“STRATOSPHERE EXPRESS"

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 March 1940, Page 12

“STRATOSPHERE EXPRESS"

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT. COPYRIGHT.

BY

ALROY WEST.

(Author of “Messengers of Death," etc.)

CHAPTER I. Contlnuec. “Splendid. If anybody works for mo it’s understood that I pay for everything. If one of my employees gets hurt —I reach down into my pocket. It doesn’t matter whether they are hurt pn my business or on their own. I pay. Why shouldn’t I? You don't expect hole-in-the-corner methods from the man who organised the Pole-to-Pole flight. "Do you know what I paid Lake’s widow? Twenty thousand pounds. And he wasn’t any good as a husband, either.

“I want somebody with wits. I want somebody—” he shuffled slightly—“who is not known. My own people are. If I advertise for anybody, I’m watched. The instant my new employee leaves my office —he’s trailed. That’s what I’m up against. * “Every time I want to fly my plane I find somebody has tinkered with the engine. Every time any of my pilots wants to fly tney find the same thing. My house is burgled about twice a week. My room at the office is ransacked at least once a month. That's what I’m up against!” He moved his position slightly. “But I still go on,” he sadi impressively. “I can't be stopped. I’ve made a habit of success. Why am I a success?” He jerked a thick finger at Storm. “Because I only believe in one man —myself! They can’t stop me. They might as well try to stop an avalanche. I shall go on.” He jerked his hand in the direction of his companions. “They get cold feet. They want to draw back. But I carry on. If they all leave me—well, I’ll carry on alone. That’s me!

“I can use you. You're the right type. I’m going to let you see a bit more than some of the empty-headed fools who clutter round me. Do you know what I’m going to do?” Storm, fascinated in spite of his dislike of the man, shook his head. “Come over here,” said Bessiter. He brushed past Dickin and reached the window. Storm joined him there. “See up there?” Storm looked up in the sky. “What?” he asked with a frown. “Yes —what! What is up there? Man can’t fly yet—he only flutters about like a bird. But what lies beyond? What of the countless space?” He dropped his arm. “Right above the clouds! Right above everything. It’s the stratosphere, man! And I’m going to fly up there! That’s my game. The stratosphere!” CHAPTER 11. Bessiter flung the morning paper ovei- to Storm. “Take a look at that," he directed. “See what it says? ‘Queerways' Bessiter declares stratosphere flight possible. And they've tucked it away in a corner. Theories aren’t news. I don’t blame ’em.” He crashed his fist down on the table. “But Im going to be news, Storm. I’m going to have my name splashed across the front page.” He thrust his powerful arms outwards. “More than that—l’m going to be the front page! Can’t you picture it? ‘Bessiter reaches the stratosphere!’ Not in a balloon, mind you. In a newtype plane.” He paused for a moment and then leaned forward. He lowered his voice. “Very few people have seen my new toy. Storm. Thousands would give anything to get a peep. But its a secret. I’m going to let you see it, though. I’m taking you along with me today.” Storm frowned.

“I'd like to have a look.” he confessed. "But you said that it was fatal for a new man to be seen near your office." “Numbskull! Do you think I keep the damned thing in a glass case to interest people in the waiting room? It’s nowhere near the office. It’s hidden away where nobody would think of looking. Where would you hide a new type of aircraft. Storm?” “Small island somewhere?” Bessiter snorted. “Use your wits, man! Anybody could sail round a small island, anybody could fly over it. Do you know that the world's slickest reporter could fly over the place where my new machine is being assembled and never dream that it was there?"

“How have you managed to conceal it?’ Storm asked.

“That's it!” Bessiter leaned back. “That’s what I had to work out. I knew that I should have enemies right from the start. I had to find a safe place. What place is safe from an aeroplane?” “I don’t know —unless it’s a dugout.” Bessiter snapped his fingers.

“Of course it’s under the ground!" he exclaimed. “It’s aTI underground! I could hide over a thousand people and nobody would ever find them. That's what you're going to see today. Well, what are you gaping al? Go and gel ready." Storm, clad in a new coat, waited oy the car. His initial dislike of Bessiter had been superseded by admiration. True, the admiration was grudging at first, but something about the big man commanded respect. A few days at the house had given him an’insight into the character of his new employer. Bessiter had a hard exterior. He was rude and abrupt. He was filled with egotism which reminded Storm of a giant steam riller crushing everything before it. He was always ready with giant steam roller crushing everything was another side io Bessiter. He was scrupulously fair. If ho drove others, he drove himself in an equally relentless fashion. Everything about him was big. He could never be accused of meanness. Above all. he didn't interfere. He picked the right man for the right job. paid him well, and saw that there were no restrictions, and he expected results.

He came bustling out to the car. "Get in," he directed.

He never spoke throughout the journey, staying in one slightly crouched position at the wheel with an unlighted cigar drooping from the corner of his wide mouth.

They left the suburbs behind them and reached the open country. On either side were fields. After a drive which lasted nearly two hours he pulled up. “This is the place,” he announced.

Storm got out and looked about him. There was only one building in sight. It was a small low-roofed cottage. At the back were extensive greenhouses and glass frames. "That’s the place,” said Bessiter.

"I though you said it ' was underground! Those are greenhouses.” "I did say it was underground. Ever known me make mistakes? I don’t go in for them. Those places are blinds. I had to let the light in. and get some air. What better way?” As he talked he led the way towards the cottage. There were two gardeners near, who made no effort to approach them.

“Watch-dogs,” Bessiter explained. “I can't have people sneaking around taking a look at this cottage.” He chuckled. “It isn’t quite genuine," he added by way of explanation. Storm was puzzled at this. “It looks an ordinary cottage to me,” he observed.

- “We don’t go round to the front,” Bessiter said. “The windows and doors are dummies. This is the entrance.” He indicated a small door set in the end of the building. Storm noticed that the lock was small and that the thickness of the door approached six inches. He peered over Bessiter's shoulder. It was completely dark inside.

“Hurry in after me," his employer ordered. "And close the door behind you.”

As Storm did this he heard a slight click and the interior of the cottage was illuminated. At first, so great was his surprise he did not observe the unusual method of illumination, which consisted of four crystalline pillars about three feet in height. His attention was centred upon the vast emptiness of the place. There were no rooms, no dividing walls, just a space. “Just a shell,” Bessiter pointed out. “This cottage is made of metal. An improved, malleable, aluminium-coated steel. It’s as strong as ordinary steel and it’s rust-proof. You can paint on it. There isn’t another place like this in the world.” He spun round. “Why should there be? There’s only one Bessiter!”

Storm looked puzzled. “Where do we go from here?" ho asked. “I can't see a way out." “There is a way out,” said Bessiter. “The whole front of the cottage opens like a pair of great gates. See the machinery?” Storm nodded.

“Those move outwards with the section. You can put an aeroplane in here and run it straight out into the open. And do you know where the aeroplane is kept?" “I haven’t the slightest idea!” “Down! Right down in the bowels of the earth! I'm going to show you something, Storm. I'm going to take you down so that you can see where the new method of long-distance transport, is being assembled. Didn't I say it was a secret place? You’re going to see the Stratosphere Express. That’s what I’m calling it. I’m going to paralyse every known method of long-distance transport. There won’t be any more giant ships, Storm. I’m going to put 'em out of business. The first thing I’m going to achieve is a non-stop round the world flight. I’ll show the world what I can do!" He moved ove rto a corner. “We’ll go down,” he announced. “It fascinates me," Storm admitted. “But I can’t understand why you are showing me all this.” Bessiter strode across to him. Even in the subdued light from the crystalline pillars Storin could see that the man's eyes were glistening like molten metal.

“You don’t know? That suits me! I don’t give reasons to any man. Storm. I’m Bessiter! If I want to make a man —lll make him. And if I want to crush him in the gutter—well, I’ll crush him. What I do —I do! That’s my affair!" Storm made no reply. He just shrugged his shoulders. Bessiter moved back to the corner. He bent down and touched something. Instantly Storm was conscious of a slight lurch. Looking about him, he realised that practically the whole of the floor was sinking. The roof was already lost in shadow. The ledge on which the machinery for opening the great concealed doors rested was left behind. The lights from the four pillars revealed the brickwork of the well-like place into which they were descending. The journey downwards was very short. Bessiter stooped down once more and the sinking ceased. Turning round. Storm realised that there was only brickwork on three sides. The fourth—which approximated to the rear wall of the cottage, was a metal sheet which even as he glanced at it started to open. A chink of dazzlingly bright light appeared down the centre. The chink widened rapidly. “Just sliding doors.” Bessiter explained. “This was a great pit once. 1 bricked up the sides and put a roof on it. Then I fixed this up." He jerked his thumb upwards. “And since then I’ve been busy fitting the place.” “It's a wonder some of your enemies didn’t find out about it during construction,” Storm remarked. Bessiter laughed. (To be Continued.)