The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1916-10-21

| bills. A queer fellow, Dick is. Quiet
| sort, fond of books, never talks about
himself, seems to like his own COM
pany. He comes into town every two
or three weeks, stays just long enough
to get his mail and load up his burro
with provisions, and then he's off for
the mountains again. He takes a trip
to Frisco once or twice a year and
when he comes back he usually has a
lot of old books with him. Gets 'em
to read when he's off prospecting, I
reckon. Come to think of it, he'd just
got back from the city the last time
seen him.
''HOw long ago was that?"
"AbOut q week-ten days, mebbe"
''Have you any idea where 1 could
find him?"
''Not the least in the world, friend.
You nights well hunt for a needle in
haystack as to try to find Dick Pat
ten when he's back in the hills. Were
you wanting to see him about some
thing PARTICULAR"
Eyes" said Hope, 81 want to see
him very much indeed"
''Then the best thing you can do,
friend" the storekeeper asserted, 'tis
to sit right down here in Santa Eulalia
and wait for him."
The Kern county fair had opened its
gates and the people of the country
for half a hundred miles around were
pouring into Bakersfield in motor cars,
in wagons, and on horseback, by troll
ley and by train. AS four o'clock drew
near, the crowd deserted the usual
attractions and slowly drifted toward
the field where Bob Smith, ''the Dare
devil of the Sky" was advertised to
give his hair-raising and perilous aero
plane exhibition.
AS Smith, a slim, wiriIy built fell
low, clad in the leather garments of
an aviator, was crossing the field from
the hangar to his waiting aeroplane,
he was hailed by a tall young man
who, accompanied by a fashionably
dressed woman, had, with consider
able difficulty, pushed his way through
the crowd.
''HelIO, Bob!'' hailed the stranger,
evidently an Fastener by his dress,
don't you remember me now that
you've become famous?
"By Jove," exclaimed the aviator,
running forward with outstretched
hand, eff it isn't Gerald Morton What
on earth are you doing here?''
'Oh, I'm spending a few days down
the valley. near Santa Eulalia,'' Nor
ton replied, trifie evasively. 81 have
little business there that requires
my attention. Let me introduce you
to my friend, the Countess 1vanoff.''
''Mr. Smith, continued Morton,
turning to Olga, sis responsible for
my interest in aviation. He taught me
to drive a machine when he had a
school on Long Island, two years ago"
Il didn't know that you could drive
an aeroplane," said Olga in surprise.
"You bet he can drive, countess"
said Smith. eff he hadn't gone in
business with that rich uncle of his
he could have made living as an
know that I'm not nervous about
riding with. Don't you want to go up
with me now, Morton? I've got a two
passenger tractor"
do I want to-" shouted Morton,
as excited as a boy. ''WeI, 1 should
say did. Do you mind, countess?"
mot in the least" she answered.
$50, by all means. I'll wait for you
in the car
run over to the hangar, then" d.
rected Smith, land tell one of the boys
to fix you up with a coat, and cap,
and goggles"
Five minutes later, with Morton,
goggled and leather-clad, seated be
side him, Smith, signalling to his help
ers that he was ready, threw on the
power and the great propellers began
to revOlve. For twenty minutes Smith
performed his aerial maneuvers for
the benefit of the multitude with
strained necks and upturned faces a
thousand feet below; then turned his
machine in the direction of the noun
tainS.
'Now," he shouted, putting his lips
close to MOrtOn's ear SO that his words
could be heard above the roar of the
propellers, ''the business part is over
and We'll have a little pleasure Spin.''
Higher they climbed and higher, IN
til the fair grounds and the city and
the great plain of the San Joaquin
lay spread below them like a map in
bas-relief. Soon the plain below them
merged into foothills and the foothills
lost themselves in a wilderness of
peaks and cliffs and canyons, and, al
most before Morton realized it, they
were lowering over the great San Ber-
nardino range. Circling and swoop-
ing above the mountain tops like a
gigantic hawk, Smith apparently
found the spot for which he was look
ing, for he suddenly shut off the power
and the machine began to volplane
downward at appalling speed. So rap
idly were they descending that it
seemed as though the mountains were
fairly leaping toward them. Morton,
experienced aviator though he was,
was frightened. Something's han