El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-06-29
At the Mercy of the Air
By Constance BurIeigh.

A-HERE you are, Sis. that is
Ronald CIavering-the tall
4 chap with the bronzed face
! talking to aunt"
Cecilia Travers looked across the
, room, and at that moment the keen
/ gray eyes belonging to the bronzed
! face met hers. Cecil, as she was famiI-
iarly called, blushed and turned away,
/ and her usually well regulated heart
! beat violently.
Isn't he a fine looking chapi" pur-
I sued Jack Travers. And he is just as
splendid as he looks. the bravest and
most daring aviator in England. And
| he won the
I know everything he has done" in
: terrupted his sister eagerly. He is
just grand and I've always longed to
see him."
This was Cecn's 21st birthday and
Mrs. Denton, CeciIs aunt, was giving a
dinner party in her honor. She now
came over to them.
Jack, will you take Miss Marsh in
to dinner? Cecil, dear I have paired
you off with Mr.. Clavering. 1 know
you are crazy about aviation, though
1 don't suppose you will get him to
say much about his own exploits. He IS
so terribly modest"
Cecil looked up rather resentfully at
her companion. She told herself she
hated him, and felt angry that his voice
and a glance from his eyes had power
to set her heart beating furiOusly and
make her blush like a fapper. And
Ronald Clavering, the woman hater,
found himself watching her sweet face
with more than ordinary interest Find
ing how enthusiastic she was about tba
navigation of the air, he patiently an
swered her many questions, and ex-
planned all he could to her.
ing. and as she worked. one face would
come between her and her drawing
bOard-a brozen face, with deep, gray
eyes. An angry little frOwn puckered
her forehead.
Z hate him do" she said to her
self
At last she pushed her work impa-
tiently away and sat staring dreamlly
before her, a sudden exclamation from
Jack. who was reading the paper, made
her look up.
What is it. Jack?'
You remember Mr.. Clavering. who
took you into dinner on your birth
day2'
CeciIs cheeks burned at mention Of
the man who had been filling her
thoughts
Yes, I remember him. Well. what
about him?'
"Oh, it only says here that he is go
ing to take passengers for flights a
$50 each from Seaham Aerodrome this
afternoon and each day this week, the
money to 90 to fund for the widows
and children of the heroes of that terri
bic mine disaster" Cecil glanced up,
her heart beating rapidly Then I'm
going up with him" she said firmly.
The afternoon proved dull and rather
rough, and not many people seemed
anxious for aerial hOnors. though very
large crowds had assembled when Jack
and Cecil appeared.
On account of the cOntrariness of the
wind. it was late before they made a
start. Cecirs heart throbbed with d
wild excitement as she took her place
in the machine with seeming calmness. |
There was a deafening noise from the
engine, and then the monOplane rose
with the grace and swiftness of a bird
At first Cecil felt as though she must
scream. for it seemed as if the breath
were being forced out Of her body and
she must surely die. But that feeling
soon passed off and a sense of glorious
exhilaratiOn took its place as they rose
higher and higher till the cheering,