Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1913-10-30
CHAPTER vl.-continusd.


CHAPTER Vl.--Continued.
Up toward him the machine arose in
long, sweeping curve until but a
Few hundred feet separated them and
deeply intoned gasp came from the
multitude as the tragedy seemed about
to close before 1t had begun. And
then the unexpected happened. Clos
Ing his wings as quickly as a woman
snaps her fan shut, the Flying Man
dropped in black streak, while Put
nam, quick as a cat In pursuit of a
mouse, plunged after him in a dive
SO reckless. so apparently beyond con-
troll. that shrill cry, quick and ex-
plosive, burst from the multitude and
hundreds averted their faces that they
might not witness the sight all
thought must follow. But when hun
dreds of those below had already start
ed for the place where he would lie
at the end of the fall, he checked his
flight with Incompatible skill and
went skimming along ON parallel,
once more in perfect poise. 1t was
an exhibition of nerve beyond any
thing they had ever seen attempted
by an aviator before, and hoarse
roar of admiration burst from their
threats as they pounded each other
upon the back in a frenzy of delight.
AS for the Flying Man, he had mount
ed up again and was now coming
straight toward them with mighty
sweeps. Swiftly Putnam circled about
and followed.
And now followed chase such as
man had never seen before-the sight
OF wingless man in machine-driven
craft whistling through the air at
wild speed in pursuit of another man
upon whom Nature had bestowed a
power of fight beyond that of most of
her feathered things-with death as
the losers penalty. Their evolutions
became bewildering. Plainly the Fly
ing Man was trying the other out as
boxer tests an unknown adversary
before deciding upon his course of
battle. He mounted straight upward
as an arrow and at height of thou
sands of feet hung stationary with a
languid beating of his great wings. He
dropped as nighthawk drops in his
hunting at dusk, he leaped broad
spaces like shooting star, he flew
upon his side as a swimmer races,
he circled, he pirouetted in dizzy
whirls, scared like condor, tapped
lazily. 1t was an exhibition of flying
Incompatible, and the concourse be-
low grew cold with apprehension as it
mentally pictured the scene which
must follow when this wizard of the
air, firing of his exhibition, would
bring 1t to close. But Putnam, reck-
less as ever and either not realizing
or not caring that he was hopelessly
outclassed, stuck to his quarry with
the tenaeity of bulldog. Almost any
other man would have descended and
awaited the arrival of reinforcements,
but with half million dollars in
sight, a great crowd to watch him
and his reputation for fearlessness at |
stake, the aviator followed every
movement of the black-winged one
with fierce determination. 1t was |
catch or be caught, kill or be killed, |
and he had faced death at short range |
too often to falter now. Steady as
an iron man, cool as ice despite his |
rage, he unanswered his machine with |
a skill and dash and disregard of con-
sequences that proclaimed him the
most spectacular of his spectacular
every move executed with
the accuracy of genius, every poise
the acme of skill. Three times his
revolver had leaped from its holster
as his foe offered possible mark,
but each time the winged one, divin-
ing his intent, dropped like a stone
and Putnam had released the unfired
weapon to devote himself once more
to the machine. He had begun at last
to realize that the chase was hopeless,
but his obstinacy was still mistaken
ut has got to be you or L. my artful
dodger,n he gritted between his set
teeth as he once more swung about
In pursuit after a futile whirlwind
dash. 1T is you or /, and by Heav-
ems one of us has got to take a tumble
his day." In the grimness OF his de-
to get fair shot he
would have tried to fly to midocean
had the other led him that way.
But now the tactics of the Flying
Nan suddenly changed. Appearing to
nave satisfied his mind that he could
oy with the other and harass him as