Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-09-06

enced?" she asked.
Never" said be. "as am now
likely tor
"And the other shock that might
overturn your self control?"
1.-THE failure Of Carson" replied
Craighead. "That would put me down
and out-down and out!'
The relations Of Craighead to Mr..
Waddy became more and more strain
ed, for the former could no longer ex-
plain satisfactorily the failure Of Car
son to appear with his airship Final
ly as last resort Mr.. Waddy resolved
to take Craighead and Mrs. Graybill
and go to the south to settle the whole
problem. Thus 1t was that the three
were at Palmetto Beach when Captain
Harrod with the launch passed
through Strong's bayou with Virginia
and Mrs. Stott on the way to the cabin
where the first Carson aeronef was
preparing for its delayed fight north.
Tickets had been bought to Palmetto
Beach on Craigbead's statement that
Carson was here.
"Ah" said Craighead. How nat
ural it all looks! seem never to have
left these balmy. if somewhat sandy,
! shades Dear old Yupon Hedge inn!"
Mr. Craighead was halted by liver
led attendant.
BEG pardon. sir" said he. This is
private clubhouse The inns over
there!'
"Oh. certainly" replied Craighead.
"All cement walks look alike to me-"
"The one over at the inn looks like
brick" said Mr.. Waddy grimly.
| Craighead searched In vain after
their arrival at the inn for Carson.
IL Craighead's easy fow of speech
was somewhat impeded by his sense Of
the uncertainties. not to say dangers.
Of bis position. it was worse when he
and Mr.. Waddy and the handsome.
sympathetic Mrs. Graybill returned
from the plantation. having ELECTED
from the reluctant Chloe the informa.
ton that MIR. Theodore. his machine.
his niece and bis niece's companion
were at Harrod's camp on the beach.
which was "ofr waterway" They
list went down the river. through
| canal, across some land. and then they
were thar. She didn't know about no
aeronef. but Mr. Theodo' was a-pro-
iickin' around with some flynn ma
chine. She recokoned the canal at Pal.
metto Beach was the one. but she
| didn't know, This information. Mr..
! Craighead declared. made everything
clear, but on returning to the inn Mr..
| Waddy hired local officer to guard
| Mr.. Craighead's room and began TAX
ing thought of having a warrant Is
sued against him for something-Mr
Waddy was not quite clear for what.
Craighead was trapped. lost. betray'
ed. FIe sat in his room chewing
cigar and calculating the distance to
the ground 1t looked feasible to get
down u pillar of the veranda and into
the woods. Carson was an impostor.
they were guilty of fraud. there was
no aeronef. and the Air Products COM
pany would collapse ut Mr.. Waddy's
detection.
ng-a-ling-ting-ting
His telephone rang. Was his good
angel Mrs. Grayhii on the wire? She
was.
| "You know who this is?"
"Know these tones?" he gushed.
"Why, were in deepest hades through
geological depths of burning mari and
| Ignite and other carbOniferous depoS-
its I'd know them! What is 1t, fair
oneY
"Oh. nothing. Only have just
learned ut the postoftice that Mr.. Car
son is back Il few miles. through la
| coon, and the man will get us guide
with boat to take us through those
narrows in the morning. Is that all
right?"
you are My God. Caroline, you
have saved me from you know not
what. l shall love you. love you. love
YOU
And the telephone was hung up.
They went through the canal In
great style. 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 land
scape. The expunse of black pools
and reedy marshes between them and
| the line Of surf. which they could hear
roaring beyond the dunes. was dotted
with clnmps of tall pines and splotch-
! ed With scrub oak thickets.
'"Those pines." said Mrs. Graybiu,
''are like palms. Why. what's that"
exclaimed Mrs. Graybill.
Rising from beyond the dunes. US II
from the sea. there scared great
something which moved like bird.
It swelled like magic ship as 1t
neared them. sailing low and dominant
ing the sky like cloud. 1t came with
| the most amazing speed. like an eagle
| in midswoop. so swift. so light. so
| facile that all impression Of weight
was abolished. and the huge thing
| filed the mind with the notion of levi
ty-like humming bird.
"Oh. Of course" said Craishead. his
hands trembling. his face white. this
man Carson Is fraud! Oh. yes. we
knew it all the time. But you see
that his aeronef has gone through the
empty form of eventuating. all the
same. Flying like frigate bird!
Shaync. charge! Roll over. Silber-
berg, and don't dare move till say
so! Oh. this is rotten-rotten! I've
got to kiss some one! Hurray!
Mrs. Graybill was running along the
path after the guide. Mr.. Waddy puff