Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-12-07

CalI1stn 10 warn MI. l.lnderman To
keep away from The field. | snail be
sorry il ;ny,hIng happens to Mr.. Lin
derman,' she says. hut you and must
protect some one else. mustn't we?'
That's right says. There amt
any Others ike Mr.. Cagriean,' And
then. boss. she halt turns around to
me and she says / thial. that agree
with YOU. You may tell him SO ii you
wish Now, what do you think OF
that?"
Angry as was at Tad, every other
feeling was sufiused in the great wave
Of Joy hat swept over me as realized
what my little girl had done foy me,
and that she regarded ne apparently
with something more Than casual
friendship
Did she say anything else" /
asked.
That's all We had time for" Tad
replied. The others came, up just
then, and Miss Ogden took her IN tow
again and hauiea her out on The field
after CasSelta's machine. Did YOU fol-
low him la,t nieht?'
explained hastily what had taken
place during The preceding twenty
iour hours, and impressed upon him
the advantage Of beng able to con.
fide in and get immediate assistance
from Ealins IN case anything should
happen 10 ne. While we ere TALKING
the loud bark of starting Gnome IN
terupted Us from the field. and Tad,
goiu.; TO tho small d9or. cried.
"Casse'ta's startIn, boss. Let's go
out and see him on"
As We ran aoross The field to The
scattering groups Of spectators,
searched the sky overhead for some
sign OF Linderman, but he WAS not in
sight. Evidently he was taking
longer and higher iaunt than usual
We reached TIE inner edge OF The
crowd just as two men released the
tail Of the machine Ny eyes sought
the women on the hlSh passenger seat.
Sire nd turned around a. II in smiling
farewell to the crowd in general, but |
sSH that her eyes were fixed upon me
J. IS | met her gaze, she waved
roodby before the machine lifted 81.
bore her away into the air.
Almost at the instant their v j els
LETT the ground, heard the roar of an
other Gnome far OF 10 the right. |
looked in surprlee 10 see who was go.
inc up for all had finished their morn
ing's practice except Lnderman, and
he
glanced quickly overhead, searched
the sky in every quarter, strove TO
pierce the haze that drifted lazily
above. was sick, faint, .tageeringly
dizzy with. The sudden fear that grip.
ped ME.
In a flash I realized that he must
have come down while Tad and | were
in the hangar, Confident that ne
would be UP for long jaunt, we had
forgotten MIN in the rush OF the reve-
lations of the morning, and had gone
on discussing our own affairs.
Then had come the excitement OF
CasseWa's start on his first daylight
flight. ana again We had forgotten
Linat.man.
In another flash came a memory OF
something chat l had dimly noted, but
Tia. had not made deep impression
ugon ne at the time. Sanojas had not
been on the field when Casaeta and
my little girl had started.
Two OF the aviators had volunteered
to hold The machine and swing the
propeller | remembered distinctly,
now | remembered seeing them dig
their heels deep in the ground and grit
their teeth In the work to which they
were not accustomed - but Sanojas
had not been there to help them.
| shouted TO Tad, and he came run.
ming after me.
"Wherc is Sanojas?" demanded.
He looked about the field blankly.
"Darned il | know" he said.
Wasn't he here just now? Didn't he
start the Mex"
| pointed to the group surrounding
the machine across the aerodrome.
is that Mr. Linderman starting"
Tad blanched as my meaning flash
ed upon him.
'My God, Mr.. Carrigan" he cried,
you don't"
Come on" | shouted, dashing
away.
The purr OF the Gnome deepened to
the tone that knew meant power, and
power meant immediate flight. yelled
like mailman and waved my arms
wildly at Linderman.
But was too late. He raised his
hand, braced himself, and started his
run for the take.oH.
And as the crowd fell back | saw
Sanojas release the machine and stand
with an ugly leer upon his face and IA
hungry CLEAN in his eyes, watching
watching go watching rs Linderman
mounted upward.
sprang toward him to throttle him,
but Tad stopped me.
you can't, Mr.. Carrigan," he said.
"You don't know that he has done
anything, and you will give yourself
away. You can't prevent anything now,
and whatever you do will make it all
the worse for Miss proVan."
The mention of her name brought