Evening star., 1935-09-28
INsTALLMENT XIX.
70 ONE offered any comment to

Bills announcement WQeu Ciley
VI reached the lecture hall that
l. it was now - minutes after 8.
As the four girls moved of toward
the dressing room Deane Runbrecker
lighted a cigarette. His action was al
together commonplace. but Ann would
presently remember it with a clarity
of detail with which only the most
spectacular events are ordinarily re-
corded in the mind.
When they returned to the foyer
the four girls saw Bill and Carl talking
with an usher, but Selma noticed
Deane's absence instantly and spoke
to Bill about it.
zone of the ushers asked him not
to smoke in the lobby and he went
down to the mems lounging room,"
Bill said. II don't think he's very hot
about hearing Lees story of blind fly
ing"
"Of course he's not" Selma groaned.
"He didn't want to leave the hotel.
Go down and get him, will you, Carp"
Nov wait a minute,"' Bill said.
"Deane's old enough to be able to de-
eide things for himself. If he'd rather
sit down there and smoke, why not
let him?"
Because" Selma retorted, che won't
sit down there and smoke. For all
we know he's out and gone already"
Carl said placatingly, I'll take a
look, Bill. It won't take a minute"
Actually, it required little more than
a minute for Carl to run down the
stairs and come up again. He was
grinning as he rejoned them. Hes
there and apparently happy. didn't
suggest that he come up" He turned
to Selma. bills right. Let him do
what he likes"
Selma shrugged and walked of a
little way. She was staring sullenly
through glass door at the restless
crowd when Lee entered the main door
and almost ran across the foyer. Bill
was on the point of calling to him,
but did not when Mollie quickly held
up a forbidding hand. Hes late
enough already" she said in a sub
dued voice.
Lee made his way down the aisle
and, almost handsome in his tails,
stood before his chair on the rostrum,
grinning uncomfortably as he waited
| for the crowds enthusiasm to subside.
Against her will, Ann could not but
feel proud Of Lee that night. He
talked as naturally as if he were talk
ing to her alone and, without apparent
effort, he managed to give his simple
| narrative address certain dramatic
quality that kept his hearers-Ann in
cluded-eager to catch his every word.
Early in his address he explained ear
nestly that he was no pioneer in blind
flying, that others had done the more
| dangerous experimental work before
he was out of short pants and he had
simply prof1ted by their experience.
What have done," he said when
he had summarized the lessons he had
learned in his cross-country blind
flight, "any flyer in the country could
have done as well or better. I hope
you will not suspect me of false mod
esty when tell you that publicity
the eagerness Of the press to develop
star performer In every field Of en-
deavor-has given me reputation
wholly undeserved. OF necessity men
are flying blind every day Of the year
and many of them under conditions
which, If we knew the truth, would
make my flight from Los Angeles to
Washington seem q pale pink tea by
comparison.
my story. such as it is, Is finished.
am grateful for having had this op-
portunity to tell it and for your most
courteous and patient attention. There
is nothing I would enjoy more than
the privilege of meeting as many of
you as possible and I can only ask
your forgiveness when I tell you it is
imperative that take off for Wash
ington in the next half hour"
The crowd on hand to greet him
when he landed at the airport some
two hours before had almost doubled
by the time he stepped from the taxi
and darted into the nearest closed
hangar. A mechanic went to the
administration building for Lees coat,
gloves and helmet.
did the stuff get here all right?"
Lee casually asked the field manager.
He buttoned the collar of the big
leather coat and began to pull on his