THE FIRST MAN WHO HAS FLOWN
BY MECHANICAL MEANS
AND SO APPROACHED MOST NEARLY
TO THE LONG-SOUGHT IDEAL
OF
AERIAL NAVIGATION

THE FOLLOWING PAGES ARE INSCRIBED
BY
THE AUTHOR

CONTENTS.

PAGE
PROLOGUE[1]
CHAP.
I.THE SURRENDER OF THE WORLD-THRONE[8]
II.A CROWNLESS KING[14]
III.TSARINA OLGA[26]
IV.A SON OF THE GODS[35]
V.A VISION FROM THE CLOUDS[47]
VI.DEED AND DREAM[53]
VII.THE SPELL OF CIRCE[66]
VIII.THE NEW TERROR[75]
IX.THE FLIGHT OF THE “REVENGE”[83]
X.STRANGE TIDINGS TO AERIA[94]
XI.THE SNAKE IN EDEN[102]
XII.THE BATTLE OF KERGUELEN[110]
XIII.THE SYREN’S STRONGHOLD[129]
XIV.FROM THE SEA TO THE AIR[138]
XV.OLGA IN COUNCIL[146]
XVI.KHALID THE MAGNIFICENT[159]
XVII.AN UNHOLY ALLIANCE[174]
XVIII.A MOMENTOUS COMMISSION[188]
XIX.FACE TO FACE AGAIN[202]
XX.THE CALL TO ARMS[215]
XXI.THE HOME-COMING[226]
XXII.THE EVE OF BATTLE[243]
XXIII.THE FIRST BLOW[253]
XXIV.WAR AT ITS WORST[271]
XXV.A MESSAGE FROM MARS[289]
XXVI.SENTENCE OF DEATH[303]
XXVII.ALMA SPEAKS[314]
XXVIII.THE SIGN IN THE SKY[319]
XXIX.THE TRUCE OF GOD[325]
XXX.THE SHADOW OF DEATH[338]
XXXI.THE LAST BATTLE[350]
XXXII.THE SHE-WOLF TO HER LAIR[359]
EPILOGUE[369]

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE
EVIL IN SUCH A SHAPE MIGHT BE SOMETHING MORE THAN GOOD[Frontispiece]
NOT A VESTIGE OF OUR AIR-SHIP OR HER CREATORS REMAINED[22]
AS SHE GAZED UPON IT, THE FIRES DIED AWAY[57]
FLINGING LONG STREAMS OF RADIANCE FOR MILES INTO THE SKY[83]
THE CLOUDS WERE RENT AND ROLLED UP INTO VAST SHADOWY BILLOWS[122]
THE COMBINED SQUADRONS SWEPT ACROSS THE MOUNTAIN BARRIER[237]
BATTERIES WHICH WOULD BE ABLE TO SURROUND AERIA WITH A ZONE OF STORM AND FLAME[248]
THE FOUR HUNDRED BATTLESHIPS OF THE TWO SQUADRONS ROSE INTO THE AIR[252]
THREE OF THE AIR-SHIPS SEEMED TO BREAK-UP AND ROLL OVER[259]
A GREAT BATTLESHIP LEAPT UP OUT OF THE NETHER WATERS[266]
THE “ISMA” SWOOPED DOWN[281]
A FEARFUL SCENE UNFOLDED ITSELF AS THEY SWEPT UP OVER PARIS[286]
“ONLY YOU CAN BID ME LIVE, ALMA”[317]
STILL THE FIGHT WENT ON AT LONG RANGES[354]
THE BLAZING SKY WAS LITERALLY RAINING FIRE OVER SEA AND LAND[367]
OLGA ROMANOFF HAD SURVIVED THE DOOM OF THE WORLD[374]