Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-08-30

Of Flying
| ANES :
Copyrifht. 1909. BY the Bobbs.
Merrill Company


Trembling with excitement, he attempt
ed note to Virginia. Wilmer Mt the
cabin. messages at the beach, meant
danger and disgrace ii he neglected his
task longer. infamy If he toyed on
with temptation. He told Chloe
through her door that he had been
called away and that she must explain
to the ladies'. He hastily packed a
bag. ran down and unmoored the
launch and fed down the river.
Captain Harrod. dignified, barefoot
ed. soft voiced. unkempt. kept his
lonely vigil on the white straight edge
of beach that lay from Fort Morgan
to Perdido bay. Captain Harrod, ig-
noring landscape and seascape, devot-
ed himself to the study Of sand tracks
of all sorts-tracks Of foxes examin-
ing the beach for turtles eggs, months
ahead of time; talon marks of opos-
sums and raccOOns providing about for
crabs. mice and birds eggs; hoof
marks Of wild hogs. etc. Trails of men
there were along the sparsely trav-
eled highway of the strand and the
footprints Of one, In particular attract
ed him. Tracks In the sand were to
Harrod book. newspaper. telegraph
and circulating library. He knew sew
eral things that this man might be-
a deserter from the fort. perhaps. or
It might be some one connected with
the revenue service. His cabin was
"Harrod's fishing more.
What had revenue officers to do with
such humble piscatorial headquarters
as these? They should not care about
Theodores hidden invention.
And yet one day Shiny metal sea
monster stuck blunt nose out from
the water at about the five fathom
contour line. opened rectangular
mouth and flicked a square red tongue
like an angry snake until Captain Har--
rod on the highest dune opened a bril-
liant red handkerchief with Chau-
tauqua salute and wiped his nose eiab-
orately. Whereupon the sea monster
sank beneath the brine. What took
place that night was concealed by
darkness. II Captain Harrod was
busy carrying packages ashore until
morning he came by them honestly. no
doubt.
AID examination Of the popular now
els or periodicals Of the past-say Of
the era Of that president whose Chris
tian name our Theodore bears-will be
by a realization Of prophecy
gone wrong as to the influence on
Of aerial navigation. 1t
must bring free trade. they said.
Ships navigating the air could land
their cargoes anywhere. Yet the air.
ships gave the custom house people
little trouble. Airships were SO con-
spicuous: their loads were necessarily
80 light: the system of reporting them
by wireless from Canada. Mexico and
the islands was SO efficient.
Very unexpectedly 1t was the sub
marine that drove the revenues" wild
and filled the law books with Draco-
Man. statutes. No trade ever grew
'aster. The boat fish dlved beneath the
waves and rose on some lonely coast
like this by appointment with some
Captain Harrod sitting like bewhis-
kered bit Of wreckage on the dunes.
HarrOd was nervous about the foot
PRINTS. and he perscvered in search
Until he found their maker lying asleep
n comfortable sleeping bag In a
learby thicket. He recognized him as
Winner, inventor Of the hellcopter that
vas blown out to sea. He walked Wiz.
Ter. and the latter assailed Harrod in
lbuse which included the absent Car.
OD.
You let my helicopter go out to
Iea." he walled, "and 1t was worth a
million dollars to me-"
Harrod took pity on the inventor,
md as a result Wilmer stayed for
weeks. sleeping in his bag on the porch
If the cabin, and, to the captains in
ense anger, tried several times to visit
he shed where Carson's newly invent
ID airship was in course Of completion.
many SuASOA "AANSu. AAcOuOAC
ordered the spying man away, and an
ensued In which Wilmer
vas roughly handled. At last he took
lis leave, vowing vengeance on Carson
md the airship. which, he said, was
worthless. He had made rough draw
ngs Of the airship, as he had managed
'ecretly to elude Harrod's watchful-
less.
At the lagoon he took boat and
owed to the north shore. The boat
rom the submarine that had signaled
1arrod had brought her crew ashore.
lie addressed one Of the men as Ia
lille and learned that the Stickleback,
he submarine. was offshore for some
Unknown purpose. Reagan, the Site
;leback's captain, came lazily up. and
Winner Informed him that he (yizner)
vas going on board her. The captain.
mazed. asked for what reason.
nm goin' to use her.
"The ID you are!'
"Well. If not I'll show you up to
be authorities as smuggler. Reagan
you an Harrod."
Reagan's face paled. He hastily