Air Wonder Stories, August 1929 — page 37: what you’re looking at

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

-electro-magnetizing units had not the sky!. It shot heavenward, ploughing through a swatm of aircraft like an unleashed demon. The magnetic drums hung in position, deserted. I stood stricken, unable to tear my eyes from the terrible scene. Joan screamed, and-at the sound of her voice I withdrew my eyes from the rapidly rising Annihilator and tumbling wreckage. I expected to see Professor Stilsen sitting on the stool, with his head buried in his hands. - Instead he was once again at the rail; waving a hand frantically at the men lined along the winches. Instantly there came a rapidly mounting shriek as the cables spun from the spindles. Professor Stilsen grasped a sparking tube that. was lying beside the screen and yelled into it. I looked overhead. Rising rapidly and gradually decreasing the distance between ‘hens and the Annthilator, the magnetic-drums were shooting itito the higher reaches at a terrific velocity. They glowed like green balls of fire under an increase of electrical current. Professor Stilsen yelled again into the speaking tubes and. the drums vomited green sparks under additional current that was meant to hold the Anmhilator at all costs should they make the magnetic contact again. Slowly, very: slowly the Annshilator checked its up- ward rise and rapidly the drums shot up under: it. The huge leviathan finally floated motionless and then began a downward descent to meet the attraction of the magnetic drums. There came another thundering roar of voices from across the bay, and this time the Annihilator was alone——no. swarms of aircraft fol- lowed her as she was being drawn slowly but surely earthward. TI turned to Commander Wilkins who was standing beside Joan, watching intently the downward course of the huge ship. ‘ “They are either dead or unconscious from lack of oxygen, Miss Holdon,” the Commander was saying “Otherwise she would not have torn herself loose from the drums,” : “What has that to do with it?” Joan said, drying her tears. “Well -you see,” he answered, “the ship’s electric- magnetizing units must have been working perfectly, sending constant current through the cobalt-steel hull, creating an insulation against gravity. They could not ‘have known they were over the pocket or did not care for that matter, otherwise they would have shut - off the units in consideration of the possibility of un- expectedly dropping through it into the earth’s heavier a ol Mad the units been shut off the Annihilator would not have shot upward. It would have crashed to earth.” “T understand, Commander,” Joan said. “If the n functioning, the ship would not have broken loose, The magnetic drums would have held it.” “That's right, Miss Holdon,” he replied, looking up. “Do you really believe they are dead, Commander?” she asked, her eyes filling again with tears. “That is hard to tell,” Commander Wilkins an- swered. “They may be tinconscious or very near so. Probably those who are alive do not know that they are inside the earth’s orbit again. They may have all the compartments closed to keep what oxygen they had in them.” Gradually the Annihilator dropped earthward, her huge body casting a long shadow over the airdrome. The winches groaned as they rewound the cables. Pro- fessor Stilsen sat like a marble image, watching. .. . BEYOND GRAVITY As a precaution against further disaster, he grabbed up the speaking tubes suddenly and yelled into them. “Don’t break the current in the ic plates until I order you!” he said, holding a tube to his lips and apparently speaking to the operators handling. the electrical control systems of the magnetic drums. “Release the gravity insulation slowly from the drums and stand by your posts for further orders!” Hopes and Fears RESENTLY the Annihilator touched the earth and rolled over gently, the magnetic drums still attached tightly to her. glistening body. Immediately she be- came surrounded by milling workmen and there came to us where we stood on the observation platform: the resounding beat of compressed air hammers and cutters as they strove to make an opening in the huge, cobalt- steel hull. . There seemed to be nothing to indicate that any life existed within the Annihilator, and‘I hung my head. Joan clung to my arm, her body sagging, Commander Wilkins nodded to me and I halt carried her down the platform steps to the ground. With _ faltering steps she walked with us toward the Annihilator. Apparently from nowhere had come auto- motive ambulances and hospital planes. White-coated and -trousered figures scurried past ws carrying stretchers. I hustled Joan along to keep up with the rapid steps of Commander Wilkins and finally we arrived at the side of the ill-fated leviathan. There came an exultant shout from a gaping hole in the side of the ship as the first lim fen was handed through it into-eager, waiting hands. I noticed a peculiar sound of whirring machinery issuing from the ship.as we came up to it, Suddenly it ceased. The electro-magnetizing units had been shut down, but: the magnetic drums still remained in position. In a: constant stream, limp human forms were handed through the gaping hole made in the side of the Annihilator. Joan tore her eyes away in time to forego the sight of one man, screaming wildly and hysterically, being brought from the bowels of the ship. As terrible as it was, it caused my hopes to rise sud- denly, for if one man lived, there was an odd chance that life existed in others. Joan kept her face hidden behind my back. I continued to watch and presently my eyes beheld the familiar features of Lieutenant Allison. His face was pale as though in the embrace of death and I held Joan tightly as his inert form was given to waiting arms. : I had not wanted her to see that face but I could not withstand the agonized torture of standing there without learning of his fate. I decided that if Bob was dead we should know of it, and I hustled Joan from the milling crowd to follow the two men carrying his inert, death-like form across the field. Slowly we followed and as we walked along in the direction of a Jong, white building over which rustled a-Red Cross flag, I explained to Joan what I had seen. She gave a little cry and fairly flew toward the hospital. I struggled to keep up with her. The two men were just entering a door with Bob’s limp form as we came up. We followed immediately into a long room filled with rows of white-sheeted cots, some with pale, agonized faces showing from the coverings, others covered entirely, Joan dashed forward as Bob’s. form was being laid upon a cot, but two white-capped nurses halted her. “T’m sorry, Miss,” one of them said. “You will (Continued on page 183) comicbooks: Fe ay a Ae eeen Sera Te eae PE a ey en Pe aE ye ny