The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1918-04-04
R0BERTA'S HEART
BY JACK LAYTON.



Roberta's heart was broken. AT
least, that is what she told berself, as
she sat reading for the seventh time,
Harold Lathrop's letter. To have an
engagement ended because of some
jealous misunderstanding, would not
have been half so bad, but to be told
In cold blood that the adored one had
ceased to care, this was sorrow and
humiliation complete.
WED better eau 1t off" was the sue
cinct expression of Harold, tall you
care about Is the convenience OF rid
ing around in my car, sometimes you
scarcely look at me, and anyway
there's q girl That was the better
part of it-another girl.
Critically "Bobbie" examined her
own piquant face In the mirror. What
she saw there could not have been dis
couraging, for dimples flashed out to
mock at the tears in her eyes.
"If," she soliloquized, 81 could only
make him sorry" Then in sudden in
spiration she jumped to her feet.
1.-THE very thing" she murmured,
and began a search for a last Sun
days paper. Yes, there 1t was, the pic
ture Of a society girl in company with
the handsome aviator who had taken
her aloft in his machine Perhaps If
Bobbie could find that airman and per-
suade him to announce her name as
his next daring passenger, Harold
Lathrop might realize that broken
heart can drive q girl to reckless
lengths.
1t was not at all difficult to find the
aviator, but more difficult to win him
to her purpose. Though deferential to
a degree, the broad-shouldered man of
nerve, was stubbornly lnsistent upon
having the consent of Roberta's father
before taking her up in his fight
through the air. And this consent Ro
berta knew to be beyond the possibili
ties. Courteous in his refusal Mr..
Coverly, took time TO show the girl the
workings of the great machine, escort
ing her thereafter through the yards.
But Bobbie was not conviAced of fail
ure. Indeed, now that she had seen
the strong face of the flyer, had sensed
the calm power Of his personality, fear
departed from the planned adventure,
leaving a new and delightful antici-
patton. She must 60. How wonder
full to be sailing on through the clouds,
high above the turmoil of the city, ST.
lently like a flying bird, and with that
firm hand upon the wheel
Again Bobbie sought the man as he
fingered about the airplane. His up
ward glance at her appearance was
surely not one Of annoyance.
ooh! please" begged the girl, in
brief eloquence.
For one moment Coverly hesitated
and was lost.
For many days Bobbie went about
with the appearance of guilty child
enjoying some hidden sugar plum, but
her name as an air passenger, did not
appear in the paper. 1t was only in
the silence of the night that she had
time TO remember her broken heart.
Upon one of rle occasions, in the Sc
clusion of her room, she drew toward
her pen and paper. To what purpose
was the long flight through the air,
If Harold knew not of its daring She
must tell him and warn him also of
the proposed longer fly she was still
to take. Then no doubt, In remOrse
he would come back, back to beg her
for his sake, to risk no more the life
that had been to him so precious. But
someway, as Bobbie paused, epathetic
picture failed to bring the usual tears.
Instead her truant thoughts few be-
fore her to the yards where the air
ship lay, and to that serious Drowned
face which never seemed to tire of its
study.
What was 1t he had said last eve
ming Of going to aid his country? And
how valuable would his service be?
That steady thinking mind, his BRAY
cry! Bobbie sighed as she penned the
note.
Dear Harold:
Tomorrow afternoon am taking a
dangerous fight in an alrplane over
West End Park. ! accept your decree
that our rather hasty engagement
should end. Enclosed find ring-Ro-
berta."
And when she had sealed the letter
and the ring, with pralseworthy inter
est for the pOssessor Of broken heart,
II Io,. 10 al,
upon the following afternoon Mr., Har-
old Lathrop presented himself at his
former sweetheart's home. When Ro.
berta's mother learned the cause OF
the lovers return, her anxiety was
greater than her accusations.
"The poor desperate child" she
moaned, 1--WE must find her at once.
West End Park, did you say? Take
me in your car Immediately, Harold.