The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-09-24
InapteT 20
The Plane Burns

hIANAS lips ll9nLeneQ ana
~ then she spoke. ats my
opinion that DR.. and Mrs. Willard
are to blame for everything. Had
they let well enough alone, we
Dianai' cried Beth.
Anne rose and left the table.
She Joined Pete and the lama
sitting in front of her tent and
staring off gloomily in the direc-
ton of the Bekkan Bula peaks.
Later Larry and Beth came out
and tried to cheer them up.
It was Doddap with his keen
desert eyes who first saw the re-
turning plane. Everyone except
Oliver was on the field when it
landed. Anne had let Beth hold
her in the crowd.
He may have news of your
parents. "
Sherwood remained in the
plane several moments sending
off a final radio message to
Sham Lun and looked SO forbid
ding when he did scramble out
that everyone hesitated to ques-
ton him. Anne was the first to
venture. -
did you find out anything
about father and Inother?" He
turned and gazed at her.
mot thing, Anne, I'm sorry.
The whole trip was useless" He
began Struggling off the parachute
harness talking technicalities
about the ship with Macley as
he did so. Then be spoke to
the group. Come to my tent
after I've had a shower and TIL
tell you what happened"
Anne did not 60 but she
learned afterwards that Philip
was present and showed friend
illness to Sherwood by asking him
and Mackey to Join the camp
mess with the sensible statement
that white men isolated in spot
like this could not afford to GUAR
rel.
He probably feels that having
gained the enmity of the Nagaras.
Blaze has become less Of a
menace to the expedition" Anne
suggested.
sBlaze accepted" Beth went
on, land is adding his supplies
and cook to ours. You should have
heard his story. He found the
Niagara village to which the Rus
SLAMS had penetrated. There had
been fighting and massacre but
no sign of the white men. The
natives shot at Blaze. He got
away though there are several
bullet holes in his wings"
"Heavens!" gasped Anne.
But he sWears the Nagaras are
not as vindictive as people think.
The Russians were not archaeolo-
gists-merely crew of adventur-
ers the Emir's agents had picked
up and interested in the propo-
sition. Their government repudi-
ates them. though Blaze would
have liked to turn them back and
save their lives. He thinks they
have no chance either to get out
alive or to find the treasure city,"
did he get a view of Shy-a
Nago?"
Il guess so. He doesn't seem
to want to talk about it. Pete
predicted he'd die for that and
Blaze answered if he did ii was
worth it. He wouldn't say any
more, but you should have seen
his eyes as he remembered. Then
he began joking about something
else"
.'Does he really believe the
Nagaras will try Toto kill
him?"
"We couldn't get him to say.
He'd only joke about it. But what
do you care?" Beth chuckled mis-
chievousIy. Hes not your hus-
band, you're only married to him,
if you know what / mean
Anne colored in spite of her
self. Beth saw it and giggled
again.
Fire
DINNER that night was a rather
~ hilarious affair, Blaze having
contributed sharks fins, mush-
rooms, fruit and Turkestan wine
from the supplies the governor
had heaped upon him.
Even Anne's frost melted a
trifie. Blaze was playing a bold
game. Perhaps she could match
him at it. At least she and her
parents were still in good stand
ing with the Nagaras from what
the priest had said the other
night. Later she stood at his side
while they all essayed a little
close harmony over Mackey's
mouth organ. He managed to get
in personal question under coy
er of the general noise.
Which is your tent?"
She turned away. hardly able
to believe her ears at first or
suppress the rage that welled up
in her.
Later, having a chance to be
near her as she changed a phono- |
graph needle he tried again. IF
you'd like to have a talk, Anne"
There have already been too
many wordS," she answered,
quoting from bis letter. and let |
her eyes brush across his imper-
sonally He regarded her intently I
for moment and then made no i
further attempt to speak to her
intimately, though they PLAYED |
bridge as partners and against |
each other. talked about the !