The Daily Alaska empire., 1934-01-20

" Herberf Jensen

US Warm-up when the man came back. He said. Jeff says it's all right. But he says don't wreck the ship unless you can kill each other doing it."
 Winslow chuckled. The attendant said That prop don't balance right. We only been using her for short pay hops"
 Thanks for the tip, grandma. Climb up. Frank. You want to pee lot?"
 Grahame shook his head. He ad- justed his 'chute-pack and got in the forward cockpit. He noticed that the plane was equipped with dual controls. Shaping on the safety belt, he folded his arms.
 The motor roared. Behind him Winslow yelled. The airman's day off .. he goes flying"
 Frank did not smile. He expert enced flash of envy for Winslow who could joke in any situation. Once-long ago-he was that way too. Humors was simple to under stand in those days: you laughed because you felt like it. or 10 keep up your courage.
 The motor thundered. the plane lurched. Grahame strained against his belt as the wheels left the ground and Winslow arched in a steep bank out of the field.
 San 'edro below and to the right; Long Beach to the left and ahead. They were over the water: the air was less bumpy. Curious how et night the long line of surf stood out like broken white ribbons floating in an abyss of darkness.
 Frank glanced at the Illuminated instrument board. Although the plane vibrated excessively-the un- balanced prop-he estimated that they were doing considerably bet ter than hundred; they should be at Caliente field within the hour.
 Rehectively he stared at the town lights that swung behind them on the left. He reconstructed the eventG that had culminated with Winslow and him in plane headed for the Mexican border. He calculated the chances for and against their find ing Janice Kent at the end of their journey. He discovered that his mind could not definitely arrange and clarify the facts that he knew They did not make exact sense.
 An automobile accident had been arranged. he was convinced. by the man Ortega. The fact that he had arrived at the scene of this accident almost simultaneously with it's oc currence doubtlessly had prevented Ortega from bringing his plan to completion.
 DUT what was that plan? Janice D Rents subsequent disappearance from her home threw no light on the matter. Her maid. Paula. had tol6 them that it was because Ortega loved her mistress. conniving the present situation with a romantic objective Miss Kent, she had sail had promised to marry Ortega. heI contract would be broken if she married. therefore Ortega had ac complished an abduction.
 Frank was assured that the maid believed this, but he was equally sure that Ortega-although he did not know the man-would have taken no such bold steps to accom-. plish his end. It was possible, Of course. but rather incredible. In the first place, Ortega was re. putedly wealthy. Would he. then, take such elaborate. and melodra. matic measures to engineer an elopement which when consum. mated would relieve Janice Kent permanently of the necessity Of making her own living? Why then, should there be any pretense of mak- ing it appear that Janice broke her contract with the Consolidated not of her own free will? Considering his own regard for her. this method of req soning gave Frank a glow of satisfaction.
 It brought him moreover, with equal logic. to the conclusion that she had been taken against her will. But for what purpose? There could be but three reasons why a girl would be abducted who was beauti- full. rich. and a public parsonage. A man might love her insanely: be greedy for ransom. or he could hate her savagely. The last motive seemed remote. and the second il. logical; the first as he had proved to himself was impractical These were not medieval days. when ab. duc.ions were fashionable. Frank muttered impatiently. Il was merry -go-round of reasoning that brought him nowhere. There was but one fact glaringly impor tant. Janice must he found.
 They roared ever crescent oi light that was San Diego. Tia Juana appeared below whereupon the en. gine's crescendo broke into a sta cato of backfires and tempered explosions that told Frank that they were gliding to landing.
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 Monday, there is a crash, and danger.