Evening star., 1941-10-25

some day"
Maybe" Eddie Franklin said gr
elusive, and maybe he didn't de-
sign this one. but I'll bet everything
own, including the shirt on my
back, that he did. Just look now:
He started flying in the one way
that teaches you real fundamentals
of flight-by gliding That was
when he was in high school-he
told me all this-and he built his
own glider Maybe you saw it-he
said it was still in his workshop"
Yes" Glare said, Its probably
still there
His father bought him his own
plane a year later and two years
after that, while he was still in col
lege, he got his transport license.
In addition to that, he read every
thing he could find on aerodynamics,
meterology, plane engineering and
design. If you thought he was just
tinkering in that shop of his you
were wrong, because he was actually
testing all the theories he'd read
about and making up lot OF new
ones of his own.
He told me about one of those
theories of his, involving a system
of hydraulic balances by which the
center of gravity of the plane could
be changed while in fight to accom-
modate the change of speed. For
better maneuverability the same de-
vice would enable plane to in
stantly add weight to either wing,
or to the nose or tail.
I'D never heard of such a plan
and I'm sure nobody else ever had
but Clay Hanley's plane has the
system, or most Of it, and that's
what makes it the greatest plane in
the air today
Out for Revenge.
It was all very confusing to Clare.
She couldn't understand why Eddie
Franklin would continue to work
for a man whom he suspected OF
stealing another mans ingenious
ideas, especially when, in order to
get his hands on the plans Of the
idea he had participated in scheme
to cause the other mans death.
Il know" Eddie said, reading her
thoughts, 1T does seem nuts for me
to be working for Clay Hanley. But.
believe me, I'm doing it for only one
reason-I want to stick close to him
until this thing breaks, and it will
some day. Then I'm going to spill
everything I know about the affair.
don't know any of Caswell's rela-
tives or who would get the money
for the invention Hanley stole from
him, but that doesn't matter. All I
want is to see that Hanley doesn't
get it."
How well did Clay Hanley know
Roger?" Clare asked.
Not very WELL" Eddie replied.
"Or perhaps I should say not for
very long-Hanley has faculty for
getting very chummy with people in
a very short time. Roger lived at
hotel near the Billet factory the
first couple of weeks he was out
there and that's when I got to
know him so well. He spent most
of his time around the hangers,
studying the planes and talking to
the mechanics I think Hanley must
have got wind of the fact that the
lad had some good ideas of his own,
because all of a sudden they got
very friendly, having lunch together
and spending most of their spare
time gabbing over a cup of coffee
in the pilots restaurant. For the
last few days before the crash they
even roomed together. and know
that was Hanley's idea because I
heard him suggest it to Roger
Betty in Pictures.
They had been so engrossed in
conversation that neither had no.
ticed the passage of time, or the
fact that the practice golfers had
all departed. The sudden darkness
when the flood lights went out
wakened them to the fact. Again
Clare started the engine. You'd
better not tell me any more" she
said shakily. I've had enough for
one night"
Eddie nodded unsmilingly. "One
thing more, I'm curious. Did your
father approve of your going with
Roger?"
Clare turned the car around and
started toward the highway before
answering. mo, he didn't" she
said. But if you knew Steve you'd
know he couldn't possibly have had
any part of this thing. Anyway,
still can't believe it wasn't just an
accident"
Eddie said nothing. They turned
onto the highway and headed to-
ward town. He wondered if, maybe,
he had talked to the wrong person
after all. He couldn't advise the
girl not to discuss the matter with
her father; she'd have to be loyal
to her own parent, at least until
there was positive proof that he
had taken part in Roger's-yes, in
Rogers murder
They drove past the airport on
the way and Clare was surprised to
see light on in Hanley's ofnce. A
small coupe in the parking space was
dimly outlined by the light from
the window.
There's another funny angle"
Eddie Franklin said quietly. THE
CroWell dame. She's pretty as a
picture and Hanley always seemed
to go for good-looking women, but
this time it's strictly business. AL
ways talking in whispers and shut
ting up when any one comes near
and half the time swapping at each
other like a couple of bulldogs.
I've watched them from outside a
couple of times when they were at
the field at night. They sit at the
desk working at something for
about two hours; then Clay pours a
couple of drinks and they sit there
for another 20 minutes and then 60
home-separately, she in her car
and he in his"
Eddie's Background.
Rettv CroWell and CLAW Hanley.