elf to his
possession. Nevertheless, he argued, stranger things had happened!

The grey peep of dawn widened into a silver rift, and the silver rift
streamed into a bar of gold, and the gold broke up into long strands of
blush pink and pale blue like festal banners hanging in heaven's bright
pavilion, and the "White Eagle" flew on swiftly, steadily, securely,
among all the glories of the dawn like a winged car for the conveyance
of angels. And both Rivardi and Gaspard thought they were not far from
the realisation of an angel when Morgana suddenly appeared at the door
of her sleeping-cabin, attired in a fleecy-wool gown of purest white,
her wonderful gold hair unbound and falling nearly to her feet.

"What a perfect morning!" she exclaimed--"All things seem new! And I
have had such a good rest! The air is so pure and clean--surely we are
over the sea?"

"We are some fifteen thousand feet above the Mediterranean"--answered
Rivardi, looking at her as he spoke with unconcealed
admiration;--never, he thought, had she seemed so charming, youthful
and entirely lovable--"I am glad you have rested--you look quite
refreshed and radiant. After all, it is a test of endurance--this
journey to Egypt and back."

"Do you think so?" and Morgana smiled--"It should be nothing--it really
is nothing! We ought to be quite ready and willing to travel like this
for a week on end! But you and Gaspard are not yet absolutely sure of
our motive power!--you cannot realise that as long as we keep going so
long will our 'going' force be generated without effort--yet surely it
is proved!"

Gaspard lifted his eyes towards her where she stood like a little white
Madonna in a shrine.

"Yes, Madama, it is proved!" he said--"But the secret of its proving?--"

"Ah! That, for the present, remains locked up in the mystery
box--here!" and she tapped her forehead with her finger--"The world is
not ready for it. The world is a destructive savage, loving evil rather
than good, and it would work mischief more than usefulness with such a
force--if it knew! Now I will dress, and give you breakfast in ten
minutes."

She waved a hand to them and disappeared, returning after a brief
interval attired in her "aviation" costume and cap. Soon she had
prepared quite a tempting breakfast on the table.

"Thermos coffee!" she said, gaily--"All hot and hot! We could have had
Thermos tea, but I think coffee more inspiriting. Tea always reminds me
of an afternoon at