The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1915-04-03

slbilities. In a week l was a fair
birdman.
| doubted u ability to compete
successfully with experts from all
ver the world, and, indeed, in the
end all we won was fifth place and a
twenty per cent interest in a $4,000
minor prize pool. However. at dusk
one evening that happened which led
to my abandonment of the perilous
field of aviation.
Revell had arranged for a night
flight, he in the big machine and my
self with the little monoplane. 1
had got into the pilot seat and started
up, expecting him from the hangar
at once Just as the tail of my ma
chine left the ground a man, a strang-
er dashed up to the spot. He was
in a frantic state OF excitement.
He ended a sharp run in a daring
spring that carried him clear over the
wings and into the pit just back of
the pilot post. The delicate mocha
nism of the %monoplane shivered at the
unusual shock. | was about to shut
off the control when he leaned to-
wards me, pressed the cold muzzle
of a revolver to my temple and Kissed
out:
Keep on going CT I will kill you'll"
l was conscious of shouts below, a
blurred sense of Revell rushing out
of the hangar, of uniformed men
rushing to the spot. Then, fairly
alarmed. I let the monoplane shoot up
into space.
Then there happened a series OF
starts and thrills. A steady level at
tanned, my grim passenger never low
cred his weapon. He ordered me to
proceed due north. Less than five
miles accomplished, he let out a wild
yell of dismay and rage.
Suddenly a great white glare shot
up, down, narrowed in a steady circle
to a direct focus, and as in a spot
light picture we were nailed by the
powerful headlight of the big biplane,
the loyal, intelligent Revell at the
pilot post in hot pursuit.
Drop! drop!" painted my passenger.
They're after me. Drop, l tell your
in that forest of trees?" 1 objected
glancing below. "Impossible!"
Get lower, or / will shoot!" yelled
my companion, and l volplaned till
we were skidding twenty feet above
the thick grove of trees.
My blood ran cold as the man
jumped. / saw his outspread forr
strike the top of a towering titan oil
the forest. He crashed through the
branches. The headlight followed his
downward plunge. Then it focused
the ~monoplane. At a clearing l de
scended. The big biplane landed be
side me.
"Hurt?" inquired ReveIl, spring
ing out of his machine. mo? Good
Hurry, we must find that .nan-it''
important"
We came across him under the tree
crushed, mutilated, stone dead. Al
we carried him to the biplane a lont
metal box fell u of his inner Goa
pocket. We placed him in the bis
machine and were soon back at the
exhibition grounds. Half a dozer
policemen and an excited busting OLE
man who looked like a millionaire ex
citedly awaited us.
He was what he suggested, |
seemed, and the dead fugitive hat
robbed him of papers of inestimablo
value to him. AS | handed him tn,
metal box he cried out with vivid de
light. He glanced eagerly over tn,
papers it contained.
"All safe!" he gloated. ut means
half my fortune. Young mar have
you a fountain penn"
l almost fell over as he wrote out
check for twenty-five thousand dol
lars! Faithful old Revell was induced
to accept a quarter of it.
Then, good-by to aviation and
home, Fay, the mortgage paid, and {
wedding and happiness complete.