Middletown transcript., 1914-08-01

! village after dusk, leaving my aero
plane In charge Of some hiendl.
farmer sufficiently removed from tn,
center Of news to prevent the disclos
ure Of my identity. All these plans
carried out well. Night saw me som,
leagues In advance Of Dion, and rest
ing In field recently mown, surround
ed by gaping but not malignant rus
tics. A liberal sum sealed the noun
tains of their perpetual questioning
and by the promise of further reward
in the morning l induced my host tc
drive into the town and bring me bach
a fresh supply of gasoline, without
arousing curiosity. Then supped
and, turning into a bed Of softest
down, slept like log till daybreak.
Sunday was a repetition Of the day
before. Long before noon 1 had
crossed Lyon and was following the
broad valley Of the Rhone. Avignon
was to be my destination; but here
my plans miscarried. For, as / ap-
preached the city at height Of three
hundred feet, well before dusk, a few
misses of my motor warned me that 1t
was clogging, just as it had done in
England, and / volplaned swiftly to
the ground to avoid misfortune, land
ing in the exact center of populous
residential square, where in no time
l was surrounded by a dense crowd
Of Provencals, cheering and mobbing
me and acclaiming me by name. They
climbed into the monoplane, they
thrust out their hands toward me, and
one held up before my eyes the latest
copy of the Petit Journal. There, COW
ering a whole page, saw an afro
ciously drawn presentation of myself
in the monoplane, and underneath, in
large letters Of black, the words: 'The
Woman Spy, Flying Over Dijon."
AS was growing desperate couple
of gendarmes forced their way through
the crowd to me.
Mademoiselle, said one, respect
fully, you may not proceed further.
We have orders from the Minister of
the Interior to detain you"
For a moment l was stunned with
horror. Then an idea came to me. l
made no answer, but set to work with
all speed in the adjusting Of my motor.
Whatever might happen, it was essen
tial that the monoplane should be in
order, ready for action.
''The instructions are," the gen.
darme Continued, that mademoiselle
shall remain at liberty in Avignon
pending further orders. The aero
plane"
Yes, monsieurT' l answered care
lessly, while my heart throbbed hor-
ribly. 1t seemed too terrible to be
true. But at any cost must appear
to acquiesce.
Understand, mademoiselle, you are
not under arrest" he continued. at
is merely that the Minister Of the In
terror has issued an order forbidding
ladies' to fly, owing to the dangers"
you spoke Of the monoplane," an
swered smiling. What is to be done
with it. For myself" 1 added, Il am
really tired Of flying. I shall not
continue my journey to Marseilles."
"To Marseilles?" cried the gen.
iarme, scratching his head. "Why
the Petit Journal
says" he hesitated.
THAT you are on your way to Join
your lover in Italy, there to be mar
led in the clouds" put in the other.
1 breathed more freely. Evidently |
he real purpose of my journey was
lot yet known.
THE aeroplane-" persisted.
"Peste! What are we to do with
he aeroplane?" said his companion.
There were no instructions"
Let me make a suggestion" I an
Iwered suavely. Suppose 1 take it