Omaha daily bee., 1915-05-09

though a gigantic cicadg were predict
ing warm weather II was a peculiar
sound and Kennedy seemed 10 recognize
II instantly. He sprang to the window
and strained his eyes up at the sky
"I.ookl" he exclaimed pointing.
We crowded about the window. There
was an aeroplane passing over the city.
Instantly I knew what 1t all meant
the robbery at the fort. the white circle
| on our roof, the aeroplane.
Craig" / whispered in alarm, cant
we get out in time yet? They're going
to blow us all mp with an air torpedo"
Kennedy merely shook his head.
Watt" he returned confidently. Just
watch that warehouse over there"
We rivited our eyes on Il. II was an
anxious moment
Already, had we known It, Sing Lee had
quietly let himself into the loft. taken
the glasses from the cupboard, and
levelled them again at us in the
laboratory.
Meanwhile. sprague, of whom we
learned later, had started his aeroplane
flying from his hangar in. the suburbs,
and was now speeding over the city. As
he passed, he peered down. looking
eagerly for the target-the white circle
with one hand he grasped the levers
firmly, while in the other he held an
aviators bomb full of tho deadly trodite.
| At last he saw the target-a huge
white circle on a two-story building far
below. with expert precision he let go
the bomb and the deadly engine of de-
struction swooped down.
Straight to it's mark It went.
The old warehouse across from us
rocked with the detonation. 1t seemed as
II the whole top of 1t we're blown to
pieces.
The bomb that had been meant to de-
stroy the laboratory, by quick change
OF the white circles, destroyed the hang
out and the emissary of the Serpent.
Hall an hour later, Long Sin was ner-
vously reporting to Wu Fang in the secret
den In Chinatown.
THAT white devil. Kennedy, has de-
feated us again, Master" he said de-
precatingly.
"Again?" demanded WI, his face, livid
with anger.
'Yes, Master. lie saw the circle-wiped
II out-and painted a new one on the
|
Sing was killed"
Some one shall pay for that" hissed
| wu.
A servant entered.
"Ah-that white bird-man is here now"
cried WI. "Show him in"
Sprague had seen the explosion and
the rending of the roof below him and,
mounting high in the sky. had circled
about end flown off. Unaware Of the
mistake that had been made. he <had
come TO receive his pay.
lie entered; smiling confidently. But
they did not congratulate him as he had
expected and he stopped surprised In
stead the two Cinnamon glared at him
fufiously.
"wh-whats the matter?" he managed
to biurt out
,'Enoughi" thundered Long Sin. why
you blew up the wrong house and killed
one of the trusted few"
Wrong houseg' repeated Sprague. mo
no, saw the bomb strike within the
white circle"
Wu Fang, i'm his anger. had uncon.
sciously been lingering the murderous
dirk on the table. now and then shooting
suspicious look at Sprague, as though
considering whether he had better kill
him or not. Sprague was now fully
alarmed.
Kennedy must have changed the cir
cles," he cried stoutly in desperation
only, that could have saved him." h,
went on. pleading; 1t was a mistalx
Lsten-I will make 1t good"
''How?" demanded WI. replacing tn,
knife to the evident relief OF sprague
"If you win come with me. will show
you-absolutely."
A hasty conference OF the two celes
tials ended in their putting on thei
street clothes. and they went out.
Far uptown. on the East Side, Spragu,
led them. until they came to a little ma
chine shop kept by foreigner. Antol
Schmidt.
As Sprague led In Wu and Long Sin
the elderly and bespectacled inventor wa
at work at a bench.
> Good morning" introduced sprague.
0 What can ] do for you, gentlemen? ?
asked Shcmldt
T Il wish you'd show us your gyroscop
= stabllizer." asked Sprague.
t Schmidt proudly led them TO a corne
y In an aluminium case was peculiar littl
IS flying wheel set on gimbals so that
could rotate in any plane.
L The inventor started Il going
e Press down on It," suggested schmid
h Wu did so. The uncanny little whe,
: seemed actually to resent being force
l. 70 move out of the plane in which it ma
S been started rotating. Try as they woul,
o they could not bulge it. though It move
e readily anywhere. when not revolving
It II was q most weird mechanical cor
trivance. They watched il eagerly.
II You know" explained Schmidt TO w
that when the gyroscope is starte
i, rotating in one plane, IL tends always
keep In that plane"
!, with that stesdying my airship" pl
;, in Sprague, there will be no chance Z,
mistake the next time. We can al
perfectly"
Il, "of course" went on Schmidt. with
- the pride of an inventor. 1t is enclose
In this case in a vacuum when in us
~ and there is so little friction that II wi
run long time alone when the power
D off"
I Can il be placed on any aeroplane
AZ on Sprague'sT' asked WI.
~ with very little trouble. sir"
e. 'Tn buy IT, Itheh." agreed WI. quick
producing the money. "Have it packe
mp. sprague win give YOU direction
a where to send IT,"
= Schmidt called an assistant and Il