the machine.
These mechanics, keen-eyed men
with grubby hands. had done their
work In ignorance of what they We're
doing. They had worked alone In the
little clubhouse, under the directions or
Langley, and the money. which was
handed TO them with an apparently
overgenerous hand by Strong. was
sufficient to lull any suspicious that
they might have harbored.
So now the airship stood perfect and
beautiful In its perfection. Its length
was about 10 feet and its shape the
shape OF cigar. IL was decked at
either end. as life boat Is decked,
and In the center rose small con.
ming tower OF shape that one Is
familiar with on submarines. Just aft
OF the midship was a we'll which would
comfortably seat two persons.
In the center OF the well was a lit
tie table, and arranged In a neat row
on an aluminium slab succession OF
bright ivory buttons. Four shafts,
hinged at the bases so that they could
be lowered like the funnel OF a
Thames steamer rose TO the height OF
IL feet, two In the bows and two In
the stern. They were surmounted by
curiously wing-shaped aluminium pro-
pellers-indeed, In appearance they
were rather like large electric fans.
At the fore and stern OF the craft
were two other wing-like propellers
fixed 10 horizontal steel shafts that
could be run in and out like the bow
spirit OF a sailing boat.
The engines. infinitely compact. oc-
cupied a space not much larger than
is enclosed by the bonnet OF a good
sized motor-car. They were worked
by electricity, and neat row OF bat.
teries was housed In an aluminium
framed. glass-sidedr glass.to topped case
For fully five minutes Strong and
Langley stood apart looking at this
beautiful piece OF handiwork, each
man dreaming his own dream.
AT last Strong turned 10 Langley
and linked his arm through his.
Look here. old chap" he said.
Have | your leave to do as I want
70 do with this airship?
Il suppose so" said Langley, and
he did not take his eyes of the ma
chine. II did not occur To him to dis
pute Strongs will. query Strong's mo-
tives.
Il am entirely dependent on you"
sand Strong. and his voice was
strangely confident for a man who
pleads dependency. Il need this In
vention of yours 10 win Diana. con.
TESS that even that motive does not
seem at the moment particularly
worthy. and yet. and yet. feel---or,
hang Ii all. | can't exactly explain
to you why-that II will be a worthy
motive some day"
Now Langley from afar of had be-
held through his gold-rimmed spec
tacles the astounding radiance OF
Diana. The rays OF her dazzling per
sonality had fallen on him, but only
50 family that he found Diana herself
was unattainable.
She had. indeed. not swayed him
sufficiently to allow her TO outweigh
the devotion which he felt was due
to Strong. Strong 1t was To a great
extent who had inspired him. Strong
III was who had cheered him I'm his
long task: Strong IL was who
had sheltered him and protected
him from intrusion in the work to
which he had given his life. He was
grateful with a gratitude passing the
love OF women. and oblivious OF the
fact that the sacrifice which he was
making was altogether too great. He
surrendered everything to Strong.
IF she will help you win Diana"