The Coolidge examiner., 1934-01-05
CHAPTER xIII-Continued

tectives and hailed a cab. whose
driver, oteying his order to disre-
gard traffic regulations. brought him
TO Lambert teld in half an hour.
IL was already one o'clock: but
despite the iace hour plane roared
on into the darkness. circlin9 west,
just as he arrived The main build
ing and waiting room. near the road,
still disclosed signs of activity and
IL was before this that Rankin
alighted.
BY the time Captain Chambers ar
rived. he had introduced himself TO
the only agent OF the Continental
Mail and Passenger airplane present
so late. presented his credentials
and explained his predicament And
in return, was informed OF the ex-
treme difficulty of obtaining trans
pOrtation to Philadelphia at that
time of night. There were,
course, no passenger planes or
planes for both mail and passengers
going east until morning; If the de-
tective wished. however. he could
charter one. The only other alter
native was the mail carrier from
Kansas City. bound for New York
and due at Lambert field at two
ten. But except in rare circum-
stances. and cases of extreme ur-
gency. the company never permitted
these to carry passengers and then
only with the assent of the operat-
ing manager of that-the Central
district. The United States post
office. the agent assured Rankin,
could not object as long as the mails
were promptly delivered. The Off
cial in question though. Mr.. Alcock,
was in Kansas City and would have
TO be phoned by long distance 10 his
residence there.
All this Rankin briefly related to
the excited captain, as well as his
discovery and the reason for his
abrupt and speedy departure. Then
he turned again to the agent.
Try to get in touch with Mr.. Al
cock at once" he suggested anx-
iously. "If he refuses permission.
suppose I'll have to hire plane But
the emergency is certainly great
enough, once he realizes u is a mat
ter of preventing the escape Of two
murderers and that want to be
on the ground myself"
"Yes. ! should think So" the
agent agreed, ~and I'll have him on
the wire in few minutes. haven't
any doubt that your passage east
can be arranged without delay"
Just the same" Captain Cham
bers put In sternly. "the police au-
thorities have right to expect your
cooperation. You can be assured
this mission has full official ap-
provaL II you wish me to. | will
phone our Commissioner of Police
here and have him speak to your
operating manager"
The agent nodded. 'It might be
n good idea to do that" he said.
Then. If IL should be necessary 10
convince Mr.. Alcock how important
II is TO grant his permission. we can
connect them and let the commits
sioner back you"
Accordingly. while he commu-
nicated with Kansas City, the cap
tain called the home of his superior
in st. Louis, woke him and de
scribed the situation to him. His
intervention. however. was not need
ed. 1t took fifteen minutes to get
the c. NJ. 2. A. manager on the line
but when he heard all the circum-
stances from both his employee and
Rankin himself, he was persuaded
that they justified an exception to
the usual company practice Pro-
vided the detective signed q waiver.
because the mail planes contents
were insured. releasing it from all
liability in case of accident, he could
20 along in it
II was two O'Clock before. al prep.
arations completed. Rankin accom-
panied the agent and Captain Cham
bers into the glaring lights of the
field Suddenly. the distant hum
a a motor from nowhere broke the
silence. growing louder as 1t ap-
preached until il became a deafen-
ing drone. 1t ceased just as abrupt
iy; and the next moment. a low
winged gray monoplane volplaned
into the illumination and settled on
the ground.
The pilot stepped out alone. a tall,
unusually handsome man. scarcely
more than youth. but with grim
lips and sharp wary expression.
He acknowledged the agents In
Productions with firm clasp. listen.
ing to his explanation of the situa.
tion without comment; he accepted
his passenger just as casually. Then
he turned to supervise the unload.
ing of the st. Louis mail.
When more east-bound mail had
replaced it. he returned TO the
cockpit. His parachute securely
strapped. Rankin followed suit
crawling into the remaining seat In
the cabin: scarcely had he settled