The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-09-17
Something
On This
scontlnasa lEo,n Ygsteraay.l

:
Ne did NOT answer her question
4 he was recalling something which hi
anna zing meeting With the girl ou
here on the ice-rioe had. far a little
while. put quite out OF his uiind--tn,
weird, silent tragedy nc had seeH en-
acted few hours before upon tn,
glacier hehiRa the headiand The vic
tim. the man Ia the leather coat
must have been one Of the party
frean the yacht. hat Ii Was impossible
thai the little band OF hts murderer.
eoald be No one freshly landed from
the yacht would have been dressed al
they aere. or would have been armed
with darts.
With no better look at them thar
bad been possible 10 him as he hung
above their heads. he had heen con,
sinced that they we're white; certainly
THE leather coated man had been talk,
Ing 30 them. freely enough IN Eng
Essh. And yet. If white. they must
have been refugees survivors, II not
ri Captain FfeldinEs Inflated expedi-
ssan then of some other tragic. un-
reported ship wreck
But If they were white men~-~refu-
gees. WHY had they fled from their
hut al sight III the yacht which came
bringing rescue Why had they
driven that one inekless member OF
tbs fesouing party who fell in with
Them. into that carefully prepared
ambush, and then murdered him, 81
sentlye Even Eskimos would not have
dome a thing like that.
His long silence had alarmed the
girl and presently, perceiving that
this WAS so. he drew himself up with
an affected start, II beg your par
4 "A. ~. IFS.
thing else Living IN the sky doesn't
seem conducive 10 good manners No,
i don't believe there Is anything 10
worry about Amy way, as 500
light comes back. winch won't be
long now, | can set at rest any fears
you may have, I'll go and find your
party. and I'll search the land, too
for anything else that may he there.
And then ri bring you word. :.
You are very good, she said with
little hesitation. nut ! can't let
yosi---"
He interrupted her with laugh.
It's nothing difficult that ! am pro-
posing 10 do for you. yod know
That's true. ! had forgotten your
wings. The rocks. the Ice. the steep
places. that mean so tragicaliy much
TO them. are nothing at all to you.
I3f3t &Hat are @bu ftbW Even
sou can't find them IN the dark
re had already begun unstrappIng
the bundle he had made Of his Wings,
and seemed 10 be preparing sfor Inn
mediate flight That Was what caused
her question.
No" he said Il shall wait for sun
rises''
But why not here, On the yacht?
We can give You q comfortable ned
there, better, certainly than that
sleeping bag of yours
- am afraid he said. that wha,
YOU call a comforra Bile bed In q
yachts cabin would be the surest in
strument that could be found for
keeping me awake all night. No. /
shall find sheltered hollow up al the
top u that headiand yonder. where
shall sleep deeply enough. yoa may
be sure"
She still sinterposed half hearted
objection TO his going and vel she
Was glad he did not yield to il. Tne
thought of his unfolding his Wings
and flying away again, just as he
had come, seemed filter somehow.
than the prospect OF taking him to
the yacht In dinghy. and bidding
him good night, like any other COM
menplace sort OF mortal
She watched him, silently, white he
slipped the steel jointed Gods into
place. drew the eatgut bow strings
taat. until they sang~~-uiitli tbs fabric
of his planes shimmered In the star
light -qnivered. as If they wef. in
stintt with life Of their own
A sense or the unrealfty 3f il all
came yelling up strongly within her,
and 4 touch OF an almost forgotten
fear OF him.
Good night. she said, holding OUT
her hand--.'good bye"
Till morning.'' he answered.
A little breeze came blowing across
the Ice just then. He dropped her
hand quickly, slipped his arms into
their places III the frame, mounted
the ledge OF ice. and then. with n
short run sprang forward into the
breeze,
Che saw his planes bend little,
unduiate, rather, with a sort Of sculi-
Ing motion, as he flew forward, not
tar above the level OF her head he
dipped down again AZ soon as he had
open water beneath him, and almost
SKINNED tbs surface of ii. Then. ga
tfiering speed. he began mounting. on
y long slant. In that great starry.
domalike sky, until. at last. the dark-
ness swallowed him.
She felt euriousIy alone, now that
he was gone: and u little frightened.
like y child just waking out or d
dream. And she blew a small silver
whistle that hung about he. neck. for
a signal 10 the men on the yacht TO
send a boat for her.
-