The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-05-08
CHAPTER xvIlI.-contInued.


CHAPTER xvIlI.-continued.
Number One will engage the cruis-
er on the extreme right. Two will at
tack the battle ship on the port bow
of the flagship. Three will take the
battleship on the extreme left" and so
on, ending with the declaration that
the Norma would open the engage
ment by striking the Ito at the head
of the triangle.
Fighting Bevins turned away from
his signal box when the last confirma-
ton of his instructions had been re-
ceIved and looked at the girl In the
hood. At that high altitude the early
rays of the sun were shivering the
gloom of the interior through the glass
ports in the dome. AS if in a glory
of silver she stood before him, out
wardly calm and emotionless; but in
the splendid poise of her body, the ex-
pectant waiting of her hands, and the
steady scrutiny of the dials before her,
she was the embodiment of sufficiency.
Feeling his look and waiting for his
command, she moved her head till her
face was turned full upon him, and in
her eyes shone the fire which through
all the ages has led valiant warriors
to fields of victory. The glory of
youth. the inspiration of patriotism,
and the determination of fearlessness
were blended in their light and ex-
ultantly waiting the battle call.
Accustomed as he was to the ter
rible intoxication of fierce conflict, the
gray old admiral felt himself enthused
by this slip of girl. He was man
making the last fight of his life with
the incarnation of the Goddess of War
at his elbow and mutely cheering him
on to the charge. Every nerve within
him strung itself in tensity, the mus
cles of his body seemed to contract
until his head fairly shrank between
his massive shoulders. his resolute
Jaw set with a snap. and his short hair
seemed to bristle as he leaped toward
her. gave way to his excitement and
fairly shouted: 'Nowi Go to them.
Quick, hard and fast. At themI"
He jumped back to his point of OBJ
servation, and even as he did SO the
great radioplane shivered with a sur
charge of energy, reeled drunkenly
through every fiber for the fraction of
a second, gathered itself, and In one
terrific plunge shot downward at such
an awful rate of speed that the en-
gineers by the dynamos instinctively
threw themselves to the floor, the man
on the lookout seized the bars before
him, gasping for breath. and the ad-
miral, startled, whirled toward the
figure In the hood, fearing that some
fatal accident had occurred.
There, erect, triumphant, and fierce,
stood the woman glorified who was
striking the first blow for her coun-
try's honor and her fathers exaltation.
She was fairly hurting the machine
through space; her hands grasping the
levers of descent and her eyes on the
periscope which portrayed the posi-
ton Of their helpless victims.
Bevins. in fury of excitement,
shouted his approval with storms of
OdtuS, COnplctc4g swept out Ol nlmSelI
by the fierceness of the assault. Good,
good" he shouted. That's right
Open her up wide. They're ours.
They're ours!"
Outside the Kissing air was torn by
a whirlwind of small shells fred in a
panic-stricken attempt to fend of this
adversary which was driving down.
ward upon the Ito. 1t was their last
hope at defense. They had tested
their guns repeatedly at long range
and proved them Intellectual against
an enemy that could travel with a
speed beside which that of the swiftesi
bird of prey was Insignificant They
had watched those strange uncanny
things lift themselves to a prodigious
altitude with t1comparable ease, carry
away and reiuvenate wounded com
panion which hid been struck by the
interest chance, turn toward each othel
Is " In communication, whirl out il