Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-09-20
~ A Romance
OF Flying
LANES :
Copyright. 1909. BY the Bobbs.
Merrill Company

ter peaks or even the submits of Slid,
mountain. All he really knew was
that he was above the Catskills anC
that unless he could outmaneuver the
elements they faced an encounter witt
rain. wind and great possibilities ir
the way Of lightning. The domes OF
thundercloud few miles to their RICH,
seemed almost low enough to be over
passed, so he set the levers for an
ascent. and the Virginia rose like
osprey chased by an eagle.
I'm trying your suggestion" said
Carson. "I'm scaling the front Of tina
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 1t 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.
1--WE can't make It," said Carson.
.Don't try!" exclaimed Craighead.
TITS effrontery.'
Changing lever or 80. Carson drove
straight toward the bosom OF the
cloud.
Carson sat with his hand on his
levers. pale as II dead: Craighead
hand rail, bis eyes turned
aloft as IL In invocation. A more re-
mote flash and darkness returned. but
not so densely. The space before them
grew softly light. and in moment
they swan into the moonlight
an Unreasonable chamber Of
cloud darted the aeronef into a second
Of rain and mist and out on
a 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 ut the point Of
retreat. both ut once saw what neither
was Shayne's Hold
The bold was on the triple peak of one
IF the ruggedest and highest masses
II the Catskills. rising steep as a wall.
hundreds Of feet In the air. to three
in the midst Of which stood
he mansion. The huge buildings had
been built, the animals had been intro
1uced. the last luxury had been sup
)lied. and Shayne's Hold had been
sealed up. Down from the mountain
lowed three streams. up which had
'un the precipitous roads to the top,
md when the time came for closing
he hold to those who had no way of
the air Mr.. Shayne had
,uilt across them immense dams. using
blasted from the mountain
tides at such places as to render them
quite unscalable. The steepened preci-
ices thus carried across the ravines
n masonry made lofty wall entirely
lround the mountain.
Every effect that could be produced
" lights. white and colored. the cleo
had worked out for the
Of this enchanted palace
lung on cliffs. Overlooking the region,
IS its owner overloaded his fellows.
he hold was place Of mystery. hold
ng no neighborship with the people
'elow. 1t was real Laputa. an island
n the air. and those only could reach
t who could fly.
About the peak ran a labyrinth Of
'rldle paths and carriage roads. oil
outlined from above by winding lines
4 lights. like the route Of an army of
,ewildered glowworms. Hidden by
pur Of cliff was the immense airshlp
,arage.
The lightning had disabled its light
ng system for the most part. and the
lold had gone dark. Carson had
made two or three reconnoissances
'ver the very spot, but had not sus-
,ected its presence. for the sky was
louded and the ulster Of the pools too
eeble to reach his eyes. so that the
udden outflash Of the myriad lights
when the currents were restored came
o both men with astonishing unex-
The hold had blossomed suddenly in
Ire. The lakes edged with lights glim-
nered like mirrors; the clustered arc
ghts delimited the high mesa like
nap; the winding labyrinth Of mean
escents netted the peaks like glowing
.illiputian threads about the recum-
ent CULVER, and In the midst stood
great roomy columned mansion. its
rings In shade, its central court
CLEAN. the radiant heart Of an elab-