New Ulm review., 1910-08-03

iupulSlVely IN a matter OF great mo-
ment and needed time for thought.
She had taken fight to Carson's Land
ing and to shelter in the shade of the
sole remaining branch Of her family
tree, full of confidence that she would
find there silver haired uncle and
delicate old lavender aunt, redolent Of
the old regime and ready to receive
her tenderly loyal to the Carson blood.
Instead of silver hair, Theodore, the
audaciously false uncle, had the .'lit-
tie, silky kids mustache," and there
was no aunt. The grandniece of old
General Carson, related to Theodore
Carson by no chain of descent save
the dubious one of the original third
Carson brother of hundreds of years
ago and the ownership Of this planta-
tion, was weakly allowed to assume
kinship from the place and name and
never thought of sitting down with
Theodore and tracing the thing ont
She wondered just what the relation
ship was anyhow. Chloe said that
Cahsonses were Cahsonses, and she
never bothered about different kinds
He couldn't be real uncle, Virginia
felt sure of that. He might be son
Of General Carson by a second wife
he was the head Of the family any
how. She must be satisfied with that.
OF his invention, save that it was in
the mysterious shed, chosen because
of it's remoteness and its unobstructed
beach, she really knew nothing. She
began to wonder now whether he
was a worlds genius or only the
crude product Of a country college,
with nothing to command second
glance except his sinewy erectness,
the pathetic yearning in his eyes and
the wonderful softness in his voice.
"Uncie Theodore" suggested Vir-
ginia to Mrs. Stott, ''has invited us to
visit hina. And, do you know, think
we'll so back with the captain if you
can overcome your aversion to the wa
ter"
"Will the bay be rough" asked Mrs.
Stott as If confident that the captain
served out the weather.
DedQ ca LII, LIZA dm.
well co." said Mrs. Stott.
The ladies hurriedly packed their
dunnage and embarked. They were a
gay party. Virginia was full of laugh
ter. Her color rose and her eyes dilat-
ed as they took the stream early
enough to let them through the new
canal into the lagoon by daylight.
"Do you see any signs of a storm ?"
asked Mrs. stott, noting his upward
glances.
"No, ma'am," he returned. "Ah was
just tryin' to make out if Ah'd eve
seen that craft befo' aloft thah"
The craft alluded to was a great sill.
yer Condor, cleaning in the sun.
Virginia studied her absorbedly with
her field glasses.
81 Think" said Virginia, "that she's
the Roc. I'm sure Of it,
Eyes, ma'am," replied Harrod.
"She's lynn to-" said the captain.
"Thah goes huh lift down."
"Why," asked Virginia wonderingly,
"what can she want over there in the
woodsw
"She's jist about ove' yo' home,
ma'am," said Harrod.
Virginia grew pale and, asking for
the glass, scanned the great aerostat
with the lowered lift, like a nexus, to
the ground.
"Can't you go little faster?" said
she, laying down the binoculars.
"Aftah we clear Weeks bay" said
the captain.
Once clear Of the channel, they stood
for the south shore, the engines firing
in continuous explosion. Suddenly
with a little scream Virginia leaned
out to look upward past the awning.
In the water, instead Of bird or sail or
cloud, she had seen, coming up from
the depths under their rail, the Roc.
under full speed, her great engines
purrtng like tiger cats, her screws
shimmering, her giant hull resplend-
ent bubble Of steel. Looking up, Vir-
ginia saw her overhead and covered
back into the boat, for peering over
was Silberberg.
"Shall All answer the hail, miss p
asked the captain.
"Now whispered Virginia. 'Take
no notice, beg of you, captainv
The Roc swept on like meteor,
leaving the launch behind. Virginia
asked the captain if he supposed she
had been recognized.
"Ah reckon not, MISS said he. "Jist
chance meetin', All reckon. She's
come to, raght ove' the inn," said the
captain.
Virginia sat under the middle Of the
awning, quite in tremble. The boat
slowly threaded the shelly entrance to
the bayou and passed the wharf of the
inn. The people Oh the quay were
craning their necks at the descent Of
the passengers from the Roc.
Hurry, captain, hurryw urged Vir-
ginia