“I cannot tell you now.”
Lincoln’s face appeared close to them. He bowed an apology to the girl.
“You find the new world pleasant, Sire?” asked Lincoln, with smiling deference, and indicating the space and splendour of the gathering by one comprehensive gesture. “At any rate, you find it changed.”
“Yes,” said Graham, “changed. And yet, after all, not so greatly changed.”
“Wait till you are in the air,” said Lincoln. “The wind has fallen; even now an aeropile awaits you.”
The girl’s attitude awaited dismissal.
Graham glanced at her face, was on the verge of a question, found a warning in her expression, bowed to her and turned to accompany Lincoln.
CHAPTER XVI. THE AEROPHILE
For a while, as Graham went through the passages of the Wind-Vane offices with Lincoln, he was preoccupied. But, by an effort, he attended to the things which Lincoln was saying. Soon his preoccupation vanished. Lincoln was talking of flying. Graham had a strong desire to know more of this new human attainment. He began to ply Lincoln with questions. He had followed the crude beginnings of aerial navigation very keenly in his previous life; he was delighted to find the familiar names of Maxim and Pilcher, Langley and Chanute, and, above all, of the aerial proto-martyr Lillienthal, still honoured by men.