The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-05-24
(Continued.j

Now, there is nothing in the word
mate" applied to the second in
command, that need call the blush
to the cheek, ordinarily speaking;
but when the word is uttered in the
most meaning way, and empha-
sized by a long look into the mates
eyes out of two languishing orbs
that speak odes and sonnets and
rOndeaus, a young person, however
inexperienced in the ways OF eyes
and voices, may possibly blush. II
she does, she may turn her eyer
downward; and, If looking over the
rail of the airship. she may see any
extraordinary thing below, and
make a diversion by calling atten-
ton to 1t.
"Oh. look, look" said Virginia.
There's some one in the water!"
Below floated the half-collapsed
and sinking goodwill of a subma-
rine. Beside it lay a great blotch
of darkness, so symmetrical that
Theodore was impressed with the
sudden idea that it was a subma-
rine rather than patch Of dark
sand. A man on the derelict was
struggling, shouting. and waving a
white cloth as if in distress. II
he could not swim, he was doomed.
Theodore's eyes flashed. Here was
test of the Virginia for which he
had aid no plans. and he welcomed
it. He reversed the thrust of the
wing propellers. and in an instant
they were fighting the air with all
the power of the mighty engines.
The passengers felt their bodies
sway forward with the momentum,
as the Virginia slowed up, halted
and moved astern; and as accu-
rately as If he had years of prac'
tice, Carson brought her to. over
the struggling man, and lowered
her slowly, slowly, toward the
swells which rose to meet her, UNI
til the line thrown over by Carson
dabbled in the water by the cast
away's side.
Can you climb up?" cried Theo-
dore. Il don't dare come much
lower.
For Christ's sake" called the
man, bring her down foot or so!
I'm too waek to climb"
Cheer up!" called Theodore.
ITS risky. but I'll try"
The man who looked downward
from weakness, as if to conceal his
features, was apparently in great
distress, and in terror from the fact
that his collapsible skiff was half
Debated. as II by the bursting Of
her air chambers. II he was to
be saved there was no time to be
lost; SO thought Carson as he de-
pressed the Virginia more and
more. holding her stationary by a
slight windward thrust of the wing
blades, like a swimmer who meets
the current by a downstream kick.
feat quite beyond the power Of
any other airship: and speaking to
the man in the water, as well as to
him In the air, the triumphant sue
cess OF the new machine. Wilmer
set his teeth in a fierce determ;na-
ton to put both man and ship out
of the field at once. The thing be-
came immense to him. swelling. As
the astounding behavior OF the Vir-
ginia grew upon him. He was the
sole custodian of the secret of her
construction. save for Carson. II
he could drown her, and master the
secret of the glass globe, he could
rebuild her. make his terms with
Shayne, be the greatest In his line.
Teh over works OF the airship
descended almost to his head, and
Wilmer, glancing upward. saw Vir-
ginia glancing down and singing out
their aerial ~soundings" to Carson.
The swell lifted Wilmer as the Vir-
ginia sank to her lowest: and he
seized the nacelle with fierce en-
ergy, drew himself up into the
truss dork. threaded a steel chain
through an opening In the struc-
ture, and dropped back into the
water holding the chain In his
hand. 1t ran abound the aluminium
beam with a sharp, rasping, start
ling rattle.
Hes fallenin!" cried Virginia,
"He climbed up under. and fell off.
oh. he'll drown. he'll drown"