The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-07-04

Tho chauf1eur's wife was sick and he
wanted couple Of days leave Of absence.
Harry granted It instantly. That evening
he made NO mention Of either the chant.
leur's absence or his trip to the field.
Pauline thought she was teasing Harry
b. saying nothing Of her plans. She vas
Gure he was eaten mp with curiosity to
know the result Of her visit and admired
his ability. ~ she thought, TO conceal t.
Owen spent . nervous evening. He
walked out soon after dinner and from .
drugstore telephone booth called mp .
friend in the Insurance business. To tho
secretAry's surprise and disappointment
he learned that the percentage Of occ3-
dents to aviatorD had become compare
lively small. Passengers were particu-
larry fortunate. The friend even agreed
to obtain accident insurance for any ono
ct . reasonable premium.
II aeroplanes had become reasonably
safe the chance Of Pauline's being killed
during the hight on tho following day was
1nsignidcant. He must give mp his hope Of
wealth from the permanent control Of her
estate. AZ the evening wore on Owen b.
gan to feel how he had unconscioualy 10
lied ON this hope. He doubled his even
ing dose Of morphine, but It neither
soothed his disappointment nor brought
him sleep.
Hour after hour. during tho night, his
eleepless eyes seemed to ESQ that loose
be 30 vitality important He could 80 IN
imagination the machine flying on into to
clouds with Pauline In It. He could go Il
suddenly waver. dip and plunge to the
earth. In his minds eye he saw himself
rushing to the wreck. lifting out The e111's
and exulting All tho time that Gho vas
beyond human aid.
Then came snaxp, clear Visions Il H.
self In permanent charge Of Paulineb
great fortune. It took no Imagination to
think Of himself ~ rapidly becoming rfcA.
Of executors and trustees Of such vask
funds invariably became mysteEio1s1
wealthy. These delightful mind pictures
were periodically interrupted by Tho plain
blank facts-PAuline would doubtless 70
turn to earth as safe as she left It, and h
would remain Just what he was. . man
with debts, bad nerves and . drug hat1k
Over and over he saw that wire. onme
dimes tight, sometimes loose. That wire
alone lay between him and al that would
make lie worth while He could not 70
member when he had taken 90 much NOR
phia with 90 little effect. About O'Clock
he fell into . doze, and in that d0ze came
one OF his vivid opium dreamA
Owen beheld Hicks enter his bedroom
It was not Hicks, the blaclmailer. but
Hicks the counsellor, who had told Owen
how he might become rich Hicks was
voice. very different from his usual tones
He smoke in 4 sort OF shells or husks OF
words. The consonantS were tnefe, but
the novels were lacking. Yet he heard -
plainly as If the red-faced man had sh0ote0
Hicks advised him to be q man. to snow
courage for once, to risk something. ana
then reap the reward forever afterward.
ssTake your motorcycle, ride TO the ava
ton field before daylight, Ale that w1re
half through, and fate VIII tAke caro- q
the rest"
that he would be seen sneakfng onto the
Aeld at night or at dayhreak. Hicks re-
piled that the field was deserted at this
hour. Owen then insisted that the aero
plane. would be guarded. and even 4 II
were not locked In its hangar the flrse rasp
of q file on the wire would call the atfen
ton Of some one on guard No. It was too
much Owen could not do It. Instead. he
made q counter suggestion tnat HICKS
should undertake the task. since he WIS
90 certain of It's success Fur ms part sne
estate might be made TO yield him.
Hicks's reply was suTprfsfng- Owen, MO
everybody else, had seen many strange.
things In dreams, but never had ne known
OF any character In dream admitting O.
even :ussestins that hat. ne r,.s va "a : a
II would, Owen. would do Il IN
minute Il were talking to you But this
isn't me at all. I'm only dream m real
ity I'm sound asleep In hotel on upper
Broadway, where / am dreaming that !
am talking to you Tomorrow morning
IN remember enough Of this dream to
make me 30 down to the aviation neld
with q sort OF premonitfon that Pauline b
going to be killed In an aeroplane-
How did you know about that wire and
~ Arm.t nrc~ that safA fle rh.oer~,,