Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-07-06
CHAPTER I.

WHEN MAIDENS FELL FROM THE SKY.
~OR twenty shimmering miles the
gulf beach lay in the sun,
4 white straight edge against
blue. Mistily through the surf
haze glimmered the tower of Sand is
land light save when obscured by the
smoke plume of fruiter standing in
past Fort Morgan for Mobile. It was
early forenoon. The yellow globe Of
the mooring balloon at the fort shone
! in the sun like dome of some auda-
! cious new architecture flung high into
the pulsating air. Two men far down
the coast toward Pensacola caught the
I fafo6 splendor and noted in the very
act Of casting off from 1t long, cigar
shaped aeronat-an immense, elongat-
/, ed bubble Of quicksilver. 1t hoated
/ seward, rounded to, stood moment
end on, nbrating like q balancing top.
+; ''She's boun' TO- N'Yawlins, All reck-
on, subj"
Il The speaker was typical gulf fish
erman, long bearded, soft of speech,
courteous as g diplomat, bare6Doted,
weothered In garments and skin. Over
his cheeks and nose were scattered
broad brown blotches which. had it
mot been for their size might have
/ been called freckles. He rolled ciga-
rette, lighted it, turned his eyes on
This more youthful companion, repeat
ing, "She's sho' boun' TO- NYawlins.'
i In the mien Of the younger man there
was something of kinship to the elder,
rs there might be in New England
chemist or engineer something that is
like his forty-second cousin fishing on
tho Newfoundland banks. The soft
ness Of speech was modified to a sub
tie firnness &ad subdued decision.
The slight, tall frame was arrowy and
from some winier air latent self
esteem expressed in the hint Of in
cisiveness in speech. The boy also had
the areas of mottled freckling, overlay-
ing pink glow. He wore blue fan
mel shirt with bright silk cravat.
His shoes were secured gray by the
beach sand, aud his well shaped hat
was powdered with it. His trousers
were of cadet gray and were striped
down the side; seemingly they were
part of some obsolete uniform. He sat
On a great square timber half buried
In the sand and had been studying a
blue green Portuguese man-of-war cast
ashore and rolled up before the breeze,
dragging it's yard long tentacles. On
the beam lay steel square, brace
and bit, roll Of blueprtnts, some steel
drills and book Of logarithms. The
speech of the old fisherman made
him look up. He picked up pair OF
binoculars from cast-up crate and
studied the distant airship.
mo likely bound for Pensacola, cap
tain," he said. 'She's coming this
.way-a Condor with bow rudder."
The aeronat, drawing nearer. Aweu-
led like great silver moon. The men
admired her as they walked tnshore
Through soft, trodden sand down to a
lower level Of yellowed palmettoes
and scaled a steep dune slope thicket-
I'd with curious scrub oaks. Here was
hidden cabin Of rough boards with
wide veranda or gallery, on the col
umns Of which were to be seen
bleached barnacles. telling Of the
storm tossed voyage which had
brought them hither. Abutting on the
cabin by one end was spacious shed
without viSible door or window. So
thoroughly was the edifce concealed
by the oak scrub and the low growing
stunted spruce that one might have
passed q dozen times within q stones
throw Of it without seeing 1t, and even
from the airships its drab roof powder
ed with blown sand was we'll nigh In
visible. Under the gallery was per-
feet safety from observation from
aloft. ~
A. seen through the glass. the air
ship was swelled to impressive bulk
now. Her rudder stood aslant, q
stripe OF brown against the silver foil
OF her bilge. On tho seward side ran
the darker line Of toy acceptance
matter Of appearance more than use
and slung beneath by q gossamer ma
,celle. steady as the deck Of a liner,
hung her roomy car. the engine
astern. the three great screws half In
visible, like the vibrant wings OF bees
She veered to the north and stood IN