The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-09-19
THE SKY-MAN
BY
HENRY MITCHELL WEBSTER
.4uthor fscih Samuel Merwin) Of Calumet *
Copyright 1910 by The Century Company.

they had known him; seemed really
to try to be a good companion.
Captain Planck abdicated his lead
ership that day. He was perfectly
conscious of the fact. He had known
that to retain the leadership he must
take that murderer out and execute
him. He knew that IL he did not do
this, the murderer. not he. would
hereafter command the party, and
that unless he himself yielded the
promptest obedience OF any. he would
follow the iuckless trio whom they
were never to see again.
From that day to this there had
been no more murders. Roscoe had
ruled them with a decision and a tru-
cuience which put anything like in
subordination out of the question. He
had been obeyed better than Captain
Pianck ever had been. He had work
ed them fiercely all those four years,
cutting, everlastingly, at that wonder
fui, exhaustfess golden ledge, beating
the friable ore out OF Ii with heavy
mauls, then. laboriousiy, conveying the
great rude slabs of pure metal on
rough sledges. over the perpetual ice of
the glacier. TO a cave near the shore,
where they had deposited it. There
were literally tons of it hidden there
when the smoke from the yachts fun
mel was first seen on the horizon.
The moment the news of the ap-
preaching steamer was reported TO
Roscoe. he had entered upon what
seemed to his followers a thoroughly
irrational and inexplicabie line of ac-
ton. He had ordered them, first, to
remove all signs of recent habitaIion
from the hut 10 the cave. where their
gold was concealed: then. to cover
the cave mouth with n heap of bouI-
ders. TO secure it against discovery.
Long before the strongest glass on
the ship could have made out their
moving figures, he took the whole
party back TO the hills In hiding. He
had kept them from answering the
halls and the guntire from the yacht
by the sheer weight of his authority,
without SouchsatinK a word of expla-
nation.
The next day they had seen the
searching party come ashore. and
with their knowledge OF the lay OF
the land found Ii perfectly easy to
evade observation, though nothing but
the strong habit OF obedience kept
them from counting il.
Then, along in the afternoon. had
strangest thing Of all. They had seen
a solitary straggler from the search
ing party coIiing alone across the
Ice. He could not see them. Ii would
have been perfectly easy to evade him,
but Roscoe now ordered them to go
down 10 him and tell him who they
were. and to offer TO escort him along
the trail down the glacier. And at
certain point they were to lag behind
and let him go on alone. That was
all any OF them knew OF their readers
plans. TIL thew saw the lying dart
and the smudge of crimson on the
snow.
Now. at last. came Pianck to the
leader, asking the reason why. But
his mission, as 1t appeared, had not
prospered.
For a long time Roscoe walked
steadily on, until the two had come
far up the glacier. Finally. when
he did stop. he whirled quite around
and stood confronting planck, square
~ in the middle of a narrow path
between two deep assures in the ice
His eyes We're Offering inadvertently:
Do you know any reason" he ask
ed In u thick Voice. why / don't piek
those cracks there, or why | don't
serve you as | served that fellow yes
terday:''
Planck thought he meant to do II. I
but. with the fatalism that marks the !
men Of his profession. he stood fast. I
and eyed his big opponent
You're strong enough to- he said !
And Ill do IL Ii l want to: YOU
know that" Roscoe supplemented.
Yes. / know that" The big man /
nodded CURLY.
Well. I'm not going to now. be- /
cause | choose not to. Listen. Ii YOU
mad the chance. could you navigate |
that solid mahogany. hand painted |
ship down there 80
Planck cleared his throat, as II
were sitting him. with
a crew. yes" he answered.
Could Schwartz run those nickel
plated engines he'd find in her. do
You Think
Yes"
Well, within two days I'll give you l
chance 10 make good. Now, I'm
going 10 tel you my plan. not be- ],
cause you asked, but because / want
YOU to know. I'd run the whole
IhinS alone II ] could, but l want
YOU with me. We're going to take
that yacht and We're going Off alone
n ner,--we of the whaier. alone.
Do You understand that
fney,re better armed than we."
'afd Pianck refiectively. better fed,
better everything. And man for man.
bar you. they're just as good, and
-hey're three to one OF US. 1t will
aaEt some pretty good planning.
lTo be continually