The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-10-07

 There was not a minute to lose, with men facing death on the coral atoll in the sweltering tropic night.
 But Kay was not at the port when the Mariner arrived. She had spent the morning following up clews concerning the activities of Illah and the two men who might be her accomplices in a plot to steal the secrets of Ted's gyro- pilot.
 Kay had caught sight of Illah only once. The dancer was hur- rying from the city office of the Trans-Paciflc Airways to taxi. In another car Kay followed the taxi to the airport, where the Mariner now lay, it's silver wings glinting in the midday sun.
 Illah left the taxi, heavily yelled, and disappeared in the throng about the docks. Kay lost her then, in the mob that milled back and forth.
 Meanwhile the Mariner was tuned up rapidly for the night flight. After less than an hour in port the great flying boat headed out again over the Pacific.
 Thirty minutes out Ted had the gyropilot working perfectly. The four 800 horsepower engines zoomed. The ship was being controlled and flown without the aid of human hand.
 The delicate instrument had succeeded in all the tests to which it had been subjected on this run. Ted'S dream seemed realized.
 He came out of the chart room, his eyes beaming with pride. He wanted to tell the passengers about it.
 But suddenly he stopped short, and looked searchingly at the face he saw in one of the passenger compartments. It was Illah, who was swathed in white and tur- baned as usual At the last min- ute she had engaged passage tc Manila.
 You are surprised to see me, no" she said. Her face was 8 mask.
 Ted laughed. "There are no more surprises in my life," he said. He looked at the other pas- Sengers, his eyes rowing over each of them.
 He had been in the cockpit when they came on, and had not seen them before. There was the English explorer, who carried a small hooded falcon on his wrist. There were the wives of two army officers, stationed in Manila. There was a Chinese merchant in silk whom Ted knew. He smiled with extreme courtesy when his eyes met Ted,s.
 There was a young man in sports clothes whom Ted recog- nized as 8 polo player, bound for an international match in Shang- hai. There was 8 woman heavily yelled in black. There was the naval surgeon on the way to Mid- way with the meningitis serum. A missionary in clerical collar and an American travelling salesman were talking about the plumbing on the island of Guam.
 1llah's white hand slipped out from the folds of her gown and detained Ted. He stood at her side in the aisle.
 Do you think there will be any danger" she asked with her mod ulated accent, "of the passengers taking this dreadful spinal men, |-?" She struggled with the word.
 Meningitis" Ted supplied, Smil- ing. No. there's no danger. We'll land in the lagoon. A launch will come out for the serum and the surgeon, and then we'll go on to Wake Island. You won't even touch Midway"
 T am glad,' she said. "But why are you not flying the plane? Who has the controls?"
 No one has the controls now" Ted said proudly. "The gypropilot is flying the ship"
 T know not these machines" Hhe said quaintly. You will show them to me on the voyage?" @he said.
 Ted laughed. "Not on your life! It's a deep, dark secret" ~
 Illah seemed hurt, surprised. "They are secret? A govern ment secret, perhaps?"
 
 Ted smiled. "Oh, there's really nothing to see. You wouldn't understand the instrument. will be glad to show it to all of you but one at a time! You can stand in the chart room and see it through the glass;"
 Illah got up and followed him down the isle.
 For long time she peered through the glass at the delicate mechanism of the gyropilot.
 But I see nothing!" she said Cant I go into the cockpit? I would see how she works, what makes her fly without the human hand"
 Ted hesitated, then turned to her, drowning. 'Tt's against rules for passengers to go on the bridge" he said. I'm sorry"
 Illah pouted. SOn an ocean liner it is the same! Nobody can go on the bridge expect" she smiled up at him in her languid manner-"the captains friends!"
 The navigation officer close by laughed. "A flying boat isn't dark enough for thatl" he said.
 Illah turned on him with dis dainful regard. She stared coldly for & minute. and then walked slowly out of the chart room.
 ''very we'll" she said. "Illah is bored. Illah will sleep"
 She lay back in her cair and closed her eyes. Over that Orien- tai face came the look of utter repose. It was grand, ineffable calm.
 They were flying above the clouds, now, and only occasionally did the passengers catch Q fieeting glimpse of the ocean. Toward