Air Wonder Stories, August 1929 — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

“ an Oe OP ee Fe ‘OY ae “No, Mr. Holdon, he won't.” the yoting man smiled. “Confidentially, he is responsible for me being one of its commanding pilots. He saw to it that 1 received a commission on board the Aunikilator. But, believe me, I had to work for it!” “Certainly you did, Bob! I know you well. You are like your father in many ways. He wouldn't accept anything unless he was absolutely certain that he had earned it. Robert, your father is one of the area me in this country and you should be proud 0: him ae “Thank you, Mr. Holdon. I’m sure that the feeling is mutual all around. Naturally I’m proud of dad. He’s the best: fellow, and the finest friend I’ve ever had. oes speaking of friends, Mr. Holdon, where's ‘oan 2 “Joan? Oh, you mean that death-defying young sprout of mine? Well, Robert, my boy, that girl is going to mean the end of me yet! I can’t keep her out of the air. She left this morning for Los Angeles, to go bathing. Said she’d be back about mid-afternoon. Fil have to tame that young lady, Bob!” Young Allison laughed delightedly, his even white teeth bleaming softly. His trim, slightly upcurled mustache that was the fad among the smarter young officers of the day, did not add much to his handsome face. Bob Allison would have been handsome even under a six months’ growth of whiskers. “Tame her, Mr. Holdon? Do you think you could do it after all these years? She always was as wild as any of the youngsters in our set. You know I haven't seen Joan im ten years? She was at school in Warsaw when I entered the Government Academy of Aviation at New Orleans, Does she stili have that funny little nose that the youngsters used to kid her about?” “That's right, Bob, it must be ten years since you saw her, at that! Joan was an odd youngster and that upturned. nose was the main source of her worry. I'll bet she licked all the kids in Washington over it, but wait until you see. Joan.as she is now. Why Bob she’s as ugly as-a greasy accelerator !” T squinted at the Lientenant to see how he accepted my teasing word-picture of my untameable daughter. IT expected to see his face cloud but he continued smiling pleasantly. “Joan couldn’t. be as ugly as all that, Mr. Holdon, Tmight say frankly that I believe you're having some fun at my expense. Go right ahead and have it be- cause it does not alter my brain-picture of Joan. I’ve always admired her in spite of the fact that she used to think that I was put on this earth for the sole purpose of making fun of her nose.” : IT whistled softly. “Don’t tell me you're in Jove with a girl you haven’t seen in tem years, Bob!” His face colored under the taunt. He stared down at his neat-fitting boots. f “Wel-l-l, Mr. Holdon, I don’t just know whether Iam or not. I’ve always admired Joan. I thought her Jittle nose was cute.” : “No, my boy, Joan no longer has that nose. Nature took its course and developed a nose that would cause the Statue of Liberty to hang her head in shame. Joan is as good to look at as she is wild and fearless, Bob. Tt’ll take a good man——a damn good man to tame that youngster! If you can do it, you have my blessing !” Bob’s face brightened perceptibly and his steel blue eyes snapped eagerly. He gave my hand an apprecia- BEYOND GRAVITY 117 tive. squeeze and grinned bashfully. I scanned the western skies searching-for a glimpse of Joan’s trim little areospeedster with its brilliant red and orchid color-scheme. The air was queerly vacant except for cemmercial planes. - “Darn funny, Bob,” I remarked uneasily, “that on a day like this there are so few planes in the air! What do you think-is keeping the swarms in their hangars?” “Why, Mr. Holdon, didn’t you get the government bulletin over the television requesting pleasure ships to remain owt of the air to-day?” “No, I didn’t!” I said, surprised. : “Well that’s the reason why the sky seems so de- serted. The government broadcast a bulletin this morning requesting that all air travel with the excep- tion of necessary flight, be suspended for twelve hours. That was a protective measure to give the Annihilator right ef way from Kitty Hawk to. points west.” “So that’s it, eh? And that Joan had to take-off in the face of a government order prohibiting it! I must have-fell asleep after she left this morning, Bob, and failed to hear the. gong on my felevision receiver. If T had known, you bet Joan would not have hopped off.” Joan Arrives 6t7)H well, you needn’t be alarmed over that. She’s in no danger of crossing our combustion ex- hausts because we are not going farther west than Denver. When we take to the air this evening we cut a straight line-across the Divide for New York to map a-new route for official aircraft.” “Pm a little bit worried about Joan—in fact, Bob, I’m always worried about the little rapscallion! Here it is four o'clock! She should have been back by now.” “Leave her alone and she'll come home, dragging her: little: plane behind her!” laughed Bob. “T’d like to see her before we take off, though. We hop off at seven.” d “I suppose Joan would like to have a look at the Annihilator, Bob,” I teased him. “V’m not so sure about-its officers. She might not care to see any of them, especially one who used to tease her about her nose.” “You don't think then that she'd be glad to see me, Mr, Holdon? Then you and I will look over the Annihilator.” “Oh come on, my boy, don’t take it so hard,” I P said, “‘She'll be tickled to death to'see you! We'll wait — for her. I know she'll enjoy it. Don’t worry about- me, I'll trail along with my eyes closed. Let’s go down to my apartment, perhaps I can find out where Joan is at this time. She has a small aero-television system on her plane. By the way, what brought the Annihilator to Denver when it could have flowr ' E] Paso or some other city?” Lieutenant Bob Allison blushed profusely and turned his head skyward. “Well now, Mr. Holdon, I really don’t like to say. T’m not the ship’s commander you know. I’m just a pilot. But if you really want to know, I’m not too bashful to tell you confidentially. Dad thought it would be a good idea if I came out here to Denver to renew old acquaintances. Denver was as good as any other destination to the War Department, Dad a ere ranged that too. And I wanted to see Joan. Th you have it all in a grease-cup. The Annihilator ceoed out here for my personal benefit, but nobody jows it.” Comicbooks:com ; a ‘ . ‘