The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-04-21

trailcd with machinery, was hurting
with them through the night. Tho
noise within was not sufficient to pre-
vent easy conversation; but they sat
as men stricken dumb, being carried
away into captivity by some dread ma
gician of more singular power than
was ever portrayed in Persian tales.
Stand clear of the shutters, gentle
men," the scientist called. turning his
face in their direction, and they
leaned forward just as Norma pressed q
button. A sharp clashing noise smote
their ears, and when next they looked
at the ports they were shut on by
metallic slides. Again the girl touched
button. and instantly the interior Of
the radioplane was flooded with sill
very light 1t was disappointment,
for sight gave no calculation of the
secret.
A low roof of implanted metal
arched above them. In one end were
ordinary electrical dynamos. motor.
and a polished electrical apparatus
which they could not understand, and
beyond this, outside the hoods. there
was nothing whatever; only the signs
of hurried work, rough, implanted, and
unpaneled. Rude benches, evidently
placed for this occasion only, COM
prised all the trappings and furnish
ings of this monster that was the van
guard of modern transportation, and
in whose keeping rested the nations
strength. They had expected in
tricacies of construction: but before
them was simplicity. They had pic
tured strange manifestations of cleo
trical science; but only a compact mass
of brass rods and cleaning tubes was
visible. The admiral read their un-
worded curiosity.
Il cant explain it quite" he said.
DR. Roberts will tell you all about it
pretty soon. when he can get away
from plotting the ship. Look out for
the shutters again. Norma is going to
open them and shut OF the lights. We
are at our journeys end"
A clash, flash, and again they were
in darkness. and with one accord they
turned to the reopened ports.
Beneath them now glittered the arc
lights of the plant on the lonely is
land which they had peOpled. The
great blast furnace was spouting to-
ward them showers of glowing sparks
and sheets of writhing flame. and be-
fore it. dwarfed by height into squatty
gnomes, were those who necessarily
fed it. The windows of the machine
shops were limned in squares of white,
and out to one side, throwing its
searchlight to and fro, there steamed
a gunboat, while afar on the other
boundary of the key its sister ship
kept equally vigilant patrol. Industry
was spread before them-industry be-
tokening that night and day were be-
ing devoted to the country's need:
telling through the hum of wheels and
the roaring of the blast that the eagle
from his lone aerie was sharpening
his talons for the impending struggle.
and preparing for resfstless flight
into the red sun of war.
Dumfounded and unable to COM
prehend that in so short a time they
had been transported distance
which by all known methods would
have taken couple of days to trav-
erse. they stared at the scene opening
to their view, and while this bewilder-
ment continued the radioplane began
rapid descent in wide. sweeping cir
cles, daintily picked out an open spot
Immediately in front of the plant, and
gently came to rest.