The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-03-23

'aeronat with the points of the
compass, making a mental calcu-
lation as to the distance and the
speed of the two ships, and in an
other moment they emerged on
the shining upper levels of the
cloud, which, like "a shimmering
screen between the Virginia and
the other craft, mid their approach
to each other. One below the cur
tain and one above it, the air-ship
of the future and the air-ship of
the past flew on converging
courses. Carson held his watch as
1T licked off the time for the five
or six miles of distance, set the
rudders for a downward dip,
plunged through the cloud for the
third time, and darted downward
out of the vapor like a swift into a
chimney.
They looked about-and saw
nothing. The aeronat was invis-
ible. And yet, above the purring
of the machinery, came to their
ears the tremor from powerful en-
gines, the whirrlng of screws
close at hand. Could the Condor
have assembled into the cloud as
they descended from it? It was
possible, but the sounds were ap-
preaching, not receding; and
voices now mingled with the
sounds of machlnery-voices CON-
ing closer and closer.
my God, Carson!" shouted
Craighead. you're going foul of
her. Look down."
Just in time Carson looked.
From the clear depths of air be-
low, the great bubble of silver
rose, swelling in her swift ap-
proach. A collision meant ruin
for the aeronat, and probably de-
struetion to the Virginia. The
Ipropelling blades of the aeronae
would cut the envelope of the
gas-holder like paper; and the two
ships, in a huge mass of tangled
wreckage, would fall to the earth
in death and ruin; or the escaping
gas from the aeronat, ignited
from the exhaust of the Virginia's
engines, might explode, hurting
the fragments of both vessels far
and wide-and Carson saw in the
ruin the fair form of Virginia
Suarez hurled to earth and crush
ed to formlessness below.
There was no time to check
their downward career; salvation
lay solely in swift dart to evaGe
the rising peril. Quick as light
ming Carson threw on full speed
forward. The Virginia obeyed
her machinery-and as she swoop-
ed to the aeronat's starboard, the
latter rose swiftly; the Virginia's
stern rudder grazed the gas-bag
and was all but carried away; a
cord of the suspension sytem of
the air-ship snapped with a deton-
alton that set the huge fabric in
a tremble; there rose a cry from
the deck of the hitherto uncon-
'scious monster, as her people
realized the fearful fact that here
in these dizzy heights they were
in collision with something; and
as the Virginia came in sight past
the immense bilge, they saw white
visages turned upward to them, as
might appear the doomed travel
er's face when assailed by the roc
of Arab fable; and as they sheer
ed off, a man came running out
of the cabin with a gun in his
hand. as If with some wild notion
of giving battle to the invisible
destroyer which had swept down
upon them from = the fleecy
heights of the cloud.
The Virginia was half a mile
from the air-ship before the crew
of the latter had time to assure
themselves of her safety. The
great aeronat had not changed her
course, but was still cracking on
at the height of her speed toward
Richmond-like whale at which !
a swordfish had made q viciousl