Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-12-02

and Tad had begun polishing II with
ths loving care that "a faithful groom
gives TO blue.ribbon horse, sat On
a bench outside and mentally review.
ed the surprising outcome Of my jaunt
through the air Try as | would.
could not forget the pathetic appeal IN
the wonderful eyes Of the girl on the
point. What was the mystery that
surrounded her?
Who were the ruihans OF whom
she was in such mortal terror. yet
from whom she could not flee? And
what had CasseIta 10 do with them?
The tracks OF his Farman on the
strip OF sand were no mere accident
such as my landing had been had
plainly seen dozens or scores OF his
whcel-matks. crossing and recrossing.
proof sufficient that his visits to the
point were frequent and that the strip
Of sand was his regular landing place.
The puzzle became deeper with my
every attempt 10 solve il; but as my
III tSllilNuhibH SlNN, kuCft SitN disO
an oyerpowering longing to help this
girl III her troubles and a dete rmina.
ton 10 probe as deeply into the enig.
ma as could without endangering
her.
With the Bleriot polished and re-
splendent, Tad Joined ME outside the
hangar and returned with me To the
hotel in my runabout.
Al dinner decided to act that very
night. 1t was, impossible 10 plan an
elaborate campaign; all could do
was 10 20 out TO the flying field after
dark and learn as much as | could
about The man who had become such
an important factor in my life.
Rather than risk the noise Of my
runabout | borrowed Tad's bicycle.
and by eight O'Clock had safely hid
den it behind the hangar. and was
seated patiently on the ground, listen
ing intentIy for some sound that
would be the signal for me to start
my Investigations But for an hour
nothing happened TO break the still
ness of the field.
Very carefully | rose to reConnoi-
ter.
IN the rear OF one OF The sheds
tJ.nd long ladder, and this | quietly
carried to CQsserta's hangar ard st
II up without sound. It's top lW%
came just below one OF the two little
windows high in the air. Feeling
my way every inch, / climbed until
my eyes were above the sill,
Inside the shed an ol.lantein. hang.
ing on a hook on the side wall burned
dimly and threw ghostly, distorted
shadows Of the big Farman against
the opposite side. There was not
| movement nor a sound within.
As my eyes became accustomed to
the semdarkness, | saw the form OF
Sanojas, the mechanican, stretched
out on an army cot under the lantern.
He was asleep.
Regainine the ground, and thankful
for such a place Of vantage from
which to watch, | once more took up
my vigil, wondering if, through the
perverslty Of fate, had chosen
night when Casserta did not intend
to fly.
srddonly the stiffness was broken
by the loud clangor OF an aarmclock
from the shed behind me. II was the
work OF moment only TO mount 10
the window. and | saw Sanojas rise
from the cot, stretch sleepily, turn up
the wick of the lantern, and then push
open the big sliding doors.
He was evidently preparing for his
chiefs arrival. My vigil had not been
in vain.
Fifteen minutes later | heard the
soft purring of IN automobile some
distance away. The sound drew
finally swung off the main road, ran
up to the flyng.fied entrance, and
stopped there.
! From my perch on top OF the ladder
saw Sanojas standing in front OF the
open DOORS peer through the aikness
to where the lights Of the machine
showed dimly at the gates. Then
with word of greeting to some one
who approached, he entered the han
gar followed by Casserta and
woman whose form and movements
seemed vaguely smiliar to me, but
whose face could not see until she
stepped within the circle OF light from
the lantern.
| ~"Inez Ogden" l mutterod to my
self ''ln the name OF all that is
mysterious, what is she doing mixed
up in this?'
She was a writer who was famil.
lar figure around the field. Her con
nection with one OF the leading week
| ~ magazines gave her the entire en-.
tree to our little colony OF uvia,ors,
and her really excellent accounts OF
our machines and our flights had won
her the respect Of every man in the
business.
She was beautiful woman, Of tha,
flashing but Unconditional type that
compels admiration while repelIins all
| thought OF sentiment She mixed
with US freely, talking aviation with
the certainty OF an expert. allowing
perfect freedom OF speech from all,
but conducting herself with cold re-
serve that froze any warmer feeling