Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-08-16
VIRGINIA,
THE AIR
By.
HERBERT Quick
CHAPTER v.
THE FALL THAT FOLLOWED PRIDE.

~UDDENLY Theodore burst from
the floor Of the cloud like q
meteorite and saw a long pro-
cession Of white and violet
lights speeding past and away into the
distance. the arc lights Of town set
into apparent flight by the speed of bis
headlong career before the wind. Far
OF In the glare of locomotive fire.
box he could see devilish black fire.
man. weirdIy stocking.
The town fed away. The roar Of the
wind rose about him. He was whip.
ped stingingly by the branches of =
tall tree: then lower one bowed him
through It's dense top. He laid hold
Of slim birch, and. as It bent like a
fishing rod under his weight, he let 60
the sheets of his parachute, the wind
spilled from the silken leach. and he
tumbled heavily into a mattress-like
bridal wreath bush. over an asphalted
walk. and. eased down BY the shrub.
berry, he rose unhurt. so far as be
could feel. to find himself by rustic
seat near dry fountain. On his left
he could make out long building
three or four stories high.
A high wall running back from each
end Of this structure seemed to him to
bound the garden. for a garden he
guessed 1t to be. Back In some crepus-
cular jungle he heard the throaty bel.
low Of a great dog.
Following the wall. he found It in.
tegral with that Of the house. It was
blank and high and insurmountable.
He reconnoitered the rear wall to q
brick barn into which It was built.
He returned to the long house and
stole across to one side. where he
found a door through the wall. tight
shut and impregnable.
Calling up his scattered courage. he
went with some steadiness up to q
long veranda. A shrill whistle sound
ing from the top Of the porch instantly
commanded his attention. Theodore
saw man on the roof just in the act
Of swinging himself down over the
cave.
Get under here. old sport" said the
voice, land give q liberty loving class.
mate leg down."
Theodore reached up and steadied a
somewhat bony leg and was about to
let his burden down when the liberty
loving one collapsed In all bis mem
bers and came down by the run.
Carson started forward to raise the
demoralized fugitive to his feet. But
he was already up and seemed to be
bowling and kissing his hand to an
imaginary audience.
MY celebrated Avernus act" said
be. Special gravitation expert to the
crowned heads! But, hist! Let me
greet thee! An ye be noble. salute
my cheek; an ye be slob. receive my
eontemptuous thanks! Hey. old sport2"
Carson stood mute, alone with pos.
sible Iunatic and very probable dog
In walled garden into which he had
dropped from the night sky.
From your caput cometh-a rattle
like a muted castanet." went on the
strange parsonage. land anon like a
battery Of telegraph saunders. Stay!
IL. II possible that 1t emanates from
the Gathering Of your teeth? Caitif.
you are scairt-or in an ague that
would reduce a foundry RATHER to
matchwood! Art cold. fair youthT'
"A little" replied Carson. II am
lightly dressed"
'.Then come, come away. tra-la-la,
with me. to a realm Of balmy air and
breezes of Ceylon. To heel, and II
thy heavy hoof hut scrape the gravel
to betray our flight thou diest. and all
thy wad Is gobbled by the privy Golfer
Of the emporium, To heel!'
With swift darting movement the
stranger turned and. followed obedi-
entity by Carson. went across to a
building which Theodore guessed to be
q greenhouse. His guide opened the
door and stood back. with elaborate
courtesy that Carson might precede
him. Entering. Theodore found him
self among beds Of flowers which
dlled the house.
ut Is too dark" said his guide. re-
Joining him. ito make the exchange
Of cards more than an empty and
Invisible formality. Yet would fam
know more Of you than the bright and
snappy technique Of your tooth chat.
tering"
II don't understand" answered Car.
con. II came here by accident"
"Quite so" interposed his interlocu-
tor. Lets sit down by the American
Beauty bed-there. II we might strike
q match. now. estimate that half
as lush logged derelicts 60 ashore here
In state. to coin word. OF ORGY eyed
wooziness may say that 1 came my
self BY accident and without meaning
to do so-or otherwise. must have q
smoker Then came the scratch Of
the match. and Theodore scrutinized
the face BY the fare of the match as
with nervous. unsteady movements the
stranger lighted the weed.
He was a medium sized person. with
deep net eyes nickering from their cav
ems with blurred sharpness. His
face was sallow and colorless. with
hollows In the cheeks. His nose was
irregularly notched in profile. like the
stub Of something else broken OF his
face.
my name is Carson" said Theo-
dore. ''and am from the south, from
Alabama- r.
"Craighead is mine" rejoined the
other. II am from here and elsewhere.
There are twenty places where might
vote were there any question under the
sun worth voting on. think may
venture to give you. sir. as my perma-