The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1930-06-06
She Loops to
Conquer
BY GENEVRA COOK
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

flashed. "Well | guess IL nv
brother can be mail pilot, | ought to
be female pilot"
"Oh, Dad, she's only got crush on
that new instructor out at the field
Her cheeks becoming and telltale
crimson, Avery turned furiously to her
older sister. "Just because you're In
love yourself, Jan, you suspect every
body. But, oh, Dad" she whired to
him suddenly, 81 do want to fly. And
you won't have to send me away, or
anything. I'd just as soon learn over
at"
over at the field where Apollo has
his chariot, of course" cut In Jan
with sisterly sweetness.
TRY saying nothing yourself, Jan.
broke in Dad good naturedly. 81 don't
see why Avery can't fly If she
wants to-"
So 1t happened that Avery, In a
smart new monkey suit, eager eyes
shining under a snug leather helmet
looked trustingly up at Garth Hollo-
way and said: I'm Avery Douglas.
ike TO take lessons.
From his superior height OF a we'll
sustained six feet he looked coolly
down at her. I'm sorry, Miss Doug
las" he said, quite impersonally 81
don't take any beginners. Mr.. Jones
takes care of those. | just have the
stunt flying, formation work, and ad-
vanced looping. That is Mr.. Jones
over there"
Mr.. Jones was competent, forty-fve,
and weather-beaten, and Avery was
well acquainted with his four children,
and the new grandchild. She applied
herself with determination to an in
tensive study of ailerons, rudders and
indicators, and made grimace when
ever, over the grazing head of Mr..
Jones, she saw tall, straight figure
striding aloofly across the field. Her
one ambition in life was to loop the
loop three times in succession over
that mans head.
She didn't tell any of her family
when her solo flight was to be. Avery
waited until she saw Garth Holloway
wheel out his plane, the Silver Bird.
and stand nonchalantly beside it. She
wanted desperately for him to come
over and wish her luck After all, it
was the biggest day in her life, and, of
course, he might never see her alive
again, anyway, and then maybe he'd
be sorry-and, darn it, here she'd
been on the field all summer, and he
had scarcely spoken to her. He might
come over just this once.
Planes ready, Miss Douglas, ;"
grinned friendly mechanic.
Every one on the field was there
except Garth Holloway. Avery glanced
hopefully across at him.
Fiercely Avery tossed her head and
sprang lithely into her plane 'Tn
show you" she muttered defantly,
and waving her hand at the group on
the field, called, Bye, everybody
Contactw and was off.
After a perfect takeoff she executed
a left bank and right bank, and all
the things she had been instructed to
do for a perfect solo.
"One more thing" she smiled grim
ly to herself. "Just one more thing,
Mr.. Garth Holloway, loopsl"
Suddenly she was aware OF some
thing silver shining between her and
the sun. The Silver Bird Well, all
the better if he was in the air. And
he'd better be looking this time. He
would, too. She pressed her finger on
a little button at her right. siren
shrieked. If he couldn't hear that he
was deaf as well as dumb
She climbed rapidly, and breathed
little prayer. Her prayer was:
Garth Oh, please look! !" Rapidly
she reviewed in her mind the process
of loop, and broke into it. Over,
and roll, and right it againl Zowie,
she had done it Once But long
time ago she had promised herself the
luxury of three. She climbed Over,
and roll, and straighten out. Twice
over, and roll, and-come on, plane -
she couldn't right it! Oh, she must
She couldn't crash now. Not when
she'd made him look at her at last
With a desperate effort she pulled the
plane back up again, Strengthened 1t
out. But the ground was too near.
She couldn't gain altitude; she'd have
to try landing.
She came down in a rolling meadow,
and TAXED bumpily over the ground
to stop at the foot of a small hill.
She sat in the plane, breathing hard.
Suddenly there was the whir of wings
in the air, the throb Of a motor, and
the Silver Bird was fluttering down
to rest beside her. Garth Holloway
sprang from the plane, and came run
ming across the meadow. He lifted
her tenderly from the cockpit.
Game little kid | thought you
were going to do something foolish
that's why | followed you up"
Avery wanted TO exclaim, TO reas-
sure herself that it was really Garth's
voice so tender and low, that he had
been watching all the time. and fol-
lowed her up on purpose But with
the wisdom of love she lay in his arms
and only looked at him and wor-
SHIPPED.
"And you went and loopedl And
here I've been waiting all summer and
only longing for the time when l could
teach YOU"
Teach me to l--loop?"
Tenderly he mocked her. Teach
you to loop, dear. And to love"
(Copyright)
Speedy at Short Distance