Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1910-04-15


pete for speed with the lighter ma
chimes. However. TIE followed close
on their heels. getting NEAR them i'll
Trenton. losing them over Wilmington.
again coming In sight of them at Bal
timore. While passing over Virginia
his aviator slowed mp 10 tighten a
loose nut, and after this the fugitives
were lost to hin entirely.
After Spindleton's surrender be was
permitted to go where he liked. Max
ing a bee line for Richmond. he met
his employer ver the peninsula. The
two drew up side by side. and while
lowering the aviator CAV Mr.. Beriton
an account of what had happened.
what are the best points of your
machine?' o. asked the latter.
Quick rising and an ability to fly In
thin air"
Good. To fight this pauper we
must get above him. To bring him
to terms we must have bombs to drop
on him"
But the bombs will annihilate your
own wife and daughter as well as MIR.
F~ollansbee."
HE cannot sacrifice them TO his own
c-ovetousnes Our success d1nsnds on
our obtaining a commanding -.,sition.
Stepping into the S~pindleton ma
chine, he permitted the n he left TO
go where 1t liked-to the moon II 1t
chose-and be and Spindleton started
for the nearest city. Richmond. There
they procured bombs and. rising. start
ed in the direction Spindleton had left
Follansbee and the Beritons.
There was a hubbub in Follansbee's
%aeroplane as 500 as Spindleton left.
Mrs. Beriton. s~ympathizing with Miss
Anita, would have been glad to give
her consent that the party should
swoop down for IA clergyman that the
lovers might be married. but she fear
ed her husbands displeasure. The
younger Miss Beriton was Indifferent.
The lovers finally prevailed over the
elder lady's caution. and 1t was de-
cided that the marriage should take
place.
Being a couple of hundred miles out
at sea. not a likely place to find a
clergyman. Follansbee turned his ma
chine toward the land. But time had
been spent In coming TO a decision.
and he was too late. When fifty miles
off Norfolk the machine bearing Mr..
Beriton, driven by Spindleton. appear
ed over Virginia beach, like a seagull.
standing northeast.
Follansbee considered.
A great deal of power had been used
In his machine since starting, and he
knew 1t had not the capacity for a
long quick run with the coming nero
plane. 1t was to supply this very de-
fect-in other words. to be ready to
turn and 6ght-that he had provided
his bird with a ram. If the worst
came he would smash the pursuing
f1ier and drop its owner into the waves
below. But he hoped this would not
be necessary. However, In order that
the contest should take place over
water he made a pretense of flight.
When Mr.. Beriton reached a point
some two miles distant from FUnais=
bee the latter saw his machine sud-
denly rise In a spiral. He OWNED the
upshot of the maneuver In Il moment.
Bombs had been so long used that 1t
was evident the enemy had procured
them and. getting on a higher plane.
would command the situation. The
Beriton car climbed a thousand feet:
then Spindleton. who was a splendid
aviator, made for a point directly over
FQlansbee.
The lover knew his enemy's deter
mined nature and that he would place
him In a position to be bombed or to
yield. or course he would have to
yield. He therefore put on all speed.
but. of course. moved slowly. losing
ground because it was essential that
he move on a rising incline.
Notwithstanding the power of Fol-
lansbee's aeroplane to rise in this grad
ual fashion. Mr.. Beriton maintained a
position above him. Mrs. Beriton beg
ged Follansbee to give up the fight.
but the young man was contending
for a half billion dollar bride and was
not to be discouraged. When Mr.. Ber-
iton was a mile away and 500 feet
above him Follansbee lighted a fuse.
threw the end over the car and wait
ed. The other end of the fuse was
attached to a rocket-like firework. fixed
to the bottom of the car. which in a
few ome was ignited, and, blow
ing off a great quantity of burning
powder. the aeroplane shot rapidly up
ward.
When this sudden ascent ceased Fol-
lansbee was OH a level with his enc
my and but fifty yards away.
I'm about TO ram you. sirP' cried
Follansbee.
"Don'tw pleaded Mrs. Beriton.
There was a pause. Mr.. Beriton
saw that the game was lost.
"What's your termsW he asked.
Consent to my marriage with your
daughter"