Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-02-19
CHAPTER viIi.-contlnued.

He felt the bottom drop from his
stomach as she fairly leaped across
deadly air pockets where all below
was like a vacuum, covering the gap
as a great nne upon skees sweep
fng down a mountainside hurls himself
by momentum alone over broad
reaches OF space. He felt himself
bounding from invisible air crest to
Invisible air crest with the lightness
OF n who dances upon a rope, he
felt the weight Of momentum pressing
against his side and pushing at him
Hike a strong hand as a swerve to
right or left took them a moment from
their direct path. He looked down.
Far below, so far that the trees looked
like the toy trees upon the blocks
which children play with. the people
like toy men two inches tall, the
beasts OF the field like the beasts of
a toy ark, the earth was rushing back
ward as the film of a moving picture
speeds and vanishes. He looked up
Space, yawning and infinite, hazy,
gauZy, mystery filed; the moon barely
distinguishable and thin as a ghost
floating far above like a bubble. he
gszed to the west. The sun, copperish
and vast, glowed as through a thin
mesh. They were a mile above the
point Of s~tarting-two miles above the
level of the sea and almost even with
the lower reaches of the eternal SHOWS
of the peaks. The chill Of upper space
pervaded him and he drew himself
closer together as he thieved a quick
glance at the mar at his side. The
aviator's face was drawn and deeply
lined. his eyes glowing. his teeth
clenched and his iron finger delicately
~fondling the wheel as his body swayed
r~hythmically to the slow roll OF the
machine. He looked ahead once more.
Speeding in front of them as the
shadow of a bird speeds was the hori-
Lontal form OF the n whom they
were pursuing, his body stretched
straight as a shaft from a bow. his
~erotesQHe face turned over his shcul.
der, his huge eyes glowing with malev.
olent hate, his ape mouth working hid
eously. They heard his cry sweep
past them in the hiss and whistle Of
the wind.
He rubbed his eyes and awoke as
one from a dream. The last Of the
specks had disappeared and he was
gazing into empty space. He shook
himself and smiled. Voices were buzz
zing excitedly all about him. the crowd
surging restlessly about. yet SO realis-
tic had been the flight OF his magma
ton that for the last few minutes he
had been as oblivious Of their pres
enc as had they been upon one OF
the far distant bodies of space. But
nov finding himself upon earth once
more he began p~eering about. Where
was Doris? He must hunt her up i'm
mediately. In the scattering Of the
before the flight OF the avi-
stors he had for an instant felt a
slight worriment as to her safety, but
the knowledge that Tolliyer was with
her and that his rival was fully com
petent to protect her had eased his
mind. Now, however, he would search
her out
A hand fell upon his shoulder and
he turned in his tracks. Professor
Desmond was beaming upon him, and
March took the proffered hand with
genuine pleasure. "Ah. Professor!
Quite able TO be around once more, |
see. am glad. So you, too. were
lucky enough to witness the pursuit
OF your unclassifed mongrel OF space
by the wholly human fying.men."
Desmond's eyes were still sparkling
with excitement.
Yes, ! was fortunate enough to be |
rambling around the grounds when
their ascent took place. 1t was stir
.ring-aimost excruciating. II thrilled
me like a fife and drum regiment
marching away TO do battle for my
country. loDged to accompany
them, TO Join in their dangers, to smell
the powder OF my rife and share
the brunt Of the shock. So today did
I thrill with desire to sit beside one
OF them and hear the whistle OF the
wind. In fact. Ia spirit ! did soar
with the air feet, closed my eyes and
experienced quite wildly what | imag.
Inc are the sensations OF our vanished ]