Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-10
CHAPTER XN-(Continued)

i three or four Of the most intelligent
men to fly, and perhaps building one or two
more plsnes--that is, establishing a regu-
lar service to and from the Abyss. That
would be much wiser Allan Think
how deadly imprudent II is for you, you
personally, TO take this risk every time
Why, If anything should happen"
But ii won't II can't"
What would become Of the colony?
We haven't got anything like enough OF
start TO go ahead with, lacking you speak
now without sentiment or foolish, womanly
fears, but just on a common-sense, prac-
tca basis Viewed at that angle, ought
you to take the risk again?'
There's no time now, darling, to build
more planes No time TO teach flying
We've got to recruit the colony as fast as
possible, i'm case of emergencies. why,
haven't made a trip since--since God
knows when It's time was off now
Allan"
"Well?"
suppose you never went again? With
the population we now have, and the nat
ural increase, wouldn't civilization re-es-
tablish itself in time?'
81 Undoubtedly. But think how long it
would take Every additional person i'm
ported puts US ahead tremendously. ! may
never be able to bring all the Folk, all the
Lanskaarn, and those other mysterious yell
low-haired people they talk about from be-
yond the Great Vortex. But I can do my
share, anyhow. our boy here may have to
complete the process. It may take a life
time to accomplish the rescue but it must
be done"
80 you're determined TO go again."
II am! | must
She seized his hand imploringly
And leave us? Leave your boy? Leave
me?'
"Only to return soon, darling Very
soon :"
But after this one trip, will you prom
ise 10 train somebody else to go in your
place.
"Ill sea. dearest"
"No, no, Not that. Promise -
She had drawn his head down, and now
her face close to his was trembling in her
eagerness.
"rromise, Promise me, Allan! You
must"
suddenly moved by her entreaty, he
81 promise. Beta" he exclaimed. Cad.
! didn't know you were so deadly AFRAID
Of my little expeditions! II I'd understood
might have been arranging otherwlse al
ready. But I certainly will change matters
when get back Only let me go once more,
darling -thst'll be the last time | swear it
to YOU"
she gave great sigh of relief unspeak-
able and kept silence. But in her eyes he
saw tne Snlle Oh Suuu'h ltaiS'
Allan had been gone more than four days
and a half before Beatrice allowed herself
to realize or to acknowledge the sick terror
that for some hours had been growing in
her soul.
His usual time OF return had hitherto
been just a little over three days. Some
times with favorable winds to the brink OF
the Abyss, and unusually strong rising
Of Vapors from the sunken sea
from the Vortex, perhaps?--he had been
able to make the round trip in sixty hours.
But now more than hundred and eight
hours had Jagged by since Beatrice, carry
ing the boy had accompanied him up the
steep path TO the hangar in the palisaded
clearing.
How light-hearted. confident. strong he
had been. filled with great dreams and
hopes and visions No thought of peril,
accident or possible failure had clouded his
mind
She recalled his farewell kiss given to the
child and TO herself, his careful inspection
Of the machine, his short and vigorous or
ders. and the supreme skill with which
he had leaped aloft upon its back and gone
up the sky till distance far to the
had swallowed him.
And since that hour no sign OF return. No
speck against the blue. No welcome chatter
of the engine far aloft, no hum of huge
blades beating the summer air! Nothing!
Nothing save ever-growing fear and an
guish, vain hopes, fruitess peerings toward
the dim horizon, agonizing expectations
always frustrated, vast and swiftly grow
ing terror.
Beatrice cringed from her own thoughts,
She dared not face the truth.
For that way, she felt instinctvely, lay
madness.