Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1910-09-23
Virginia
of the
Air Lanes
A ROMANCE OF
FLYING
Herbert Quick
Copyright 1859. by the Bobbs-
Merri Company

Il
pardon me-" said man who had a
withered arm drawn mp TO his side In
such way as 10 give one the impress
sion that he was holding his breath,
"but are you going far so short hand
ed?"
Not farm time" replied Theodore.
"Only to ALASKA" added Craighead
1--WE meet Russian admiral In St
Michael at 3. If that niger doesn't
hurry we shall be late, general, and
what will Admiral PhlaSkOvodka say
them"
The man lifted his sailor hat. bowed
politely and stepped back. unveiling a
face behind him which Carson knew
the foxy. suspicious face of Wilmer,
the inventor of the lost helicOpter
Carson stopped as If for some casual
purpose and laid hold on spanner
With the spanner In his hand he rose,
and with an angry leap he stood In the
midst of the crowd. Wilmer had fled.
but through the thinned crowd Theo
dore saw his wiry figure. with the arm
that virginia's bullet had reached
hanging in a sling. Carson gave chase.
Some one cried. "Stop him.! and an
officer, seeing In Carson the only fugi-
tive In sight, stopped him.
LET me co." cried Carson. strug-
Cling. "Come with me and arrest a
man for attempt to murder"
A boy In messenger cap interrupted
the colloquy by calling "Mr. Cahson.
Mr.. Cahsonw as If paging" a man In
a hotel.
"Pm Carson" said Theodore. "What
do you want?"
Somebody on the wire for you at
the telephone booth In the hotel" re-
piled the messenger.
Wondering who In Mobile might de-
sire speech with him, Carson said,
'Who's this D. into the transmitter.
"Your old friend Wilmer" said the
receiver. Crazy as ever. Never mind
where I am III tell that after I've
talked II you want me to, you pup"
Carson glared fercely into the re-
ceiver.
81 didn't get that" said Carson.
"You can have me pinched. but can
prove an alibi. And while I'm proving
things I'll fix you fellows for SNUG
Cling and put Harrod where the dogs
won't bite him and you too!'
81 don't know anything about SNUG.
Cling" protested Theodore.
"Well,"went OH Wilmer. IF you dig
into the big sand hill with the steel
buoy on 1t, you will. You'll find
what'll put you I'm better trade than
putting me In prison for frollc with
your aeronef. Oh. dos't talk so inno-
cent! How did you finance your air
ship except by free trader"
Carson had nothing to say. He re-
membered Captain Harrod's express
sion when Wilmer had called him all
old smuggling fool. He remembered
a thousand mysterious things now
made plain by the hypothesis OF Har'
rods having yielded to the coastwise
temptation of smuggling. Wilmer ut
tered into the instrument a sly. SIMS
ter, exasperating chuckle.
Lost your tongues" he tainted
"Well, arrest me. Any one can tell
you where am. But will the girl
leave Silberberg to come and testify J
The courtship's just getting good now
Too bad to disturb them!'
Carson hurled the receiver away and
strobe back to the Virginia. He found
Thomas, the negro. with two men.
hosting the can Of methauOse aboard
Thomas gave him the list of aerOnat
clearings.
The sailings wera not many-the
Tern for Memphis. the Long Tom for
St. Andrews Bay, aud. yes. the Roc
departing the morning before for
northern points"
1--WE can overhaul the Tern." said
Craighead. with judicial air, "at, say,
Jackson and take on our friends for
Alaska. do hope the president can
Join us at Omaha. Gentlemen" ad.
dressing the crowd. here you see a
new aeronef invented by me. By
reaching Alaska before nlghtfall we
win a million dollars. This is a sure
thing. az the sun will not set there for
three months. The bet Is with Bra
lillian who forgot about the days COM
ing quarterly at Nome. But we shall
be honorable and pay him the million
on the nail If we fail to make 1t before
sunset in Rio, the real locus. TomOr-
row we shall win five hundred thou
sand from ROthschild by leaving
Greenwich observatory at sunrise 60
ing west and returning mt sunrise next
day from the east. circllng the world
in twenty-fOur hours of continued sun
rise Wish us well. gentlemen. Good
by, honest peasantry. your country's
pride. goodbye
The majestic rise Of the Virginia.
with no preliminary run. drew round
of applause. Craighead waved his
cap, but Carson. paying no attention.
laid the Virginia dead for New YORK
They few high. and the constant pick
ing up and dropping Of railway trains
and steamers and the swift succession
of villages and towns spoke of the
ferceness with which the Virginia was
hurled against the leagues between
Mobile and New York. They left
Montgomery to port and Atlanta to
starboard. Carson had assigned him.
self and Craighead their duties, and
both were busy, Craighead at the till
er, with his eye on the compass, Car
son looking at every working part, oil
ing, feeling for hot bearings, watching
for the slightest CULVER or jar, greedy
Of every mile Finally thew were