The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-05-15

fell, the brilliant rays Following ooo
to the end. Down. down, down, falling
at first on an even keel, she plunged,
her flag fisttering wildly in the de-
scent. Gradually she turned bow on
as if preparing for the dive to death.
With terrific force she returned to
the waves of the Pacific, and entered
them, throwing up in that mighty i'm
pact tremendous cascade of foaming
waters, which dashed themselves into
the air IN mad wraiths of ghostly
white. surged back in angry pillows,
and resumed their quietude. The va
kumo had gone to the graveyard of the
valiant, and the searchlights showed
nothing more than the crests of the
depths which had furnished her a
shroud.
The men of Japan who had wit
messed her parting had been wrapped
In breathless silence. Now 1t was
broken by one great sob as the man
who had commanded her turned away
from the bridge Of the Ito, blinded
with tears. Above them the port re-
opened, and the fighting admiral
again addressed them; but in voice
which told that he, too, was not with
out sympathy.
Admiral" he said, order all your
men to go below decks. We have
been loafing all day, and will have
to speed up now. 1t will be death to
stay exposed"
Aroused from their last look at the
Yakumo, they were amazed at this in
formation, but complied: and before
the last man had crowded down the
companionways the wind began shrill-
ing about their ears. Away through
the night with sudden velocity shot
the radioplanes at a speed which
would bring them to the coast long be-
fore darkness had ceased. In all the
American feet there was not a man
who did not know that Lake Wash
ington at Seattle was their destina-
ton. It's landlocked sides, guarded by
towering hills and giant forests, and
overlooked by splendid city, was to
be the prison of the enemy's craft.
Its length, its breadth, and its depth
were sufficient to float the combined
navies of the world.
Their flight was well timed; for It
was still dark when they swan down
through the air over the waters which
were to reclasp the ships of Japan In
their usual environment. The Norma
swooped lower and lower. decreased
the speed of her descent, passed over
West Seattle on its little peninsula,
the quiet Puget sound with its long
wharves, and then gently settled
above the placid lake. Slowly. like
water fowl wearied Of fight and seek.
ing its ease, it approached the sur
face, and with infinite care rested Its
burden, until the Ito was again afoat.
Norma, at her chosen post Of duty.
put out a tired hand to a controller.
gently moved it a notch. turned on
the current which made the radio
plane a lodestone of terrific power,
threw another switch as the admiral
beckoned, and then, with great sigh
of relief, felt the machine lift itself
into the air. 1t came to stop, and
through port, by the admiral's side.
she watched that procession of dull
red lights emulate her example. Ship
after ship was released, and invariably
the signal came flashing to the eyes:
Deposited without accident" There
was another quick interchange of or
ders; the Norma turned her beak to-
ward the stars of the southeast, gath
cred Roadway, and led her followers
back through the night in homing
flight to the key which had seen their
creation.
The admiral gave a great sigh OF sat
isfaction for work well done, and
stretched himself out on settee to
rest, looking curiously as he did so at
the supple figure in the hood which
for nearly "a hours had steadily led
him on to- victory. He called to her,
and tried to induce her to accept re-
lief; but she declined with a weary
smile, saying: mo. not until we get
home. 1t will be but a little while
now"
Something in the words she had
thoughtlessly used recalled her own
heart longing. What were the
achievements of war, the inspirations
of conflict, or the glories of triumph,
in comparison with peace, love and
home? With an indefinable sense OF
great yearning she thought that Guy
was on the sea, going away from her
and her people, and even in the heart
of the radioplane which was canceiing
space at the rate of 500 miles an hour
the distance between them seemed in
terminable. Life was made up Of
good-byes! And so in a reverie Of
bitterness she chung to the hood and
fought against fatigue, until, as the
morning was upon them, she sent the
craft to rest in front of the shops