The Secret Power

long, high, vastly extending wooden building which, at about a mile distant from Morgana's "palazzo" ran parallel with the sea-shore. The star-sparkle

lip-edges of the sand, and Nature, drowsing in misty space, seemed

glorious gardens, and had purchased the whole thing then and there. Her guide to the ruins at that period had been Don Aloysius, a learned priest, famous for his archaeological knowledge-and it was through Don Aloysius that he, the Marchese Rivardi, had obtained the commission to restore to something of its pristine grace and beauty the palace of ancient days. And now everything was done, or nearly done; but much more than the "palazzo" had been undertaken and completed, for the lady of many millions had commanded an air-ship to be built for her own personal use and private pleasure with an aerodrome for its safe keeping and anchorage. This airship was the crux of the whole business, for the men employed to build it were confident that it would never fly, and laughed with one another as they worked to carry out a woman's idea and a woman's design. How could it fly without an engine?-they very sensibly demanded,-for engine there was none! However, they were paid punctually and most royally for their labours; and when, despite their ominous predictions, the ship was released on her trial trip, manipulated by Giulio Rivardi, who ascended in her alone, sailing the ship with an ease and celerity hitherto unprecedented, they were more scared than enthusiastic. Surely some devil was in it!-for how could the thing fly without any apparent force to propel it? How was it that its enormous wings spread out on either side as by self-volition and moved rhythmically like the wings of a bird in full flight? Every man who had worked at the design was more or

to all interrogations. "The se

veiled the sea began to lift and Giulio Rivardi, pacing to and fro, halted every now and then to look in the direction of a path winding downward from the mainland to the shore, in watchful expectation of seeing an elfin figure, more spiritlike than mortal, floating towards him through the dividing vapours of the morning. The words of Don Aloysius haunted him strangely, though his common sense sharply rejected the fantastic notions to which they had given rise. She,-Morgana Royal,-was "not capable" of love, the priest had implied,-and yet, at times-only at times,-she seemed eminently lovable. A

so wrapped in a grey cloak and hood as to almost seem part of the slowly dispersing mists of the morning. She pushed back t

lazy of me!-but the long rest has done me good and I'm ready for anything! Are yo

e finishing some small detail of ornament. I ha

e they

nstructed to perform certain work, and they perform it. In all that they have been doing

the sky flushing the pallor of Morgana's

e is always 'curious.' Woman is a many-cornered maze-and man is always peepin

n almost imper

?" he

giving away woman as a wholly incomprehensible bad job! Adam flung her back as a reproach to her Creator-'the woman thou gavest me;'-oh, that woman and that apple! But he had to confess 'I did eat.' He always eats,-he eats everything woman ca

s he often was by a thril

answered-"You know best the p

cylindrical form-"This emanation of Nature's greatest force will keep us going for a year if needful! Oh man!-I do not mean YOU particularly, but man generally!-why could you not

ver the heavens, and the sea flushed softly under the deepening lig

id-"Will you not risk yo

pped ab

lergy promise us is so remarkably unattractive! But I run no risk of losing my life or yours in our aerial adventures; we carry the very essence of vitality with us. Come!-I want to see my flying palace! When I was a small child I u

ardi-"With all our work we may not h

quilly-"There is no reason, moral or scientific, why it should

to note their presence. Her eyes were uplifted and fixed on a vast, smooth oblong object, like the body of a great bird with shut wings, which swung from the roof of the aerodrome and swayed lightly to and fro as though impe

luent French-"This beautiful creature you have made seems

man, in evident command of the rest

beautiful-like a chrysalis for a butterfly. But a butter

n. "But what is life? Is it not a composition of many elements? And should we n

ossible!" quoted the March

e mustn't forget that second thoughts are best!" She laughed, while the man called Gaspard stared at her and laughed also for company. "Now let me see how I shall be housed in air!" and with very little assistance she climbed

r. The whole interior was lined with what seemed to be a thick rose-coloured silk of a singularly smooth and shining quality, but at a sign from Morgana, Rivardi and Gaspard touched some hidden spring which caused this interior covering to roll up completely, thus disclosing a strange and mysterious "installation" beneath. Every inch of wall-space was fitted with small circular plates of some thin, shining substance, set close together so that their edges touched, and in the center of each plate or disc was a tiny whi

sked Rivardi, at last-

wards Gaspard

n expert in modern scientific work-you understand ma

have always thought!

me a living soul!' And what is the breath of life? Is it not composed of such elements as are in the universe and which we may all discover if we will, and use to our advantage? You cann

red Gaspard-"I a

n loss. Nor would I risk YOUR life-or HIS!" and she looked towards Rivardi-"HE is not frightened-he will come with me wherever I go! Now, Monsieur Gaspard, see! Here is our breath of life!" And she held up before his eyes the two cylindrically shaped packages she had previously shown t

es she held upright in the socket made to receive it, and as she did this, fine sharp, needle like flashes of light broke from it in a complete circle, filling the whole receptacle with vibrating rays which instantly ran round each disc, and glittered in and out among them like a stream of quicksilver. As soon as this manifestation o

shed and let her rise!-when the contact is once es

ich she fixed the second tube. Once again the circular flashes broke out, but this time directly the compartment was closed down, the shining stream of light was seen to run rapidly and comple

waved a commanding hand as Rivardi sprang to the steering gear-"H

ar, or any kind of difficulty, when the air-ship, released from bondage, suddenly rose, and like an actual living bird sprang through the vast opening gateway of the aerodrome and as it sprang, spread out its wings as though by its own volition. In one moment, it soared straight upright, far far into space, and the men who were left behind stood staring amazedly after it, themselves looking no more than tiny black pin-heads down below,-then, with a slow diving grace it righted itself as it were, and as i

orks-it cannot become exhausted. To slow down and descend to earth one need only open the compartments at either end-then the vibr

s of the silken sheathing that covered its walls. So fired with light she looked ethereal-a very spirit of air or of flame; and Rivardi, just able to see her from his steering place, began to think there was some truth an the s

uggest an evanescent form about to melt away in mist. Some sudden thrill of superstitious fear mo

ptional capacity for receiving the waves of energy emanating from the sun and giving them off.' On the 'giving off' of those waves we move-it is all natural and easy, and, like every power existent in the universe, is meant for our comprehension and use. You cannot say you f

ama, if we go too far we may also go to

laug

us along are concerned in our own life-supply,-they make our air to breathe-

indled by slow degrees-their light became less and less intense-their vibration less powerful,-till very gradually with a perfectly beautiful motion expressing absolute grace and lightness the vessel descended towards the aerodrome it had lately left, and all the men who were waiting for its return gave a simultaneous shout of astonishment and admiration, as it sank slowly towards them, folding its wings as it came with the quiet ease of a nesting-bird flyi

n, descended in rebellion from heaven and lived with the daughters of men! From these strange lovers sprang a race of giants,-symbolical I think of the birth of the sciences, which mingle in their composition the active elements of good and evil. You have built this airship of mine on lines which have never before been attempted;-you have given it wings which are plumed like the wings

ard-"that composition or es

man's head craned forward eagerly to h

e said-"is