I had hardly finished writing when the lookout on the tower announcedthat the _Teuta_, as Rupert calls his aeroplane, was sighted crossing themountains from Plazac. I hurried up to see him arrive, for I had not asyet seen him on his "aero." Mr. Ernest Melton came up, too. Teuta was,of course, before any of us. She seems to know by instinct when Rupertis coming.
It was certainly a wonderful sight to see the little aeroplane, withoutspread wings like a bird in flight, come sailing high over themountains. There was a head-wind, and they were beating against it;otherwise we should not have had time to get to the tower before thearrival.
When once the "aero" had begun to drop on the near side of the mountains,however, and had got a measure of shelter from them, her pace wasextraordinary. We could not tell, of course, what sort of pace she cameat from looking at herself. But we gathered some idea from the rate atwhich the mountains and hills seemed to slide away from under her. Whenshe got over the foot-hills, which are about ten miles away, she came onat a swift glide that seemed to throw the distance behind her. Whenquite close, she rose up a little till she was something higher than theTower, to which she came as straight as an arrow from the bow, and glidedto her moorings, stopping dead as Rupert pulled a lever, which seemed toturn a barrier to the wind. The Voivode sat beside Rupert, but I mustsay that he seemed to hold on to the bar in front of him even more firmlythan Rupert held to his steering-gear.
When they had alighted, Rupert greeted his cousin with the utmostkindness, and bade him welcome to Vissarion.
"I see," he said, "you have met Teuta. Now you may congratulate me, ifyou wish."
Mr. Melton made a long rodomontade about her beauty, but presently,stumbling about in his speech, said something regarding it being unluckyto appear in grave-clothes. Rupert laughed, and clapped him on theshoulder as he answered:
"That pattern of frock is likely to become a national dress for loyalwomen of the Blue Mountains. When you know something of what that dressmeans to us all at present you will understand. In the meantime, take itthat there is not a soul in the nation that does not love it and honourher for wearing it." To which the cad replied:
"Oh, indeed! I thought it was some preparation for a fancy-dress ball."Rupert's comment on this ill-natured speech was (for him) quite grumpilygiven:
"I should not advise you to think such things whilst you are in this partof the world, Ernest. They bury men here for much less."
The cad seemed struck with something--either what Rupert had said or hismanner of saying it--for he was silent for several seconds before hespoke.
"I'm very tired with that long journey, Rupert. Would you and Mrs. SentLeger mind if I go to my own room and turn in? My man can ask for a cupof tea and a sandwich for me."