The Snyder signal. (Snyder, Tex.) 1887-????, 1921-04-29
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS IliinstIllIlinHp
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its pi,geiag searchlight full upon my
craft, and a voice roared out com
mand to halt, following with shot as
paid NO attention 20 the hail. kantos
KIN dropped quickly into the dark
ness, while I rose steadily and az ter
rifle speed raced tbreufh the hartian
sky followed by dozen Of the air
scout craft which had joined the pur-
suk. asd later by q swift cruiser car
ryhE q hundred men and battery OF
raudhre guns. by twisting and turn
ing my litfie machine. now rising and
now tniltnr, ! managed 10 elude their
sesreAlights most OF the time, but
was Also losing ground by these tao
tcH, Aad 30 I decided 20 hazard every
thing en- n straightavay course and
leave the result 20 fate and the speed
Of ny machine.
Knntes Kan had shown me n trick
of gearing. which Is known only 10 the
nnvy Of HeliUm, that greatly increased
the speed NJ our machines, so that
felt sar I could distance my pursuers
n l could dodge their Projectiles for
feg moments.
Gradually left my pDrsuers further
and further behind. and was just con-
graduating myself on my lucky escape,
when a weil-dlrectec shet from the
cruiser exploded AZ the prov OF my
little craff. The concession nearly
capss1es her. and with Q sickening
piu1se she hurtled downward through
the dark night
How far fell hsfore regained con
trV OF the plane ! do not know, but ]
mwt have been very close 10 the
ground when l started TO rise again.
~ 7 pislnly heard the squealIng Of AMI
mats below me. Rising again,
scanned the heavens fer my pursuers,
aDs lnally making out their lights Tar
beklDd ne, saw that they were land
ing, evidently In search OF me.
Not until their lights were no longer
dlscernibie did ! venture 70 flash my
little lamp upon NY compass aud thes
found to nay consternatlon that a
fragment o. the proJectile had utterly
destroyed my only guide, as well as
my Spcedoneter. II was true I could
folisw the stars 10 the general direc-
ton of Helium. but without knowing
the exact location OF the city or the
speed N which ! was travelling ms
chaHces Tor hpdlng il were dim.
Hoiium lies thousand miles south
west OF Zodaugs. and with my com
pas intact / should have made the
trip, barring accidents. ina between
-four and Eve hours. A. Il turned out
however morning found me speeding
over vast expanse " dead sea bot
tom after nearly six hours O., couiInu-
GUS Night a. high speed.
Absut noon ] passed low over a
great dead city Of ancient Mars and
ne asimmed Out across uhC uluin }
came full upon several thousand green
warriors engaged 10 a terrific battle.
Scarcely had ! seen them than a vol
lev OF shots was directed at me, and
with the almost unfsiline accuracy OF
their aim nay little craft was Instantly
ruined wreck sinking crrntlcaliy 10
the ground.
fc,l almost directly in the center
81 the 6erce combat, among warriors
who had not seen my approach, so
hns;lv wera tbcv er-a--a in life and
death struggles. As MY machine sank
amsng thrm I realized that Il was fight
or die. with good chances OF dying in
ATTY event. and so struck The ground
win drawn ioncsword rcndy TO lie
fena myself ms conld.
f.,, ,esi,tr . ,u., f-4r.,ie, WIN was
.,no.,oa vim .h-ee sD,1rouists. and aS
..,,nc.s ois rarro face fllrd with
ne I,-ht ~ pctra. recognized Tars
rn,taq ,ne rh.r. i,c d.l not +ap me
.sI,,,, ,r.ro ....... 800, aim ,rl lust
r., 49,. ,,,,o. ........,.. ,rp,e,,,.. aim
and .rl,,, ,,.o. .a aq. ,y.rtoo.ie
rh"ri'1 s''""''"h'o's' 80, ''-
f'ho" u'aut qn''"
'hen1 o'' w. S''' p"
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