New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1910-08-24

We must go lower said Carson,
"and pass under The rain is closing
in, but | reckon we can slip through
pretty dry
The oncoming black arch, lighted to
Whlteness when the lightning blazed,
sWelled fearfully as they approached,
its rainless gap narrowing momently..
1t was race with the elements. The
penalty if they lost was, to be sure,
nothing more than a drenching, but
it was none the less exciting for that.
The curtains of water, drawn aside as
If to let the travellers through, swung
together as they approached.
sWhoop!'' cried Craighead. .The
Virginia wins''
As he spoke they passed under the
rain cloud.
Carson was thinking Of Shayne's
Hold and conjecturing as to its where
abouts. If he read his chart correct
ly the lights seen afar to the north
east Indicated that they had left the
Kaaterskill behind and were nearing
Blank Head mountains, though he con-
fessed to himself that the crags reveal
ed by the lightning might be the Hun
ter peaks or even the SUBMITS of Slide
mountain. All he really knew was
that he was above the Catskills and
that unless he could outmaneuver the
elements they faced an encounter with
rain, wind and great possibilities in
the way Of lightning. The domes of
thunderclOud few miles to their right
seemed almost low enough to be over
passed, so he set the levers for an
ascent, and the Virginia rose like an
osprey chased by an eagle.
I'm trying your suggestion" said
Carson. "I'm scaling the front of that
shower
Even Craighead's voice was hushed
in awe. Like the fairy domes of some
city Of oriental fable rose the cloud
castles, their SUBMITS white in the
moonlight, their folds dark like a
doves wing. Suddenly the lightning
blazed out in the heart of the black
base on which the city of enchantment
was reared, and instantly the whole
vast fabric grew white and palpitant
and terrible, while the blue sky be-
yond and above it turned black velvet
by contrast. The lightning ceased,
and there hung the billowy cloud, sill
yer white and drab on base of dark
ness, as before. The air had grown
chill as with frost, and still the clouds
were far above them. The bite of the
propellers on the air seemed to fail,
for the cloud masses no longer appear
ed to fall as when the aeronef was ris-
ing.
Eve can't make it, said Carson.
Don't try" exclaimed Craighead
"1t's efrontery!'
Changing lever or so, Carson drove
straight toward the bosom of the
cloud.
Carson sat with his hand on his
levers, pale as if dead; Craighead'
clutched hand rail, his eyes turned
aloft as if in invocation. A more re,
mote flash and darkness returned, but
not so densely. The.spa before them
grew softly light, and in a moment
they swan into the moonlight
Through an immeasurabl BILE chamber of
cloud darted the aeronef into second
smother of rain and mist and out on
lower level into the calm space be
hind the storm. From this region of
shadow they emerged into the moon.
light again and began their search for
signs of human habitation. Finally
just as Theodore was at the point OF
retreat, both at once saw what neither
doubted was Shayne's Hold.
The hold was on the triple peakof one
of the ruggedest and highest masses
of the Catskills, rising steep as a wall
hundreds Of feet in the air, to three
SUBMITS, in the midst of which stood
the mansion. The huge buildings had
been built, the animals had been intro
duced, the last luxury had been sup
piled, and Shayne's Hold had beer
sealed up. Down from the mountain
flowed three streams, up which hac
run the precipitous roads to the top
and when the time came for closing
the hold to those who had no way Of
navigating the air Mr.. Shayne ha6
built across them immense dams, usins
materials blasted from the mountain
| sides at such places as to render then
quite unscala BILE. The steepened preci
| pieces thus carried across the ravines
in masonry made lofty wall entirely
| around the mountain.
Every effect that could be. produced
by lights, white and colored, the cleo
trician-artists had worked out for the
illumination of this enchanted palace
hung on cliffs. Overlooking the region
as it's owner overloaded his fellows
the hold was place of mystery, hold
ing no neighborship with the people
below. It was real Laputa, an island
in the air, and those only could reach
it who could fly.
About the peak ran labyrinth of
bride paths and carriage roads. all
outlined from above by winding lines
OF lights, Like the route Of an army OF
bewildered glowworms. Hidden by a