The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-06-22
Blonde
For Bait
BY ROB EDEN
Continued From Page lOl

Continued r rom rage AuJ
The sort of questions that any,
one might ask out of idle curiosity.
She was certain that so far she
had not given him any cause for
suspicion. and she didn't want to.
When they took off downwind,
Rick lifting the plane easily over
the cliff at the end of the canyon,
she looked quickly about again for
possible landmarks. If she had
been more familiar with mountain
country, she might have been able
to pick out something that would
give a clue to the location of the
hideout, but she had to confess
frankly to herself that the bare
canyon looked like a hundred
other places they flew over.
She did venture one question as
to the range of mountains, but
Rick merely answered they were
spur of the Sierras, which was
no information at all.
He might as well have said the
Rockies-it would have meant just
as much.
She thought that Rick, uncon-
sciously, might have given clew
to the location, anyway when he
told her that he had filed claim
on the old gold mine. That claim
must be recorded some place, and
with it the location.
Shed report that to Major Bar
ringer in the morning and he
could look it up.
Then if there is anything going
on at the cabin. he can find out
for himself" she told herself. The
more she thought of it, the better
the idea seemed and she relaxed in
her seat to enjoy the flight back
to Santa Monica.
Safety Belt
Rick had fastened her safety
belt and his own before they took
off this time. and she was very
grateful that he had when the
plane took a sickening dive as
they were entering San Gorgonio
pass.
The craft spun dizzily for min
ute, and then Rick righted it, and
turned back.
Terrific headwind," he called.
"Ill have to climb higher" He
circled out over the desert, spiral
ing upward in high climb and
Ellen saw the altimeter needle
finally crawl to the 10000 foot
mark and stop before he turned
about and headed again for the
pass.
The second time, the ship again
dropped crafty. side-slipped once,
but finally struggled through. and
soon they were high above Mount
Badly now nearly obscured by
heavy clouds.
Weather doesn't look too good"
Rick remarked, pointing to the
black ranges of clouds dead ahead.
Wen make it, won't WEE"
Ellen asked.
Sure. Not afraid. are you?"
As a matter of fact. she was
but she shook her head. anyway.
After all, they were in for it and
If Rick wasn't a good enough pilot
to get them through, there was no
need to worry.
Unconsciously, she had absorbed
the philosophy of all filters and was
surprised to find that her mind
was at ease.
/ Repeats
Either we make it or we
don't she said to herself and
kept repeating it as the ship
headed straight into the black
cloud bank.
Torrents of rain suddenly en-
quilted the struggling ship, but the
motor kept up its even purring and
Rick, while he seemed a little more
grim than usual. held the plane
head on against the wind which
shrieked and tore at the wings
and the cabin.
1t was dark now, with occasion
al lightning flashes suddenly re-
vealing the sharp toothed silhou-
cite Of the mountains to the right.
And then it seemed to clear a bit,
and soon she could make out the
lights of Los Angeles, almost di-
rectly ahead.
Millions of lights. which were
blurred a bit at first. and then
stuck out like bright points as the
air cleared.
We're out of the storm. but
there's a lot of wind" Rick re-
marked. Wen be home in a few
minutes now"
Lost Altitude
He lost sltitude rapidly. and
soon, looking out the window.
Ellen could pick out familiar land
marks.
She saw the sprawling Hendon
plant, with tiny red danger lights
mounted on masts marking its
roof, and in a moment the wheels
of the plane touched the runway.
Well, we made it." she told her.
self, and then suddenly found her.
self performing a somersault.
She landed back in her seat with
a terrific jolt. There was a sharp
pain at the back of her head, and
her mind went completely blank.
ITO Be Continued