oon broadened and shone like burnished silver. The last cloud was
gone, leaving the skies a vast vault of dusky blue. And Lannes never
took his eyes from the great arch, although they traveled from horizon
to horizon, searching, searching, searching everywhere.

The young Frenchman's action and manner had an indescribable effect upon
John. A warning thrill ran down his back, and there was a strange,
creeping sensation at the roots of his hair. Without knowing why, he,
too, began to gaze steadily into the skies. The little town from which
they had escaped and the possibility of the wandering woodcutter or
charcoal burner passed from his mind. His whole soul was in his eyes as
he stared into the heavens, looking for he knew not what.

The gaze of Lannes turned chiefly toward a range of mountains, to the
south, visible only because of the height on which they stood. Anxiety,
hope, belief and disbelief appeared on his face, but he never moved from
his seat, nor spoke a word. Meanwhile the flames leaped high and
crackled, making the only sound heard in all that desolation and
loneliness.

How long they sat there, watching the skies John never knew, but the
time seemed hours, and throughout it Lannes did not once take his gaze
from above. Now and then, he drew a sharp breath, as if a hope had
failed, but, in a moment or two, hope came back to his eyes, and they
still searched.

John suddenly felt a great thrill again run down his spine, and the
roots of his hair quivered. He was looking toward the mountains in the
south, and he believed that he saw a black dot hanging in the air above
them. Then another dot seemed to hang beside it. So much looking could
make one see things that were not, and he rubbed his eyes. But there
hung the dots, and they were growing larger.

John looked long and he could not now doubt. The black dots grew
steadily. They were apparently side by side, and they came fast toward
the hill on which Lannes and he stood. He glanced at his comrade. He had
never before seen a face express so much relief and exultation.

"They come! they come!" said Lannes, "I knew they would!"

John looked back. The black dots were much nearer, and he began to make
out dim shapes. Now, he knew. The full truth burst upon him. They were
aeroplanes, and he knew that Lannes had summoned them out of the black
ether with his fire. He felt the great thrill along his spine again. It
was magic; nothing less. Flights in the air w