Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-01
LOVE AND LONGITUDE
The Romance of a Race Around the World
BY LINTON WELLS
Of The Star and North American Newspaper
CHAPTER XVII.
SYNOPSIS.

CHAPTER XVII.
SYNOPSIS.
Jimmy Brandon. young newspaper man
around us The world idrf for the hand OF Frances
Lasster, who loves Rogers though SAD S,mnfGy
money for the trip from Billy Crane ~, whose oss
iylhs pilot. jimmy's motor, tampered with Win
before his departure. from New York i taiis
Which R but dro oe h@ n GhSas
him to Seattle: Jimmy and an Rogers Iimm 1ots
raae e tas boat are to NTH ana
attempt is made to drug him n H aIta HI he
wh e, Sm oW Waltz he
rested as spy but released al and f1sn5shed
f rEIend Of J Mo predicament The friend
Hossrs ana ana
His plane for Cherbonrs j. overtaken, by q
plane aSe wn9 10
him out with a IRE .extinguishsr az Y;r, the e
makes make safe landing. and finds that his pilot
has sold out TO Rogers: who has been od re.
t tfaSea to o his friend Broadmeors plane, but
the ignition fails. and he has missed i his
Boat BOAT y jimmy nsf' has failed Rrosdmoor tells
il rIend' he knows the name OF MS mysterious
Broadmoor reached grimy hand
into the pocket of his unionall and
withdrew a greasy sheet of paper.
while his friend stared. Was he go.
ing to discover the secret at last?
CHANGING at the sheet. he identified
it as a French telegraph message.
Without word, he unfolded the
sheet and stared at it DULY. 1t was
addressed to Broadmoor at his males
TVS Paris embassy. A gulp of sur
prise came from between his lips as
he read:
Have learned that Jim Brandon
is to be held up on speed trip some
where between Amsterdam and Cher
bourg. Cover him by plane to see
that he reaches Cherbourg in time to
catch F'austania. Have plane ready
for me at noon also. At Paris for
fight to Cherbourg. Flying through
from Warsaw. Love"
Jimmy stood stunned. his eyes on
the signature.
For it was signed by Natalie Crane
Natalie Crane Narcissus
noir, A riot of conflicting emotions
ran through his mind. a kaleidoscope
Of recollections.
Natalie. on the one time he had
seen her to konw her, at her brothers
figure on the station at Harbin-her
voice. Yes. 1t was the same. Natalie.
slim and dainty and alluringly femi.
nine-the same Natalie that had
picked him up and charged with him
through the night toward Chicago, at
the stick Of the speeder plane!
A sudden thrill of unaccountable
Joy shot through him. Billy had told
him of her admiration for him and
his exploits-her schoolgirl alteration.
And she had followed him around the
world-to help him.
Then. with a curious feeling. his
eyes returned to the word with which
the message closed: Love" He
glanced at Broadmoor.
Love" he repeated. Then he gave
l.. a short laugh. You're a lucky devil.
Broadmoor. to-to-to know some
one like Natalie. She's a wonder"
Rather" the Englishman drawled,
as he turned back to his work That.
and more. 1t was I, you know. who
taught her how to fly. You ought to
be grateful to me. But 1t was you"
he added, who made her want to fly.
I think we're both rather lucky,
Jimmy.
"Uh-huh."
Jimmy was unable to account for
bebinning to weigh on him. 1t was
not supposed to matter to him If
Natalie was in love with his friend
He'd only seen her once-to talk to.
And yet-yet there was something of
a more subtle. enduring intimacy in
this long journey-in all she had
done.
Broadmoor explained. as he was
putting the finishing touches on the
wires. about the girl. He had met
her as she requested. at Paris, and
she had left almost Immediately for
Cherbourg. In the few minutes they
story.
She beat Rogers off by 10 min.
utes,' he said. Learning Of Rogers
release in Moscow, she had bribed her
way into the engine cab of the
special train he had chartered At
Warsaw. she had got off ahead Of him
in a plane. Barring accidents, she's
aboard the Faustania right now"
Broadmoor ended.
Jimmy's nod. hidden under the
cowling, was his only reply The last
piece of wire was tapped He
Strengthened and Broadmoor made
the connection with the distributor.
"All set," the latter breathed, and
then glanced quickly at his wrist
watch. Just a little over an hour
we may as well do our best and have
the satisfaction Of making a run for
it. Possibly the resourceful Natalh
has managed to hold the sailing
Jimmy shook his head. but he leaped
into the rear seat of the Bleriot.
nevertheless.
mot a chance" he said. she
was to make 9 speed run, so nothing
on earth could hold her."
In less than two minutes. however,
the plane had taken off and was wing.
ing its way under the Englishman's
cool hands. toward Cherbourg. They
tore through the air at a fierce pace.
using every ounce Of the ships smooth
power.
Jimmy's mind worked on rapidly
while he crouched under the cowi.
When they reached CherbourR he
knew he would find the ship gone.
What next? The Faustania was
the speediest boat on the Atlantic
and in addition 1t was making q
speed run. It was hopeless to think
even of flying to another port and
getting boat out that day-even If
that were possible.
No, the Faustania must be boarded.
His face was grim as the old world
towers Of Cherbourg doomed through
a gray haze which hung low over the
horizon. There was only one way.
He nodded grimly to himself.
They were nearing the city. When
Broadmoor turned questioningly