Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-09-04


/ When they came to themselves they
found that they were in their little
cabin. Payton stood beside them with
| a smelling bottle In his hand; the cooE
| was near with another; the door was
| wide open. and brilliant sunshine was
| pouring In.
"Do not feel any alarm, Miss Gray
man." he said. at is all over. There
was no real danger. The spirits OF the
| air were a little inconsiderats In wei
! coming you to their domain, but they
meant well. have often been SINH
larry shocked by them. but it is only
intended for a friendly pat on the
shoulder"
AS Payton spoke he laughed SO cheer
tngly that Miss Grayman could but
smile in response.
at am afraid that shall not like your
spirits OF the air. Commodore Brown
she said. They are rather too exuber-
ant In their greetings. do not care to
meet them again"
And you shall not" replied Payton.
I'VE have dropped down below the re-
| gion of the clouds and are now entirely
outside their fairy realm. They will
trouble us no more with their atten-
lions. You may be Interested to learn
that we are nearing our destination"
oh" said Miss Grayumn. instantly
! rising, full Of vivacity. then our
friends are close at handr'
''I hope So" said Payton, -but we
may have got the start Of them. We
shall know In a short time"
paratus ON the Chameleon, and he now
retired to his cabin and sent out call,
to which after brief interval he had
response. He then held a long con-
versation with some distant interioc-
utoe.
When the conversation was finished
Payton hung up his receiver and leaned
back in bis chair with laugh. But 1t
was a very different laugh from that
his guests" into good humor and make
them feel that he was the most agree
able Of companions. It was a laugh
that would have sent a chill to Miss
Grayman's heart, so cold, so cruel, so
expressive was it Of satisfied cunning
and anticipated triumph.
1t was a couple of hours before Pay
ton knocked at the door Of the little
cabin and called Miss Grayman out to
witness the arrival Of the aero at its
destination. She was a little surprised
to find how rapidly they had descended
from their aerial flight. They were
now within hundred feet or so of the
ground, and as she glanced around she
IV1f oil cidoc
tall, wild looking trees whose aspect
proclaimed that they at least belonged
to a real wilderness.
81 begin to doubt" said Miss Gray
man, addressing Susan, for Payton had
Immediately withdrawn to superintend
the landing, whether we are, after all,
in the Catskills. don't believe that
the Catskill woods are so large"
But there was a town, you know"
said Susan.
''Ah, yes, but we may have come
I can't understand why my friends
should have put the rendezvous at
such a distance, but 1 suppose they
had some good reason. Anyhow, we
shall soon see them now. and all will
be explained. Just think Of it! They
must have come by aero also. Isn't it
romantic?"
While they were talking the Chame-
leon quietly descended until her aero
plane almost swept the top branches
of the tall pines and hemlocks. Her
movements were directed by sharp,
short orders from Payton. Suddenly
she sank through an opening in the
treetops and entered a forest glade,
and, with the branches sweeping over
head, she moved very cautiously, like
a>ship in tortuous channel. Then a
partial clearing appeared directly
ahead, and a CLEAN of water came to
their eyes. This soon resolved itself
into a small lake, embosomed in the
forest, with a large building on its
shore.
stop herr commanded Payton.
A shiver ran through the aero, she
settled gracefully for a few seconds
and came to rest just in front of the
building. Immediately two men in
woodsmen or hunters dress ran to
meet her, and in the door of the build
ing appeared a stout, rudy faced wo-
man wearing a huge white cap and
smiling a welcome.
I'VE have arrived safely, Miss Gray
man." said Payton. approaching, hat
in hand. Permit me to assist you
down"
She took his offered hand and de-
scended Upon a bright, sandy path
which led from the lake to the house.
Il welcome Xou to my lodge in the
wilderness" said Payton. "It has new
er had a guest who could do it so much
honor"
Then this is yours?' she exclaimed
"Oh. yes; IT belongs to me, but quite
as much TO my friendsp'
But where are my friends?''
81 had hoped to be counted as one Of
Them" Payton replied. smiling But,
unfortunately. the others have not yet
come. / rather expected to distance
them, for my aero has few rivals for
1eetness, but they cannot be far away.
Let me put you in charge of my house