Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1913-11-27
CHAPTER vIll.-contInued.

He felt the bottom drop from his
stomach as she fairly leaped across
deadly air pockets where all below
was like vacuum, covering the gap
as great runner upon skees sweep
ing down mountainside hurls himself
by momentum alone over broad
reaches OF space. He felt himself
bounding from invisible air crest to
Invisible air crest with the lightness
OF one who dances upon rope, he
felt the weight of momentum pressing
against his side and pushing at him
like a strong hand as a swerve to
right or left took them a moment from
their direct path. He looked down.
Far below, SO far that the trees looked
like the toy trees upon the blocks
which children play with, the people
like toy men two inches tall, the
beasts Of the field like the beasts of
toy ark, the earth was rushing back
ward as the film of a moving picture
speeds and vanishes. He looked up
Space, yawning and infinite, hazy,
gauzy, mystery filled; the moon barely
distinguishable and thin as a ghost
floating far above like a bubble. He
gazed to the west. The sun, copperish
and vast, glowed as through a thin
mesh. They were mile above the
point of starting-two miles above the
level of the sea and almost even with
the lower reaches of the eternal SHOWS
of the peaks. The chill of upper space
pervaded him and he drew himself
closer together as he thieved a quick
glance at the man at his side. The
aviator's face was drawn and deeply
lined, his, eyes glowing, his teeth
clenched and his iron finger delicately
fondling the wheel as his body swayed
rhythmically to the slow roll of the
machine. He looked ahead once more
speeding in front of them as the
shadow III a bird speeds was the hori- |
Zontal form of the one whom they |
were pursuing, his body stretched |
straight as shaft from bow, his |
grotesque face turned over his Shout !
der, his huge eyes glowing with malev-
eously, They heard his cry sweep
past them in the hiss and whistle of
the wind.
He rubbed his eyes and awoke as
one from a dream. The last of the
specks had disappeared and he was
gazing into empty space. He shook
himself and smiled. Voices were buzz
zing excitedly all about him, the crowd
surging restlessly about, yet so reals
tic had been the flight of his, magma
ton that for the last few minutes he
had been as oblivious of their pres
ence as had they been upon one of
the far distant bodies of space But
now finding himself upon earth once
more he began peering about. Where
was Doris2 He must hunt her up i'm
nediately. In the scattering of the
,oncourse before the flight of the avi-
ltors he had for an instant felt
slight worriment as to her safety, but
he knowledge that Tolliver was with
Ter and that his riva, was fully com
,etent to protect her had eased his
mind. Now, however, he would search
Ter out
A hand fell upon his shoulder and
lie turned in his tracks. Professor
Desmond was beaming upon him, and
darch took the proffered hand with
enuine pleasure. "Ah, Professor!
lutte able to be around once more,
ZEE. l am glad. So you, too, were
ucky enough to witness the pursuit :
I your unclassified mongrel of space
y the wholly human flying-men.
)esmond's eyes were still sparkling S
nth excitement c
YES, ! was fortunate enough to be i
ambling around the grounds when s
heir ascent took place. 1t was stir
excruciating. 1t thrilled q
lie like a fife and drum regiment a
away to do battle for my s
ountry. longed to accompany S
1em, to join in their dangers, to smell a
ne powder. of my c~fi' fife and share Il
he brunt of the shock. SO today did
thrill with desire to sit beside one p
I them and hear the whistle of the h
ind. In fact, In spirit did soar g
18th the air feet, closed my eyes and
xperienced quite wildly what mag a