, 1911-05-25

would see him In the yerv act ~
taxing to the air. This fear suggested
an expedient to him one day as he
was nylng along near the snow-orest.
ed edge Of the cliff.
don't now why I never thou~bt
/ nj 1t before" he said to Jeanne as be
alighted beside her a momen mr. two
afterward; but I've got IT now-tbe
way 10 prevent Roscoe from every
sowing the mystery of your guardian
angel. thought of 1t when I saw the
mound up on the cliff-head that is
tormed by the observatory. 1t can't
be buried so very deep in the snow
because the mound isn't so very big.
I'm going up there now to dig It. out.
enough. at least. so that / can take
wing from there"
YOU never can dig out enough snow
TO get a running start up there" she
objected.
Il sha'n't have to. I'll Just dive of
the cliff"
Philip, you sha'n't,"
Why mott"
You know what you told me your
self. That zone of the big birds can
take 10 the air without a running
start: and about taking pelicans and
birds like hat up into high buildings
and throwing them out OF windows,
and how they were always killed"
That's because they've only go
Instinct instead of intelligence. None
Of their family had ever been thrown
out of windows before, and they didn't
krNw urhat e. 10 D..
start quite as safely that way as any
other. oh. yes. I've done It. Do you
imagine, Jeanne dear. that I'd AXE an
unnecessary risk so long as my life
is the only possible protection there
is for yours"
He spent the rest Of the day tun-
melting out from the observatory. He
did not dig In the snow; he simply
packed it, gradually enlargtng the
space from q section the size of the
pilot house door to a space at the
cliffs edge wide enough for the full
spread OF his wings.
Jeanne was watching on the beach
when he made his first flight from
this aerie, and. In spite OF her CON
fidence in his powers. she endured q
horrible ONE or two. For he came
hurting down. head first, at an angle
OF so degrees; and he had traversed
two-thirds Of the distance to the beach
before his line detected outward and
began curving up toward the hori-
zontal.
When she saw that he was safe,
that he had really done the thing he
hod ootd he DNr1A oha Hrl-.nS A1-rr
upon a bear-skin. which was spread
before the hut, and shut her eyes, for
what she had seen had turned her .
bit giddy.
That feeling passed in q moment
She opened her eyes and lay. stretch
ed at full length, upon the bear-skin.
watching him as be wheeled and
dipped, then lowered aloft again in
that fading violet sky, supremacy
masterful, ma1estically dominant OF
the unstable element he had con-
Quered.
She sat up suddenly, erect, upon
the bear skin. with the realization that
it was nearly dark. Their hours Of
daylight we're getting very scanty
now. Today's allowance was gone, al
though 1t was not yet three in the aft
ernoon.
She looked aloft for Csyley. but
moment. she heard the whine of the
air through his rigging. and he sailed
down on a long slant and alightsd be-
side her.
He got clear Of his planes with an
unaccountable air Of haste, INT held
out both hands to help her rise.
What do We do with sentinsls who
90 to sleep on duty" he questioned
with q laugh.
IL wasn't asleep" shs said oontrits-
", but It was Just about a. haA. l
was thinking" She paused Asrs.
then added. about you. Whats the
sentence Of the courtf"
Already he had his wings folded up
and was handing them to her.
The sentence is that you shall be
frightened with a bea story. There's
a big one coming down the beach Art
or you this very moment, and you're
to surrender the revolver to me and
stay under arrest in the hut until AT
er l have killed him"
She did not need to be told that he
was N earnest. in spite OF the smile
that went with his words. She turned
about quickly and looked up the
beach. sighting along Cayley's arm as
he pointed. Even in the deep t~ilignt
she could already make out the sham
bling figure that was coming along to-
ward them on all fours.
Why does he move In that queer
sort of wayf" she whispered.
They had shrunk back into the
shadow OF the hut. the girl actually
inside Of the vestibule and Cayley on
the doorstep.
Hes been wounded. When was
overhead | could make out the BLOOD
stains on his side. and he was leaving