Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-02
CHAPTER TX.
Above the Lines.
SYNOPSIS.

SYNOPSIS.
After Kent Burgess, an EnElishman,
fescues In Belgium during the war two
American girls he iS sent into France
to fight the Germans. The girls also
are In France. Kent saves W1nifred
Stanley. with whom he is in love, from
DIR. FalicrOs, u Greek. He and his com
paniOn tie FalierOS and Won RefnhOld,
Prussinn, in love with Constance
Crestou. and take the girls into the
English lines in mOnoplane to save
them from the consequences Of decetv-
ing the Germans. Burgess gives Vaiu-
able notes to the English of his OBJ
servntiOns. He refuses to Wfnifred
his side of n scandal that Lax hurt his
name. The girls go to London. The
Germans launch n drive at the coast
amid n gale that In too strong for
aeroplancs. A Zeppelin hovers over
the English lines, living signals. and
1T must be driven of.
The gale shrieked defiance as a
dozen men struggled to steady the big
biplane which had been selected to
brave it's fury. The huge machine had
been chosen for the attempt to drive
away the Zeppelin as being better
adapted for the flight in a high wind
than the swifter monoplanes. but
Kent Burgess shook his head in doubt
as Robertson. driver of the craft,
climbed to his seat.
That the aviator did not lack courage
Kent knew. but the other always had
been fair-weather flyer. and he
doubted if he was M to the task of
controlling his machine in storm
Events justified the fear.
With it's motor pulSing steadily, the
biplane Iurched forward when released
and fairly leaped into the air-hut dis
aster swiftly overlook it. Robertson
pointed the nose of his craft too Steep
~ into the air. the wind got under the
planes, and. like a kite with a broken
string it was swept backward pro-
pellers whirling impotently, The tail
touched the ground. there was n
splintering crash as the fusilege was
- sms shed. and the aeroplane turned a
back Somersault.
Gen. Seton-Carr turned away with a
gesture of helplessness. The Zeppelin
was approaching steadily. A few min
utes more and it would be signaling to
the Germans-and that meant disaster
for the allies.
Kent Burgess did not see the broken
thing that had been Robertson re-
moved from under the heavy engine of
the shattered biplane. He was stand
ing in front of his commander, his hand
at salute, volunteering to attempt the
feat in which the other had failed
and died.
The gray-haired little general looked
at the calm face of the man who Of
fered to risk his life, his glance keen.
appraising; then he thrust out his
hand.
Destroy or drive away that Zeppe-
lin,' he said. IAN hour means the safe
ty of the army. Good luck!'
Every man who watched Kent climb
NWNo DS l.,
what he was about to attempt. To go
up in the teeth of fifty-mile gale was
not task for coward, and yet here
was man who once had suffered
blow without seeking satisfaction
about to try it,
Instantly there was a revulsion of
feeling toward Kent. No coward could
SO calmly prepare to go forth to prob
able death. and those who had treated
him most frigidly pressed forward to
shake his hand; hearty was the chorus
of good wishes as he adjusted helmet
and goggles.
None of those about the machine but
realized the significance of the fact, the
mechanician's seat of the monopiane
was empty. Below the car hung two
bombs, long. arrow shaped missiles,
which could be released by the touch
Ing of a spring. If they failed Kent
would ram the dirigible, and there was
no need of sacrificing two lives
Many hands gripped the aeroplane
when the ropes had been cast off. A
whirN the propeller, and the voice of
the 100-horse-power motor swelled
above the Shrek of the gale. Kent
throttled down until certain every CYL
inder was firing true, and opened her
to the limit
final tug at the belt which held him
In place, a glance to make sure the
bombs were ready in their sings, a
wave of his gloved hand. and Kent was
on. Almost straight up the machine
arose, slid backward as gust caught
1t, then. as the propeller gripped the
air it slowly gained Roadway. pitching
and bucking like an untamed horse
Straight into the eye of the wind Kent
drove. The engine was turning at
maximum speed. In a calm he would
have been flying seventy miles an hour,