The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-05-01
CHAPTER vi.
toopyrighs,lgia. BY Harry Irving Greene,
The Duel in the Air.


The Duel in the Air.
Two days later a fireman stationed
upon the top of tall building in the
central part of the city, where q lock
out station had been temporarily erect,
ed, picked up his field glasses and
once more swept the mountains and
the sky Around the horizon his
glass slowly swung until he faced the
southeast, when of a sudden be be-
came as rigid as a setter who points
his covey Far away, miles distant
and as yet invisible to the unassisted
eye, mote fioated, speck which rap
idly grew larger until there could be
no mistake as to it's character. With
an exclamation Of relief the watcher
dropped his lenses and hurried to the
telephone within the little nearby
shelter that had been constructed for
his protection in case of storm. He
picked up the receiver. Main 500"
he called into it. For a moment he
awaited his reply, then began speak
ing rather hurriedly.
rs this the chief? Well, this is
Johnson, stationed on the Commerce
building lookout There is an aero
plane off to the southeast and coming
like the wind. 1t is several miles
away as yet, but ought to be here in
five minutes. That is all, sir. No, sir,
no signs of the Flying Man. Goodby,
sir" He hung up the receiver.
And FIVE minutes later, speeding like
an express train, his propeller clack'
ing loudly Putnam, aviator nearest
to the scene when the proclamation
was made and first of the squadron
of aerial craft which, attracted by the
huge reward, was already rushing at
the rate of mile minute toward
the field, arrived. Putnam was an
aviator with an international reputa-
ton for two things, first, great skill
in the management of his machine,
and second, a recklessness that often
bordered close upon if not actually
reaching the limit of foolhardiness.
He already held several worlds rec
ords and never let an opportunity slip
by to try and capture others. He had
thousand feet, had broken all records
for heavy-weather flying, and his
plunges and spirals never failed to
bring chills to the backs and cheers
from the threats of his audiences. His
skill was marvellous, his nerves of
chilled steel and his recklessness ever
a matter of joy and horror to the on
lockers Night or day, blow high or
blow low, fair weather or foul were
all the same to him, and of all the
hundreds of airmen in the land there
was none better qualified for the des-
perate feat upon which he had en-
barked than Little Put of the
Charmed Life" And for a chance
at a reward such as the one now in
sight he would have guaranteed to fly
straight into the mouth of hades and
engage the Evil One himself single
handed and alone if any one would
have agreed to show him the opening.
He circled the central part of the
city at a height of several hundred
feet as he peered down in search of
IN alighting place. Below him, and
sd of his coming by the shrilling
his great propeller, people
lands were staring upward
or running in solid
urge square that lay
pf the business dis
never been at this
knew that crowd
like crowd in
> crowds as he
Zem, satisfied that
him to the place
expected to alight
swept it in swift
de his calculations,
ed and dipped out of
lred desire to give
skinned the top
krilously close and
eddy. Down the
Awk and sharp
# those below
scuttling for
Eem that he
heir very
pf feet of
anes and
Alropped
skim
rely