, 1912-07-11

P nlS 0an0
raised above the level Of his eyes I
looked. and we all looked. but could
see nothing. Still Ethan insisted:
Jest ag'in tibet cloud with a head on
IT. It's him as SUR as p~reachin'."
In affew moments ! mad the object
located. a moving speck against the
cloud. and set ou instantly In pursuit.
1 could recall well enough the rela-
tive situation and dimensions Of the
clouds to see that he had timed bis
movements to mine. which he must
have ~foreseen with Napoleonic pene-
tration. so that his moments Of enter
ing and leaving the clouds and of
crossing the interspaces would SO fall
% to keep him always concealed from
MS behind d curtain of vapor. He must
have forecast with absolute assurance
our final dart backward. which simply
s~uperadded mi speed to his in widen.
Ing the distance between us.
1t vas a bitter dose for me, but 1
swallowed It and fixed my mind with
redoubled resolution upon the rescue
of Helen Grayman.
Mr.. Grantham noticed nv chaerin
ana Kindly SAID:
mo matter. Allan. He's your vet.
I caused you to waste half an hour by
my useless suggestion. Now 60 ahead,
and I promise to be guilty Of no more
stupid interference"
ITS not your fault at all, Mr.. Gran.
tham." l replied warmly. Il should
have done what 1 did If you had not
spoken"
The secretary gave me q pressure of
the hand. and ! felt greatly encour-
aged. for knew I should have his
support however the thing turned out.
30 / visited Jim and melted him to
renewed efforts.
Get her up to a hundred and forty"
I said. "We've another and a last
chance"
"Trl do 1t or bust her." he grtmIy re-
Piled
We did go at an astonishing speed.
and no long time elasped before our
gain was so great that l told Ethan to
be ready.
shells this time" l said. .'we'n
not begin to fight until we are within
easy range. and ! van you I o pelt
him without mercy. Only" i added.
"aim for he eroplanes and save the
hull. The Chameleon carries the rich
est girl in the world. and we've got
her father aboard here"
Tn not a-goin' to tech a hair o. her
head. lootenant." replied Ethan. with.
l thought. a knowing grin. 1--WE been
to the show in my day. an I know all
about Romeo an his Jooliett."
felt my face burn and turned
away. This practical minded Yankee
evidently had his romantic side. too.
and had penetrated a secret of which
] did not dare to think myself.
do not believe that the Chameleon
was now making more than a hundred
and thirty-five at the most. and in a
couple of hours we had her almost
within range. AS we drew neare.
Payton evidently saw that the game
was up and that his only course was
to fight.
he ran up his black nag and dressed
bis 6ier from stem to stern In the
same color, thus stamping her siIhou-
cite with startling distinctuess against
the rising clouds beyond and giving
her an aspect so fierce and menacing
that I saw some of my men regarding
her and one another with doubtful
looks and shrugs:
I called to Jim to pile on the speed
once more and to Ethan to follow the
range and announce 1t to me every
half minute.
-Four mileT" he presently sum out
three mile an a half
Before he called again q vast smoke
bellied cloud which had been piling its
golden pagodas up into the sunshine
above seemed to make q sudden rush
all along its front and at the same time
crinkled with lightning. In an aston
ishingly brief time its advance hsd
reached the Chameleon. while flanking
vspors ran out like a charge Of cav
airy and began to envelop Us.
The sweep Of the storm was so sud-
den and swift hat almost In q moment
the Chameleon vanished, and then the
Osprey was swallowed up with dark
ness. Illuminated now and then by
venomous lightning bolts.
The thunder growled and ratified all
about ~. and the aero lunged and
pitched 80 dangerously that l advised
Mr.. Grayman and the secretary to
take refuge in the cabin. My men
managed the fier superbly. and in a
few minutes the storm passed. and we
found ourselves In a valley Of cloud
land = blue sky overhead. thunder
clouds piled like vast rocks all around
and the earth beneath hidden with
dark nimbus.
Beyond the nearer clouds b vapor
peaks rose giittering In the sunshine
like snow clad mountains.
Then l caught sight Of the Chame-
leon. also inclosed In a cloud walled
valley, not more than q quarter of q