Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1914-03-14
CHAPTER xxxvII-continued


Great Cod he sees it! They all
see it! Plainly against that portion OF
the disk which still lifted itself above
the further wall, a curious moving
mass appears, Iengthens, takes on
shape, then shoots suddenly aioft,
clearing the encircling tops of the
bending, twisting and tormented trees,
straight into the heart OF the gale.
where for one breathless moment it
whirls madly about like a thing dis
traught, then in slow but triumphant
obedience 70 the master hand that
guides il, steadies and mounts males
tically upward till it is lost to their
view in the depths of impenetrable
darkness.
Orlando Brotherson has accom-
pIished 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 a cry of triumph, and Dor
is throws herself into Mr.. Challoner's
arms. Then they all stand transfixed
again, waiting for a descent which
may never come.
But bark; new sound. mingling it's
clatter with all the others 1t is the
rain. Quick. maddening, drenching,
It comes; enveloping them in wet in
moment. Can they hold their faces
up against It?
And the wind Surely 1t must toss
that aerial messenger before it and
fling it back to earth, a broken and
despised toy.
"Orlando?" went up in a shrek Or
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,
five 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-
INFLATED noises of the moment just
gone.
Orlando was in that shout of natural
forces, but he is not In this stiffness.
They look aloft. 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 mountaineering the circlet of
great branches over their heads-de-
scending, slowly descending-till they
catch another glimpse of those hazy
outlines which had no sooner taken
shape than the car disappeared from
their sight within the ellipticaI wall
open to receive it.
1t had survived the galei 1t 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 to
the door separating him from this
conGueror of almost invincibIe forces,
he pounded it with impatient fist
Let me int" he cried. You've
done the trick. Orlando. you've Gone
the trick"
Yes, have satisfied myself" came
back in studied self-control from the
other side of the door; and with a
quick turning of the lock. Orlando
stood before them
They never forgot him as he looked
at that moment He was drenched.
battered. palpitating with excitement;
but the majesty of success was in his
eye and in the bearing of his incom-
parable figure.
AS Oswald bounded towards him. he
reached out his hand. but his glance
was for Doris.