Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-08-19
vIR( INT 4
THE AIR
BY
HERBERT QUICK
CHAPTER VI.

NyOUNG Mr.. Carson. detained a
the Slattery institute to bal
ance the books on account Of
the evanishment of Mr.. wy.
lie, thought often of Shayne's charm
ing niece, but, manlike, gave scarcely
a thought of the situation on board
the Roc as she bore northward in the
night sky after dropping him as q
hawk might let fall too belligerent
weasel.
The warfare and instruction which
he left behind would have interested
him had he known. Mr.. Silberberg.
hurt In amour propre as well as pro-
boscis. was deeply disturbed in his sui
tanic regard for Virginia. He was too
angry to follow her to the deck as she
swept out Of the cabin to take leave of
her bandit Of the dunes For some
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 Virginia7'' queried Aunt
Marie at last. Has she eloped with
that creature? Look for her! She's
my niece, after air.
Mr.. Shayne called Mrs. Shayne's
maid and gave orders that Virginia be
sought on deck. The maid looked
about hastily and. failing to observe
the little heap In which Virginia sat
huddled up by the rail. ran in agitat
eddy and said that Miss suarez was
not on deck sin the least"
II told you!" gasped Mrs. shayne
"She's thrown herself away
Silberberg 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 II demented.
what Is 1t, sir7" Willett asked
calmly.
Where is Miss suarez?" painted Mr..
Shayne.
II don't know. SIR"
where's that fellow we picked up?"
II don't know" responded Willett
They're goner' Shayne exclaimed,
rushing into the cabin. MAX. they've
gone over the side!'
THAT parachute" said Max. "could
not save two from death, even II they
made a good drop. And in this dark
ness
Virginia. having recovered her self
possession and the control of her
knees. rose and. entering her cabin.
threw herself on her bed She felt a
horror of Silberberg. a sense Of disgust
with the Shaynes. To think that they
could so insult this young man who
had saved her life and treated her so
beautifully. no matter what he was
to offer him money, to send him aft
like servant! No wonder he had
struck Silberberg's odious nose. Later
she rose, preened like bird before the
mirror and sat down to think. The
voices Of her uncle and aunt and Mr..
Silberberg came to her ears from the
main salon. Opening her window for
air, she noted that the roar Of the wind
from the earth had ceased and knew
that they had reached the calm area.
of which Willett had spoken, in the
middle Of the slow" They would
probably have an easy landing in Chi.
cago. And thenf
One thing was certain-she would
not live longer with the Shaynes They
were TOO sordid. too hard. too cruel,
And she would-not-stay-w
ANY longer.
oh. If she only had Just one relative
in the world save Aunt Marie!
Stay! The thought struck her Of her
mothers fathers people. somewhere in
the south Her mother had been dis.
owned by her family for perversely
contracted marriage. but they we're
southerners. and they would not see
an orphan girl Of their kin go home.
less. She would leave Aunt Marie
note Of thanks for all her many kind.
nessesc 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
very matter Of fact way. Aunt Marie
gave shrill scream and tainted Sill
berberg said that he would be-tor
nented. Mr.. Shayne stared blankly.
We'll" said Virginia. do you think
am ghost7"
"Oh. child" gasped Aunt Marie.
where have You been with him?"
Virginia stood still, her eyes ablaze.
her cheeks burning. The Roc was
coming into the Chicago garage son
the roof of the Aerostatic Power build.
Ing In most beautiful landing, but
none of the party knew 1t. silberberg
was gazing at the enraged Virginia IN
unbounded admiration. Her splendid
anger had won him back. Shayne
spoke in foolish agreement with his
wife, half believing for the moment
that there was something questionable
In Virginia's absence.
with beggar!' said be.
"a bandit" said Aunt Marie. ian
assassin
"a beggar" repeated Virginia in
lofty scorn. why, even II he were
one, in rags and howell. he'd be worth
million like you. An assassin,
bandit! And, IL he Is. what are you;
You rob by syndicate. assassinate by
general managers and superintendent
and make beggars by votes Of shares!
l loathe you, and l. admire him
as much as loathe you. As between
bandits like you and bandits like him
give me the brave man rather than
the coward!"
Willett interrupted the scene by an.
nouncing their successful landing.
They passed constrainedly into the