The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-01-08
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Chapter 4s
LOOKING UP

Chapter 4S
LOOKING UP
TWO HUNDRED yards from the
cove Curt shouted ahead at
Smash: "Start the enginel ReyV Il
I'D for mel"
For once Smash came through.
While Curt was reaching the cove,
Smash cut the mooring ropes. clam.
bsred into the cabin. cranked the
engine and pushed up the throttle,
and had the motor settled into q
steady powerful rhythm.
"Jump outI" Curt ordered him
yplashing to pontoon and Chamber
Ing up. I've got to go after him
alone"
Smash jumped into the hIp-deep
water. but turned. looked up.
"Curtl What're you going to do,
man7 What the dewitt"
He was suddenly bowled over.
deluged and half drowned in a blind
ing smother Of spume and chopped
up water. as Curt opened the motor
to its laundering roar and plowed
out Of the cove to the open lake.
For several minutes after Curt had
left the cave mouth. Paul stayed
there to watch. But he saw moth.
ing. and decided that he was needed
elsewhere.
Before leaving. he called In Sikan-
n to the men inside the cave:
Things OF infamy. you will come
oct when we say come out! II you
are peaceful. you will see the sun
shine again. II not, you can stay
there till this mountain wears
awayT
He started down the slope to the
cabin. On his way past the gully.
he stopped at a pool OF water and
washed the blood from his face.
From the door of the cabin he
saw sonya lying bound and gagged
on the bunk. She turned her head.
saw him and tried to rise. but Kara
khan had bound her too securely.
Paul ran across to her. AS he bent
over her and she looked up at him,
the expression in her eyes was a
thing he could never afterward for
get.
When he cut her loose she sprang
up and Rugged him, sobbIng: .Paul!
PAUL Oh. knew heard the shoot.
ing-I knew you had come! Where's
onrt7 Is he-is be safer"
In few words Paul explained.
"Tenn-og brought US north, we few
10 last night. we've Just whipped the
Klosohees. Those planes. hear
them" the two ships out on the
lake were jarring the cabin with
their full-gunned roar-"that's Curt
going after Karakhan." Let's goi"
They ran out Of the cabin to the
open landwash.
Heavy with gas. Karakhan's plane
had got on the water and climbed
to thousand feet. and was circling
for altitude to clear the ranges. Curt
was Just jumping bis ship into the
air as they came out.
Lighter and swifter than the other
plane. 1t climbed In steep thunder.
ing spiral. cutting down Karakhan's
Lead 80 fapidiy that in four minutes
Il was up level with the Speedair.
In bewildered awe Paul and Sonya
stood on the shore. faces upturned.
whats Curt going to do. Paul2''
S0nya cried.
Paul shook his head. utterly non.
plussed. His partner had gas for
only few miles and could not FOL.
low: he had no gun except an auto.
matte. and could not fight. HE
maneuvers were utterly mystifying.
He was not even trying to close up.
while he might have got in lucky
shot with the pocket gun: instead
hewas deliberately keeping at a dis.
lance from Karakhan.
ATF0UR THOUSAND feet Kara.
"A khan leveled OF and swung due
south. Curt was behind him at that
moment. and about five hundred feet
above. AS the Speedair swung,
Curtis ship rosed down and headed
for the other plane. straight as q
fnted arrow.
He hurtled on and on. aiming his
craft like a huge projectile at Kara.
khan's plane. The interval shrank
1.-TWO hundred feet. a hundred. fifty.
SIN he did not turn or swerve an
Zach. Sonya screamed.
lie was going TO erashl He was
crashlngl
With an explosive smash that
came 10 them distinctly. the Fair
child plowed into the other ship,
breaking the Speedair's tuselage in
tive and tearing OF both wings.
careening on beyond the Spsedair.
Curtis plane turned over twice. with
It's own pontoons and one OF Its
wings gone; and started q crazy
iurching spin to the lake below.
Karakhan's ship. a tangle II fabric
and metal. came plnmmeting
straight down. A few seconds after
the asash 4 puf OF smoke streamed