The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-05-21
(Continued.)

And the telephone was hung up
Morning saw Craighead himself
again; so much so that he lectured
Mr.. Waddy on the old kitchen-mid
den shell banks.
these piles of Shells" said he
ARE neither Indian remains. in the
ordinary Specification of the term
Indian, nor Aztec, in the proper
sense of that. I have made spe
cialty of these things. They are
''The boat is waitin', suh," said
the man with the launch.
They went through the canal In
great style. Craighead descantine
on the influence of canals in gen
eral, and this one especially. 1t was
Craighead who leaped out, pushed
the launch through tight squeeze
in the narrows, and leaped in like
a trackmeet man, filled Mrs. Gray.
bills lap with lilies. and tried un.
successfully to engage her In con.
versatiOn-she being unusually pen.
sive. He was the life of the party
once more. Fate smiled: the cards
again ran his way, and all was well
save for the Graybill pensiveness.
Perhaps his declaration over the
wire-but pshaw! She had saved
him, and the logic of their lives
was plain.
They skinned the black waters
of Freshwater lake. and landed at
the shelly hummock. While the
boatman searched for the path to
the Gulf beach. they sat on the shell
mound, fascinated by the strange
landscape. The expanse of black
pools and reedy marshes between
them and the line of surf, which
they could hear roaring beyond the
dunes, was dotted with clumps Of
tall pines, and splotched with scrub
oak thickets.
Those pines" said Mrs. Graybill,
ARE like palms on coral islands, so
tall, so slender, and-why, what's
that"
Well might she speak thus; for.
rising from beyond the dunes, as
if from the sea, there scared a
great something which moved like
bird. With enormous wings stead
lily outstretched. 1t made inland,
like a foraging hawk. 1t swelled
like a magic ship as 1t neared them,
sailing low and dominating the sky
like a cloud. 1t came with the
most amazing speed, like an eagle
in mid-swoop, so swift, so light. so
facile that all impression of weight
was abolished. and the huge thing
filled the mind with the notion OF
levity-like a hunAning bird. 1t
swerved, AS 1t neared the lake. and
sheered round as swings gull to
pick up food. The whir of machin-
cry came down to them like the
rush of a thousand quail bursting
from covert; as, with a wide grace
full curve. 1t departed as suddenly
as It had come. leaving them gag
ing after It, spellbound. almost
struck dumb.
''Oh, of course" said Craighead.
his hands trembling, his face
white, this man Carson Is a
fraud! Oh, yes. we knew 1t all the
time! But you see that his aero
nef has gone through the empty
form OF eventuating all the same.
Flying like frigate bird! Shayne.
charge! Roll over, Silberberg!
And don't dare move till say so!
Oh, this Is rotten. rotten! I've got
to kiss some one! Hooray!"
Mrs. Graybill was running along
the path after the guide. who was
straining every nerve to attain the
bearch where the view would be
unimpeded. Craighead ran after
her. MIR. Waddy putting along be-
hind hopelessly unplaced.
did you see Carson?" said
Craighead. And there was givl
with him. Some confidence, to
risk lady on board, not?"
ooh. let us hurry" said she. tits
the most marvellous thing In the
world"
Emerging from the dunes. they
saw the airship Swimming off along
the line of beach foam. growing
smaller with rapidity that spoke
eloquently OF her speed, Down the
beach stood Mrs. Stott and Captain
Harrod. looking after the airship II
amazement and delight. II was tn,
day OF the first trial. The proph