Evening star., 1926-06-19

war. Jimmy knocks Rogers down IN their
Natalie. a pfslff Blfy cranes sister. sister, who adnlres
fyer. overhears conversation between
Frances and Rogers and learns that Frances
actually intends 70 marry Kosers ana thss has
planes start. Natalie discovers that moth
clog the engines after the ship has gone q
little way; and rushes out to stop Jimmy
already taking OFF,
"Jimmy-stop!'
Smiling happily, he tossed her a
final adieu. The big ship tore off
down the field in cloud of dust. She
stood trembling with emotion. duly
observant of the fact that Rogers
pilot was taking off. Then Jimmy s
wheels left the earth and he was in
the air, receding against the sunny
bank of clouds to the westward.
Natalie turned at a groan beside
her. 1t was Billy. watching the
winged creature become smaller and
smaller, high in the sky. Frantically
she caught his arms in her small
clenched fists.
Help him. Billy-help him. If you
don't help him he's lost
Once in the air, Jimmy Brandon
felt himself, somehow, to have be-
come master of the rest of the trip.
Here he was at home, his eyes sweep
ing the country that unrolled below;
here he was his own master, where
nerve and judgment counted infinite
iy more than all of Austin Roger S
millions. With the thought he realiz-
ed that, above and beyond all other
consideration. he wanted to beat
Rogers on his own account.
He roared over the island, tipping
Manhattan, crossing the bay and
sailing ahead over New Jersey. The
countryside unrolled beneath him
Glancing sidewise he saw that Rogers
plane a mile away to the south, after
having chosen a higher altitude, was
slightly behind him.
Not that 1t mattered particularly,
he reflected. They each had but to
keep to the course, travelling more or
less steadily until the next night to
meet the boat at Seattle. 1t was not
a neck -and-neck race Only an acci-
dent could keep either Of them from
reaching the destination on time,
though there was no time to spare.
and to miss a connection at Chicago
or Cheyenne, where planes and pilots
were waiting, would be nearly fatal.
Cleveland. he reasoned, after q. glance
at his wrist watch, was about four
or Ave hours off. He had time. as
he expected to get there before dusk.
Consequently, he throttled down
slightly from the high speed he had
taken on leaving the field. Rogers
forged ahead.
Jimmy saw the tail of his rivals
machine tearing off to the westward.
He watched It disappear in a low
bank of clouds. appear farther on.
and then it was lost.
New Brunswick unfolded beneath
him. The next town of any size he
would pick up would be Easton. Pa.
Jimmy sat back and advanced his
spark and throttle. taking on speed
slightly and flying across the low
lands of western New Jersey.
The Homing Pigeon purred on as
quietly. as smoothly as the bird from
which it had taken it's name. Penn.
sylvania began to ribbon out below
a queer succession of towns and ham.
let's and tiny rivers. Mountains
loomed far in the, distance; beyond
them, he recalled, Cleveland was not
far and the first leg of his fight would
be completed.
AS he tore on his eyes rowing
speculatively over the countryside, he
wondered where Rogers could be. I'm.
doubtedly, his rival had made every
ounce of speed he could. anticipating
trouble in advance. 1T was 8 o'clock.
Jimmy's features took on an earnest
expression and again he advanced his
throttles. Possibly Rogers was right
there might be obstacles ahead
somewhere; it was well to make time
while he could.
Time! The race. after all, was
against time as we'll as Rogers. He
leaned forward and roared on. The
countryside, bright green with Spring
and splaShed with virgin blossomings,
unrolled like a staged panorama under
the outspread wings of the Homing
Pigeon.
suddenly his motor gave cough,
a sputter. He bent forward to listen.
but the sound did rot come again at
once. About to sit back, he was
startled to hear. the rhythm of the
motor broken again.
Might be anything" he muttered
to himself; but there was frown be-
tween his eyes.
He kept on, searching the horizon
for a sign of Rogers ship. But the
horizon was empty. All the world
within sight was empty, for that mat
ter, except for occasional farmhouses
scattered over a wide area.
For 10 minutes more he kept on;
the sporadic breaks in his motors
free rhythm persisted. Jimmy's frown
deepened. They were coming more
frequently now and with amazing
| regularity.
II can't be out Of gas" he assured
himself. But to make certain he in
spected the gauge before him. It
registered a half.full tank. Then, lest
the gauge be out of order, as the
alarming sputter continued to grow
more insistent, he cut in the emer-
gency tank.
When this failed to allay the
trouble. he swore under his breath
The thing was getting serious. Jimmy
decided to look for landing field
and examine his motors.
He swept the terrain below with