Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1923-03-03


Grasp and My Fingers choked OFF
His Attempted Cry for Assistance.
chance escaped falling to the avenue
below" | replied.
"But how came you upon the roof,
man? Quick, explain yourself, or l
call the guard"
Look you here, sentry, and you
shall see how came and how close a
shave l had to not coming at all" an
swered, turning toward the edge Of the
roof, where, twenty feet below at the
end Of my strap hung all my weapons
The fellow, acting on impulse of Gu
riosity, stepped to my side and TO his
undoing, for as he leaned to peer over
the caves grasped him by his throat
and his pistol arm and threw him heav-
fly to the roof. The weapon dropped
from his grasp, and my fingers choked
off his attempted cry for assistance. |
gagsed and bound him and then hung
him over the edge of the roof as | my
self had hung a few minutes before.
l knew It would be morning before he
would be discovered, and needed all
the time that l could gain.
Downing my trappings and weapons
l hastened to the sheds, and soon had
out both my machine and Kantos
Kan's. Making his fast behind mine
started my engine, and Swimming over
the edge OF the roof | dove down into
the streets of the city far below the
plane usually occupied by the air pm
troll. In less than minute | was set
Ting safely upon the roof of our apart
ment beside the astonished Kantos
Kan.
It was decided that l was 10 try TO
make Helium, while Kantos Kan was
to enter the palace and dispatch Sab
Than. If successful he was then to
follow me- Bidding each other fare
well we rose together and sped in the
direction Of the palace, which lay in
the route which ] must take to reach
Helium.
As we neared the high tower a pa
troll shot down from above, throwing
its piercing searchlight full upon my
craft, and voice roared out a com
mand to halt, following with a shot as
paid no attention to the hail. Kantos
Kan dropped quickly into the dark
ness, while rose steadily and at ter
rife speed raced through the Marian
sky followed by a dozen of the air
scout craft which had joined the pur-
mi nd 1afn nv VIE n "a r.
rying a hundred men and battery of |
rapid-fire guns. BY twisting and turn
ing my little machine, now rising and |
now falling, / managed to elude their |
searchlights most of the time, but | |
was also losing ground by these tao
ties, and so / decided to hazard every
thing on stralght-away course and (
leave the result to fate and the speed
of my machine.
Kantos Kan had shown me trick
of gearing, which Is known only TO the
navy of Helum, that greatly increased
the speed of our machines so that /
felt sure could distance my pursuers
If l could dodge their projectiles for
a few moments.
Gradually left my pursuers further
and further behind and was just con-
graduating myself on my lucky escape,
when a well-directed shot from the
cruiser exploded at the prov Of my
little craft. The concusslon nearly
capsized her, and with sickening
plunge she hurtIed downward through I
the dark night.
How far fell before regained con-
trol Of the plane / do not know. but ]
must have been very close to the
ground when ] started to rise again,
IS l plainly heard the squealing Of anil
malls below me. Rising again. / .
scanned the heavens for my pursuers,
md finally making out their lights far
behind me, saw that they were land
ng, evidently in search Of me.
Not until their lights were no longer
iiscernible did venture to fash my
title lamp upon my compass, and then
found to my CONSERVATION that a !
fragment Of the projectile had utterly
destroyed my only guide, as well as
ny speedometer It was true | could
olow the stars in the general direc-
ion Of Helium, but without knowing
he exact location Of the city or the
peed at which ! was travelling my
hances for finding It were slim.
Helium lies a thousand miles south
vest of zodanga, and with my COM
ASS intact ] should have made the
rip, barring accidents, in between
cur and five hours. AS 1t turned out,
owever, morning found me speeding
yer a vast expanse Of dead sea bot a