The Air Trust. George Allan England

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СКАЧАТЬ "direct action." Doubtless the capitalist press (if it indeed notice the work at all) will denounce it as a plea for "bomb-throwing" and apply the epithet of "Anarchist" to me; but at this the judicious and the intelligent will only smile; and as for our friends the enemy, we esteem their opinion at its precise real value, zero.

      Given the conditions supposed in this book, I repeat—a complete monopoly of the air, with an absolute suppression of all political rights—no other outcomes are possible than slavery or violent, physical revolution. As I have made Gabriel Armstrong say: "The masters would have it so. Academic discussion becomes absurd, in the face of plutocratic savagery. And in a case of self-defense, no measures are unjustifiable."

      I believe in political action. I hope for a peaceful and bloodless revolution. But if that be impossible, then by all means let us have revolution in its other sense. And with the hope that this book may perhaps revive some fainting spirit or renew the vision of emancipation in some soul where it has dimmed, I give "The Air Trust" to the workers of America and of the world.

      GEORGE ALLAN ENGLAND.

      Boston, Mass., November 1, 1915.

       FOREWORD

       THE AIR TRUST

       CHAPTER I.—THE BIRTH OF AN IDEA

       CHAPTER II.—THE PARTNERS

       CHAPTER III.—THE BAITING OF HERZOG

       CHAPTER IV.—AN INTERLOPER

       CHAPTER V.—IN THE LABORATORY

       CHAPTER VI.—OXYGEN, KING OF INTOXICATORS

       CHAPTER VII.—A FREAK OF FATE

       CHAPTER VIII.—ONE UNBIDDEN, SHARES GREAT SECRETS

       CHAPTER IX.—DISCHARGED

       CHAPTER X.—A GLIMPSE OF THE PARASITES

       CHAPTER XI.—THE END OF TWO GAMES

       CHAPTER XII.—ON THE GREAT HIGHWAY

       CHAPTER XIII.—CATASTROPHE

       CHAPTER XIV.—THE RESCUE

       CHAPTER XV.—AN HOUR AND A PARTING

       CHAPTER XVI.—TIGER WALDRON "COMES BACK"

       CHAPTER XVII.—THOUGHTS

       CHAPTER XVIII.—FLINT AND WALDRON PLAN

       CHAPTER XIX.—CATHERINE'S DEFIANCE

       CHAPTER XX.—THE BILLIONAIRE'S PLOT

       CHAPTER XXI.—GABRIEL, GOOD SAMARITAN

       CHAPTER XXII.—THE TRAP IS SPRUNG

       CHAPTER XXIII.—THE BEAST GLOATS

       CHAPTER XXIV.—CATHERINE'S SUPREME DECISION

       CHAPTER XXV.—THROUGH STEEL BARS

       CHAPTER XXVI.—"GUILTY"

       CHAPTER XXVII.—BACK IN THE SUNLIGHT

       CHAPTER XXVIII.—IN THE REFUGE

       CHAPTER XXIX.—"APRÈS NOUS LE DÉLUGE!"

       CHAPTER XXX.—TRAPPED!

       CHAPTER XXXI.—ESCAPE!

       CHAPTER XXXII.—OMINOUS DEVELOPMENTS

       CHAPTER XXXIII.—"NOW COMES THE HOUR SUPREME"

       CHAPTER XXXIV.—THE ATTACK

       CHAPTER XXXV.—TERROR AND RETREAT

       CHAPTER XXXVI.—THE STORMING OF THE WORKS

       CHAPTER XXXVII.—DEATH IN THE PIT OF STEEL

       CHAPTER XXXVIII.—VISIONS

THE AIR TRUST

       Table of Contents

CHAPTER I.

       Table of Contents

      THE BIRTH OF AN IDEA.

      Sunk far back in the huge leather cushions of his morris chair, old Isaac Flint was thinking, thinking hard. Between narrowed lids, his hard, gray eyes were blinking at the morning sunlight that poured into his private office, high up in the great building he had reared on Wall Street. From his thin lips now and then issued a coil of smoke from the costly cigar he was consuming. His bony legs were crossed, and one foot twitched impatiently. Now and again he tugged at his white mustache. A frown creased his hard brow; and, as he pondered, something of the glitter of a snake seemed reflected in his pupils.

      "Not enough," he muttered, harshly. "It's not enough—there must be more, more, more! Some way must be found. Must be, and shall be!"

      The sunlight of early spring, glad and warm over Manhattan, brought no message of cheer to the Billionaire. It bore no news of peace and joy to him. Its very brightness, as it flooded the metropolis and mellowed his luxurious inner office, seemed to offend the master of the world. And presently he arose, walked to the window and made as though to lower the shade. But for a moment he delayed this action. Standing there at the window, he peered out. Far below him, the restless, swarming life of the huge city crept and grovelled. Insects that were men and women crowded the clefts that were streets. Long lines of cars, toy-like, crept along the "L" structures. As far as the eye could reach, tufted plumes of smoke and СКАЧАТЬ