The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1919-05-10
Will-'O-the-
Wisp
-
(Copyright.)
By FRANK coMsTocK

the aeroplane slid through the night,
banked. came deftly about as it neared
the poplarS at the end Of the en-
closure and dipped.
A shadow fed across the lawn be-
meath it.
Ashcroft lowered the forward planes,
the Will-o-the-Wisp settled, ran along
the grass for little way, and mo-
ment later he jumped off and came
over where l stood
what do you think of it?" he
pqueried exultingly.
II think" / replied that you have
perfected one Of the most devilish con-
trivances ever possessed by re-
spectacle crook. When do we startw
Half an hour" he said "Come in
side and have a drink"
When we had seated ourselves on
either side of bottle of sparkling
Chablis, he raised his glass and toasted
our coming adventure.
ITO the safe voyage Of the Will
o'-the-Wisp and the Honorable Geor-
gia Calendars diamond dog collar"
said he.
And we drank it off with deep feel
ing
A month before I had come across
Ashcroft. or rather he had come across
me and in a manner that left no doubt
as 10 my intentions in visiting him.
The fact of 1t was, that his home
being one of the most snug-looking
villas in the exclusive section of Staten
island, and 1 being a gentleman liv-
ing mainly by my wits. cast my eyes
upon it and computed mentally just
how mach I should be in if fortune
should favor me with a clear field.
The upchot of tne thing was, that
Just as ( was about to descend from
his third sto/y window, together with
what more or lesz valuable articles L
had managed to pick up IN the course
of my visit, the electric lights were
switched on and a bullet splattered the
plaster Gown the back of my neck.
Ashcroft changed his mind after the
frst shot, took me in, instructed me In
What he was pleased to call 1.-The finer
points of the game" and from that on
we were inseparable.
We distrusted each other most cor
daily and split the profits.
He looked up at me from long and
silent meditation upon the virtues OF
the wine.
.sThe wind will drop in about fifteen
minutes, should say, and the Honor
able Mrs. Calendars little private roof
party takes place at eleven. We shall
Just make 1t. Have you revolver!
I got out my automatic and inspected
its contents, and ne nodded in ap-
prevail.
Let us pray we shall not have to
use them. Where are the masks?'
We climbed aboard. The Will-o-the-
Wisp quivered, moved forward like
living thing. Ashcroft tilted the for
ward planes and we lifted.
An immense shadow was fitting
along the ground below us, but pres
emily the moon went behind cloud
and we sailed through darkness. The
country below us was an inky surface,
with here and there a twinkling light
that spoke Of n house.
Ashcroft moved the lever trifle and
my seat inclined fraction. / knew
that we were climbing.
Presently we righted and slid along
on a level. Ashcroft let out another
notch and the purring of the motor
Increased to q muffied hum. A wind
ing white ribbon that 1 knew was the
turnpike was discernible below us and
a black spot was racing along in our
wake.
It was an automobile, and faint
footing of the horn came up to US. but
the men In It never lifted their faces
1.-TWO thousand feet" said Ashcroft
1--WE shall just make It,"
Far below us to the right one could
make out the varied lights OF Coney
Island.
A little north of them the sharp
knife-lfke streak Of searchlight from
the Navy Yard swept back and forth
across the sky. once heading exactly
in our direction, but we were beyond
its focus.
It looked like toy city.
could hardly believe 1t was New
York. that vague wilderness Of roofs
the long strings Of lights that were
the streets, the faint glow Of Broad
way. the crawling things that l knew
were the trains Of the elevated rail
road.
II was exactly II 100 o'clock. Ovel
Madison Square we circled again ano
slid down in a long glide until we
couId have shaken hands with Diana
had we been in her vicinity. Their
Ashcroft shut off the motor and we
nosed earthward in narrowing circle
Ashcroft is nothing If not accurate
We made our way cautiously acros:
+,e two roofs that interviewed between
.be Will-o'-the- Wisp and the imitation
italian garden that sent soft glow o.
light into the night.
Ashcroft softly parted the leaves O
the arbor wall and we peeped In.
There were long rows OF Japanes'
lanterns and flowers. and at tabi'
that was loaded with enough silver t
make you wish to get away with thu
haul and then die happy. sat five PEG
,r,, 80 thop, did not know RI,