The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-10-13
CHAPTER XIII-Continued

Is
There was, of course, no conversa-
ton between the flyers, the drone Of
the engine precluding any efforts. Be-
low, the detective estimated the dis
lance down to be about two thousand
feet He could see only a blotch of
darkness, punctuated by twinkling dots
80 tiny as to resemble glow-worms !;
after the broad stream of the Missis-
sippi river was passed, an occasional
cluster suggested village. He was
not comfortable, cramped against a
pile of mail-sacks, stacked to his very
seat. And the cabin had no heat (;
with the plane racing at speed Of
two miles minute, the wind whistled
into 1t bitterly. But Rankin was too
thankful at being permitted to make
the passage to dwell on his distresses
Free of the sultry atmosphere and
smoke of city streets, the stars glis-
tened more brightly and crisply than
the lights below; the new moon, a knife
like slice moving low on the horizon,
was too thin to dim their brilliance.
indianapolis, two hundred and forty
miles from st. Louis, was the first
stop; at exactly four o'clock, the air.
ship volplaned to earth and took off
again In ten minutes. The next stretch,
passing from Indiana into Ohio, was
the one hundred and sixty-seven miles
to Columbus. In this passage, crossing
from west to east, Central time
changed to Eastern; the lost hour add
ed sixty minutes to journey that
would have taken one hour and
quarter. Long before the plane landed
at the state capital of Ohio, however,
at six-twenty- faint shadows of
light in the east proclaimed the ap-
proach of dawn. Intently, almost
GREATNESS, Rankin watched them
spread like clutching fingers, tinting
the sky and dimming the brightness of
the stars. Night faded slowly as deep
purple turned into blue, and blue into
pinks that turned orange, yellow and
red; the clouds became canvas for
colors of unearthly beauty. Simultan-
eously with the descent, a bald fiery
sun peeped over the horizon and COM
pleted the vistory.
Half the distance covered, the plane
delayed longer to refuel and change
pilots. The new man, shorter and
heavier set, was some years older; but
he possessed just as clear an eye and
steady hand. Again. the mail was I'M
loaded, additional mail taken and the
ship roared off, climbing now into day
light. One hour and eleven minutes
later, innumerable black smoke-stacks,
a sooty sky and the impressive juno
ton of the rugged Ohio river and the
twin Allegheny and Monongahela iden-
tilted Pittsburgh, the next stop. At
seven-forty-eight, the travellers sank
into Belts field, to ascend again ten
minutes later. After that, in Pennsyl-
vania, as far as Harrisburg, the OBJ
servant detective noted the distinct
change in the topography. Ohio had
been uniformly low and level, dotted
by kaleidoscope and colorful pattern
of small farms and hamlets. But now,
there were rugged brown uplands;
whole ranges of uneven wooded peaks
extended upward, succeeded by val
leys. Often, they were several thou
sand feet in height and the plane had
to double its altitude to keep above
them.
At quarter after nine, the flyers
crossed the Susquehanna river and
landed at the Pennsylvania state cap
ital. From then on. the last lap was
about ninety miles to Philadelphia.
AS they approached their destina-
ton, Rankin's excitement increased
and sense of exultation at his accom-
plishment filled him. Actually. he had
made the flight purely on a surmise.
arising from his discovery, logical
enough to warrant the journey, yet
not so certain that he could commune
cate it to headquarters for his col
leagues to act on. The delay Of one
night would not be fatal; either he
was too late before he started or he
would arrive in time. And if he proved
wrong, at least his mistake was not
public to subject him to ridicule. Be
sides 1t was a natural youthful zeal
that made him want to participate
personally in the solution that had
baffled him so long. For there could
be no doubt the case was ended,
whether by his failure to bring all the
criminals to justice or by vindica-
ton of his conclusions.
Now Rankin could see the Quaker
city. the incredible expanse of its area
and its identifying landmark the City
Hall tower, crowned by the statue of
William Penn. Like an arrow, the
plane shot across the Delaware river,
over Camden and into New Jersey.
At ten-ten, after exactly seven hours
In the air the plane clrcled above the
Camden airport, and volplaned to
earth.
The amount of Rankins fare had
been settled and paid in st. Louis.
Accordingly, he could leave at once
he crawled out of the cabin, less
crowded than when he had started,
but stiff and disheveled. nevertheless,
and shook hands with the pilot
To reach the heart of Camden, Ran
hin fooly the FIRST phiIoda1nh{o ho,,rd