Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-07-22

them, but you-you come wheeling
Gown, out of a night sky, like some
great nocturnal bird, and alight here
on the foe beside me, and hen you
change yourself into a man and look
at me in surprise, and ask me, in Eng
lish, what in tEe world I am doing
here-I and the yacht; and ask me If
Pm real"
There was a moment,of silence after
that. Unconsciousiy they drew a lit
tie nearer together. Then Cayley
spoke. I'm real. at any rate he said;
'.at least I'm a taxpayer, and 1 weigh
100 pounds, and 1 have a name and adj
dress. It's Philip Cayley, If that will
make me seem more natural. and my
headquarters this summer are owe on
Point Barrow"
But that's 500 miles away" she pro-
tested.
as it?- he said indifferently. "I've
been awning all day, and 1 haven't
come down for an observation once.
don't know just where I am. I've been
feeling a little unreal for hours. or
rather, the world has, and now. at tn.
end of It, I find IA person like you
here in the twilight" he finished the
broken sentence with a gesture.
"Tm not dreaming, them" she asked
obviously.
"No." he said; "if either of us is
dreaming, it's not you. May 1 furl up
my wings and talk to you for awhile?"
Her eyes were on the broad-spread.
shimmering planes which lay on the ice
behind him. She seemed hardly to have
heard his question, though b an
swered it with an almost voiceless
yes" Then she approached, half fear
fully, the thing he called his wings"
1T is made of quite commonplace
materials" he said with a smile-"split
bamboo and carbon wire and catgut
and a fabric of bladders. cenented with
fish glue. And folding 1t up is rather
an ~ungainly job. The birds still have
the advantage of me there. In a strong
wind it's not very easy to do without
damaging something. Would you mind
slipping that joint for me-that one
right by your hand? It's Just like a
fishing rod"
She did as he asked, and her smile
convinced him that she had at least
half guessed his purpose in asking the
service of her. The next moment her
words confirmed it.
you wanted me to make sure, l sup
pose, that it would not turn into a
great roc when l touched it and fly
away with me to the Valley of Dia-
monds." She patted the furled wing
gently, with 10th hands. Il suppose
she continued, lone could dream as
vividly as this, although 1 never nave
unless, of course. his is a dream
But" and now she held out her hand
to him, but 1 hope I am awake. And
my name is Jeanne Fielding"
He had the hand in his, and noticed
how live and strong and warm it was
before she pronounced her name. Al
the sound of it he glanced at her curl
ously; but all he said just her was
Thank YOU and busted himself i'm
mediately with completing the process
Of furling his wings.
When he had finished he tossed the
sbeep-skin down in a little hollow II
| the foe, and with a gesture invited hel
to be seated.
"Oh. I've a great pile Of bearskin'
out here" she said, quite a ridiculous
pile of them. considering it is not {
cold night; and we a MAKE ourselves
comfortable here, or go aboard th'
yacht, just as you please"
They were seated. side by side, in thu
little nest she had made for hersel
before he reverted to the idea which
had sprung up in his mind upon hear
ing her name. There was a Captain
Fielding once he said fslowly, ewh,
set out from San Francisco half
dozen years ago in the hope of discov
ering the Pole by the way of Behrinl
Strait. His ship was never seen again
nor was any word received from him
Finding you here and hearing you
name. l wondered"
Yes" she said gravely, ''he was m,
father. We got news Of him las
winter, II you could call it news
for it was four years old befor'
it reached us. A whaler in tn
Arctic fleet picked up a floating boitl'
with a message from him, telling wher'
he was. SO we have come here to flint
him-at least to find where he died. 70
= l suppose there is no hope-never 81