Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise., 1937-01-29
CHAPTER VI

~~OS~>~~9
the latitude and longitude isn't so
difficult-the fact is we're a deuced
long way from the steamer lanes"
"Then there's a chance We can get
away?"
"Maybe," he admitted, "always pro-
viding I can find gas and that there's
nothing seriously wrong with the en-
gine. If it's in any way possible to
get off tomorrow, I'll guarantee to get
you to safety" He spoke with a
quiet assurance that seemed to amuse
the black-headed girl who crouched on
the tumbled bed with her arms en-
circling now her rounded knees.
"You're a pretty good pilot, aren't
you?" Was there the faintest hint
of mockery? Struthers rather thought
so.
'T've a reputation for reliability
come to think of it, but I should say
flying is my business, you see."
"Have you always been a pilot?"
she demanded with touch of curio-
sity. "Where did you learn to fly?"
Learned during the Late Lamented
war and later had a ship of my own"
he explained and ground out the butt
of his cigaret on the floor, "before the
big crash came
els plotting your final ambition?"
she demanded.
The lamplight glinted on his high
intelligent forehead and wrought dull
fires in his hair as he sank back in
the chair and shook his head. 'No, my
first ambition is to make ten thous-
and dollars in hurry"
"How could that be so?" she OBJ
jected, "this morning-good heavens,
was it only this morning? 1t doesn't
seem possible! But as was saying,
you wouldn't even try to earn good
half that amount by keeping on for
Havana"
"I couldn't take the risk-I had
mail aboard"
Her low uncomprehending laugh ran
through the cabin. what of that?
I don't understand you. Do you mean
to tell me that for the sake of few
bags of mail you deliberately refused
a chance to earn a large part of the
money you say you need so badly?"
Exactly" he murmured, sit sounds
dramatic and fulsome, but to mail
pilot nothing else is more important
than the safety and the swiftest pos
sible delivery of his mail sacks. I
don't think you could understand" +"
Then to change a subject that had be-
come unpleasant he hurried on. "If
I made a lot of money, imagine I'd
undertake some experiments along Ger
tain phases of aeronautics-as you
probably know there're lot of things
left to be done-things that would
make flying safer" He warmed to
his subject and elaborated at length,
plunging into deep and technical
discussion. "And now," he smiled,
"that I've told you my ambitions, tell
me few of yours?"
Liette Lincoln lit a fresh cigaret,
brushed the jet hair from her fore
head and laughed low melodious
laugh that contrasted oddly with her
arrogant bearing Of that afternoon.
"Oh," she said, "I'd be ashamed to
give myself away so completely-Pd
probably shatter what few illusions
you have concerning me-"
"Ashamed?"
eyes, my ambitions are so dreadful
ly commonplace"
"Objection overruled," he smiled,
'I can't imagine you ever being COM
monplace."
"But am in this respect, at least
my greatest ambition is probably the
commonest in the wide world"
"Really?" His eyes devoured the
delicate contours of her face and neck.
at seems to me that a girl whose
father has the almost limitless power
and money that yours has, could get
any commonplace thing the world Of
fers. What is this thing you want?
That is" he amended in swift tact
eff you care to mention it," He
noted with surprise the color creeping
into her cheeks. He liked her better
that way-that fashionable pallor
looked so unhealthy.
"Why," she murmured and followed
the design of the embroidery on her
sleeve with a slender forefinger as
she spoke, "It's woman's Oldest am
bition-to find the man who can make
her marry him-one who won't stand
for the nonsense she inflicts on the