Air Wonder Stories, August 1929 — page 52: what you’re looking at

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

146 AIR WONDER STORIES open the Broad Street Banks first, were disappointed of a haul from them, and destroyed the securities out of spleen then came onto the Bank of England only to find that there was more gold here than they could get away with.” “T'm afraid, Jimmy,” said Lord Almeric, “that.that explanation not serve. It is a matter of almost daily news how much gold is deposited in the Bank here. It is: also common knowledge that the joint- stock banks since the war have kept no reserve of gold, but have hada working arrangement with us.” : “These are not criminals in the ordinary sense,” ‘said Sir Thomas. “The distribution of the radium points to that, the care that has been exercised to preserve life in the raids. There is some idea, as you have said, Mr. Boon, underlying it all, and the future will prob- ably show what the idea is. We may regard this raid as a demonstration of power, an attempt to bring chaos into the business world, to upset values—some cranky method of advertising.an idea presently to be revealed. If I may be allowed to express what is merely an in- tuition on my part, I do not believe that these raiders value even the gold they have taken. They have mar- velous power—marvelous! But the vulnerable point in any scheme of attack is its weakest link, That is in the air in this case. I cannot believe that the scheme of the raiders can be carried out with a dirigible. We have proved the vulnerability of the airship time and again, and it is on this point that we will get them: I shall not concern myself solely with looking for these criminals or cranks on solid earth, I will keep after them in the air, and, by God—get them, too!—if they are on my side of the globe!” And Fears 6¢F ULLY for you, General!” I couldn’t help yell- ing, he spoke with such force. “I beg your pardon.” “Not at all,” said he. “The best thing you can do is to get back to America at your quickest speed, and pitch into the authorities there. If the raiders are operating from Canada, until measures are taken to Stop them the whole of- your wealthy cities round the Great Lakes are at their mercy—Chicago, Buffalo, De- troit—and the coastal cities, also—Boston, Philadel- phia, Washington. Make them see what you and Tsee, that if this menace is to be scotched,.they will need aeroplanes, fighting aeroplanes that can climb to five thousand metres and more, Make them understand that this is not any parochial question, or national, but that it-is for the world to face and beat. For me, I shall strongly represent to our government that the Canadian authorities be asked-to go over their ter- ritory with the minutest search they can. And I will put the French police on their guard—and the Ger- mans—the Germans——” He broke off and eyed Lord Almeric queerly. “No, my dear Basildon,” said Lord Almeric. “TI can believe much of them, but that they would leave so'many ‘millions of the gold they so badly want be- hind them—no,” “A blind?” “Not they. They are incapable of the sacrifice.” “Humph! Perhaps you're right—perhaps you're right. Though, by George! they’ve got the ships—and you never know but what they have the-gas! I’m certain that they have never. stopped their research.” “Think again, Basildon—think again. Would the matter of a few Americans or Englishmen asphyxiated deter brother German from using poison gas if he had conceived the idea of these raids?” “They want something better than their Zeppelins to get across’ the. Atlantic with, Sir Thomas,” said I, “and besides, how about housing them once they were in America?” “Well, I relinquish the idea,” Sir Thomas said. “I shall put the French—and the Germans—on the qui vive. If London this week, why not Paris or Berlin the next ?” “Why not?” Lord Almeric agreed, “Br-r-r! And this damned government to move into action! Pah! Think of it, Pluscarden! The solemn idiots sitting all night through to this very morning de- bating a reduction of the Air Estimates—while this is happening, practically at the other end of the street! I wish to Heaven the raiders had given them a whiff of the gas—the prosy, pusillanimous, pompous, pin- headed——” It is hard to say how far Sir Thomas would have got with his alliteration, if the telephone bell had not tung just then. Smiling at his friend, in spite of the gravity of the situation, Lord Almeric picked up the receiver. “Yes,” he said into the microphone, “Sir Thomas is here. Scotland Yard for you Basildon.” “Ah, good!” said Sir Thomas. “We may have some news!” Basildon Gets His Wish IR THOMAS BASILDON took the receiver from Lord Almeric, and sat on the desk to talk into.the instrument. “Yes, Ferguson—Basildon speaking,” he said. “Eh? Ah! Yes, well, I half expected that. Army and Navy Stores? Aha—that, too. Eh? Just a minute, Fer- guson.” He turned to us. “The thing’s complete. A petrol station at Purfleet —the Anglo-American Oil Company—reports a de- ficiency of six thousand litres of petrol, and the whole establishment put to sleep. The Army and Navy Stores in Victoria Street have been forced open, and a large quantity of foodstuffs taken away, money being left. Now, Ferguson——” He turned to the mouthpiece again, and almost im- mediately an incredulous look passed over his. face. “No!” he shouted. “Don’t pull your chief's leg, Ferguson—it isn’t done! Tell me again. With their faces blackened? Well, I’m damned!” He burst into a roar of laughter, shaking, shaking, until Lord Almeric and I sprang up in alarm. Soldiers have given way to hysterics in the midst of a preat nervous strain before, and I thought the general had an attack. I don’t know what.Lord Almeric thought, but he evidently considered the laughter a little ill- timed. “No, no! Pm all right, really—I’m not unstrung!”’ gasped Sir Thomas. “The raiders did gas the Com- mons this morning—and every man jack on the Treas- ury. Bench woke up with his face blackened! Blackened, by George !—with burnt cork!” “What?” cried Lord Almeric. “You aren’t serious, Basildon!” “Serious as cholera,” said Sir Thomas, “Ferguson has just told me—and he’s too solemn to joke on any subject.” There was no help for it.. Lord Almeric tried hard to keep his face straight, but he couldn’t—and presently he and the general were lying back helpless in chairs, fies