Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1915-01-15

! Brothers
! OF the Air (:
! Story of a Heroic Deed
By RALPH BERGENGREN .
! Copyright by Frank A. Munsey Co. .
By RALPH BERGENGREN

The new biplane had only just left
the field In an effort to climb higher
into the almost cloudless sky than any
aviator had yet assembled. Twice 1t had
long spiral had carried it peg upward.
Already the determined, insistent br-r-r
of the motor was softened by distance,
and iieldglasses were necessary to as
sure oneself that the little black figure
between the canvas parallelograms was
actually human being.
The last man who had touched the
biplane-one Of the mechanicians who
had given the apparatus its final groom
ing-watched its flight grimly. His face
was pale under its coat of tan, and his
eyes glittered with some repressed ex.
touched him lightly he started nervous
ly and pulled himself together with an
effort but he seemed unable to fix his
eyes on the tall young man In plaid
knickerbockers who had thus startled
him.
ht youiiS lhdll' WhOSt cup NOih
backward after the fashion Of aviators,
seemed to add keenness to his long,
smooth shaven face, kept his hand
lightly on the others shoulder. To the
distant spectators they presented moth.
ing more startling than the spectacle of
well known air man talking rather
Familiarity with an unknown mechani-
clan. Many were watching them and
pointing them out to new arrivals with
the explanation:
That's Hartman, you know, away
over there across the field--the fellow
who made that splendid flight yester.
day in the Bleriot"
Harriman's grip frightened little on
the mechanicians shoulder.
did you tamper with Clinton's ma.
chine before the getaway" he asked
evenly.
the group of ten or dozen other mech.
anicians gathered around his own ma.
chine at little distance. The man In
the blue overalls looked at him and
then away again.
"What do you mean, Mr.. Hartman 2"
he demanded sullenly.
Don't lier' said the other 1--WE
been watching you ever since he went
up" He dropped his hand from the
mans shoulder. Were rivals in this
business, and If anything happens ia
Clinton it's none Of my funeral. But
I'd like to know If anything Is likely
to happen-understand?
IF anything happens" he continued,
81 may add that there'd be hundred
dollars coming to the man who had
fixed It, But IL wouldn't do for him ia
come to me with his story after he'd
cumstances."
He turned ON his heel and moved
away. whistling. The mechanician hes
itated. Then he took long step afteI
the other man.
an tell you what will happen, Mr.
Hartman" he said quickly. He'll lose
his control Of the elevating plane. lie
gave me my walking papers this morn
ing, but | guess he won't be looking
very hard for a substitute. You watch
him. When he's done about dozen
of them spirals'-
He got no further. Hartman, his
face illuminated with angry determine
ton, had turned and gripped him by
the wrists.
"You low bruter' he exclaimed sharp
ly, raising his voice.
The men puttering about the mono
plane heard him. They turned quick
Iy, saw the two men struggling togeth
err and came up running. The group
surrounded the aviator and his captive
like living curtain.
"Take this man and give him to the
police said Hartman "Pick him up
as If he were injured If he makes q
fuss injure him. Two Of you are
enough. The rest Of you get my ma
chine in order And you, Dick, chase
across the field and tell the announcer
I'm going up. Tell him." he called
after the retreating figure, "that I'm
going up after altitude!'
The men stared. They were used to
quick action, but this happened little
quicker than usual. Only one OF them
caught the situation.
you're going to catch ClintonT
"If / can. He's up there with tam
pered machine, which may fall any
minute. He can't be signaled, and
there's no use starting panic In the
grand stand"
The distant crowd Of spectators won
dered as It saw two men with their
burden emerge from the little group,
while a third ran across the field to-
ward the announcer, and the others
swung the monOplane into line for q
start. There was moments discus
sion; then the announcer raised his
megaphone and beloved to the -four
points Of the compass:
mister Thomas Hartman going
up in the Bleri-ot. He-will-try-to-
break - the--worlds- record-for-altl-
tuder'
Hartman, firmly settled in his ma
chine, raised his right hand. Behind
him the mechanicians sprang away
from the apparatus, the propeller be
gan its steady, lnsistent roar, and the
monoplane careered madly across the