The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-09-21

ton. Sorry you can't lend me that
money. It'd have been a fine specula-
ton for you. I've got to get down to
the Crantown aviation meeting today.
May see your friend Venables there.
III tell you next time see you what
think about his health"
Two days later Allerton lounged into
the hanger-on at Crantown and found
Venables tuning up his biplahe.
Venables glanced up at him. Aren't
you going to get ready? There's
hardly a breath Of air stirring this
morning.
My luck" grumbled Allerton. Just
on the day when l stood a chance OF
winning something / find a flaw in NV
propeller. Can't risk 1t today" Are
you trying for the highest fiigbt?"
Ihats right. Let me give you a hand
with your biplane. I've had more ex-
perlence than you, and l may give YOU
bit of help"
YOU" eOU u
Not bit. You'd do just the same for
me, I'm certain"
For an hour they worked on the BIZ
plane. At last Venables pronounced II
10 be ready, and it was wheeled out of
the hanger.
Half minute" cried Allerton. "I,et
me lubricate the motor again before
you start Can't have too much if Won
want the engine to revolve regularly
Right, that Will 10. Good luck to Won
old man." '"'
A murmur of applause ran through
the crowd as the biplane after a short
run Iett the earth. Louder and louder
grew the shouts as the biplane. revolv-
QT2Pnf1rI L.
Good" cried Allerton to the other
airmen. He's 200 feet up now and
going strong"
But through his mind ran the
thought: The engine will jam soon
that stun in the lubricating oil is sure
to work"
higher and higher went the biplane
III all heads were craned upwards to
watch it-3OO feet, 400 feet, 500 feet
We're signalIed.
And just then the engine damned
suddenly, one plane seemed to COL
lapse. and the biplane fell like a stone
mere was a scream from the crowd as
IL scattered to avoid the falling BIZ
plane. Then came a sickening thud.
Allerton rushed from the hanger
and fought his way through the crowd
towards the smashed machine. He
came to a line of policemen who were
holding the crowd.
How is he? How is hep he cried.
one OF the policemen recognized him.
and said: I'M sorry. Captain- bnt it,s
hopeless. l lonit think there's a bone
in his body left unbroken-the force
with which he came down twisted even
the engine all out of shape. There are
TWO or three in the crowd badly hurt.
too
Good heavens!@ said AlIerton.
Poor fellow, poor fellow"
He turned to go back to the hanger
and met Hollindrake face to face.
Help me, Allerton," cried the old
man. That Internal things killed
my daughter. Get me out of this"
AS Mr.. Davis read his evening paper
that night he started when he saw
the account Of the terrible accident at
the Crantown flying meeting.
"Venables gone-well, we'll. Think
OF man with his estate running those
risks. hope that young man did
nothing rash. Anyhow, it's a rare
stroke of business
he read a line or two farther, and
gasped with establishment And to
think that Of all people the machine
ShOuIu nave 10 ldll Oh MISS EOlllN-
drake. Well. 1 shan't have to lend AL
lerton that $25,OO0."
However, after Mr.. Davis had sent
his sympathetic letter to Captain AL
lerton the next morning, he took up
his paper to see if any light was
thrown on the cause of the accident.
"H-m-biplane smashed to atoms
that's all right. No wretched specu-
lations at the inquest. That's all the
better. But what's this?"
The money lender stared wildly.
Much sympathy is expressed with
the family OF Mr.. Venables, especially
as the intelligence reached them at a
most distressing moment when they
were suffering from the shock of an
other bereavement. Mr.. Charles Ven
ables, the aviator's younger brother.
died suddenly at midnight the previous
evening in a nursing home to which
he had been removed for an operation
Knowing how much the success of the !
Crantown Flying meet depended on
Mr.. Venables, the family resolved not
to forward the intelligence till the
days flights were over. They are now
bitterly regretting their action"
Heavens abovel" cried Davis, "the
young scoundrel died first and my
hundred and fifty thousand is gone"