The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-05-27
The Man
Who Stole
The Earth"

CHAPTER Lxvi-(continued) .

IL instantly occurred To Strong, how
ever. that his progress back To ST.
Petersburg was in all probability be-
ing watched and reported on 10 the
capital by the police below. On the
instant, therefore, he ordered an ele-
walton OF 10000 feet. because, look
ing overheard. he saw that 10000 feet
would mean complete obseurity 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 10 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 car
/ 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
snow has little terror for any one.
] 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 DR. alongside. step
ped into her, choosing Arbuthnot 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 TO
follow the Dr. and cover her There
were shells and Winchester rifles In
the Victor"
Strong always carried rifles with
him
Then he swooped like hawk over
the admiralty building, and In a. sec.
! ond was rushing past the palace on
the quay on level with the first-fioor
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, it did not create
the stir that II would have done could
its flight have been observed from any
distance
The Victor" swung after and just
above him. dangerously near. But
risks had to be run.
And then his luck held good. for.
while the people cried out in aston
ishment at his sudden temperance,
and stood stockstil on either side
walk, two Cossacks riding at great
pace--a pace artifcially accumulated
| 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 saving lift that
Strong gave her would certainly have
capsized
BY a 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
pie had been carefully mapped out
for them.
With 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 twinlding. and
rushed forward, not at the sleigh. but
beyond IL. for they expected the Cos.
sacks.
And the, Cossacks came.
ITO he COntinued.b