The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-09-27
THE SKY-MAN
BY
HENRY MITCHELL WEBSTER
Author t,citk Samuel Aate1n) Of Calumet "k
Copyright 1910 by The Century Company.

TnUCh OF II as ne Cputu SET WV" -
powerful glass. Eut for all she saw
or anyone else. during the long hours
of that day, there might not have /
been human being, except those on
the yacht. nearer than Point Bar
row. There was neither sight nor
sound; there was not even CLINT OF
Cayiey's bright wings nigh UP In the
cloudless Arctic sky.
So utterly deserted did the land ap-
pear, so impossible was it to believe
thai any danger could lurk there,
that after their unsuccessful attempt
to recover the body Of Hunter. old
Mr. Fanshaw and Scales the first
officer. took Jeanne ashore in one Of
the boats for an exploration OF the
beach and Of the cluster of empty,
half buried huts that stood just back
Of 1t. They were gone from the yacht
about an hour,
BY four o'clock, however, they had
decided that, whether or not the sky
. mans story might be true, IL was high
time to send relief party ashore to
find the lost ones There was IA good
( deaf OF necessary consultation about
/ who should GO, Clearly il would he
I folly to send party OF three or four
/ on such mission. They must carry,
in the first place, rations sufficient
not only for themselves, but for 'husc
they expected to find. They must be
strong enough. In the second place,
to overcome this mysterious. unknown
! band of refugees, supposing sucn
band to exist. To form such parry
would take practically every able
bodied man remaining on the yacht
and there was, naturally, some de-
muir to this.
Hut Tom settled the matter. Il
can't go ashore on account OF this
confounded ankle, and Jeanne, OF
course. will stay here. too. But every
body else can &c. Jeanne and ] are
enough TO defend the yacht. Even
! supposing there was a party OF twelve
murderous ruffians ashore there. arm
ed with darts and throwing sticks.
J they can't get aboard the yacht with
out putting off in boats. She's as
> good a shot as / am. Wen keep a
r brisk lookout and If we see any pi-
: ratical expedition setting out to cap
: ture US We VIII be able to account
for the whole lot of them before they
> can hope to reach the Aurora's side "
, That's all right while the light
- holds out his father assented some
$ what obviously. but suppose we
don't get back until after dark--it's
g likely enough we WON'T"
Well. we've a searchlight, haven't
2 WEE" said Tom, Besides, nobody but
1 Jeanne has the slightest idea thai
' there's anyone within five hundred
3 miles of us, who wishes us harm
i, There are only ten to go if We tive
e stay here, and considering the amoun
4 of rations you will have to carry It
be of any service as a relief party
t il will be an absrrdity 70 go out Will
q less than ten. Trust us. Wen de
G liver the yacht intact. when you gc
n back with them"
v At i've o'clock accordingly. the re
a lief expedition went ashore, and Ton
= Fanshaw and the girl were left alone
= on the yacht,
e TWO hours later, perhaps, after the,
e had eaten the supper which Jeaun,
e had concocted in the galley, they sat
G side by side, In their comfortabi,
S deck chairs. gazing out across tn
fce-fioe. The evening was unusuall
+ mild, the thermometer showing onl
n degree or two below freezing, ant
t here in the lee of the deck -hous
r they hardly needed their furs.
d They had sat there in silence
IT long while. Toms promise that the
Is would keep "A brisk lookout agains
I a possible attack on the yacht ha,
% passed utterly from both their minds
1t was 80 still--So dead STILL TIL
q world about them was so utterl
1t empty as TO make any thought o
ls such an attack seem preposterous.
II Finally the girl seemed to roua
herself from the train of though
"a that had preoccupied her mine
e Strengthened up a little and turne
l. Tor look into her companions face
10 But this little movement. Of her bod
d failed to rouse him. His eyes did no
"a on the far horizon
II A moment later she stretched out
e hand and explored for his beheat
J. the great white bear skin that GOV
II cred him. found II and interlocked he
" fingers with his At that, he pulle
IS himself up, with start and ali
h ruptly withdrew his own from tn
70 contact
d She colored little, and her brow
n knitted In perplexity. What an oil
a bear you are, Tom, " she said. What
h the matter to-day It's not bI
l. Ike you to suik JUST because we dis
d agree about something. We disagree
ell the time, but you'e never bee
d like this TO me before"
= II always told you ] was a sulle
q brute when things went wrong wit
u me, although you never would he
d lieve it," he said I'm sorry"
II Il don't want you TO be sorry" sh
told him; II just want you to be
IT few shades more cheerful"
's ITO be- Continued.)