Air Wonder Stories, July 1929 — page 43: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ISLANDS IN THE AIR 41 Neither spoke as she helped me into the cabin, but I understood in a vague way how she had wit- nessed my plight and followed me. Also as in a dream came the thought that I had to thank the genius of the Professor for constructing a plane capable of such a flight. Several minutes after we had left the island and were rapidly dropping toward the earth my senses returned to normal and looking up I saw the dim form of the island still racing on into space. Landing at the plant we marshalled the work- men, secured tools and set out afoot for the wreck. After a weary tramp of an hour through the brush and over the rocks we reached it. The ruin of the islands was complete, and near where the edges had met, interlocked and almost welded themselves together we found the lifeless forms of the Pro- fessors within a few feet of each other. Their differences were settled at last. “Poor old pal” I said sadly. I took Greta by the arm and turned away just as the workmen gathered up the bodies, She was silent. We inspected the other side of the green islands, marveling over Van Beck’s originality and artistic bent. We were about to leave the spot when we heard a faint moan from above us. Clambering up over the twisted steel we came upon a man pinned fast between two beams. We tan to him, then started back in dismay, for it was McCann. Exerting all our strength we released him. He was badly crushed but conscious. Here, I said to myself, is the secret of Van Beck’s know- ledge about the islands. McCann is a traitor, I thought, as I glanced at Greta reading agreement in her eyes. But the injured man swept us with a look of pleading as though he sensed what was passing in our minds, “Tm no traitor, folks,” he said weakly. “Van Beck’s men kidnapped me and kept me by force. He forced me to tell all I know about the islands, and I know much.” The Scotchman smiled whimsically: “Then you will tell us what you know,” I said. It was a chance to save the priceless knowledge to the world. “Aye, aye, sir—if I can. But—” He put his hand to his chest while a paroxysm of pain distorted his features. “Ii—if you have but a bit of paper now—lI'll tell you all I know. We'd better hurry now, for—for—” His face became ghastly and I thought it was all over, Madly I searched my pockets. I could find nothing but a small note book. I knew that McCann was dying. We must hasten. As I poised my pencil above the paper the dying man made a brave effort to go on, but it was no use. He looked at us appealingly. His head sank back and he was gone. “The great secret has died with him,” I re- ~ marked. “And I am glad,” she said. “Man may aid nature’s laws, but when he reverses them he must pay the penalty. Gustave’s mad dream has killed him.” I gave her a startled look, She was not in sympathy with the works of science. “Nevertheless I wish our island would drift back to earth. With it we might make a new start.” “If you love it so much perhaps I had better take you back to it,” she suggested quietly. “Agreed,” I said. “The only condition I impose is that you remain there with me.” To which she made no answer then, nor has she to this day. We never looked for the island—nor did it ever return. Somewhere off in the far reaches of space it still pursues its solitary way. THE END UAL UU UU UU UU URL UUTUUUAUUe L F you are a lover of science fiction and if you like AIR WONDER STORIES, be sure to see the important announcement on Inside Cover of thts Magazine. Hueco GErnspack, comnliclooolks.com