River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-08-28
CHAPTER xxxvI.-contlnued

Great God! he sees it! They all
see 1t! Plainly against that portion OF
the disk which still lifted itself above
the further wall, curious moving
mass appears, lengthens, takes on
shape, then shoots suddenly aloft,
clearing the encircling tops of the
be1ding, twisting and tormented trees,
straight into the heart of the gale,
where for one breathIess moment it
whirls madly about like a thing dis
traught, then in slow but triumphant
obedience to the master hand that
guides it, steadies and mounts males
tically upward till it is lost to their
view in the depths of impenetreble
darkness.
Orlando Brotherson has accom-
plished his task. He has invented
mechanism which can send an air-car
straight up from its mooring place.
As the three watchers realize this, Os
valid utters cry Of triumph, and Dor
Is throws herself into Mr.. Challoner's
arms. Then they all stand transtixed
again, waiting for a descent which
may never come.
But bark; a new sound, mtngling it's
chatter with all the others. 1t is the
rain. Quick, maddening, drenching,
1t comes; enVeloping them in wet in a
moment. Can they hold their faces
up against it?
And the wind! Surely 1t must toss
that aerial messenger before it and
fling 1t back to earth, broken and
despised toy.
"Orlando?" went up in a shrek. Cor
lando?"
Oh, for a ray of light in those far
off heavens! For lull in the ire
mendous sounds shivering the heavens
and shaking the earth! But the tenn
pest RACES on, and they can only wait,
Eve minutes, ten minutes, looking,
hoping, fearing, without thought of
self and almost without thought of
each other, till suddenly as it had
come, the rain ceases and the wind,
with one final wall of rage and defeat,
rushes away into the west, leaving be-
hind it a sudden silence which. to
their terrified hearts, seems almost
more dreadful to bear than the accu-
mulated noises Of the moment just
gone.
Orlando was in that shout Of natural
forces. but he is not in this stiffness
They look aIoft, but the heavens are
void emptiness is where life was
Oswald begins to sway, and Doris, re
Numbering him now and him only
has thrown her strong young arm
about him, when-what is this sound
they hear high up, high up, in the rap
idly clearing vault of the heavens! A
throb-a steady pant-drawing near
and yet nearer-entering the circlet Of
great branches over their heads-de
scending, slowly descending-til they
catch another glimpse of those hazy
outlines which had no sooner taker
shape than the car disappeared from
their sight within the elliptical wal
open to receive it.
It had survived the gale! It has re
entered its haven, and that, too, with
out colliding with aught around or any
shock to those within. just as Orlando
had promised; and the world was
henceforth his! Hail to Orlando Broth
erson!
Oswald could hardly restrain his
mad joy and enthusiasm. Bounding t.
the door separating him from thi:
conqueror of almost invincible forces
he pounded it with impatient fist.
Let me in" he cried You've
done the trick, Orlando, you've done
the trick"
Eyes, have satisfied myself" came
back in studied self-contro1 from tbs
other side of the door; and with ;
quick turning of the lock, Orlando
stood before them.
They never forgot him as he looket
at that moment He was drenched
battered, pa1pitating with excitement
but the majesty of success was in hi
eye and in the bearing of his incom
parable figure.
As Oswald bounded towards him, b
reached out his hand, but his glanc
was for Doris.
EYES," he went on. in tones of sur