The Irish standard., 1911-09-16
CHAPTER XVIII.
An Attack.

An Attack.
The fact that their enemy was
alone and that he was Roscoe himself
was responsible for the conviction
that Cayley's wings were all that
stood between them and an attack.
No terror attributable to human
causes would have held back that
solitary and altogether desperate out
cast.
The thing in the situation which
caused Cayley the most uneasiness
was the fear that some time or other
Roscoe would solve the mystery,
would see him in the very act of
taking to the air. This fear suggested
an expedient. to him one day as he
was flying along near the snow-crest-
ed edge Of the cliff.
II don't know why I never thought
Of 1t before" he said to Jeanne as he
alighted beside her moment or two
afterward; "but I've got 1t now-the
way to prevent Roscoe from every
solving the mystery of your guardian
angel. thought of 1t when saw the
mound up on the cliff-head that is
formed 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 1t out
enough, at least, so that can take
wing from there"
you never can dig out enough snow
~ ~cfa 70 ~ Oh,
objected.
81 sha'n't have to. TIL Just dive OF
the cliff" ..-. -..
philip, you sha'n't!" .y-e-.
'Why not?"
"You know what you told me your.
self. That none of the big birds can
take to the air without a running
start; and about taking pelicans and
birds like that up into high buildings
and throwing them out Of windows,
and how they were always killed"
That's because they've only got
instinct instead of intelligence. None
Of their family had ever been thrown
out Of windows before, and they didn't
know what to do. But can get my
other. Oh, yes, I've done 1t. Do you
imagine, Jeanne dear, that I'd take 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-
nelling out from the observatory. He
did not dig In the snow; he simply
packed it, gradually enlarging the
space from . section the size of the
pilot house door to 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 fight from
this aerie, and, in spite of her con-
fidence in his powers, she endured q
horrible moment or two. For he came
hurting down, head first, at an anglo
of go 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
had said he could, she dropped down
upon bear-skin, which was spread.
before the hut, and shut her eyes, for
what she had seen had turned her q
bit giddy.
That feeling passed in a moment.
She opened her eyes and lay, stretch
ed at full length. upon the bear-skin,
watching him as he wheeled and
dipped, then lowered aloft again in
that fading violet sky, supremely
masterful, ma1estically dominant Of
the unstable element he had con-
quered
She sat up suddenly, erect, upon
the bear skin, with the realization that
1t was nearly dark. Their hours Of
daylight were getting very scanty
now. Today's allowance was gone, al
though 1t was not yet three in the aft
ernoon.
She looked aloft for Cayley, but
could not see him. Then, the next
moment, she heard the whine of the
air through his rigging, and he sailed
down on q long slant and alighted be-
side her.
He got clear Of his Planes with an
unaccountable air Of haste, and held
out both hands to help her rise.
What do We do with sentinels who
60 to sleep on duty?" he questioned
with q laugh. .a
II wasn't asleep." she said contrits-
~, but 1t was just about az bad. I
was th11king@ She paused there.