The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1911-01-21


her grandfather had sent her to
school, she had become, with many
other girls of her acquaintance, enam-
ored Of the mystery Of the footlights-
for they were mysteries indeed to
those school girls in the quaint acad-
envy on Long Island.
THEME, her girIhood sweetheart
had opposed her going to the theateF
when she had left school He feared
she might learn to care too much for
the city life-the life so far removed
from their own. And, whether will
fully or not, Virginia Warrington had
eventually left the old home to go
upon the stage She had gone In
search of a career.
| Later, the one dear thing to him in
the neighborhood gone, John Borth-
wick had walked out into the world
in search of wealth
Virginia thought OF it all now. She
wondered where he was; she Won
dered if he had made any greater sue
cess than she had. It was nearly ten
years since she had heard of him
| Civilization had marched with rapid
strides about her childhood home And
now the very latest evidence of it
was about her on all sides-the prep
arations for the aviation meet. Air
ships from all over the world were
being housed in tent-like wooden
structures, called hangers, not a mile
down the road; a great field was be-
ing put in readiness for the starting
Of the ships; the very course was
through her own property-by her
own consent. She wondered If her
grandfather wouldn't quake a little at
that, even.
Day after day she watched the
great winged ships pass over her
| house and float into obscurity across
| the trees. She saw them rise and
fall, some quickly, darting here and
there, others slowly, like great lazy
buzzards lowering over their prey.
1t was late October and the winds
were varia BILE, but daring birdmen
! tried their luck in the air Virginia
| watched one aviator in a monoplane
persistently try to make a start on
a windy afternoon just as the great
red sun was sinking behind the woods.
At last he rose into the air At first
he remained few feet above the
|
| higher until he was but a speck
against the clouds. At last, when the
sun had gone down, Virginia went
into the house, stirred with the long
ing to try the fascinating new sport
of the century.
"Oh. my dear, my deari'' cried Mrs
Mackfn, from the rear of the house
not an hour after Virginia had gone
upstairs.
There's one of those air boats land
ed in the yard! I'm that scared"
Virginia rushed down and out into
the garden. There, clad in leather
costume from head to foot and with
sleet and snow covering him until he
looked like a snow man, was an avia-
tor scrambling from his machine.
May I trouble you to use your tele-
phone?" he asked, as Virginia stepped
close. 81 want to phone for a tar
pauHn for my machine. 1 struck
snow storm up yonder and was afraid
my machine would freeze. I coasted
down more quickly than 1 thought
and-landed here.
Virginia looked at the oddly at
tired man. Her heart beat wildly,
She could not answer and he stood
looking at her.
I'm sorry, I'm sure he said.
C"
Are you John Borthwick?" STAN
mered Virginia
81 am, Virginia" he said. calmly.
She held out her two hands, you
certainly have come out OF a clear
sky" she laughed.
Its been anything but clear-for
me, Virginia" he said, pointedly.
And, after that, he telephoned for
his tarpaulin and explained to the
girls entire satisfaction that the whole
spectacular entrance into her life
again had been planned by him He
had been over <he whole world-seek-
ing dollars-and had failed. even as
she had failed in her search for hon
ors. Just as she had taken up her
home life because she had no alterna-
tive. he had taken to this most haz-
ardous of sports, as diversion. Then,
in this meet, he had learned that the
old home still stood-that she was
there, and he had decided that If his
income. his family Inheritance. was
sufficient in the way of dollars, and
the honor of being the mistress of
fine old home-her own ancestral
hall-was sufficient in the way Of hon
ors for her-they would try life to-
gether.
It's enough" replied Virginia, eff
you promise to take me with you
when you fly. don't care for any
honors If you are not here to share
them with mel want to be with
you"