Mb
Virginia
of the
Air Lanes
A ROMANCE OF
FLYING
By
Herbert
Quick
Copyright. 1909. by the Bobbi
Merrill Company
CHAPTER VI.
?HE MTSTERT OP THE EUrORlUU.
V
OUNG Mr. Carson, detained at
the Slattery Institute to bal
II ance the books on account of
the evunishment of Mr. Wy
lle, thought often of Shayue's charm
ing niece, but, manlike, gave scarcely
a thought of the situation on board
the Koc as she bore northward In the
night sky after dropping him as a
Lawk might let fall a too belligerent
weasel.
The warfare and Insurrection which
he left behind would have Interested
him had he known. Mr. SUberberg.
hurt In amour propre as well as pro-
boscls, was deeply disturbed In bis sul-
tanlc regard for Virginia, lie was too
angry to follow her to the deck as she
swept out or the cabin to take leave or
her bandit of the dunes. For Borne
minutes the girl lay, half fainting,
wholly terrified, by the rail, where she
had fallen as Theodore dropped over
the side Into the cloud and the night
Where is Virginia r queried Aunt,
Marie at last "Has she eloped with
that creature? Look for her! Shes
my niece, after all!"
Mr. Shayne called Mrs. Shayne's
maid and gave orders that Virginia be
sought on - deck. The maid looked
about hastily and.' falling to observe
the little heap in which Virginia sat
huddled up by the rail, ran In agltat
edly and said that Miss Suarez was
not on deck "In the least"
"I told you!" gasped Mrs. Shayne,
"She's thrown herself away!"
SUberberg walked glumly in from
the cabin,
"This assassin," said he. "must be
aft with the crew. There's only one
place where Miss Suarez can be.'
Shayne ran aft and astonished the
crew by bursting into their midst and
staring wildly about, as If demented
"What is it. sir?" Wlllett asked
calmly.
"Where Is Miss Suarez?" panted Mr.
Shayne.
"I don't know, sir."
"Where's that fellow we picked up?"
"I don't know." responded Wlllett
"They're gone!" Shayne exclaimed
rushing Into the cabin. "Max. they've
gone over the side!"
"That parachute," said Max, "could
not save two from death, even If they
made a good drop. And In this dark
ness"
Virginia, having recovered her sell
possession auu lut, tuuuui u
. - j . 1. 1
knees, rose ana, entering ner cauin,
. . . t m L L . CI. ! I
mrew uerseu ou uur ueu. -
horror of SUberberg. a sense of disgust
with the Shaynes. To think that they
could so insult this young man wno
bad saved her life and treated her so
beautifully, no matter what he was-
to oner nuu muuey. w kuu u.iu
tike a servant! No wonder he had
sirucn ouoeroerga uuiuu uw.
she rose, preened like a bird before the
mirror anu sai uuwu iv iuiu. m i
voices of her uncle and aunt and Mr.
SUberberg came to her ears from tb
main salon., Opening her window for
air, she noted that the roar of the wind
from the earth bad ceased and knew
that they bad reached the calm area,
of which Wlllett had spoken. In the
middle of the "low." They would
probably have an easy landing in Chi
cago. And then? .
One thing was certain she would
not live longer with the Shaynes. They
were too sordid, too bard, too cruel
And she would not stay with them
any longer!
Oh, if she only had Just one relative
in the world save Auut Marie!
Stay! The thought struck her of her
mother's father's people, somewhere to
the south. Her mother had been dls-
owned by her family for a perversely
contracted marriage, but tbey were
southerners and they would not sei
an orphan girl of their kin go home
less. She would leave Aunt Marie a
note of thanks for all her many kind
nesses, take her really, truly own be
longings and fly south. So there!
So resolving, she became quite calm
and walked Into the main salon In a
very matter of fact way. Auut Marie
gave a shrill scream aud fainted. 811
berberg said that he would be tor
mented. Mr. Shayne stared blankly.
"Well," "aid Virginia, "do you think
I am a ghost?"
"Oh. child." gasped Aunt Marie.
"where have you been with him?"
Virginia stood still, ber eyes ablaze,
ber cheeks burning. I he Hoc was
coming Into the Chicago garage on
the roof of the Aerostatic Power build
ing In a most beautiful lauding, but
none of the party knew It. SUberberg
was gazing at the enraged Virginia In
unbounded admiration. Her splendid
anger had won him back. Shayne
spoke lu foolish agreement with his
wife, half believing for the moment
that there was something questionable
iu Virginia's absence.
"With a beggar!" said he.
"A bandit." said Aunt Mane, "an
assassin!"
"A beggar!" repeated Virginia In
lofty acorn. "Why, even if he were
one. In rags and a hovel, he'd be worth
a munon use you: Ad assassin, a
bandit! Aud. If be Is. what are you)
You rob by syndicate, assassinate by
general managers and superintendents
nu'l make beggars by votes of shares!
I loathe you. aud I 1 I admire blm
as much as I loathe, you. As between
bandits like you aud bandits like him
give me the brave man rather than
the coward:"
Wlllett Interrupted the scene by an
nouncing their successful landing.
They passed constrainedly Into the
tower and went down to the street and
to Shayne's Chicago hotel In a motor
car, all lu silence.
In the morning a letter was taken
to the Shayne apartments. It was a
short, tear stained missive of grati
tude, penitence and farewell from Vir
ginia to her uunt. It ran:
Tou have been as kind to me aa any
woman can be to a person the cannot
love. Tou have never loved me, Aunt
Marie, and you will never see me again.
1 blush to be obliged by your unjust us-
P'cio" to av a -hlntf Bm not
going to any one. You have misjudged
nie terribly. I don't even know where he
U. I shall never know!
Craighead audCursou walked through
a stately peristyle to a low building
called the laboratory, but termed by
the patients the "shot tower." Theo
dore was astonished at the throng as-
sembled for the "shot" treatment, of
which he had as yet no coueeptlon-
nitU 0f an 8orts anxiously watching
the clock like schoolboys fearful of
b0in? tardy. They formed In two coK
Umns, resting on two aisles, across the
farther ends of which stood two desks
exactly alike. All slung their coats
over their right arms, disclosing silts
a tnfiir hirts at the left shoulder.
Craighead, with Carson following,
gent back rinples of disorder along the
me by offering bets as to whether
Carson was himself or Wylle. Two
young men easily classified as new
hatched physicians stationed them
8Cves like sentinels at the desks. The
, aDMIKB HIM MUCH AS I LOATHK
you."
(jck fc There wfl9 a Jo8tlng at
th(j fear cuused ,ate comer8 at
. . , doctors
-, .Th nm, mnvwi for.
. . mnn na thp th.
pny8l'clans 8Pemed to undergo some
ort of oneration performed by means
of glitteriug instruments, of which
Theodore caught glimpses like light-
m playlug about those slltted shirt
ThwvWa found himself in the hu
current anrt drifted with it On
ciOIM,r view he saw that the doctors
- - wlth ,lt;le ,.lltter.
lng weapons, but be reasoned that It
could be nothing very severe.
Craighead passed on, and Carson
took his place. The doctor looked
earchlngly ' In his face, seemed puz-
sled and reached to another region of
the tray for a syringe.
' "You should have rolled up your
sleeve or cut it," said he sternly. "Roll
It up."
Theodore rolled up his sleeve, where-
n ,th an eiDertncss aulte star-
tUng tue man 0f medicine pinched up
a bit of the brown flesh, shoved In the
needi nre88Wi down the piston, and
Theodore was "shot" With a stinging
, hi8 arm and wondering as to the
why of it all. though he knew by this
tlme that be bad dropped out of the
night sky Into full membership in a
drink cure establishment, he passed on.
Dr. Witherspoou met each patient
with a standardized smile, clasped
each band with a grip nf absolute uni
formity aud said. "Good morning, Mr.
Bascom." or whatever the name might
be. "Ai:d how Is the appetite this
morning? And the toiiguo. please.
Pulse regular. 1 observe. Have you
had your constitutional this morning?
IninrovhiH nicely. Mr r.ascom. Good
morning."
They returned to Theodore's room
Soon entered Mr o'Cr.i.ly, Mr. Evans
and a slender person f about Carsou's
size, who at once began the coursing
of Imaginary game on the wall paper,
slapping his thigh and laughing at
every failure.
"This." said Mr. O'Grady, introduc
lng the Indoor huntsman. "Is Mr. Wy
He, Mr. Carsou."
"My worst fears confirmed!" hissed
Craighead. "The one man I ever loved
turns out to be oh, ye gods, both
feller of truth and a victim of regular
habits! The last straw and no Julep!"
Carson looked at Wylle, a wilting
Mr. O'Grady's development of bis
case.
"We are, of cawse," said O'Grady,
"sorry to have interfered with your
plans. Mr. Carsonl but"
Mr. O'Grady' grave discourse. In
which Carsou could feel himself being
placed irrevocably lu the wrong, was
Interrupted by Mr. Wyllj's making a
woop upon an Imaginary animal on
Mr. O' Grady's nose.
1 most caught him." he cried. "A
bumblebee: A bumblebee: Sunday.
gnats; mosquitoes. Monday; Xuesuay,
files; bees. Wednesday; hornets yester
day and bumblebees today. Big game
soon: Ha. ha. ha. hal Whoop!"
"Long lost brother evidently. re
marked Cralshead. "I note the Craig
head strawberry mark. Well, when he
ets to elephants I may claim relation
ship."
Of cawse." went on Mr. O'Grady.
paying no attention to the Wylle Incl-
dent except to use and examine for I
blood stains a neatly folded handker
chief, "your being found In the green
house has been partially explained, sir,
and we are not disposed to make you
trouble. In fact, with our customary
liberality we shall leave to you both
that and your board and lodgings since
you so strangely came into our into
our midst."
"Hear, hear!" ejaculated Craighead.
Ilooroar for the emporium!"
"And if you will kindly sign these
mutual receipts lu full for all claims
on both sides we will give Mr. Wylle
his room, aud here's the pen, Mr
Carson, sir."
Theodore hud already made the first
stroke of the "T" when Craighead
rushed upon him like a whirlwind,
snatched the pen, hurled it Into the
door like a Javelin, where It stood
quivering, and Interposed between
Carson and O'Grady.
"Caltlff, avaunt!" he roared. "Wilt
deprive the widows and orphans this
youth may accumulate of their cause
of action against this dope shotten
emporium? Back, slave! lou reach I
him only over my dead bodyl Ilecelpts
In-full? Not on your .life to com an
expression. You have shot his patrl-
clan blood full of dishwater and bug
Juice. You have filled his Innocent and
unworldly stomach with dope, lou
have amputated his appetite for light
wines and may as well pass him the
darker drink first as last He has suf
fered and must ever suffer most excru
ciating pain and agony and both men
tal and physical anguish. He's a gone
gosling! And I, the greatest personal
Injury specialist in the legal world, as
his attorney demand ten thousand
plunks as damages, falling the receipt
of which, well and truly to be paid In
lawful money of the realm, we'll take
the emporium In execution and make
Witherspoou a stable boy, with you as
assistant swipe, both of you to sleep
with Tlge! We don't sign nothlu.
see?"
CIIAPTI'.n VII.
A TALK WITH Mil. WADDY.
T
IIEODOUB resolved that he
must hie to the shed lu the
gulf dunes, complete the flying
machine and bring It to the
notice of the world lu spite of the en
mity of Mr. Shayne. upon which he
now confidently counted. lie must
"I know." broke iu .Mr. Craighead.
g:izlng at the ceiling through wreaths
of smoke, "the yearnings of your sub-
tropical Alabanilan system. But be
practical. You come to this emporium,
of which, alas, neither of us is fated
to be an alumnus, and you find me In
fine fettle save that I am unrelated to
the world. I am an Antaeus, with no
immediate prospects of getting my
tootsies to mother earth; a storage bat
tery as big as 'Ike's peak, but lnsu
lated from the mass of demagnetized
humanity; a great force for a number
of things, with no way of proving It
What do you do? You make a profes
slon for me. I was naught, not to men
tlon naughty. What am I now? A
great personal Injury lawyer, rtevel
oping into a prosperous ambulance
chaser. I was out of touch with the
world of finance. I have now laid the
foundation for the organization of the
great Carson-Craighead Aeronef cor-
poratlon!" ' "
"What do you mean?" ejaculated
Carson.
"What I say! What I say! Through
a Ion, colonnaded. Derlstvled vista of
marble and onyt I can see nailed to
the back fence the hide of Mr. Flnley
Shayne.
"But I have no clothes." Carson
urged.
"Clothes!" scornfully reoeated Craiir-
head. "What are they? Merely woven
fabrics to fill bags to secure credit
withal at hotels. And you need no
credit for this room Is mine for the
whole term of the treatments paid for
by some one Into whose company 1
dropped or rose during my last shore
leave from the good ship Llthla, but
by whom I have no idea. Clothes, In-
deed! Scat!"
"But it's cold here," persisted Car-
son, feeling helpless In the tolls of this
serpentine logic. "I'm not prepared for
this climate."
"Look abroad!" commanded Craig
head, with a gesture toward the win
dow. "The sun beats down upon the
last remnants of the snow, and the lit-
tie brooks give the glad ha-ha to the
river aud send dowu the silky billet
doux of the catkin to remind him that
they've busted loose and are hurling
themselves luto his arms. Why, darn
you, It's spring! And you can stay
right here-steam heat, bath, hot and
cold water, padded cell In connection
oh, fair youth. I love thee! Let me
finish bunkoing Mr. O'Grady and start
the Aeronef company. Don't be a
clam!"
"You kDow how I feel about those
damages, hut If I could got tlio capital
for the aeronef"
"Why, you don't doubt my practical
genius, do you," queried Cralghend lu
astonishment "In other people's af
fairs, I mean, of course? Why, sir, if
In view of uiy failure with my own 1
can't handle other people's business
then what becomes of my ability? I
toil j-oii, linu-Iity southron, I'm fond
I for something! I have found a billion
aire, and you shall meet him."
All that day Carson watched Craig
head. From a trunk covered with the
labels of foreign travel Craighead took
sheet of cardboard and painted upon
It an elaborate sign which bore the
legend. "Craighead. Attorney and Coun
selor at Law." This he fastened out
side the door, chuckling from time to
time as the passorsby paused as If to
read It. After awhile he added to It.
"Personal Injury Cases a Specialty."
CraUhe?. -.. j auL late. and. brought
back several legal looking books, which
he ranged iqwn the dresser lu dusty
fornildablllty an old set of Illinois
statutes and a tattered Broom's "Le
gal Maxims." from which he read
unctuously such Latin aphorisms as
"De mlultuls non curat lex." "Falsus
In no. falsus In omnibus." and the like,
and lectured uuon them vtry Informa
tively. The remainder of the library
consisted of a ten years' file of Mar-
thidale's Legal Directory, contaluln j
nothing more authoritative than lists
of the world's lawyers.
"Where did you get them?" asked
Theodore.
"Secondhand mnu." replied Cral
head, "on approval. We must keep up
appearances even if we have to buy
'cm,
They went out for a walk to give
O'Grady a chance, as Craighead ex
pressed It to see what he was up
agalust a statement that mystified
Theodore greatly,
On their return Mr. O'Grady seemed
to have been wrought upon by what
he was "up against," for he asked Mr.
Craighead If he would be so good as to
give him a few minutes. Mr. Cralg-
head looked at his watch, pleaded lack
0f time and asked Theodore if their
business could wait When Carson ad
mined that It could O'Grady said
"Thank you, sir," in the tone of a por
ter accepting a tip.
w'hat under heaven had suddenly
raised the expelled Craighead from nr?
desplsod position in the institute to 1
thing to Inspire terror and panic Theo.
dore COuld uot Imagine nor guess the
reason for Craighead's sardonic laugh'
ter as he snt In their room drawing in.
dlctments against O'Grady and With
erspoou. He saw. however, that these
were awesome documents, which set
forth lu a large, round hand that these
geutlemen had been guilty of obtain
ing money under false pretenses, false
Imprisonment, malicious assault and
the like, all done "feloniously, of mal
ice prepense and aforethought, not
having the fenr of God before their
eVP8i t,ut Instigated thereuuto by the
devil." and "against the peace and dig
nlty of the state of Illinois and con
trary to the statutes In such cases
made and provided."
'Theodore, when we return." said
Craighead, "this room will lie full of
corpses knocked stiff by these Im
peachments of O'Grady and Wither
spoon. Take the spoor of the billion
aire. Hlke-oh. hike with me!" They
crossed a dim field, followed a farm
road and mine back Into the village
from the opposite side. Craighead
hurried Carson to a broad porch uudcr
tall elms and maples knobby with
swelling buds. He pushed a button,
and they waited.
At slow steps lu the hall Craighead
squeezed Carsou's arm spasmodically
1 he door opened,
aud a low figure
stood before them In which Theodore
noted something familiar, and a voice
not altogether strange, he thought, In
vited them Into the "other room."
"Mr. Carsou." said Mr. Craighead,
'does not recognize in our host the
erstwhile guide of my wandering and
wabbly feet. Mr. Carson, In your new
and fully established capacity as a re
spectable citizen let me present you to
Mr. Waddy, to whose counsel, precept
and example while acting as my at
tendant I feel myself Indebted for my
complete restoration to Phlllstlnebood.
Mr. Carson. Mr. waddyr
Mr. Waddy, ignoring this relntroduc
tlon. led them silently down the hall,
past a door, which gave forth scuffling
I sounds, female voices and the peeping
of young chickens, ana took tnem into
snug den, the shelves of which were
covered with books tall. Imposing.
learned looking tomes in time aark
ened bindings where they sat down in
leather covered chairs gray with aust
I So you did reely drop into tne gar
don 7' their host finally askea
"Yes," answered Carson. "I think It
was foolish to take the risk, but I did."
"Why?" queried Waddy, and Carson
I explained
"Boy foolishness," said Mr. Waddy.
nd silence fell again, broken at last
by Theodore's Inquiry as to whether
Mr. Waddy was active In eight banks
nd " h did Dot flnd his duties Irk-
I some.
"No," replied Waddy. "The things
growed up on mo. I never wanted to
be a banker, but my rents kep' loadln'
me up with deposits, an' I sort of got
I one bank after another darn It! coun-
try banks the boys run 'em. I came
here to have a quiet time In my own
way, an' sco how I make out They
wanted me to put on style. They reck
oned I was going to when I bought
this place. I could slick up an' go to
stockholders' moetln's, an' the boys
never knowed. An' Jest as I got things
right Carollno's man dies, an' here she
comes to 'take care' of me! I shnn't be
allowed to cam a cent by workln' for
Witherspoou, an' it brought me into
such society. Them Jags Is mighty nice
fellers, some of em."
"I thank you," said Craighead, with
an excess of manner. "And as for your
being condemned by family pride to
sterile uselessness, It is truly a shame,
But Is Caroline a relative?"
"Uuly daughter." answered Mr. Wad-
dv. "Come to live with me. Settln'
rhlnirs to rights."
"Mr. Waddy." said Craighead, "bear
up unuer mis. it may oe iur
. ... . 1 1 1. a i.nor
And let us take un Mr. Carson's great
project for monopolizing aviation. 1
I have long believed that some one
would turn up with the machine to
subordinate all others, Tut since 'the
time of Santos-Dumont, Farman and
the Wrights aerial navigation has
made no real progress. Mr. Carson Is
the genius. We offer you the unique
chance to be with us comaster of the
world. Mr. Carson will be glad to ex
plain his aerouef."
"I wun't put a cent In It!" said Mr.
Waddy.
Carson's heart sank.
"Certainly not" replied Craighead, j
as If Mr. Waddy's refusal were the 1
most natural thing in the world, "until
1
you have ciphered the thing down to
brass nails. And then But tell Mr.
Waddy about it Mr. Carson. You need
not enter into the offers of millions we
have bad and spurned. Just describe
the machine."
Carson switched on the lights, and
they gathered about the table.
CHAPTER VIII.
MB. WADDT INVESTS.
T
HE young man talked slowly.
Once lu awhile Mr. Waddy In
terjected a question which
evinced intelligent comprehen
sion of the heart of Carsou's explana
tion. Carson explained that his aero
nef differed from all others lu havlug
wings like a bird's, which did not flap,
like those of the absurd orthopters and
yet used half their surface in beating
the air with a straight thrust like that
of an oar lu water.
"Dou't yeh use screws?" asked Wad
dy. "Not at all." answered Carson. "The
screw can never be effective, because
It strikes with a slant It will do in
water, but air requires a more effec
tive thrust When your propeller
blade moves at a hundred miles an
hour, say, you have a lift of thirty
pounds to the square foot of surface
with the direct stroke. But the surface
of the screw"
"Now, how d'ye flgger that?"
Carson repeated laboriously.
"Why," said Carson, "I can lift
weights that none of the other airships
can stir and fly off like an eagle with a
Ash!"
The farmer-banker and the Inventor
were so absorbed that they scarcely
noticed the entrance of a messenger
from the Institute with a message
from Mr. O'Grady asking if Mr. Craig
bead would step outside for a moment
nor Craighead's withdrawal and re
turn.
"The direction of the blow of the
propeller." said Carson, "Is uudcr per
feet control. A bird's wing Isu't This
Is a better wing than an eagle's."
"Kin you raise right straight up,"
asked Waddy, "without running along
like a buzzard?"
"I sure cun," replied Carson, falling
itito dialect "No bird con do that no
big bird. It's a better, stronger flier
than any bird. The best any other ma
chine can do is to support four pounds
to the square foot of surface. With
my new motors I can fly off with five
times that and I've got four times
their bearing surface. I can curry
mall and express at a profit or passen
gers thot can afford it I can hover
over a ship with good heavy torpedoes
and sink her and overtake any vessel
that floats. I can"
"What kind of motors you got?" In
terrupted Waddy.
Carson went Into details. The old
mnn , looked through his eyebrows,
whiskers and mustaches at Carson and
the drawings.
"What If your engines stop." be
asked, "when you're a mile high and
over water mebbe?"
"I can soar," answered Carson. "I
can make headway and gain height
with no power If there's a wind, and
I can stay up for hours with the pro
pellers set for aeroplanes. But the
best thing I haven't mentioned the
gyroscopic balancing device."
"What's that?" asked Mr. Waddy.
"Why, It's the successful application
of the gyroscope to aviation."
, "They used to talk about that," ob
served Mr. Waddy, "long ago-the
Brennan single rail roads. I thought
It turned out that the gyroscopes was
too heavy f r air work."
"They are too heavy," cried Theo
dore, "if you use them to do the bal
ancing. That's sure. And so we have
bad to balance by feeling. Just as we
do bicycle. Thought Isn't quick
enough, so you have to rely on feeling,
as a bird does. But I use little gyro
scopes not to control by their weight
and stress, but to distribute power to
the wings and rudders positive, auto
matic distribution of power. Why, if
the engineer of tny machine should
fall dead it would fly on Just as he set
it until the fuel was exhausted. It
feels and VhlnksT" " '
They did not notice the opening of
the door nor see the woman who ea
tered.
"Pana." she said.
Mr. Waddy rose hastily and faced
her. She looked like Mr. Waddy, but
was undeniably pretty. He was blocky
and short; sho, round and plump, with
small hands and feet The turned up
pug nose of Mr. Waddy was modified to
a delightful little rettousse effect in ner.
"Papa." said she, "this is hardly a
place in which to entertain these gen
tlemen. We have cleared out the east
parlor."
"Oh, yes!" assented Mr. Waddy, with
feverish baste. "To bo sure, Caroline!
Take 'em in, won't you? I've got to
see the hired man. My daughter, Mrs,
Grayblll. Mr. Craighead; Caroline, a-
a friend of mine, Mr. Carson of Ala
boma. excuse mo for a minute, gentle
men."
"Supper," said she. smiling, "will bo
served very soon."
The long dining room was gloomy
with decayed gentility black beams,
dark wainscoting and a broad plate
rail bearing wrenches, clevises, oil
cans and baskets of eggs labeled as to
breeds and dates. During the meal
Cralghend cunie out amazingly in his
encounters with Mrs. Grayblll, to
whom, rn It seemed to Theodore, he
was making violent love. Mr. Waddy
sat burled In thought, save when be
questioned Carsou concerning the aero
nef. "There's no cinch In It," said Mr.
Wsddy. "uo monopoly, an as soon as
It's public everybody'll build 'em. I
do business ou cinches."
"Oh. but the patents. Mr. Waddy r
cried Craighead. "You forget the pat
ents." "They expire In a few years." said
Mr. Waddy. "an' then where are yeh?
Land, now that I made my money
lu laud's an eternal cinch."
"Mr. Waddy." said Craighead, "this
matter of securlug exclusive control of
the air Is a part of our plans. It Is
one of my specialties."
Carson was amazed. Mr. Waddy
grunted as If lightly lmp;essed, as no
doubt he was.
'How long will It take you," said
he, "to kind of draw out your plan
for clincblu' the coutrol of the air le
gally?" "Oh, a very brief time," said Craig
head. "I have Installed a fine law li
brary in my apartments so the consul
tation of authorities will be easy, but"
"Well," interrupted Mr. Waddy, "If
you can have that done by the time
Mr. Carson can go where his machine
Is, put It In shape an' fly back It'll do.
When be lights In the front yard an
you bring me a good law proof monop
oly I'll go In with you, but he's got
to fetch a letter from Mobile within
twenty-four hours o' the time It's
stamped there. I'm from Missouri!
What Bay?"
"Done!" cried Craighead.
Theodore was trembling.
"'Before we call It a bargain," said
Theodore, "I should like a word with,
Mr. Craighead If you will excuse me."
"Certainly," said Mrs. GraybilL
Craighead faced Carson Inquiringly
as tbey found themselves alone In tbe
ball.
"I wish to explain," said Theodore,
that I I can't pay the charges on tha
"I'VB BUTTLED TnR TABS OP OAKSOIf YI.
SUS TUB SLATTKUr INSTITUTS."
motors; I can't get them down to th
beach. Bo bow can we accept Mr.
Waddy's offer?"
"Gad, cunnel," exclaimed Craighead,
"I'm glad you told me In private in
stead of disclosing our lmpecunloua
ness to bis Waddlness. But have no
fenr. You carry Caesar and bis fortunes.
I have the fund for the motors."
Craighead drew from bis pocket
roll of Mils, tbe outer one of rather
startling magnitude.
"Fees." said Craighead "damages,
actuuTand exemplary. I've seUlcd IS
case of Carson versus the Slattery b
stltute, Fair sir, wo have a swolle
fortune."
"What do you mean?" asked Carson.
"1 mean," said Craighead, "that tnl
roll of tainted money Is our loot of to,
emporium. Wit well tbat I soaked 'eu
plenty."
"But I can't allow this!" cried Tne
odore.
"It's already allowed." answer
Craighead, with an air of perfect Inno
cence. "Come, cauow sir, we can i p
gin now the ruinous policy of scruti
nizing the sources of our supplies. We
can endow a college later, and that
What you doing?"
Carson was cramming the bills lata
bis pocket.
'Going back to Mr. Waddy," said
he. "Come on."
"Aye. aye. sir." sold Craighead, his
hand to bis forelock. "But I warns
you. captlng, thot there's breakers dead
abend nnd on both bows ana that
Craighead's the only pilot as knows
these waters. But here's with you.
If It's to Davy Jones!"
"Mr. Waddy." said Theodore, walk
ing up to him and looking him in tbe
face, "before accepting your offer I
must ninke sure thot I con fulfill my
part of It. I must Install the motors in
the aeronef. There are some financial
arrangements to be made. It may bo
some weeks"
"I'll let you hove what money yon
need." said Mr. Woddy. "I know how
It gen'ly Is with these here geniuses."
Theodore grasped the old man's
hnnds, his face flushed with Joy.
"I accept your ndvunces with pleas
ure," sold he, "and within sixty days
I shall bo here with the aeronef."
"As certain," said Craighead, "as the
world turns over sixty tlmen on 1W
shafting. Got your order, Mr. Wad
dy!" They took their departure.
After retiring they lny awake, ex
changing remarks and suggestions
across the dark-room..
(Continued to Page 8).