The Washington times., 1910-08-05
A COLUMBUS OF SPACE By eAzzz7 TT 2 SERVES s



foothills. the elevation was not very
agreeable Nature was a. her best
The slopes and valley bottoms were
civilized with vegetation OF tropical
iuxuriacce and beauty
Never have 1 seen such treest ! did
not recognize a single variety known 10
me ar home. and yet they were IN no
sense grctesuue- Many OF them were
more graceful in form and foliage than
any species Of palm; others were as
massive as oaks, and some as tan and
stately as sequoias- FeStoOns Of flower
ing vines hung everywhere-and the
fowerst
possible for such huess sue shapes
and such perfumes 10 exist together
outside of dollhouse To Wal
through these scenes was like a stroll
through Paradise
In one Of cur walks Edmund being
with Us. and Ala and her maids also,
ne aScended an eminence overlooking
the charming valley Of q little stream
two or three miles from the mines
There we sat down, at the foot Of a
lofty tree to enjoy the view. The air
was deliciouslv soothing and in a lit
lie while Edmund, tired ny his long
exeruOns-fOr he mad been at work
without rest for forty ght hours
Yell asleep, with his head on fOwery
bank. and Ala sitting beside him
Suddenly a shadow, deeper than that
Of the foliage, fell around US, ana a
large aerOulane swiftly descended in
front OF the bank
IN an instant twenty men had leaped
from IL and seized Edmund Jack,
Henry, and myself
Edmund was dazed asleep. and the
rest Of as were paralyzed with sur
prise, so that before any enectual
resistance could be offered. we found
ourselves on the aeroplane and rap
idly ascending through the air Ala
had sprung 10 her feet and vas ges-
ticulating Wildly, her maids were
overcome with terror. and JUua. who
had not been touched by the abduc-
tots. remained seated on me ground
apparently dumfounded and without
an idea in his shaggy head
None Of them could have dOne any
t5Fe mountains that III ten minutes
even the tree under which we had sat
was lost TO sight
I glanced about among our ca1torS.
expecting 20 see InEra- He was not
visible. but aHfew minutes later be ap-
peare6. with . 1erisive smile on his
face Evidently he had kept out Of sight
In order not TO confront Ala.
OH the detestati0n with which 7 be-
held him. II II had been in my power
I would have ground him 10 powder
Nv look. 7 know, expressed my fury.
but he stared at me with that madden
ing grin Of successful cunning. which
urus an inteiEcent and handsome face,
when Il screens q wicked heart. into
the CrueIesI devils image
He eioated over Edmund also. but
Edmund never even looked at him IT
was the second time that we had been
taken like foolish mice IN q trap. and
7 ragged AZ the thought
Edmund was perfectly cool AS for
Jack. his face showed that he felt as 7
did, but he said nothing, and Henry
who at best seldom spoke, was as silent
and as pale as q ghost
We were allowed 10 stand. though our
arms we're bound behind us. and even
TO walk about the deck The thought
flashed upon me that Ingra would be de-
liEhIed If we should jump overheard. for
that would save him the trouble Of put
ting an end TO Us Several times be
STROBE by. and tEtsd to catch Edmund s
eve but Edmund ignored him as com
pleuely as II he had not existed
AS the great aerOplane swept on al
Ierrl-lc speed my thoughts turned back
20 Ala " ha- would she doc What
could she dO2 She could not folIoW-at
least. not until after a fatal delay-fo-
she would have to return afoot 70 the
mines three miles away. before she
BY that time we would he far out OF
sight amOnE the mountains. leaving no
the thought OF the absolute hopeless
ness or our situation But, in thinking
that Ala could do nothing for US I IN
derrated her abilities and the inspiring
Fortunately. after we had dropped
sight Of the three. the aeroplane sIOwed
up and came almost 10 rest We cir
Cled about for a while. a6d IuEra coma
Their gestures indicated that they
were debating as 10 their course Thzv
pointed this way and that. and finally
drove the aeroplane TO q great heigtr
to reconuoiter ahead The delay was
ur0Viden1iaI
While we were circling, and while our
capr0rs were choosing their course. my
eye happened 10 Catch-avay OF IN the
SKY behind us-a black speCk. barely
visible. In an instant 1 was all eX-
element I pointed out the object 10
Edmund
For heavens sake. he whispered.
glanciug cautiously round don't let
these brutes know what we see. Don't
seem 70 notice it. She IS following u.s.
The Continuation Cf This Story VIII
Be Found In Tomorrow
Issue OF The Times