Middletown transcript., 1914-06-27
7 am canadian.n : / angwered cold-

ly.
"a Canadian!" be muttered, and l
saw a 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.
81 knew you must be French" he
answered. Then you can have no
fear. No. mademoiselle, 1 shah take
her higher" He pressed the lever and
l 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 f1uttering under us like a
bird with a broken wing, desperately
and fruitlessly endeavoring 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 so easily. We seemed to ride
upon the air as a swan floats on the
water. Far, very far beneath, 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. Ny 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, 1 do not need it
Well, then I 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"
answered.
But we have already won, mademot
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 unconventiona1ity Of the
situation had removed the bars of re
straint which a hundred generations OF
women have learned to fasten across
their hearts. 1 am not usually con
sidered susceptible. There was that
Mr.. Spratt, whom 1 have mentioned
who taught civil and international law
and he had once presumed slightly
when riding home with me from the
theater. 1 think he pressed my hand
Poor Mr.. Spratt! l had frozen hin
with look and he had had to make
abject apologies before he found for
giveness. But here, was conscious
of a dangerous emotion which tool
possession Of me. and my eompanion'E
hand sought mine and was not dis
carded. We might have been primeva
man and woman riding triumphantlJ
alone there through the ether.
The sun, bursting from behind &
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 intC
my eyes. And what would have hap
pened next do not know. The morti
fcation, after reached terra 1rma
overwhelmed me with remorse ant
shame. But just at that moment tht
humming Of the motor suddenly
ceased. It had sropped-and stopped
so suddenly that my companion wa
not prepared for it. The monoplanC
trembled and swayed dangerously.
Instantly 1 was forgotten. AfterwarC
l remembered with a little sense o.
humiliation how wholly secondary
proved In his estimation to that ma
chine. But l had no thought then
save for our safety. With what con
summate skill he righted her an(
guided her, never losing his head
gliding downward swift as a stone
then, with an upward movement of th'
planes, arresting that perilous descent
now holding the machine tremblingly
as it seemed, upon some air-wav'
crest! / saw the ground spring up t.
meet us; the grand stand broadeneC
and wideaed into its original form anC
shape; slowly, and then more swiftly
the ant-Iike creatures changed int
turnip-tops once more. closed m!
eyes and chung to the stay, expecting
every moment to feel the deadly enc
to our tumultuous descent. Ant
then
"She has tainted" said somebody.
opened my eyes languidIy. 1 rest
ed upon the ground, supported by thu
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 Il
depart looked round for my sun-god
He was not to be found. And it wal
only after l reached home that re
membered that was wholly ignoran
of his name. 1t was not in the news
papers where he was entered simpl!
as Aviator No. 6.
CHAPTER III.