Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-03-19

disheveled and wild Of face, who, for
getful of what he was doing, clutched
frantically at the machine as II
sailed close over his head. Wildly he
sprang after 1t as 1t scared away,
shouting hoarsely as he ran. North
North-it is March. In the name
OF God. come down" Filled with
wonderment as to what all this could
mean, yet knowing well enough that
much lay behind that wild appeal, he
shut off his motor, raised his planes
obliquely and as his momentum died
settled almost as lightly as a feather
falls. Scarcely had the wheels of his
machine struck the rock than he had
leaped from his seat and was hurry
ing back to the one who was approach.
ing him upon a stiff-legged run. Close
before him the aviator stopped and
stared.
"March-in the name Of all things!
What has happened. man? Out with
It," Brokenly, almost incoherently,
the ragged one made known the most
important details Of the twenty-four
hours last past, the bearing away OF
Doris by the flying monster INT her
being in his possession dead or alive
that very moment upon the distant
table top; of Tolliver gone insane and
now probably dead. the awful fall Of
that squirming body through the
moonlight, his own all-night run, which
had brought him back to fall exhaust
ed upon the spot. And as he listened
North's face grew hard as flint until
at last he grasped the speaker vice
like by the arm.
Got your nerve with you YETI" he
demanded grimly. March nodded.
knowing what was to come.
Then come along. That instinct
that told me that the Flying Man had
only gone to this other place and COM
mitted that crime to lure us there
that he might double on his trail and
come back here was right after all.
1t haunted me until I couldn't sleep.
And Inlay got the same bunch at the
same time, too, and set out along
with me-. We had It neck and neck
for a hundred miles and then the
Dragon left him in the lurch. But he
can't be far behind. Ought to be along
most any time, but we won't walt.
Get on there, quick. II you don't
look down you will be all right. But
remember every minute that 1t is a
case of keeping your nerve or losing
your life. Now sit down and freeze
yourself to that seat" The starting
space was short, but before the pow
erful motor the car left the ground as
a greyhound clears a hedge. Straight
over the canyon as boldly as an eagle
leaves a cliff North shot, hundreds Of
feet Of emptiness lying beneath him.
Then turning towards the east he
headed for the mountain that stood
like a great, grim bastile at the end
of the weary miles that March had
stumbled we upon the day and night
before.
From his seat and dlsregarding the
Injunction of his friend, March gazed
down at the speeding earth as 1t
leaped backward like an unrolling
film. The sensations Of his imaginary
fight with North upon the day when
the air fleet had pursued the flying
one now became actualities, the
drumming stays, the whistle Of the
wind, the throb and vibrations, the
leap Of the machine like a thorough.
bred beneath him. More and more
with each passing moment did II
seem like a dream to him, a gro
tesque u~nreallty from which he mus.
awake to the everyday life that had
been his before the uncanny evening
upon the lawn. He turned his
drawn face towards North. No, there
could be no doubt but that he was
being whisked through space at the
rate of more than a mile a minute and
therefore the whole hideous thing
must be true-the Flying Man-Doris
he groaned as he thought Of her
and must have lurched a bit, for
North's voice instantly arose In stern
command for him to be still. Tensely
| he gathered himself together.
The voice of the aviator came In
shortly clipped sentences, seeming to
be snatched from his lips by the rush
Of the wind. I'VE had better rise
up to the top from below and alight
in that way. Then we will try and
surprise him on foot. II we should
sail over the summit he would be sure
to see or hear US. Can't tell what he
might do then before we could stop
him" Already the barren top with
its jumbled waste doomed close before
them upon q level with their eyes.
fearsome in its chaotic desolation.
| With the slow sweep Of a water craft
mounting a long swell Of the mid
Atlantic the Dragon" skinned the
summit, circled sharply, tilted and
sank upon Its wheels. Quickly they
were upon their feet and peering
about.
CTo BE CoNTINUED.)
D~lsappoInted,