Air Stories — page 25: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Flight of a President Two Men, an American Airman and an Absconding President, made Foolproof Plans for a Life and Death Flight—but Each Planned a Different Ending By “VIGILANT ” CHAPTER I Escape of a President HAT will be all for to-night, Gomez,’’ said the President. ‘‘We can do nothing more, and General Valdeno has the situation well in hand. Go to bed ; you look tired.”’ ‘‘It has been a strenuous day, Your Excellency,’’ agreed his secretary in tones so sympathetic that for a moment the President thought the man must really like him. But then he reminded himself that Gomez, like the rest, served him only from fear. Let him but show one sign of weakness and they would all turn on him and rend him. ‘‘ Good-night, Gomez,’’ he said, and turned away. ‘‘Good-night, Your Excellency. Sleep well.’’ The secretary bowed and withdrew. But the President had no thought of retiring to rest. Lighting a cigar, he stepped out on to the balcony of his study to listen to the firing and read the message it conveyed. For a few moments he could hear only the crackle of rifles and the chatter of machine-guns. Then there came a sudden lull in the din, and the faint breeze carried the echoes of a defiant shout from the harbour quarter : “Viva Quesada, el Liberador! Long live Quesada, the Liberator |" ¢¢ 23 Pat Nich|\e Rodriquez dived head-first into space The President smiled. Fifteen years ago the Botogonians had acclaimed him as their liberator when he had led the mob from the harbour quarter to storm the palace held by the half-hearted troops still fighting for his predecessor, President Garcia. Now he was the CO OO (C