Evening star., 1924-12-22

meter, and yet no machine be pro-
duced that had her personal quality.
The variations in the design which
I contemplated were merely to make
the machines that might be built
from IT safer in unskiilful hands. The
original Merlin In the hands OF Mill
ken or. myself would be capable of
everything that her sister planes
could do.
Before dark that Tuesday night il
became plain that no trace OF the air
pirates would be discovered. The air
police abandoned the chase, having
combed out a great radius from New
York without the slightest result.
During the day I had been in radio
communication with Dick Schuyler,
who kept me well informed, and his
last message before he went off from
long spell of duty was that the
authorities were taking the tardy
step OF doubling the patrols for the
night.
Ny father arrived at the work
shops soon AFTER seven, and for
while he sat beside me on high
stool as j worked at the drafting
table. Thus perched, he told me very
calmly OF an eShausting day. The
run on the banks OF the Monday had
there had been the greatest difficulty
In meeting the situation. Nothing
but selling had gone on I'm the Stock
Exchange and the fall that had en-
sued In ali classes of shares, In some
cases reducing quotations by as much
as half had produced position In
the matter of loan accounts unheard
of IN the history of banking.
1T the government Investigators
were to examine our books at this
moment. Jimmy said the old man,
they'd find a position OF affairs that
theoretically could land me in Jail.
Think of that"
I'D rather not think Of 1t, dad"
said I. THE things quite abnormal,
isn't #? It's out of all relation to the
actual loss?"
"Of course II Is. It's the result
Of cold feet-don't you call it?-I
among spectators in the stock
markets Not few men have been
ruined today who two or three days
ago were worth considerable for
tunes. There's nothing more unrea-
soning than a sacred investor or
speculator. It's all madness-stark
madness. Coming home to dinnerT
"Give me q minute to hand this over
10 the patternmaker and I'll be with
you"
We had a quiet dinner together at
Hazeldene, and my father approved
of my plans.
"I don't see what else you can do,
son." said he. The thing is too big
for ordinary detective work. I'm con-
vinced you're on the right lines. What
about fnances?"
I'm we'll in funds, dad. That
mooring tackle brings in enough in
royalties to keep the sheds going full
ewing, even IL they did not pay
which they do. Thank you all the
same. dad
That's all right, then. I depend
on you to play fair and let mo stand
NV share Of the expenses. Mind
that"
You shall have the gasoline ac-
count dad" grinned at him. Il can
see old Milliken joyrtding furiousiy
"Ah." my father said suddenly.
That's a good man Of yours, Jimmy
that Milliken. Lord Almertc and
his niece are greatly attracted to
him"
BY the by" he went on. 7 have
asked them both out hero for the
week end. I hope you'll be able to
show them round your shops"
Very glad"
And perhaps you'll be able to spare
O. little time from your work to look
after Miss Torrance. She is very
much a business girl, but I'm sure
she'd like to do a theater or two
something like that"
when l have the drafting done for
the new Merlin. I'll be delighted"
Good. / knew you would We'll,
I must do some worT son. Arc you ,
hack TO the JDS?'
Must, dad" said l. II want the
men to have a clear start in the
morning. Goodnight, dad. Sec you
at breakfast, / hope. I'm bunking
down at the shops, but I'll come over
in the morning"
Half past eight, then. Goodnight,
Jimmy"
Next morning, by the time ! mad
breakfast with the old man, had
done enough work to let my fellows
get q clean start on laying down the
keels of three new Merlins. The
drafting had taken me and my as
sistant all night, SO when had driven
my father down to the jetty and had
seen him of with Didcot on the Seven, |
I turned in, leaving Milliken in charge |
Of the construction.
/ slept until o'clock in the after
noon, when l was awakened by an
sos through the bank from Sir Peter |
Weatherly, who had berthed the |
the evidence Of Dan and myself for |
the police. It was a nuisance, but
there was nothing for 1t but to take
tho Seven and get to the Battery as
soon as I could.
found Dan and the old sailor ,
being badgered into a state Of irri- |
tation by one of the Government in |
vestigators, who could not accept the
evidence they had given him, but
wanted the very things explained that
everybody was puzzled about. The
pair of them greeted my arrival like
couple Of lost pups-they both had
that extraordinary iikeable doggy
quality you sometimes see In men-
and listened to my evidence with OBJ
vious relief. I imagine the investi-
gator had badgered them into think
ing my version might possibly con-
tradict their own.
But it's preposterous"' the inyesti-
gator cried. Three sane men can
produce only q bare yarn like that"
What sort OF yarn do you expect
US to producer" ] asked. "Of course
It's preposterous from start to finish.
It's up to you to explain the prepos-
terousness"
The man was ratified. A relic Of
the bad old days of the police, he
found himself. like the rest Of us,
against a blank wall and the fact
annoyed him. He banged his fist on
the table.
This Is a case Of collusion., he
yelled.
I'll give you one minute to get
back to your sanity" I told him.
IF you can't do II In that time, my
friends and will quit"
Quit, will you? he snarled. "If
YOU saw another word y'll hoy> ~.