Air Wonder Stories, August 1929 — page 36: what you’re looking at

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

~~ = 130 AIR WONDER STORIES We've worked ceaslessly with this job, Miss Holdon, and I feel confident that Professor Stilsen’s plan for the rescue of the Annthilator will work out satis- factorily,” “That's great, Commander!” I said, enthusiastically. “The whole world will appreciate your efforts and I’m certain that the government will, too!” “As long as we succeed, and Professor Stilsen gets his due: rewards, I will be content, Mr. Holdon,” he replied, “That Professor Stilsen is a veritable moun- tain of energy and knowledge! It is a shame that men like him are not in command of the government’s powers instead of us who know practically nothing but militarism !” There came suddenly from the outside, a shrill siren blast. Joan jumped neryously. I looked questioningly at Commander Wilkins. “Tt is time! he said. “Will you join me on the observation platform?” Before we reached the observation platform, Professor Stilsen had mounted it and was standing by the rail, A long table-like bench had been built on one side of the platform for newspaper. representa- tives, They sat in-a line, radiophones on their ears, talking steadily into individual speaking tubes that carried their words direct to the offices of their re- spective sheets, and automatically set the type from the vibration of their voices, The drone of their voices mingled together in a jumbled, unintelligable cacaphony of unamalgamated sounds, : I helped Joan up the platform steps. Commander Wilkins followed close behind. Suddenly: there came a distant hissing sound. Professor Stilsen had signaled for the high-tension electrical current to be turned into the magnetic drums. I hurried Joan to the top of the platform. On the far side of the landing stood a row of huge winches, their cables taut and rising skyward rigidly. I looked up. High over- head at an equal elevation floated a row of odd look- ing objects held captive by the taut cables. Even-under the brilliance of the sun, they gave off a distinctly discernible. glow. The magnetic-drums were in the air at last! T glanced at Professor Stilsen. His grimy features were set. He held up an arm for an instant and then brought it down rapidly. Instantly there came a high- pitched shriek from the spinning winches, and the gravity nullifying magnetic drums were on their way skyward! I held Joan close to me as we watched the rising drums, They gradually disappeared into the fathomless skies and we could see them no more, We turned to Professor Stilsen. He stood tensely at the rail, staring into a small glowing screen in front of him that told clearly the upward progress of the drums. Commander Wilkins was at his side. Presently he gave another signal and the shrieking of the winches died down to a low moan and finally became quiet and still, their cables taut and rigidly motionless. The voices at the speaking tubes on the tabie-like bench droned. excitedly. Suddenly there came a loud snapping roar from the line of winches, Professor Stilsen groaned. One of the-cables had parted several feet from the spindle and its frayed end, in contact with the high-tension wiring was shooting vivid, blue sparks into the ground. The winch glowed for an instant.and crumpled under the force of the short circuited current. Joan covered her eyes as several limp forms were carried away from the spot. “T’ve prépared anst >” Professor Stilsen volateered. “Out Lene wal probably bring them to shortly.” CHAPTER VI Pulled Toward Earth OMMANDER Wilkins patted him gently on the shoulder. I glanced at my chronometer nervously, and toyed with a wisp of curling brown hair that hung from underneath Joan's helmet. She clung to me pathetically, her eyes on Professor Stilsen’s broad back as though watching for some move that would indicate the presence overhead of the Annihilator. I too, found myself watching the tense form of the professor. - Suddenly he stiffened ae over sharply to stare into the screen in front of him. “There she comes!” he shouted exultantly. “Her nose is dipped and she’s standing still above the line of drums! The magnets are fighting the atmospheric stream and the Annihilator is being attracted down to them !” With a shout of joy he broke away from the rail and danced wildly on the platform. Commander Wilkins continued to watch the screen as a cheer arose from the men stationed at the winches. Joan threw her arms around my neck and hugged me tightly. I felt a feeling of exhilaration surge through me and I offered a silent prayer that fate had not been too severe on the brave. men inside the Annihilator. T looked again at Professor Stilsen. He was stand- ing at the screen once more, his hands gripped firmly on the rail. “She’s resting horizontally on the drums!” he cried. - “One more second for the magnetic attraction to- circulate through the ship and we will haul her down!” He raised a hand over his head in preparation. for the signal that would start the uniformly controlled winches rewinding the cables, “We'll retract the electric-magnetism from the cobalt-steel of the drums,’ he said as if to himself, slowly lowering his hand. “They will fall graduall of their own volition, the attraction in the plating will captivate the magnetic body of the Annihilator and we will wind in the cables.” Despite the tremendous weight of the cables, the drums and the huge leviathan of the air resting on them, the winches rewound the lines without apparent effort. They hummed softly as the incoming cables wound around the huge spindles. High in the air hung a speck so infinitesimally small that my eyes could scarcely observe it. There came the roar of a million voices from -across the bay. and suddenly the atmosphere was torn with the shrieking of sirens and the shrill blasts of whistles... The Annihilator had been seen——she was being hauled to earth! The voices of the news reporters continued their ceas- less droning as they acquainted the world with the facts as they stood. Professor: Stilsen sat down on a stool in front of the screen, mopping his brow with trembling hand. Gradually the Annihilator was drawn earthward. It loomed in the heavens like a great bird suddenly stricken in flight. Hundreds of aircraft hovered over it like swarms of locusts attacking an eagle. They followed it at a distance as it came slowly down. Without warning and with a suddenness that caused my breath to cease, the Annihilator literally tore itself free from the magnetic-drums and leaped back into ficele) com oe 2 ere Abode rented ferme io Nv Te el ge * Biss 2d. 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