Bill Barnes Air Adventurer, July 1935 — page 108: what you’re looking at

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

106 BILL BARNES not know himself why he did it—but he insisted on an answer to his question. “Well, er, who is this ?” “Fm—i'm im ts-—his & Oh, I love him! I love him! Tell me quickly! What has happened? Did— did he - ‘“Wh-wh-why—er—nothing! I mean nothing’s happened to him, ma’am—er —lady. I’m—he’s—it’s—er—we——” He stopped talking and took a breath because he knew that he had been splut- tering. Then he went on more evenly, still maintaining the tonal disguise, “Freddie Harper is safe and sound. Wasn’t hurt a bit. Just pulled one of his stunts, that was all. Who—— Oh, good-by.”’ Having heard a sobbing sigh of relief, he had ended the conversation abruptly and hung up with a bang. He whirled around, swayed a little as though dizzy, and looked all about him. For the first time in two months, he wanted company—people, friends, any- body—to hug or slap on the back. His glance rested on the girl for a second. She was still busy typing and _ still frowning. She must have appeared too frail besides. He dashed outside, saw Walsh stand- ing near by talking to two other pilots, and went over to them. Coming from the side, he gripped the astonished Walsh in a choking bear hug, freed him, and then smote him lustily on the back. “Whouf-f-f! Ow! Sa-ay, what’s the meaning of this, Freddie?” “Oh, nothing. Just feeling good, that’s all,” Harper answered. “How are you, yourself?” He drew back with his strong right arm and gave Walsh another playful blow, one on the shoul- der that made the pilot stagger. “Owooo! Hey, what are you trying to do, kill me?’ Walsh yelled. “I thought Blayle took all that out of your” “Oh, yea? Still at 1,1 see. Well, that stuff doesn’t bother me. Goes right over my head. And the next time you see Blayle, you can tell him that I said I’m going to make him lose a student all right and if he wants to do any- thing about it to come and see me. And if anybody should ask you, I’m not get- ting out of town either. I’m staying right here at Snowden Field. Well, I think I hear the old demon announcer still paging. Getting a big hand on my last jump, aren't 1? See you later.” And Freddie Harper turned away and went to greet his “public” wearing, for the first time in many weeks, a great big smile. Comicboook CO