Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1910-09-30

bride pains ana cdTrlaSP TohuS "i
outlined from above by winding lines
of lights. like the route of an army or
bewildercd glowworms. Hidden ev
spur of cliff was the immense h.rShip
garage.
The lightning had disabled its light
ing system for the most part. ana the
hold had gone dark. Carson hhd
made two or three "Reminiscences
over the very spot. but had not sus-
pectcd its presence. for the sky was
rloudpd and the luster of the pools to"
feeble To reach his eyes. so that the
sudden outhash of the myrlnd lights
when the currents were restored came
to both men with astonishing uney-
peciedness
The held had blOSsomed suddenly In
fire Thr lakes edged with lights giln-
mered like mirrors: the clustered arc
lights dpfimiird the high mesa like
map: the winding labyrinth of mean
descenis npltpd the peaks like glowing
I.illiputian threads about the recum-
bent CULVER. AMI In the midst stood
Il great r0mnIy ;'Olunned mansion. It's
wings In siadr. Its central court
aglcam. the radiant heart Of an elab-
crate Splrndor. Carson drew in his
breath sharply.
MY God" said he. WHO could
ever think Of slrh thingW
Craighead was silent.
But he must see Virginia. Utterly
estrangcd as they were. this night vOy-
| age had Il reason the hope OF seeing
her. of asking her forgiveness, OF
bringing her to see that when she
dropped from the sky to his feet he
had loved her; that when she had
| come to live with that uncle Of whom
she had heard so little and had found
| the last Carson In him the temptation
was so masked IN duty that 1t was too
strong for him And had he ever once
i'm that delicious. perilous time Of act
ing Uncle Theodore ineXcuSably pre-
sumed on the relationship or failed III
goodness! True. he had let her stay
as his niece. but had not his father al
ways thought himself Of the same
blood? Virginia must allow some
weight TO this tradition. She must see
that. while too remotely related to be
Objectionable in nearer. dearer way.
he was too probably Of kin to have
turned her away And he would land
In Shayne's Hold If it were the last act
Of his life.
With the ancient instinct Of the sur
reptitious lover he made for the angle
between two dark wings OF the great
house Glimmers of light from two
windows were their sole sign OF occu-
pancy, the renter of human concOurse
being about that core Of light In the
court The wings seemed like low ad-
juncts for Conservatives or billiard
rooms. and the angle between. with Its
light mottliigs. looked like flower
| sprinkled lawn on which Carson felt
confident of placing the Virginia gen.
fly and with no disturbance. With
slow soaring motion the aerOnef came
into the angle like steamer into her
sIip--and found. instead of lawn,
graveled roof cluttered with tables and
chairs as If for the serving Of refresh
ments Among these the Virginia
uosed In. dumped some chairs into the
court and settled down amid cracking
furniture and crashing pottery.
The Roc had reached Shayne's Hold
| just In time To escape the storm. and
the wearied Virginia had retired. sick
of the harping of her aunt upon the
disgrace Of her sojourn with Uncle
Theodore" weary of telling how inn0-
| cent II had been With book close 70
the light she was composing her mind
to sleep, when into the dreamy qpie-
tude came purring that was so IN
mistakably the voice Of the aeronef
that Virginia rose. with her hand to
| her heart, I'm an amaZement not all I'M
pleasant, wondering where her name
sake might alight and what Shayne's
hired constabulary might do with The
odore, when from the roof came
scraping. chairs and tables went over
the parapet with crash, and the
voices of Craighead and Carson came
In at the window. low, hurried and
agitated.
Virginia turned ont the dim light.
"Well." said she, In answer to her
maids tap. what is it. Fanny"
81 card an awful noise" said Fan
nv. at seemed to come from 'ere,
MISS
Some things fell into the court" re-
piled Virginia. please tell tine serv-
ants and say that things must not be
piled upon the parapet. That's all,
Fanny"
Virginia walked to the window.
There lay the dear little airship that
she and Theodore had planned cam
paigns for and conquered the world
with. Theodore was passing the otter
way now, peering into every bearing
and gearing for sigma of damage.
Its a miracle" said Theodore ut
last, ''but she's all right and ready to
rise at touch" =.
."Thank Godp' said Virginia.
"Did you find way DOWN." asked
Carson of Craighead, all unconscious
of the nearness Of what he sought.
"Only the old way by which | came
Off the back stoOp of the emporium"
replied Craighead. who had been skirt
ing along the edge of the parapet. ITS
matter of specific gravity. AS to get
ting back. unless you brought your
specific levity with you really don't
see, old chap. how it's going to be man.
aged"