Air Wonder Stories, August 1929 — page 44: what you’re looking at

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

Te ee Ree TS Di Na iS i ae! bl Oe hi ts, Re, 138 AIR WONDER STORIES. There was one thing that made the enforced wait easier to bear. I had more time to spend with Lord Almeric and his niece. Their visit to New York was nearing its end, for Lord Almeric had almost finished the work that had brought him to America. Only a matter of business with the Treasury in Washington remained to be seen to before he returned to England. Miss Torrance, it appeared, was taking advantage of the trip to spend some months in Washington with relatives there, a piece of news that seemed pretty good to me. It sounded such a waste of time for a girl like her to come to America fora fortnight. Washington was less than an hour away for a machine like my Merlin. We were having dinner. together on the Saturday evening before going to a theatre. My father was there, Lord Almeric of course, Dan Lamont, and Miss Torrance. I was telling her how easy it would be for me or Milliken to run down to Washington and take her back again if she wanted even a day in New York. She laughed at me. “There doesn’t seem any end to your American hospitality,” she.said. “Does there, uncle?” “American hospitality,” said Lord Almeric, “is the only thing known to work more than twenty- four hours a day.” “No, but seriously, Miss Torrance,” I insisted. “T think if would be a real good plan just to wire me if you wanted to come to New York. ‘Boon, Gardiner, L. I.: Plane. wanted. Torrance.’—just that, and within an hour Milliken, or I, or Didcot would be fluttering down on the Potomac.” “As easy as that?” “As easy as that,” said I. “And to show you how easy it is, I’m going to ask Lord Almeric to let me carry you both to Washington to-morrow. May I, Lord Almeric?” “My dear Mr. Boon—you must not make us im- pose on your good nature!” But I had my way. At seven o’clock on the Sun- day evening, Milliken and myself took off from the Battery in the Merlin with Lord Almeric and Miss Torrance, and some of their luggage. Soon after half-past seven, in the first-creep of dusk, we sighted the pale lights of the aerodrome and seaplane basin on the Potomac, and by twenty to eight we had landed our passengers. “Don’t forget, Miss Torrance, that there will al- ways be a bus at your disposal whenever you want to come to New York,” J said. “I won't forget, Mr. Boon, Good-bye, and my ateful thanks for many kindnesses,” she said. ‘Good-bye, Mr. Milliken! Remember that you’re to coach me for my pilot’s certificate.” Milliken grinned that big grin of his. “T’IL remember, Miss Torrance,” he said. “It won't take you long.” “Good-bye, Mr. Boon,” said Lord Almeric, “I shall see you on my return to New York. Good- bye, Milliken. Best wishes for the success of your new. machines,” They stepped into a government automobile that was waiting for them, and drove off. Funny how Milliken sizes people up. I never thought of that, and I sort of kicked myself for having so blatantly offered the use of a bus. “Dad fetch it, Milliken!” I grumbled. “What's the good of making friends only to lose them? I don’t even know her address. It seemed inquisitive to ask.” “That's all right, Mr, Boon,” said Milliken cheer- fully. “She’s a niece of the President. Everybody knows his telephone number.” “The White House! How did you know?” “She told me coming along. I have to send her a copy of your book on flying.” “Why didn’t she ask me for one? I’d have had one specially bound for her-——” Milliken looked at me queerly. “Maybe that’s why she asked me to get her one, Mr. Boon. She’s a very independent young lady.” We locked the Merlin up in a private shed. It was the only way I could induce my mechanic to leave her and come with me to an hotel, though the machine was fully protected in the matter of patents. After dinner we both went along to look up a man in the Air Department, and spent the re- mainder of the evening talking shop. We got back to_our hotel at a late hour and went to bed. I was awakened at eight o’clock in the morning by a negro bell-hop bringing me a cup of tea. “Papeh, suh?” he said. “They’s bin anuthuh of them bank robbin’ businesses down at Louahyille, suh—ma home town as wuz. Them-robbers is shoh the piratinest white men ah evah see——” He handed mie an extra edition that still smelled of wet printing ink, and across the front page in staring letters ran this announcement: “THE ‘PARNASSIC’ TRICK PULLED ON LOUISVILLE! Town Put to Sleep While Four Banks Are Robbed! Mysterious Radium Gifts Appear Again.” I jumped out of bed and ran into Milliken’s room. “Milliken! Milliken! The raiders have been at it again down at Louisville this morning!” Milliken, who was shaving himself with an old- fashioned razor, turned and looked at me calmly. “Gracious Jinks!” he said—and went on shaving. CHAPTER VII ' To Louisville OR a space I gazed at my mechanic in silence, and nothing was to be heard but the whisper of the razor on his stubby beard. He wiped the soap from the blade and turned, “When-do we start for Louisville?” he asked. “As soon as we have had breakfast,” I said as casu- ally—he was not going to pull off any quiet surprise on me. We were down at the seaplane-basin by nine and after filling the Merlin’s tanks took off just after the hour. We gave her plenty of gas and covered -the eight hundred kilometres to Louisville in an hour and forty minutes, It was useless attempting to get near the robbed banks, for the streets were thronged with people, packed tight and:deep. I went right to the headquarters of the air police, where there was a chance that I might be known, and was lucky enough to find the local com- mander an enthusiastic supporter of the Aeronautical Research Society, of which I was an office-holder. The raid on. Lottisville was simply the Wall Street and Newark affair on a smaller seals The sleep had come upon the police and the watchmen at two: o'clock in the morning, and the strong-rooms of the banks had been cut open by the same means as that used in New Cone vase all Loe, pcomicbooks:com ”