Evening star., 1939-10-22

red monoplane rose from the field
below, and set out in their wake.
Twenty minutes later the pilot
sighted the wreckage of the ill-fated
craft. Through a swath of mountain
side timber the long yellow fuselage
had raked quarter-mile cash and
now lay. one wing crumpled back.
hallway up the slope. A camera plane
from New York circled nearby, taking
newsreels. The red monoplane from
Galway cut sharply under them and
began lazy. circular course.
Haley spoke over the microphone,
addressing the engineer back in the
Galway police station. Tell New
York" he said. that we want the air
at eight o'clock.
"1'll take my cue off the regular
channel" he continued, meaning that
he could hear the New York station
direct as the studio announcer gave
him go-ahead.
More planes were arriving, circling.
A half mile off to the left was the news
ship from the New York Star Union.
Two private craft drifted in from the
south ten minutes later. Soon there
were six planes, all describing low
orbits above the mountain side
For almost an hour the amphibian
hovered over the Maine forests, until
at last, through his earphones. Haley
heard the studio announcer launch his
opening introduction:
I'VE hope at this time to take you
to lonely mountain near Galway,
Maine. where the wreckage of the
round-the-world plane VaIkwie was
discovered late last night. The spot
thus far has proved almost inaccessible
to rescue parties. This broadcast.
presentation of the Liberty network,
special-features division, will originate
from our special plane at present Cir
cling the scene of the crash. We take
you now to Maine. :"
Haley started off bravely, but real
lied at once that something was
wrong. He failed to hear his own
voice coming back to him in the ear
phones from the New York station.
That meant that no one else was hear
ing him either. He waited a full
second, fearful of muffed cue, then
started again. For five seconds there
was only the crackle of static
Then came voice -a girls voice.
clear and crisp: "This is Ruth
Emerson, of the special-features divi-
sion, now speaking to you from an
altitude of one thousand feet above
the wreckage of the great yellow
winged monoplane. Valkyrie, which al
most succeeded in its nonstop dash
around the globe. A few Thousand
miles more and this plane, with its
heroic pair of pilots. would have
dropped to the runways at Oakland air
port in California. climaxing the bold
est fight man has ever attempted -"
Haley tore off his earphones. Whit
Michaels stared at him wide-eyed.
What the hell is this?" he howled.
"How did she get on the Liberty
line?" He slapped the phone up to his
ear again just in time to hear. - and
now l intend to step from the side of
our small monoplane and attempt a
parachute jump which should put me
on the ground near the Valky1te. Thus
shall reach position to bring you a
more comprehensive picture of the
crash and, at the same time, perhaps,
be able to interview the two airmen.
THE door of the plane is open now
. there's a tremendous rush of air
from the slipstream I'm standing
on the narrow sill. poised here for just
a second, and now I'm jumping
off There was grunt, several
swallowed words, then silence.
Haley felt his heart bound furiously.
then he rushed to the window of the
amphibian. Directly beneath was the
same red monoplane which had taken
off from Galway as they passed over
....-.L