The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1914-09-24
Ian a Canadian I answered eOI4-

~ = NoA@oAAAAs AHoNOHou Solo-
ly.
"A CanadIan!" he muttered, and I
saw q look of detection pass over his
face.
But my father was a Frenchman," :"
I said. relenting. And once more hap
piness beamed in his gray eyes.
Il knew you must be French" he
answered. Then you can have no
fear. No. mademoiselle, l shall take
her higher" He 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
plano was fiuttering under US like q
bird with . broken wing, desperately
and fruitlessly endeavoring to win to
the higher stratum which we had at
tained.
Again he pressed the lever, and
again we shot upward. Now we were
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 SO easily. We seemed to ride
upon the air as a swan floats on the
water. Far, very far beneath, l could
make out the grand stand as . tiny
patch Of gray upon a field Of green.
and the spectators were smaller than
tiny ants in a hillock. My companion
looked at his barometer.
Three thousand feet" he said; and
| saw his teeth chatter.
you are cold!" l cried, and began
to divest myself Of the fur coat Take
this. monsieur" l exclaimed. You
need your strength for the ascent You
must not let your hands grow chilled"
"Sit tight, sit tight, mademoiselle,"
he answered. mo, l do not need it.
Well, then will take one corner-so."
And he suffered me to throw one edge
Of the voluminous wrap around his
shoulders.
I'VE have outsoared them ALL" he
said. I'VE shall descend now."
mo. you have a record to make"
But we have already won, mademoi-
selle. Never before has my monoplane
ridden so lightly. Assuredly you must
be a mascot"
My heart was beating tumultuously.
1t was a dangerous proximity; and
then, too, the unconventionality Of the
situation had removed the bars of re-
straint which hundred generations of
have learned to fasten across
their hearts. l am not usually con-
sidered susceptible. There was that
Mr.. Spratt, whom l have mentioned
who taught civil and international law,
and he had once presumed slightly
when riding home with me from the
heater. think he pressed my hand.
Poor Mr.. Spratt! had frozen him
with a look and he had had to make
lbject apologies before he found for
5iveness. But here, l was conscious
If a dangerous emotion which took
Of me, and my companions
hand sought mine and was not dis
'arded. We might have been primeval
nan and woman riding triumphantIy
llone there through the ether.
The sun, bursting from behind a
'ank of clouds. shone into our faces.
These are the realms of the sun
,od," said my companion. And you"
le whispered, ARE my sun-goddess."
He bent toward me and looked into
ny eyes. And what would have hap
)ened next do not know. The morti-
ication, after l reached terra firma,
me with remorse and
hame. But just at that moment the
cumming of the motor suddenly
eased. It had stopped-and stopped
o suddenly that my companion was
lot prepared for 1t. The monoplane
rembled and swayed dangerously.
Instantly was forgotten. Afterward
remembered with a little sense of
how wholly secondary |
roved in his estimation to that ma
hine. But l had no thought then, |
ave for our safety. With what con-
ummate skill he righted her and
;uided her. never losing his head,
liding downward swift as a stone;
hen, with an upward movement of the |
lanes, arresting that perilous descent;
ow holding the machine tremblingly, |
S 1t seemed, upon some air-wave |
rest! saw the ground spring up to |
leet US; the grand stand broadened |
nd widened into its original form and |
hape; slowly, and then more swiftly, |
he ant-like creatures changed into |
once more. l closed my
yes and clung to the stay, expecting
very moment to feel the deadly end
D our tumultuous descent. And |
hen
She has tainted" said somebody.
l opened my eyes languidly. l rest
d upon the ground, supported by the
Intrepid aviator; and near at hand,
holly uninjured, rested the mono
lane.
Then somebody led Estelle through |
he yelling crowd, and she was weep
lg upon my neck.
When at last they suffered me to
epart looked round for my sun-god.
lie was not to be found. And it was
My after I reached home that l re-
that was wholly ignorant
his name. 1t was not in the news
apers where he was entered simply
5 Aviator No. g."