The Delta independent., 1916-08-18

was the devil OF our childhood In per-
son. There was a turmoil in the audi
ence-some one screamed, two ladies'
in the front row fell senseless from
their chairs, and there was a general
movement upon the platform to follow
their chairman into the orchestra. For
a moment there was danger of a gen.
eral panic. Professor Challenger threw
up his hands to still the commotiou.
but the movement alarmed the crea
ture beside him. Its strange shawl
suddenly unfurled. spread and futter
ed as pair of leathery wings. Its
owner grabbed at its legs. but too late
to hold it. 1t had sprung from the
perch and was circliug slowly round
the Queens hall with dry, leathery
tapping of its ten foot wings. while a
putrid and insidious odor pervaded the
room. The cries of the people in the
galleries, who were alarmed at the
near approach of those glowing eyes
and that murderous beak. excited the
creature to a frenzy. Faster and fast
er it few, beating against walls and
chandeliers in a blind frenzy of alarm.
The window! For heavens sake shut
from the platform, dancing and wiring
ing his hands in an agony of appre-
hension. Alas, his warning was too
late! In a moment the creature beat
ing and humping along the wall like
a huge moth within a gas shade, came
upon the opening, squeezed its hideous
bulk through it and was gone. Pro
fessor Challenger fell back into his
chair with his face buried in his
hands, while the audience gave one
long, deep sigh of relief as they real
lied that the incident was over.
''Then-oh, how shall one describe
what took place then-when the full
exuberance of the majority and the
full reaction of the minority united to
make one great wave of enthusiasm.
which rolled from the back of the hall,
gathering volume as it came, swept
over the orchestra, submerged the
platform and carried the four heroes
away upon It's crestY Good for you,
Mach IF the audience had done less
than Justice surely it made ample
amends. Every one was on his feet
Every one was moving, shouting, ges-
ticulating. A dense crowd of cheering
men were around the four travellers.
Up with them! Up with themr cried
a hundred voices. In a moment four
figures shot up above the crowd. In
vain they strove to break loose. They
were held in their lofty places of hon
or. 1t would have been hard to let
them down If it had been wished. so
H. L..
street the scene was extraordinary. An
assemblage of not less than 100000
people was waiting. The close packed
throng extended from the other side OF
the Langham hotel to Oxford circus.
A roar of acclamation greeted the four
adventurers as they appeared. high
above the heads of the people, under
the vivid electric lamps outside the
hall. a procession. A procession
was the cry. In a dense phalanx.
blocking the streets from side to side.
the crowd set forth. taking the route
of Regent street, Pail Mall. St James
street and Piccadilly. The whole cen
trail traffic of London was held up. and
many collisions were reported between
the demonstrators upon the one side
and the police and taxi cabmen upon
the other. Finally it was not until
after midnight that the four travellers
were released at the entrance to Lord
John Roxton's chambers in the AL
bany and that the exuberant crowd.
having sung They Are Jolly Good Eel
lows In chorus. concluded their pro-
gram with God Save the King"
One word as to the fate of the London
pterodactyl. Nothing can be said to be
certain upon this point There is the
evidence of two frightened women that
1t perched upon the roof Of the Queens 4
hall and remained there like diaboli-
cal statue for some hours. The next
day 1t came out In the evening papers
that Private Miles of the Coldstream
guards. on duty outside Marlborough
House, had deserted his post without
leave and was therefore courtmartial.
ed. Private Miles account that he
dropped his rifle and took to his heels
down the mall because on looking UT
| he had suddenly seen the devil between
him and the moon. was not accepted by
| the court, and yet 1t may have a direct
bearing upon the point at issue. The
only other evidence which I can adduct
1 is from the log OF the steamship Fries
land. Dutch-American liner. which
asserts that at o next morning. Starr
Point being at the time ten miles upor
their starboard quarter. they were
passed by something between a 6yint
goat and n monstrous bat. which wa,
beading at a prodigious pace south ant
west
CHAPTER XIV.
Hurry to Claim Gladys.
AND Gladys-oh. my Gladys