River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1916-04-13

THANK you, monsieur! And you?"
He glanced with a deprecatory smile
at the flimsy-looking contrivance to
which they were presently to intrust
their lives.
Somehow" said he doubtfully, "I
don't feel in the least upset or exhil-
arated. 1t seems little out of the av-
erage run Of life-all in the days
work."
Il think" she replied, that you're
very like the other lone wolf, the fic-
titious one--Lupin, you know-a bit of
a humbug. If you're not nervous, why
keep starins hither and yon-as if you
were rather expecting somebody's
if you wouldn't be surprised to see
Popinot or De Morbihan pop out Of the
ground-or Ekstrom!"
"Hum!" he said gravely, 81 don't
mind telling you now, that's precisely
what am afraid Of"
NONSENSE" the girl cried in open
contempt. What could they do?"
please don't ask me-" Lanyard
begged seriously. Il might try to tell
you"
But don't worry, pleased" Fugitive
ly her hand touched his arm. We're
ready"
1t was true enough. Ducroy was
moving toward them again.
Cali is prepared" he announced in
sonorous accents.
In sober silence they approached
the machine.
Vauquelin kept himself aIoof while
Lanyard and young officer helped the
girl to seat on the right of the pilots
and strapped her in. When the adven-
turer had been similarly secured in the
place on the left the two sat, impris-
oned, some six feet above the ground.
Lanyard found his perch comfort
able enough. A broad band of webbing
furnished support for his back, another
crossed his chest by way of provision
rests for his feet and cloth-wound
grips fixed to struts on either side for
his hands.
He smiled at Lucy across the empty
seat, and was surprised at the clear
ness with which her answering smile
was visible. But he wasn't to see it
again for a long and weary time; al
most Immediately she began to adjust
her veil.
The morning had grown much light
er within the last few minutes.
A wait ensued of seemingly interim
nable duration. A swarm of mechan-
les, assistants and military aviators
buzzed round their feet like bees.
The sky was now pale to the eastern
horizon. A fleet Of heavy clouds was
drifting off into the south, leaving in
their wake !, thin veil of mist that
babe fair soon to disappear before the
rays of the sun. The atmosphere
seemed tolerably clear and not un-
seasonably cold.
The light grew stronger still
features of distant objects defined
themselves; traces of color warmed
the winter landscape.
After some time their pilot, wearing
his wind-mask, appeared and began to
climb to his perch. With cool nod
for Lanyard and a civil bow to his
woman passenger he settled himself,
adjusted several levers and fiirted a
gay hand to his brother officers.
There was warning cry from the
rear. The crowd dropped back rapid
ly to either side. Ducroy lifted his hat
in parting salute, cried "Bon vOyage!"
and scuttled clear like startled roost-
er before motor car. Thereupon the
motor and propeller broke loose with
a mighty roar comparable only, in
Lanyard's fancy, to the chant or ten
thousand riveting-locusts.
He felt momentarily as il his tym-
panums must burst with the incessant
and tremendous conclusion registered
upon them; but presently this sensa-
ton passed, leaving him with that OF
permanent deafness.
Before he could recover and regain
control Of his startled wits the aviator
had grasped lever and the great fab
ric was in motion.
It swept down the field like a
frightened swan, and the wheels of its
chassis, registering every inflnitesinal
irregularity in the surface Of the
ground, magnified them all hundred
fold. 1t was like riding in tumbrel
driven at top speed over the Giants
Causeway. Lanyard was shaken vio-
lently to the very marrow of his bones;
he believed that even his eyes must be
rafting in their sockets.
Then the Parrot began to ascend.
Singularly enough, this change was
marked at first by no more than a
slight 1essening of the vibration-the
machine seemed still to be dashing
over cobbled thoroughfare at break
neck speed; and Lanyard found 1t diff
fcult to appreciate that they were
afoat, even when he looked down and
discovered hundred feet of space be-
tween himself and the practice-felo.
In another breath they were soaring
over housetops.
Momentarily, now, the shocks be-
came less frequent. And presently they
ceased almost altogether to be repeat