chieving,
was a good peg upon which to hang thrilling gossip. He promised to
convince the doubting ones that at last man would come into the empire
of the air, and by means of fireworks. In searching carefully all the
published reports Gerald was relieved not to encounter the name of Mila.

That celebrated afternoon he found himself, after the distressingly
crowded cars, in company with many thousands, all clamouring and
jostling on the road to the tower. This time there were vehicles and
horses, though not in any degree commensurate with the crowd; but the
high tax imposed by the speculators gave him an opportunity of securing
a seat with a few others in a carriage drawn by four horses. Gingerly
they made their way down the narrow road--time was not gained, for the
packed mass of humans refused to separate. Fuming at the delay, he was
forced to console himself with smoking and listening to the stories told
of Karospina and his miracles. They were exaggerated. Karospina here,
Karospina there--the name of this modern magician was hummed everywhere
in the brisk October air. A little man who occupied the seat with
Shannon informed him that he knew some one who had worked for Karospina.
He declared that it was no uncommon sight for the conjurer--he was
usually called by that name--to float like a furled flag over his house
when the sun had set. Also he had been seen driving in the sky a span
of three fiery horses in a fiery chariot across the waters of the bay,
while sitting by his side was the star-crowned Woman of the Apocalypse
clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet. Gerald held his
counsel; but the grandeur of the spectacle he had witnessed still shook
his soul--if he had not been the victim of a hallucination! The journey
seemed endless.

At last the strand came into view with the squat tower, the rusting
machinery, and the reservoir back of the house. There were, however,
changes in the scene. Within a quarter of a mile of the beach tents were
set and booths erected. Seemingly all the city had rushed to this place,
and the plain, with its swampy surfaces, was dotted by masses of noisy
men and women. Gerald, finding that approach to the house was impossible
from the land side, made a wide detour, and on reaching the shore he was
gratified to find it empty. The local constabulary, powerless to fight
off the mob near the house, had devoted their energies to clearing the
space about the gas retorts. After much