Air Wonder Stories, December 1929 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

pulsated as though with life. Only the long ribbons of exquisite cloud tracery, as. delicately fashioned. as the most intricate lace, still swayed and waved around the edges as though blown about by the wind. “They are just ordinary clouds, after all,” said Cap- tain Price in disgust, “I thought we were about to dis- cover some tiew meteorological marvel.” What Came from the Clouds DON’T know what made me gaze up into. the blue just at that time—so remarkable are the coincidences of life—but I saw a dark object descending swiftly from thousands of feet above us. Down it came with incredible speed; and then, to my surprise, I saw that it was a large plane similar to our own. “One of our boys has spotted us,” I said, calling my companion’s attention to the plane. But, to our amaze- ment, this new atrival seemed not to have seen us, or he did not wish to nfake our acquaintance; for he came on down straight as a-stone. At last he came to a hovering rest about two hundred yards fromthe sttange-appearing clouds, which now seemed to turn back and merge with the dark background of vapor. Suddenly something: blinding flashed above the new- comet’s plane, scintillated and flamed out like a large mirrorin the sunlight, while. spirals of: blue fire ran along his wings and seemed to leap from them. We Stared in wonder. “Look! Look!” cried Price, Following his startled gaze, we saw a large, white _ plane below the edge of the clouds go hurtling down to the sea. “He dropped out of that cloud,” said Collins.in a low voice of awe. in bewilderment. “T’ll swear it was there but a moment He was right, There were but three of.the white clouds left, and they seemed about to be absorbed by the dark masses behind them. “They have drifted: into the other clouds,” I ex- plained. The lieutenant shook his head. “There goes another!” cried Captain Price, grabbing my arm in his excitement, just as I again saw that appalling flash of fire on the stranger’s plane, But, even before-the stricken plane struck the waves, I ob- served that: another white cloud had completely dis- appeared. Before we had a chance to recover from our amazement, or to disctiss the startling occurrence, _ we saw a third plane dart from the cloud bank out of - control. “At him!” I shouted wildly. “Tt-is the ‘blue demon,’ and he.is killing our friends. We will-be next.” Before the words were out of my mouth, my pilots were driving the plane forward at terrific speed. At last we were to come to grips with the ruthless beast of: the air that had eluded_ns so long. The remainder of our air forces would be saved-and the darkest mys- tery that had: ever=stained our military record would be solved. But, as: we rushed on, we were greatly alarmed and puzzled by the tactics of our strange enemy. For several ‘moments~he retreated; then paused as if in doubt; while: his plane was bathed in a dazzling sheen of fire. Then, as we stared agape, he shot away with bewildering swiftness and. melted into: the clouds. oo has beaten us!” gasped Captain Price. “Damn m Chagrined and humiliated, we stopped in the edge of the clouds. We could not see ten yards into that black, rolling nase e hesitated to-penetrate its folds. AIR WONDER STORIES “And where's the cloud?” he added , However, we were given scant time to consider our problem. A cry of alarm from Lieutenant Collins drew my attention. Several hundred feet above us, and to the right about a hundred yards away, we saw another large, white plane, like the ones already sent down, emerge from the clouds and dart toward:us like a shot. We gazed apprehensively—probably the same: thought. was in the mind of each—was this newcomer friend or foe? And then I saw that the fourth white cloud had disappeared. : Because of the sudden chill in the air we had closed the cabin. Every window, door and port was: shut; but we watched the oncoming plane through the heavy, plate glass windows wondering whether to meet it in a spirit of friendship, to retfeat or to give battle. It was a biplane, but of a pattern radically different from any we had ever seen. Its fuselage was extra large and swung low, and it carried two motors. “Good. Lord!” suddenly exclaimed Collins, “Look, everything is turning blue!” We stared aghast. The air outside was swiftly as- suming that deathly, terrifying hue that was associated with the “blue demon.” “Keep the cabin closed,” I cried. “If that blue stuff gets in we are doomed. And—and—boys, the insula- tion works!” I addéd triumphantly. “Let’s ram him!” So we-ttrned and. darted. toward the plane that by this time had reached our own level. I say darted, which should be the right word, for our motors and other machinery were functioning splendidly ; but to our amazement.and consternation, we were barely mov- ing! Some great repellent force, like the blast of a gale, was holding-us in:check. In vain we tried to in- crease out speed, knowing.that without it our foe held the advantage. Yet he was not firing at 11s, We saw no sign: of life about the plane. The weapon he was using against 1s was the swift and silent one of elec- tricity. But there was no flash or fire about the great white bird to indicate it—it was apparent only by that. indistinct blue haze and the powerful agent that was retarding our flight. There seemed to be nothing to do but to turn back and retreat. Yet I knew. by the stern, grim faces of-my pilots that such a thing had not-entered their minds. They. motioned me to the controls and aimed the for- ward machine-gun as we slowly forged ahead. At first our shots made no: impression, neither did the foe re- treat. But at last in the midst of the fierce rattle of the shots we-saw the white plane quiver, bank suddenly and then go into a nose dive. We had scored a hit. But, after a drop of several hundred feet, she flattened out and darted south like a bullet. “After him!” shouted Price. And. then we bent every energy to the chase, We were gratified that the force that had checked us had been removed and that, although the blue haze still sur- rounded. otir plane, we had recovered oursnormal speed. And-our foe was mortal—we had wounded him—we had repelled his terrible ray,and he was running from > us, However, it took us-but a few-minutes to discover that. we had an-adversary worthy of our steel, so far as speed was concerned. Save in our own planes I had never witnessed.such rapid flight. Mile after mile the white plane held her own despite our most strenuous efforts. She flew due south, maintaining one level and not deviating a hair's breadth from her course. “T'll bet they are making for South America,” said Price. “I have seen many places along the Orinoco where-an airplane base might -be safely hidden. But wherever she leads we will follow,” he added savagely.