The Detroit times., 1909-05-27
THE Man
Who Stole
The Earth"
By W. Holt White
CHAPTER Lxvi.-(continued).

II instantly occurred 10 Strong. how
ever. that his progress back 10 St.
Petersburg was in all probability be-
ing watched and reported on to the
capital by the police below. On the
instant, therefore. be ordered an ele-
walton OF 10000 feet. because. look
ing overheard. he saw that 10000 feet
would mean complete obscurity in a
long wind-driven bank OF clouds.
He instructed Pelham TO get as
close alongside the Victor as he could
and to drive the little craft TO the ut
most of her capacity.
He had great need TO get TO st. Pc
tersburg soon.
They rushed on, keeping In touch
by wireless, through a binding snow
storm. Strong reckoned that snow
must be falling In st. Petersburg, but
yet not so thickly as to disturb the
peoples Sabbath perambulatings. for
snow counts for little in the capital Of
the czar.
II is silk hats and women's feathers
! that keep streets empty In snowtime
and in a city where princes and prin
cesses wear goloshes and fur capes
SuOW ud5 llltlC NCllOA OhCs
! Presently Strong. calculating that
( he must now be on the borders OF st
/ Petersburg, dropped two thousand
| feet, and the town showed up blurred
and vague beneath them.
| 1t was then that he stayed the
progress of the Victor"
/ He gave certain orders to Pelham
and, calling the "Di" alongside. step
ped into her, choosing Arbuthnet- and
Churston for his companions. What
had to be done had TO be done quick
| ly and with some boldness.
The instructions which Pelham re
ceived were simple. He had only tC
follow the Di" and cover her. There
were shells and Winchester rides In
the Victor"
Strong always carried rifles with
him.
Then he swooped like a hawk over
the admiralty building. and In a sec
ond was rushing past the palace on
the quay on a level with the first-hooI
windows.
He thanked Providence. TO whom
he had no right to be grateful. that
the snow was thicker than he had an
ticipated- For. because OF the snow
although the appearance of the "Di'
was instantly noted, II did not create
the stir that II would have done could
it's flight have been observed from any
distance
The Victor" swung after and jus,
above him, dangerously near. But
risks had to be run.
And then his luck held good. for
while the people cried out In aston
ishmont at his sudden temperance
and stood stockstill on either side
walk, two Cossacks riding at great
pace-a pace artifcially accentuated
| by the speed at which the "Di" was
traveiing-dash by beneath him.
Strong stopped the "Di" dead and
went down.
He was at the controlling board him.
self. but so suddenly did he stop the
little airship and ground her that, as
her supports skidded In the snow. she
listed and but for a saving lift that
Strong gave her would certainly have
capsized.
By miracle he had set her fair
and square across the road just as the
sleigh bearing the royal children came
rapidly along the quay
Strong. with that extraordinary In
tuition OF his, which at crises stood
him In such good stead. had foreseen
almost down to minute details what
would happen. He had even instruct
ed Arbuthnot and Churston to act as
though the unknown circumstances
with which they were about TO Crap
ple had been carefully mapped out
for them.
With a sharp cry the driver OF the
sleigh refined in his horses until they
slithered on their launches through
the snow. Their noses almost touch.
ed the side OF the "Di."
Strong, Arbuthnot and Churston
were over the side in a twinkling. and
rushed forward, not at the sleigh, but
beyond It. for they expected the Cos
sacks.
And the Cossacks came.
(To ne Continued.)