Middletown transcript., 1914-08-01
HIN. EGBERT
O.TRWIN MYERS
(cOPYRteHT 1919
WG.cHAPMAN)

/ uy 5Sal- i AUOASQ DdCk- Inc OH
chateau, gray and ghostly In the earll
morning, seemed replete with history
and every single window was, in ny
imagination, filed with the forms O.
earlier owners; great lords and fail
ladies who had played each his or hel
part In the history of Clichy and left
the scene. Something Of the sense oi
this continuity made my surroundings
singularly unreal The Comte and
Charles mother seemed now hardly
more than phantoms upon a ghostly
stage in a mysterious setting. But
such fancies were morbid. l turned
my face resolutely away and started
the motor. l felt the wheels reyolVe
and take the soft sod under me; there
was a moment of swift gliding, and the
ground shot from beneath me.
pressed the lever that controlled
the rudder and flew upward. Now
was cool and calm as though this were
the fight Of an experienced aeronaut.
I was, In thought, again flying with
Charles in the English aviation meet
ing. Right and left the monoplane
turned at my insistence, skimming the
soft airs lightly as a swallow. rose
above the tops Of the old elms and
circled the grounds. Once, twice I
made this course, and then, rising to
two hundred feet, shot straight as a
bee eastward toward Paris.
Towns and villages Unrolled them
selves beneath me as 1 sped over the
fair panorama Of northern France. 1
kept an altitude of about four hundred
feet; in this manner l was enabled
to travel by the bright ribbons of the
railway line, clearly perceptible below
me, and, at the same time, to escape
any too intimate contact with the deni-
zens Of the district; for above all
things l wished to avoid awakening
curiosity as to my identity and desti-
nation. Several times a railroad train,
unrolling like caterpillar out Of the
ground, swept past me; twice, too,
OUTRAGED trains Paris bound. The ma
chine seemed like a sentient thing. 1
no longer wondered that we had beat
en- all our competitors in London, for
we seemed so to harmonic that we
were no longer twain; was an aerial
centaur and this mechanism of steel
and aluminium was part of me.
After an hour and a half dark blur
beginning to spread over the horizon
told me that was approaching Paris.
l had resolved not to fly over the capi-
tai lest some too adventurous news
paper should send out its aeroplane
correspondent in search Of me. One
thing l longed for greatly-a news
paper, that might learn how Charles
Jared, what was the latest news of the
trial, and whether the fight that
was to make had yet become public
knowledge. But 1 overcame my long
ing and, wheeling in a southeasterly
mounted to an altitude of
thousand feet and shot over the green
tracery Of the Bois, which from that
height appeared exactly like a field
of corn in tassel, set on an indistin-
guisbable brown background. At this
height, though it was July, the air
was crisp and keen, the wind sang
past my ears, every sense tingled with |
exuberance. l must save Charles!
Now it was impossible no longer; no
longer dangerous even. flashed over
the poplar-lined roads of the environs.
and, gradually descending to a height |
Of four hundred feet again, made my |
way along the highway in the direc-
ton Of Troyes, where 1 descended at
noon In large field to lunch and to
inspect my motor.
Everything was satisfactory. I !
stepped out, little cramped. and,
lying upon a bank of softest turf.
snatched a few morsels of bread and
cheese, washing them down with a
draft Of clearest spring water from a
rill near by. The sight Of the great
bird had already aroused the interest
If the neighborhood, and knew that
ny sojourn must be a brief one. In
act. hardly had rinsed my hands
lfter my meal when the advance guard
If the rustic population came running
ID In the shape of a farmers boy.
Who, seeing me, threw up his hands
n dumfounded amazement, suffering:
TITS a woman! Holy Virgin, a
Foman!"
Seeing that little group was NOV.
ng over the brow Of the hill, and not
Wishing to communicate anything of
ny purpose or identity, / entered the
machine again and started the motor.
rs the wheels revolved they shouted
md ran forward threateningly, their
irst impulse, after fear, being hate
phenomenon common everywhere
-mong the unintelligent. For a mo-
nent 1 feared that the long grass
would hold my fight; then, Just as
he first came painting up, the mono
lane rose, almost sweeping him from
lis feet with whir of its mighty
wings. heard cries of anger beneath
ne. / looked down and waved nv
and. What were these Doors to me
Vhen Charles honor and liberty were
t stake! Charles! The wind sang
lis name through the steel stays, the ,
motor hummed it. I was high in air
nee more, sweeping along the great. | I
7hite, dusty road toward Dion. II
The sun sank lower, the air grew :
,eener yet; clouds rolling up gave
romise Of storm. planned to pass I
ne town and rest at some wayside t