The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1914-07-24

pineas beamed IN his gray eyes.
u knew you must be- French" he
answered Then you can have M
fear. No. mademolsclle, ! shall take
her higher" lie pressed the lever and
felt the aeroplane rise upon a drift.
Ing gust OF air. up. up. till the hum
ming sounded beneath us. and. glanc-
ing down. | saw that another aero.
plane was inttering under us like a
bird with a broken wing. desperately
aud fruitlessly ~endcnvoring TO win to
the higher stratum which We had at.
tanned.
Again he pressed the lever, and
again we shot upward. Now we we're
above them all. Under US, from point
TO point OF the field, our opponents
struggled and tapped, but never won
TO that world OF silence In which we
moved 80 easily. We seemed 10 ride
upon the air as a swa floats on tho
water. Far, very far beneath. | could
make out the grand stand as q tiny
patch Of gray upon n field OF green.
and the spectators were smaller than
tiny anti IN a hillock. My companion
looked al his barometer.
Three thousand feet" he said; and
! saw his teeth chatter.
"You are coldl" I cried. and began
to divest myself OF the fur coat. Take
this, monsieur" I exclaimed. you
need your strength for the ascent. You
must not let your hands grow chilled
"sit tight, sit tight. mademoiselle,"
he answered. mo, | do not need Il.
Well. then | will take one corner-so.'
And he suffered me 10 throw one edge
OF the voluminous wrap around his
shoulders.
we have outsoared them ALL" he
said. we shall descend now"
NO. o have a record to make" I
answered.
But We have already won, mademoL
seize. Never before has my monoplane
ridden 80 lightly. Assuredly you must
be a mascot"
My heart was be9ting unanimously.
II was a dangerous proximity; and
then. too. the unconyentlonality of the
situation had removed the bars OF re-
straint which a hundred generations OF
women have learned TO fasten across
their hearts. | am not usually con
sldered susceptible. There was that
Mr.. Spratt. whom | have mentioned
who taught civil and international law.
and he had once presumed slightly
when riding home with me from the
lheater. think he pressed my hand.
Poor Mr.. Spratti / had frozen him
with a look and he had had to make
abject apologies before he found for
%giveness. But here. | was conscious
II a dangerous emotion which took
possession OF me. and my companions
hand sought mine and was not dis
,arded. w might have been primeval
nan and woman riding triumphantly
alone there through the ether.
The sun, bursting from behind q
bank OF clouds. shone into our faces.
These are the realms OF the sun.
god" said my companion. And you"
he whispered. ARE my sun-goddess."
He bent toward me and looked into
my eyes. And what would have hap
pened next | do not know. The morti-
fication. after I reached terra firma.
overwhelmed me with remorse and
shame. But just at that moment the
humming OF the motor suddenly
ceased. II had stopped-and stopped
80 suddenly that ny companion was
not prepared for Il. The monoplane
trembled and swayed dangerously.
Instantly was forgotten. Afterward
| remembered with a little sense OF
humiliation how wholly secondary
proved In his estimation TO that ma
chine. But ] had no thought then,
save for our safety. with what con
summate skill he righted her and
guided her. never losing his head,
gliding downward swift as a stone;
then, with an upward movement OF the
planes, arresting that perilous descent;
now holding the machine trembIingly,
as IL seemed, upon some air-waye
crest! saw the ground spring up 10
meet us; the grand stand broadened
and widened into it's original form and
shape; slowly, and then more swiftly,
the ant-like creatures changed into
turnip-tops once more. I closed my
eyes and chung 70 the stay, expecting
every moment to feel the deadly end
TO our tumultuous descent. And
then
she has tainted" said somebody.
l opened my eyes languidly. l rest.
ed upon the ground. supported by the
intrepid aviator; and near at hand.
wholly %uninjured, rested the mono.
plane.
Then somebody led Estelle through
the yelling crowd, and she was weep.
ing upon my neck.
When at last they suffered me tc
depart ! looked round for my sun-god
He was not TO BE- found. And Il was
only after I reached home that | re-
membered that ! was wholly ignorant
Of his name. II was not in Tic news
papers where be was entered simply
AZ aviator No. G."