Air Wonder Stories, August 1929 — page 73: what you’re looking at

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

THE PLANET'S AIR MASTER 167 to the subterranean railway entrance and while they waited. for a train, Riel glanced around at the crowd as was his custom, taking no special look at any one, but noticing a surprising number of things in: each casual glance, There was a large crowd on the -plat- form, for it was the evening rush hour, when the city’s factories and skyscrapers were pouring their. thousands into the streets. A workman in overalls with a dinner bucket in his hand; stood behind the pair. He received a second glance from the detective, but whether it was because he was standing in a place that looked suspi- cious, or whether the sleuth was just checking up to see if he was following them was hard to say. A woman standing near them also received a brief un- noticed look from Riel, He was apparently taking no chances of being followed. A train pulled in and the mass of humanity started toward the entrance. Man- aging to squeeze into the train, the two men were obliged to stand in the aisle, The man with the dinner bucket was near them, but Riel paid little attention to him ; he apparently had satisfied himself with the second glance on the platform. “Ts this the kind of transportation you use-in your travels about the city?” Wallace asked, nodding to the car packed tight with its human cargo. “No, not as a rule,” was the answer, “I must apologize for bringing you on this crowded car, but I did it to prevent being followed. We can lose a spotter easier in a crowd than by using street or air taxis which can be followed easily. I can’t afford to: have anyone follow us to-night, for I am taking you to where I have the plans that our criminal wizard is after, and I can not take a chance on being trailed there. Those papers are important.” Leaving the subway after a twenty-minute ride, the men walked along the lower. street level to the Empire Building, taking an elevator to the forty-seventh floor where: the offices of the London I. A. L. branch was located. “Tt is best that I do the talking,” Riel warned his companion as they entered the manager's office, “I will explain later.” The detective needed no introduction to Edward Graham, manager of the London offices, for he had had interviews with the official before, during his work on the present case. So, with little more than a nod to the man at the desk, he at once approached the subject of interest. “I want to take a special liner back to New York to-morrow at ten in the morning. I will put on a disguise and slip onto the liner in the sheds, and take my place in the control room as an electrical tester. If you can put some new equipment on the control panels of the special, it will look more natural.” “T think I can arrange it all right, providing Mr. Wallace offers no objection.” “No objection whatever, Mr. Graham. You are to assist Mr. Riel in every possible way.” “Well, then,” replied the manager, turning to the ‘sleuth, “will you be carrying any. baggage?” “T wish to get a package of valuable papers to New York, and we'll have it secreted onto the liner in the sheds. It is not likely we'll be stopped this trip, for they got false plans from us before; and they'll think this trip is also a bluff. Even if they do learn of the shipment through spies watching the special, they will only see two men in the control room making a test ig. ae “All right Mr, Riel,” replied the London_I. A. L. official, “I'll have the ship ready on time. I suppose you will attend to putting your package on board?” “Yes,” replied the detective, preparing to leave, “I'll attend to that.” _ Leaving the office, the two ascended to the roof and, signalling for an air taxi, were soon traveling to the west. ; “Everything worked Rke a charm,” Riel exclaimed with satisfaction looking at his watch-for signs of the ray. “Just as I expected, the ray was on us all the time we were in the office, and our master criminal will play into my hands this time. But we had better main- tain silence until we are more secure from the wizard, a single word may spoil all.” It was with difficulty that Wallace could keep quiet, for he was bursting with curiosity. A score of ques- tions were burning in his brain. Why was Riel going to return to America? Did he really hope to get across with some valuables to see if it could be done? No, there must be more to it than that. No doubt he had made up that talk because the ray was on them, and intended to make a far different move. But if he was intending to make the trip, why would he tempt the criminals to another robbery? Could he learn any- thing by it? Was the package going to contain any- thing of real value or would it be another fake set of papers? Could the ray penetrate the package to see what was in it and so possibly beat Riel at his own trick? Over London 'UCH thoughts ran through the American’sbrain as the taxiplane continued west along the city landing level. But he could see plainly that his companion did not care to discuss the subject, so he gave it up, deciding to wait until-they had‘a chance to talk, The progress of the taxi was slow along the landing lane, for planes were continually coming up or going down: to landing places below. Building roofs, garage roofs, individual Jandings:and-the many municipal park- ing spaces, all added their share of craft to the crowded lower lane, But it was not long before the chauffeur teached an -ascent cross-lane, which was commonly called the “A” Jane. The “A” lane signal, which. was a huge green and white revolving light mounted on a steel tower, was visible for a long distance from the air. The “D” Jane or descent cross-lane signals were similar to the others, only that a red and white light was used. The taxiplane arriving over the “A” lane signal, ascended to its proper level, passing above the second lane which was assigned to heavy duty craft. Reach- ing Lane 3 which was composed of local light traffic it-again resumed its flight to the west. Once on the third lane, the plane speeded up and cut through the air ata fast-rate. The heavy traffic of Lane 2 swept past below in a continuous stream, momentarily blotting out partial views of the illuminated city below. As far as the eye could detect the land was-a continuous stretch of lights, Millions of them of all imaginable sizes and colors. The extra bright strips, stretching for miles across the black background, indicated’ the main streets. The re- volving cross-lane signals could be seen scattered at intervals over the city—the traffic signals of the air traveler. The lanes below appeared as an endless stream of red lights, as the heavy traffic of the lower lanes swept past, the red lights on the upper side of the wings standing -out bright and clear against the icomilebooks-co! Obie oil ates hie edn ¢ smd |