Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1916-04-26


tain Vauquelin Of the aviation corps is
to attempt nonstop flight from Paris
to London this morning. with two pas.
sengers, in new Parrot biplane?"
"That is so. Well?"
II must be one Of those passengers;
and have companion, a young lady,
who will take the place of the other"
1T isn't possible, monsieur. Those
arrangements are already fixed"
"You will countermand them"
"But there is no time"
"You can get into telephone COM
munication with Port Aviation in two
minutes"
But the passengers have already
been promised"
"You will disappoint them"
"The start is to be made in the first
flush Of daylight. How could you reach
Port Aviation in timer"
I'm your motor car, monsieur"
I ut cannot be DONE"
1T must! If the start must be de-
layed until we arrive, you will give
orders that it shall be so delayed"
For minute the minister of war
hesitated; then he shook his head def.
nitely.
"The difficulties are insuperable-"
There is no such thing, monsieur"
II am sorry; it can't be DONE"
THAT is your answer"
1T is regrettable, monsieur"
Every WE'LL" Lanyard bent forward
again, took a match from the stand
on the bedside table, and struck it.
Very calmly he advanced the flame to-
ward the cigarette containing the roll
of inf1ammable films.
"Monsieur!" Ducroy cried in hor-
ror. What are you doing?"
Lanyard favored him with look Of
surprise.
81 am about to destroy these films
and prints"
you must never do that!"
'Why not? They are mine, to do
with as I like. If cannot dispose Of
them at my price, I shall destroy
them!"
"But-my God!-what you demand
is impossible! Stay, monsieur! Think
what your action means to France!"
II have already thought Of that. Now
I must think of myself"
"But-one moment"
Ducroy sat up in bed and dangled
fat legs over the side.
But one moment only, monsieur.
Don't make me waste your matches!"
Monsieur, it shall be as you desire,
if it lies in my power to accomplish
it."
With this the minister of war stood
up and made for the telephone, in his
agitation needless of dressing-gown
and slippers.
you must accomplish it, M. Du.
croy," Lanyard advised him gravely,
putting out the fame; "for if you fail,
you make yourself the instrument of
my death. Here are the plans"
"You trust them to me?" Ducroy
asked in establishment.
But naturally-that makes it an af.
fair Of your honor" Lanyard explained
suavely.
With a gesture of graceful capitula.
ton the Frenchman accepted the little
roll of Aims. Z
Permit me- he said, 'to acknow1-
edge the honor. of monsieur's conf.
dence!"
Lanyard bowed low and gravely.
Zone knows with whom one deals,
monsieur! And now! if you will be
good enough to excuse me-"
He turned to the door.
"But-eh-where are you going?"
"Mademoiselle," Lanyard said, paus-
ing on the threshold-"that is, the
young lady who will accompany us-is
waiting anxiously in the garden out
yonder I go to find and reassure her
and-with monsieur's permission-to
bring her into the library, where we
will await monsieur when he has fin
ished telephoning and-ah-repaired
the deficiencies in his attire, which
one trusts he will forgive ones men,
tioning!"
He bowed again, impudently, gayly
and-when the minister of war looked
up again sheepishly from contempla-
ton of his naked shanks-had van
ished.
In high feather Lanyard was making
his way down to door at the rear Of
the house which gave upon the gar
denim his new social status of gov
ernmental protege disdaining any such
a commonplace avenue as the conser-
vatory window whose fastening he had