The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-11-26

own stupidity the man haH "'eI
taken. and bea!des the fact that
Don q. had never liked him In oven
the modified fashion In which he
occasionally approved OK his follow
crs. he mover pardoned !ncom-
, pctrnre. and he considered Il highly
/ incompetent OF Grulla to have per-
m!tted himself 20 be captured.
Had. the matter ended there, all
might have been we'll, but It led
much farther. II was quite true
what Isabella had said. No man
OF his had ever been captured but
he had been rescued, and as the
DAYS passed. u resolve began TO
harden in the mind OF the origand.
to the effect that somehow he would
deliver Grulla from his prison in
! Africa.
Now exactly what Don .. would
have done had not certain incident
occurred. cannot be told with GER
,ainty, but it is probable that he
was actually making up his mind TO-
20 across TO Mellla in Africa, when
that event occurred which changed
the whole nature Of his plans.
One morning. some fortnight after
the capture OF Grulla. he CHANGED to
be standing outside his cave smok-
ing a cigarette in the soft Spanish
sunshine, when suddenly below him,
the brigands around the fires mani
tested the strongest excitement. and
began pointing up at the si5'. There
against the blue heaven and at no
great height. sailed large aero
plane.
1t was the first that Don Q. had
ever seen. for the science of aero
nautics made but slow progress in
Spain.
At first Don Q. was merely Inter
ested. but as the aeroplane circled
round and round above him, q frown
grew upon his brow. and his hands
clenched. For the airman up above
was obviously looking down upon
and taking stock Of the brigandS
camp. and Don .. had read enough
OF modern aeroplanes TO be able to
recognize a machine which was
probably taking photographs.
Very rarely in his life had Don
@. received such a shock. Had he
possessed the nerve Of fear, II may
be that he would have been afraid,
but as 1t was anger mastered him.
This man In the air. realized with
instructive swiftness, was by far the
greatest danger with which ne had
ever been face to face. He foresaw
a complete set OF photographs taken
of his strongholds. Invention had
put a mighty weapon into the hands
bof his enemies and Immediately his
mind began to seek a counter TO It.
But II was at this moment that
something happened up above.
The aeroplane which had been
flying easily over the camp sudden
" changed Its tactics. and, as hap
pens so swiftly IN the air. its pilot.
from being completely master OF the
situation, was in another moment,
in the greatest danger. Obviously
some engine trouble had developed,
and as the plane dipped and
swooped, It was quite clear that its
pilot was looking fever!shly for a
landing place.
Now there was only one spot
where such landing was possible in
all that great mass Of wild and
broken sierra, and this was at the
head Of the Boca de Lobo itself, and
here with admirable skill the aero
plane came to earth.
Lon Q. first piously voiced his
thanks to his patron saint. and then
waved on his men to make their
capture, so that in a very few min
utes the aviator. dressed in his
strange accoutrements, his goggles
in his hand, stood facing the
brigand chief.
"Ah, senior" said Don O., 1T is
indeed delightful OF you TO pay US
this little visit
The aviator smiled: he was a man
Of good courage.
Il am indeed fortunate 10 have
found a place where It was possible
to land" said he.
is your machine damaged"
Il have hardly had time to make
an examination" said the aviator,
the attitude OF your followers was
pressing"
Then you know who l am ,"
"Assurcdly. senor.''
And may l ask what you were
doing up there in the air?'
Il was taking photographs"
For whom"
For the Government"
OF what"
The aviator realized that there
was nothing for il but the truth.