The evening world., 1914-02-23

Alaska. It juts its impenetrable bar
rier far down into the Arctic Sea.
Cayley wheeled sharply UP into the
wind. and scared aloft to . height
Of perhaps Q quarter Of q mile. Then.
with q long. flashing, sbimmering
sweep. he descended in the arc Of .
great circle and hung poised over the
land itself and behind the jutfinG
shoulder of the mountain.
The land was narrow w-neckod
peninsula. Mountain and cliff pre-
vented him from seeing the imme'li-
ate coast on the other side OF II: but
out little way to sea he was amazed
to discover open water. and the
smoke-ltke vapor that no saw rising
over tho cliffhead made 1t evident
that the opening extended nearly. II
not quite. to the very lands edge.
He would have lowered again above
the rocky ridge which shut OF his
Wow and gone to investigate this
phenomenon at closer range had he
not Just then got tho shock Of an
other surprise. greater than the dis
covery OF land itself.
The little valley which no hung
poised above was sheltered by n Sec
ond ridge OF rocky, ice-capped hills to
the north. and except for streaks de-
noting crevices here and there was
quite free from ice and snow. There
were bright patches Of green upon It,
evidently some bit Of towering nor
thern grass. and II was hecked here
yellow poppy. he Judged II to he.
and saxifrage. Hugging the hase OF
the mountain. on the opposite side OF
the valley. then notching tho cliff
and grinding down to the sea at tho
other side of II was a great white
glacier. all tho whittier and colder and
moro dazzling for Its contrast with
the brown mountain side and the
green clad valley.
But the thing that caught his eye
now, that made him start and drnw
In little involuntary gasp OF won
der. was the sight OF Q little clu,np
OF black dots moving slowly. almost
imperceptibly from this distance.
across the face Of the glacier. He
blinked his eyes. a. n he suspected
them Of playing him false. Unless
they had played him false. these tiny
dots were men.
Instinctively. he shifted his bal
ancs little to the left, lowering his
left wing and elevatins mis- right,
and began reaching alonE. thwart-
wise to the-wind. In their direction.
Presently he checked himself in
mid-flight, wheeled and hung. soar
Ing, while he restrained that rebelliotn
instinct OF his. an instinct which
would have led him to sail down
into the midst of them and hold out
his hand for q welcome.
He wheeled once moro and then
sailed SLOWLY In their direction. Their
laborfous progress down the glacier
led them away from him, 90 that he
came up from behind, and without
attractin: their attention. Tho Arc
tic sun waa too low 10 cast his shad-
ow across them. and he hung At last
unremarked directly over their heads.
All OF the party but one mar wore
dressed exactly alike. Ia hooded bear
skin shirts ana brseches, and boots
of what he guessed was wairus hide.
They moved along with tbs peculiar
shuttle OF men accustomed BY long
habit 20 ths footing and 70 the beavv
conhning garb they wore 90 TAR ~
he could So they were unarmsd.
The other man was strikinGiy Hif-
ferent. He appeared TO b clad much
% Cayisy was himself. IN leather.
rather than IN untannsd hide. He
seemed slishtAr. sprightlier. and IN
every way 70 convey the impression
OF having ooMe more PecAnty from
the eivilised. habitabis. portioa Of the
world than hiS companions, He car.
sisd . rif1s huns ~ strap over bis
shonider, svtdsntly foressslng no i'm
mediate use for u. and . nask.
ne could hear that they were talking.
Tho leather clad. man appeared TO be
doing the NEST Of Il, and, from the
tn0NCtloa AZ hln voA0A n aoAsmAA a.