THF, AT T T ATT' Tf"t? AT r Ti'v;nv mav?1 moo
rouR
I
:j """i"uiiiiiaj ij
: A Birdie 1 1
: in the 1 i
: House
i FANNIE i
j 3 HURST 8
: : niinffffnm.t ' I js
Oorrtfev Ui. Tk WkMlar ;dimm.
(Continued from last week)
Ton'r right restless down here at
ittie Springs, aren't you, Miss Delia?"
"Restless! Well, rather I Me down
liere In the AU'meitary Canal tone,
When It'a Aero week and the Motor
Cup races at home!"
"To think of a little Cutey like you
ticlug so crazy over airships. Aren't
you afraid, Miss Lt-Ilu. to "
"Afraid! Why. I've tuken two
Clghts alreudy. I was among those
prenent In Revlllon's fumous plane the
time he curried a passenger at the
Chicago meet. I went up with Arch
Weyer the first time he tried out hla
old monoplane. 1 "
"Just full of pep. ain't you I"
"Why, there'a not un airman ever
dropped In at the oihVe while I was
Bleiioging that I didn't invite myself
tip with. Afraid! Gee, I can taste a
flight now. (.'loud In my mouth and
rain hefore it'a rain, in my face! A
feeling like all of u sudden my feet
re cut free from asphalt and the
"world bus slid out from under me.
L'p-up-up ! With tli's w arty old planet
dropping away like n pebble off n
cliff. Scooting on wlnH through the
middle of a million jours! That's the
way It feels to you. Mr. Ganz, to go
flying through vpne. If your rui'.der
ts vertical and the air gusty let the
pluiica alone.''
"Well. If If you ain't Just full of
lilgh Jinks. 1 tell you a fellow like no,
Who let himself get close u;i to forty
with Ida nose and eyes to the grind
stone, sometimes Just keeps them
there from hnllt unless something l.ke
you couifi along to wake him up."
"You selfniude men. Mr. Cuius, ure
sometimes like home-made Hying ma
chines. After you got wings, you
don't know how to use 'em."
; -lou tet I've neen steeping, miss
Dells, but I'm awake now and and
you woke me."
"Flying, Mr. Oanz, Is like any other
principle where"
"Now Juat don't you begin to get
Wight sway from the subject of you
and me like you did last night, Miss
(Delia, hen you wouldn't let me say
jwhat I've got In my heart to.''
; "It's you who changed the subject.
oar. Cans. W e were talking about air
kdanes and I was trying to tell you
ftat we were standing on the edge of
be sir age. We've finished with the
ptone age and the Iron age and all
jtLe other agea and now we are ready
Ifor the "
"But, Miss Pells, what I got In my
3eart to tell you la more Important
' "There are no limits to the airplane,,
isar. ejaoz, mats wnat makes It the
greatest of all Inventions. Mountains,
(cas, valleys and rivers won't be any
aore of an obstacle to men hereafter
(than a relief map Is to you, If you
ave your hund over It."
Iut "
"1 worked In an aero office for six
jnonths. Mr. Ganz. I've beard thetn
talk first-hand and seen what the boys
twltf the Ideas and the nerve are do
ing. Why, I know a boy right this
(minute who Is putting the finishing
touches to a biplane out in his buck
Abed that not only Is going to do the
(fanciest flying this world has ever
ifteeu, but If ever he can get It before
he public, Is going to give the gov
mn irt the thrill of its life In nation
1 defense. I know another fellow,
jtoo, Ed Wuller of Dayton, la "
"Man wasn't made for flying. Miss
iDella, or the Almighty would have
'fjlven him wings, Just like he wusa't
itnade for water or he d have fins."
i "And be wasn't made for roller
Skating or the Almighty would have
iglven him eastern, U thut your ldcu
Jtfr. Canz?"
"Where I'd like to see you, Miss Del
la. Is lu a little nest right down here
close to earth in a little elegantly fur
bished, steam-heat and Janitor-service
Jfial-for-two en the south side of Chi
ftago
"You're like mommy and pnpa, you
iliaven't the vlslou of an owl in the
un. That's what's the matter with all
f you. All your noses are worn off at
ithe end from the grindstone. You've
i&ever dreamed a dream. You've never
eat In an airplane and felt It give that
Jittle pulling lift that clears the
(ground, aud suddenly felt yourself
kklmudng up past the swallows to the
ky. Obi Oh! Oh!"
"But, Miss Delia, I know a young
sxan got consumption from such high
air as that. He: "
"It's the boys with the dreams and
the imagination and the fifth, dlmen
klon In thinking, Mr. Clans, not the
grindstouers, who have given the
world the Jolts and modern convent
ences. Take BJorn BJorstedt, the first
tnan to volplane In the great exhibit
Bights at Circa t Neck. There's a fel
low whe slept on purk benches and
U trust door to door, so be could nut
very cent lu penciling mat engine
f Mm. 'lake Arch Mi)er, the fellow I
whs telling you about. That hoy could
make easy money In any Minims lie
made up his mind to, hut what does
he do, give up his dream? He U-9
not. He's going to demonstrate by
fancy flying aud double-looping the
oop four times his first exhibit, that
his heavy machine Is the most prac
tical "
Hut to get back, little Cutey, to
that nest for two. Don't think, Miss
Delia, this pain In my left side Is
sciatica. It's Just like, Miss Delia, you
had taken a little arrow and stabbed
me right through the heart."
mint i was trjing to snow you,
Mr. Clans, Is that you're wrong about
flying. If you were to get yourself
Interested In the greatest Invention
of all time and put up a purse now
and then for fancy flying, to help
long the boys who are grinning back
at death aud making the history of
the airplane, you'd get so wrapped up
In the vitals that make a heavlor-than-
alr-machine fly, and that maybe
you'd forget your own vitals, Mr.
Game. Just try to Imagine yourself
flying at night, Mr. Ganz, with the air
like Ink around you, and "
"The night air Is bad for me, Miss
Delia, my Joints "
Night air!" cried Miss iHlla,
thrusting her fuce forward as If she
would drink In aerial champagne.
Why. the duy they shut In my slce-
lng porch at home and I've got to stop
smelling the stars all night, then let
me die, say I, let me.die!"
"There was a time, Miss Delia, I
was Just like you, nothing could get
the best of me. There's nothing the
matter with me now. Miss Delia, ex
cept all that's ailing me since my
mother died is 1 1 need a home,
Miss Delia; regular meals again and
and somebody to to cure one way
or another ittiout me, nine C'utey,
somebody to "
"I'lease, Mr. Cans, don't "
"It's living around without a home
has done It, Miss Delia. When I had
a regular living I had my health, nnd
and when I get my health, and
Delia, I I'm as chipper as they come."
"Of course, you are."
"Home cooking Is all 1 need, Miss
Dellu. My doctor says If I stick to my
diet and keep out of the night air
until the swelling gets out of my
lots "
"Look," cried Miss Kessler, sudden
ly throwing back her head to Miiff the
fumes of autumn, "why it's Just like
coming out of twilight Into high noon.
Isn't It? Iook at those links and the
Mat country beyond staring back at
the sun. Gee!"
They had emerged from the leafy
bade of the woods Into the white
light of a sun-drenched morning, in
the middle distance on the close-
cropped links, a woman buoyantly
poised for stroke let fly her brassle.
"Iooh down there by De Leon, Miss
Delia, all of them at their sun baths.
I tell you there's nothing like warm
rays for getting the rheumatism .out
of you." y .,
"Why why gee !"
"Wbaf, Miss Dollar
"Gee, whiz!"
"Mies Delia!"
"I must have been dreaming. I.oolt,
will you! It never struck me before.
Look out there. What a field for
flight I"
"A flight?"
"What a rise a biplane could get
off land like this. What a rise!"
"Just look over there In the sun,
will you? Tom Itlley, himself, Hlrk
hlmer, them two big guns from New
York and the whole crowd of them.
I tell you It's a pleasure to be down
here with all those big names, eh.
Miss Delia?"
On benches dragged from the shade
trees pat out Into the white morning,
a group of Hotel Cadillac guests
spread themselves to the sun, the
running line of their conversation as
Insistent as the up and down rune
of a bagpipe. Upon the knot of them,
vapidly spread out there as If grouped
by Watteau for a conceit In oil, Miss
Kessler flushed her inspired eyes.
"Mr. Uiley." she cried und clapped
her bauds.
The proprietor of the Hotel Cadll
lac raised two hundred pounds of
democracy and uffuliillty from a slat
bench and executed an amhlttous bow
"Good-morn4ng to you, little lady,
and If you aren't us chipper as a
chipmunk us usual."
Toward Mr. Ganz the proprietor of
the Hotel Cadillac extended a heavy
hearty arm.
"Well, Ganz, how are my springs
treutlng you?'
"Great, Mr. Riley, except somehow
my Joints "
"Mr. Itlley, I've got an Idea!"
"You've got un Idea, little Miss Del
la? That's nothing new for you."
"It Just hit me blng In the eye. It
It's Immense, Mr. Itlley."
"What Is it now, little one, a dance
In the grill or a long-distance water
drinking contest?"
"I want you to look. Mr. Riley; you
Mr. Ganz and Mr. lllrkhimer; you,
Mr. Chalmers and Mr. Mange and Mr
Lobenz. Look, Mrs. van Ritz, out
there over the fields and what do you
see? Look !"
"I see ride In vrondt of me, Miss
Gezzler, one preddy little gur-rl."
"Oh. oh, look again, Mr. lllrkhimer
you, Mr. Itlley, Mr. Lobenz. All of
you! Don't you see?"
Mr. l'erclval Chalmers, of Boston
leaned forward, bis bands clasped
over the top of his cane.
"Beg pardon, where did you say?
"There I There!" cried Miss Kess
ler, and sprang at a bound to a bench,
standing aloft there with ber arm out-
flung full stretch.
Iliueie, Mli Ketler
"There, Mr. .M inue. Out there lie
fore yii, lnl!cn und gentlemen. Is the
greatest mil, mil aviation field In this
great and glorious country of ours."
"Natural what?''
"Aviation field. Get me? Why. with
a field like that drawn right up along
side the Hotel Cadillac, we can get all
the airmen in the world here. Why, It
why. It's Immense 1"
"That's right, little missy, give us a
recitation. Wake us up around here.
Put some pep Into us. eh? I'lny up!"
J'lay up nothing, Mr. Riley, and If
you're the good hotel man I think you
are, you'll sit up and take notice of
what I'm telling you. Out there In
that flat country with nothing but ant
hills for obstacles, you've got the mak
ing of a record-breaking aero meet
with nothing but class A exhibits fly
ing, and the biggest crowd down here
thut these si rings ever dreamed of
having in a million years. Just look!
No water, no hills, no treacherous air
"Get the Crowds Down Here."
currents. Notl., tig but country flat as
sky. An exhibition flight down here
will be a riot. I tell you. A riot 1"
"Ky g'.lly. she's right!" said Hir-
klmer. "By golly, a man Hire you.
Ililey, with such a following Hge you
got In Indiana could ninge for your
springs here n sensation."
"Get the crowds down here," con
tinued &ilss Kessler, enthus.nstlcally,
"You've got the whole Middle West to
draw on nnd the Kast and the South,
too, for th:it matter. I tell you. It's a
great scheme, Mr. Itlley. Avlutlon's the
great question of peace and war. Let's
have a flight ! I Just wonder It didn t
hit me before. I know the whole air
gang. I know them all, I tell you.
and If you big bugs will get np the
purse, I ran get you any of the fancy
filers of the world down here for an
exhibition flight."
"But Miss Kessler "
"I know a man's got a biplane In
his back shed right now that will fo
cus the eyes of the world on Cadillac
Springs over night. If we can get iza
down here for his first exhibition
flight. What would you say if I could
get him down here on a moderate
purse, for the first exhibition flight of
a machine that's going to put flying
forward a quarter of a century, for
you? This Is the kind of a field he
needs to prove that he's done that lit
tle thing! Ask any aviator the value
of a flut country. Why, I've got so
much faith, ladies and geutlemen, In
thut Meyer biplane and In ber new sta
bilizer thut I I'd stake a million dol
lars on It, If I had it. I'd balk my
soul on that machine."
"Loog how egzlted she gets. Ain't
It a treat, Riley, to see her I"
"But "
"Start the ball rolling! Who'll start
her? Who? Mr. Ganz, you're a suc
cessful business man who told me Dot
ten minutes ago thut my smile was
worth five thousand. I'rove It. Look
at It now. Is It still worth the money?
Start the nurse with that five thou-'
sand. Mr. Gunz. and If she don't loop
the double loop four times und write
each loop In tire, purse refunded like
I promised. Start her with five thou
sand, Mr. Gunz. Are you a gentle
man of your word, Mr. Gunz, and
game enough to start ber .with flv
thousand?"
"Miss Delia, you you're only fool
ing. Such a little cut-up!"
Tooling I If I was any more in
earnest I'd break a blood vessel."
"Dot's ride, Miss Gezzler, mage him
bay."
"Start her with five thousand, Mr.
Ganz. Come lu on ytAir share, Mr.
Riley. It's your enterprise, after all,
and you go him a couple of thousand
better. It's cheap at the price, Mr.
Riley. BJordstcdt got twenty thou
sand for his lust flight and came down
lu ten minutes with a broken rudder,
but Just the same he put Great Neck
on the map. Don't be a bunch of
pikers. You, Mr. Lobenz, If you're the
good sport I think you are, what's a
few thousand to you? Come on In it,
Mr. Clialmers, and I'll make you for
get what ails you; you, Mrs. Van
Rltz. If you're a gentleman of your
word, Mr. Ganz, you'll start the ball
rolling with that five thousand."
"Tweuty twenty-five hundred,
Miss Kessler. is all I I M
"Good! Twenty-five hundred for a
starter. Mr. Max Ganz of Chicago
starts the ball rolling with twenty-five
hundred. Am i bid more? Am I bid
more? It'a your enterprise down here,
Mr. Riley, and the net results will be
yours. The proprietor of the Hotel
Cudlllac must bead the list. Am 1 bid.
mole? l ive tlionsa. d, if you're u pisi.:
bus mss iniiii and know a go:l thing
when you see It. Five thousand for n
huti'lred thousand worth of publicity!
live thousand?"
"l ive thousand !"
"Hurrah! Five thousand from Mr.
Riley, und don't let them leave you at
the post, Mr. lllrkhimer."
"A tousand doolur,' Miss Gezzler.
but I want from wu) up In the air be
tltould drop oue tousand packages
Mlnto chewing-gum when he reaches
two tousand feet."
"No sooner said than done I One
thousand-from Mr. Ilirklmer and now
you, Mr. Lobens. How much?"
"You can't expect a man In the au
tomobile business, Miss Kessler, to
Kubscrlte to aviation."
"Why not? The birgest automobile
man in the world started out manu
facturing one-horve si ays. How much,
Mr. Lorenz? Mr. Mange? Mr. Chal
mtrs? Good! It me put you down
for one thousand each, und now you
over there, Mrs. Van Rltz. Let's have
health, wealth and benity on our list,
and it's up to you to supply the last.
How much, -Mrs. Vun Rltz? How
much?"
"Two thouFnnrt." Spoken coldly ns
through a wei blanket and the yellow
head still held In profile.
"Catch trie, darlings. wMIe I fa!nt!
Klevcn thousand live bundled, und be
fore the day is over. It'll be twice that.
Ladies and gentlemen, you're helping
ro make the history of the air, und
I'm proud of you !"
She jumped lightly down without
he proffered aid of Mr. Riley and
'Ir. Ganz and di.rted Into the shaded
'ruck leading up toward the hotel.
"But. Miss Kessler "
"I'm oft" to the ho'el to send off
telegrams before you change your
mlmls. Hold my bat. Mr. Guuz, until
t come buck. Wait!"
And she was olT. her vivid face
hn:st forward and l.er elbows laid
buck against her slim sides.
In the bay of the vernndn, plying
her placid needle and the lose grow
ing in l.er pattern. Mrs. Kessler
glatict l up at the rush of her daugh
ter's approach.
"Why. Delia baby what excite
ment y.iu got! Delia, you got news for
inan.aV"
"Yes, dear! Yes. dear!"
"In your face I can see It. Delia!
Ganz! Delia, you got news for niu
inn?" "Yes, mommy dnr but "
"Gott in Himi.iei,'' cried Mrs. Kess
ler, rising, her voice running high and
her crochet rolling to the floor.
"Great news, mommy dear, only let
me puss, 1 must hurry. Great news!"
"Delia, did he "
"An exhibition flight down here,
mommy. The longest purse and the
Mggest flight of the year. The biggest
flight of the year, mommy dear. Let
me go. Let me go I"
"Gott In Himmel !" repeated Mrs.
Kessler, reseating herself and as If
ber vocal chords had suddenly rusted.
- .
On the night of the exhibition flight
of the Meyer biplane at Cadillac
Springs, the air of Indian summer
hung heavy with the smooth Ingratiat
ing quality of milk. September night
lay on the 'stubble fields but grilled
Into by a series of white arc lights
swung from temporary poles and pour
ing, as hot steel ts poured, their light
upon an improvised grandstand and
an adjoining section of roped-off space
for the standing throng; upon a tern- .
porary shed erected at the opposite
end of the field and upon the doughy I
outstanding faces of twelve thousand
waiting spectators, mortared Into a
wall five breasts deep uround the
roped-in section.
In the front row, her crimson sweat
er pushed half back from her shoul-1
ders and her small hands gripping the
splintery hand-rail until Hie knuckles
spring up white, Miss IMIa Kessler
drove her dark gaze down the length
of the field.
"Why. oh, why. don't be start? I'll
.1 HI !
"
run down uguin to the field and
"lella, I want you should sit right
In
this box by your pupa and Mr.
:i g.
Ganz nnd Minna and me. I don't see
no girls down there, only men around.
Minna, his own sister, can sit quiet
here until he goes up, aud go should
Miss Mlr.ua Merer, snug to her
literal teeth In a gray wool jacket
and a gray wool muffler wound high
and revealing only ber eyes und her
high-pit -bed cheek bones, turned in
her swaddliiigs toward Mrs. Kessler,
her voice percolut'ng through wool.
''Mrs. Kessler, If I was to have
stuck around on the damp ground
every time brcther made a trial flight ,
of bis niutiiine, id i.- in my grave
now from sciatic pleurisy."
Mr. Gunz looH-d himself farther
across the back of Miss Meyer's chair.
"From what, Miss Meyer?"
"SctaTle pleurisy, Mr. Gunz. I'm a
great sufferer from it."
"I wonder. Miss Meyer, If that
could be what I sometimes feel In my
left hip."
"Certainly It Is, Mr. Ganz. ItV a
condition of the sockets."
"That's It then. Sciatic what?"
"Pleurisy."
"Pleurisy. I can tell you, Miss
Meyer, in the three days you've been
here at the Springs, you've told me
more about myself than the doctors In
six diagnoses could. It was worth the
twenty-five hundred. Mis Meyer, Just
to to have you come here. Tile min
ute I'm out in the night air like now,
right aw ay In my left thigh I get such
a twinge that M
"Could It be his valves are hinder
ing his flight. Minna? Could It?"
"I don't know, Delia. You're getting
Die ull worked iu, too. Chills and
fever In my i i. n.i ui ou e.
"Now, now, M! Minna. Just don't
you let our little fire-trucker, Sllss
Delia, get you all worked up."
"Right this minute I'm In a terrible
chill, Mr. Ganz, please excuse how I'm
trembling. I wonder, Delia, If If
anythlng's wrong! oh oh!"
I "I tell you, Ketsler." said Mr
, Ganz, leaning ncronx the dim shiver
ing silhouette of Mist Meyer, "you
' got a daughter that In born to be a
general In the at my. Some girls are
born to run people ami to run homes
: and some to be generals In armies.
I She's a general, I tell you. Juit look
how she got the whole hotel of us
I out here lu the night air where we
' don't belong."
"How she englrtrcred It all. though!
Kb, Ganz? Fifteen thousand dollars
she raised like It was fifteen cents.
Over night she mules a rich man out
of poor Imi.v. Lle Tom Riley say
blmelf. Napoleon couldn't do so well.
My little girl she's a good one, eh,
Ganz? Better as ber old pupu."
"A genet al In the army, I tell you,
Kessler."
With her full batk turned to the
patter of cMiversi.tlon and oblivious
to it. Miss Kessler swayed suddenly
farther from the group.
"Look, papa, there's a new batch of
people coming In from the station.
There's fourteen thousand here t
iiight, if there's a soul, not counting
the Louisville Tech. school. Fourteen
thousand, If there's u soul."
"Oh, my poor hands, how cold!
''-v,n over mv bro'N-r flit s It's vi
HKe nn my circulation had slowed
down. Needle prick in my urins and
"Nfcrile pricks, did.you say, M'ss
Meyer? Right this minute my left
side feels like a tea kettle singing.
It. ain't the circulation worries me.
Miss Minna, tidy the doctor says
"Well, let me tell'. von, Mr. Ganz,
that poor circulation should worry
you. Any booi; on health hints will
tell you that poor circulation Is first
cousin to paralysis."
"Pupn! Minna! Mommy! Look,
they're pulling. out the muditne. Sec!"
The roped-off crowd swayed sud
denly forward, scattering ejacu'atlons.
"Is that It? Is that him? Is that
lie? Raugh! Ranch! Cut It out! That
ain't him. There he Is! Rau.h!"
Miss Kcssler's I. and reached out to
close tightly over l.er parent's.
"Oh. la. that's Arch. Stv! The
tall thin fellow pulling down his rr.p."
"Yes.t that's brother. See. Mr. Gunz.
That's him. Oh. my poor hands I"
"I'oor little hunds!"
"They're strapping him In!"
"It's flie fireworks I'm afraid of.
Suppose It should catch ! He's never
used them In trial flights. Oh, my
poor hands!"
Into the flare of three arc-lights, a
huge winged skeleton ran forward on
wheels, pushed by three lunging at-
tendants, head first. Then she stood
with her beetle-like wings flung wide
and the Inners of her thrumming to
be off.
"Oh, my brother! Oh-h-h!"
"Now, now, Miss Minna !"
T tell you, Mr. Ganz. I I'd rather
we had to live In a tenement all our
lives than to see him risk bis life like
that. What's a fifteen-thouvand-dollar
purse, If If he don't win It and gets
killed trying to do the double loop
four times? A helpless girl like me
that's never been strong "
"Now, now, Miss Minna 1"
"I never wanted him to fly, Mrs.
Ganz. 'Let the other hoys tuke the
risks, Arch,' I always suld, but "
"I guess you're a little like me. Miss
Minna. As I tell Miss Delia, where
my two feet belong is right on the
ground where the Almighty put 'em."
"That's me every time, Mr. Gunz,
Just'so it ain't damp."
He leaned forward, talking beneath
the din of the crowd and through the
wool muffler directly Into the con
cealed ear of Miss Meyer.
"Funny how how we like the saina,
things, ain't it. Miss Meyer J"
"Y-yees uin't ltl"
"Now, for Instance, take me. I 1
always say, Miss Meyer, let the high-
fliers do all the high flying they wunt,
but my Idea of real living. Miss Min
na, my my ideu of real living la Is
ca, Air. iiunz l
"Is n u little elegantly furnished,
eteum-heuted nest for two. Miss Mey-
! er, on the south side of Chicago with
with "
"Oh Mr, Ganz! Oh "
"It Is, Miss Miiuia. I can tell you
It uin't ull sciatic pleurisy in my left
side. Miss Mil. mi. Since I met you it
it's Just like you hud taken u little
arrow and shot me light in the heurt.
That that's the kind of u puin I got
there now. You you get me, Miss
Minna Minna?"
"Mr. Gunz M max !"
Beneath the gray wool packet their
bauds met and clasped. A rumble run
through the crowd. M:ss Kessler shot
forward like a streak, leuniug danger
ously beyond the rail.
"He's off!"
"Raugh ! Raugh ! Chee-e-e-e !"
The pulse of the distunt muchlne
leuped suddenly into thousands und
the winged monster, like the restored
bulk of some uutedlluvuiu monster of
earth und air, shot forward In a
struight line, whizzing dow n the smooth
face of the field. A shout went with
it aud the human hedge, five faces
deep, was suddenly white with up
turned faces.
"Raugh! Ch-e-e-e-eP
Tip-tilting suddenly, as If It had
drawn its talons up aud under, it
rose in perfect whirring flight.
"Oh, mommy I mommy 1"
"Gott in Himmel, a boy should take
uch chances I"
-Ha's trifJng the wind, ge p.
current is Mm. t.i,P i.iiu u little."
"Oh, my God, hi engine missed
then! Hear? oh, my brother! Hold
my hands Max."
"See, papa, he's picking up again.
Now. he's edging into the w ind. Hi
controls are working perfect. He's
climbing. See him mount! See hiiu
mount! Oh! oh! oh!" '
The throbbing of the engine wa
suddenly remote, then more remote,
as if tulle portieres of uir and space
were drawing together us the machine
Hew through them into uncharted al
titudes. Finally silence nnd only a white
sea of fates turned upward to a black
eagle, flying against a star-spangleil
sky ami circling over the field once,
twice, thrice.
"He's getting ready to loop. He's
looping! Look, hen dipping for the
first loop. Oh, mommy
"Gott in Himmel 1"
"Oh, my brother!"
Suddenly the remote flying thing
dipped a bit and from henetth its
planes two streamers of fire streaked
the sky.
A great booming shout rose.
"Oh. my brother t It's the firework
I'm afraid of. MaxI"
"He'll dip now. Watch, mommy,
he'll dip now."
The machine fell fownrd Into a
loop, curving up again, tlown again,
up aghir ; the red comet-tails circum
scribing Its d'-nlile course in fire.
"One!" rose in bombardment f r vm
the ctowd. '
The hieroglyphic of lire bang for
morr nt, then another vertical filve
and mother douLle circle of fire.
"Two !"
"Two!"
"Mi.x, my my poor knees won't
hold me."
"Poor, poor little knees 1"
"Three!"
"Max, dear, I think 1 I'm going to
faint."
"I in here, little or e, to catch you."
"Whafs that falling down? Chewing-gum!
Take a piece, Max, dear.
It it's good for ye u nfter meals."
Miss Delia Kessler twined her small
hands together and beneath thut gait
of voices, spoke quietly upward.
"Steady, Arch," she said. "Only once
more, Arch. Steady ! You've looped,
three und you can make It four
Steady, Arch! Steady!"
A light Jeer rose from the crowd.
"S'matter up there! Cold feet?"
Three ain't four! What's got you?
Dizzy? Lotp her up there! Loop her
up !"
"Only once more, Arch. Steady, old;
boy !"
"Loop her up there! Che--e-e !"
"What If bis engine Is "
"Four!" And with the great splruK
of fire from the final loop still drag
ging across the sky, the hum of the
descendirg engine grilling down aguiit
into the night, and the silent swoop of
an engine volplaning, Miss Delia Kess
ler stood quiet amid the tumult of a.
crowd gone mud, a booming In her enrst
but her little face still upward In the
attitude of a flower.
Through the human swarm, which)
hud nurst the ropes and flowed like
water frt tn a broken main across t he
field and toward the aircraft Just,
settling Itself to earth with Its wing
ever spreud. Miss Delia Kessler
gouged, wormed, elbowed her little
way. Men with their shouts stilt
smoking on their Hps resisted the
smull figure und granted her reluctant
right of way. In the tight tangle im
mediately surrounding the machine,,
the crimson sweater was quite torn,
from her, but she emerged Into the
smnll guarded urea about the stilt
coughing craft, as it hurtled there out:
of the crowd.
From the heart of the winged mon
ster, gtiggled, legglnged nnd bulky oC
bulk in a double-breusted leather
"Cutey!" H Said, "Cutey, Littlei
Sweetheart!"
Jacket, a figure moved simultaneously
forward and a shout thundered up
from throats long since raw.
"Arch!" cried Miss Kessler and un
der cover of those shouts, speech be
came pantomime. "Archie-boy ! Archle-boy-durllng
!"
Taking her hand In bis gauntlet a.nl
regarding ber through goggles clouded
with sudden mist, be leaned to her
under cover of that same shouting.
"Cutey!" be suid. "Cutey, little
sweetheart !"
A tremolo ran down his arm and
through the grmn'i her finger-tips
(THE END)
We favor the open shop that is
closed to the slave-driver
if!
(I
j
V
