Argosy All-Story Weekly, November 12, 1927 — page 39: what you’re looking at

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

KERRY OF THE AIR thing,” he added ruefully, “ I’m afraid that I myself can’t be fixed up in time. And . I had hoped to pilot the Sheldon ship.” He looked appraisingly at Kerry. “ Say, old man, how about yourself? You’re not wedded to that air-mail game, are you?” Kerry looked up, puzzled. ‘‘ Wedded to it? Why?” “Well, dad could use a test pilot like you—one who knows the game thoroughly. There’d be more money in it, and if, by a long chance, you happened to qualify to fly the race plane, there’d be publicity to the extent that would fix you up in the game for life.” “I rather like the air-mail game,” said Kerry. “Well, promise me you'll think it over, anyhow, old man.” The two visited for some time, talked over the war, in which both had distin- guished themselves, talked planes and en- gines, the new radio invention and various shop, and then the rather pretty white- uniformed tyrant came in and bluntly sug- gested that the visit be cut short. “His temperature goes up every time he talks airplanes,” she explained. “TI think I'll have to break up this little dis- cussion.” 3 As Kerry was about to take his depar- ture from the house, the doorbell rang. “ That’s probably dad,” said Betty. ‘““He said he wanted to see you here in person and thank you for what you did.” But it did not happen to be dad. The maid ushered in a _ good-looking, sleek- haired man, who stood at the door with his fawn hat and gloves in his hand, and bowed graciously. “Mr. Hatton!” said Betty, rising and extending her hand. ‘Miss Betty!” said the newcomer. “I just heard some bad news. I’ve been out of town. I do hope that your brother Dick is making a good recovery.” “ Yes, thanks to Captain Kerry here,” Betty answered. ‘“ Meet Captain Kerry. This is Mr. Hatton, captain.” Hatton extended his hand heartily. Kerry felt the other’s sharp eyes upon him. He disliked the man instinctively. Possibly Betty’s pleasant greeting for the stranger SA MAIL. 513 may have had something to do with the feeling. ‘I certainly regard it as a real pleasure to meet you, sir,” said Hatton smoothly. At Betty’s invitation he took a cup of tea, and chatted along pleasantly. _ “You see, Mr. Kerry,” he explained, ‘““f am in the same line as yourself. We ought to know each other. I’m interested in the Trico Corporation, but I’m more concerned with the commercial future of the airplane than in such things as races and other sporting events. I’m having a demonstration of our new air trucks next week. We're delivering a consignment of typewriters to cities along the Atlantic seaboard. Sending the typewriters. down from the planes with parachutes.” He talked on interestingly, expressed the hope that Mr. Sheldon would be able to make the necessary repairs on the battered plane, or build a new one equally as good before the date of the transcontinental race, and seemed pleased when he was told that Sheldon was still hopeful. Kerry said little. He did not shine at drawing-room conversation. He was sizing — up this man Hatton, who seemed to be a worthy rival for the affections of this won- derful gray-eyed goddess who sat in the room with them. Would he chuck the air mail and take advantage of Dick Sheldon’s offer? At least, it would keep him in closer touch with Betty Sheldon. He left the house seriously thinking over the new proposition. V. He thought about it so seriously that, a few weeks later, there was a general leave- taking of Glenn Kerry at the New Bruns- wick Air Mail port. From that time on, visiting ladies often asked about that tall, blond pilot, and were told that he had left the service. “TI hated to see him go, too—for more reasons than one,” Garvin explained. “In the first place, Kerry was A No. 1—as fearless as any dare-devil, but with common sense and caution. We don’t want dare- devils in this game. We want to get the COMIC OOO KS (EO)