“STRATOSPHERE EXPRESS”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 March 1940, Page 10

“STRATOSPHERE EXPRESS”

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT. COPYRIGHT.

BY

ALROY WEST.

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

CHAPTER 11. Continues. “Do you think I put it in the papers?” he asked in a withering tone. “Why do you think I fooled about with the Pole-to-Pole flight? fhe best way to fool your enemies, Storm, is to make all your plans, get the right men to carry them out, and then start to do something crazy.” He threw back his head and laughed. “They were all losing sleep over my flying stunt! And all the time the real work was going on. Come along!” He hurried forward along the broad, well-lit passage which had just been revealed. “I have things sent from my ordinary works,” he explained. “And at a certain point the driver gets out and one of my trusted men takes his place. The trees hide the cottage from the road, and the doors are only open for a second or so. The lorry and all it contains is lowered down here and the things removed. That’s how I work! “It’s well schemed,” Storm said admiringly. “Of course it’s well schemed! Have you ever been told that I make a mess of things? I never fail! And I never shall, either! You don’t believe that I can build a machine that will fly in the stratosphere. You’re a fool. If I want to make a machine which will carry to the moon —well, I’ll make it! There were a few doors along the passage and one of these opened suddenly. A man. clad in a long white overall, came across to them. He .was holding a paper in his hand.

“What is it?” snapped Bessiter. He snatched at the paper and quickly read it. Then he scowled.

“Why bother me about this?” he snapped. “Send the lot back! Youie in charge, man! If the works don t send just what you want raise hell with them. Fire the lot—if you like. I shan’t interfere. But get exactly what you want.” “Very good,” said the man abruptly. He turned away and went back to his room.

Storm had quickly discovered that Bessiter dispensed with all ceremony. „ “Don’t waste time calling me, sir’!” Bessiter had exploded once. “There's only one reason why I’m above you. That’s because I’m a better man than any of you. Lake was the only one who ever outpaced me —and that was once in the whole course of his life. He beat me—but it killed him!” Bessiter flung out his arm in the direction of a small passage which branched off to the right.

“That’s where my metal is made,” he explained. “I get the steel from my ordinary works. It’s saturated with hot hydrogen gas and then dipped into a bath of molten aluminium. But there isn’t time for you to do a tour of inspection. I want you along here. Bessiter turned a corner and collided with a girl who was coming from one of the rooms. He shot out one of his powerful arms and saved her from falling. But he uttered no word of apology. “I want you,” he told her. She turned back an’d walked alongside him. Storm, slightly in the rear, looked at her with interest. Her face was partly concealed but he could tell that she was remarkably good-looking. Like the man who had come over to Bessiter, she was wearing a long whiteoverall, but it was sufficiently short to reveal that she was wearing highheeled shoes and had a perfectly moulded ankle.

At the doorway of one of the rooms Bessiter pushed in front of her. She showed no surprise at his rudeness, but flashed a sudden smile at Storm, who drew to one side.

“Come on in!” Bossier called. “Don’t get messing about out there.” The room was practically bare. There were a large number of wooden boxes at one end. A desk was placed in the best position for the light, and there were several books upon it. The girl hurried across and took one of these. “I’m ready,” she announced. It was typical of Bessiter that he did not introduce Storm to her. Instead, he bustled over to the cases.

“You can lend me a hand with these, Storm,” he said.

“What do we do with them?" • “Check them over carefully. They, are important. I don’t want any of those fools outside to do it. Can’t trust 'em.”

He started to move the cases, carefully inspecting small labels which were placed on the end of each case. “I've a complete list here," said the girl. Bessiter grunted. He called out the numbers on the labels and added different names. Storm helped him to move the cases and pile them up.

“You see. Storm," Bessiter said suddenly "I like to make sure that my workers only get the things intended for them. I don't believe in them knowing too much."

He so arranged the cases that they were in stacks according to the department which was to receive them. The girl cheeked them with the list, and added the name of the employee to whom the case was going.

After a time there was a slight hitch, and Bessiter crossed to the desk to inspect the list. “They're damned careless.” he exclaimed irritably.

Storm was left by the remainder of the cases. And he suddenly realised that there was a strange sound in the room. Frowning slightly, he listened more intently. The sound was certainly coming from one of the cases. He bent lower. The tapping noise was perfectly regular. “Should any of these contain any-

thing that makes a noise?" he asked, straightening up. Bessiter spun round. “Noise? What sort of noise?" He was across the room in two strides. For a second or so he listened intently, then his face became grim. "We’ve got to find this!" he snapped. He glanced over his shoulder at the girl. “Get out,” he ordered. Storm noticed that she did not obey. Bessiter seemed to forget all about her. With a strength that was amazing he started to pull the cases aside. Storm followed suit, but found most of them far too heavy. Then he came across a lighter one. He moved it away and realised that the sound was plainer. “I’ve got it!” he cried. He bent forward and grabbed at the case from which the tapping sound was coming. The next moment it was wrested from him and he was flung full-length on the floor. Slowly, Storm scrambled to his feet. The fall had shaken him considerably and his right arm was painful. The girl was hurrying towards him and, beyond her, he could see Bessiter’s powerful figure. The wooden case was held firmly in Bessiter’s arms. “Did he hurt you?” the girl asked. Storm smiled at her and shook his head. “I’m all right. He'll probably get blown to bits though. Crazy lunatic!” The girl glanced over her shoulder. “He’s taken it along the passage. Nothing will go wrong. I guess Bessiter just can’t be killed.” Storm rubbed his arm. “I wonder how you put up with him,” he declared. She gave a rueful smile. “He grows on one,” she confessed. “But who are you? He’d never think to be polite. Wasn’t brought up that way.” “Jim Storm. I’ve only been in his employ for a few days.” “I’m Manda Williams. I should have walked out on him weeks back —only he seems to have got under my skin. There are times when I almost like him.” She tossed her fair hair. “I can hear him coming back. This is where we get all burned up.” Storm smiled. “I’d like to see him try it on,” he said lazily. “You! will,” Manda vowed. Bessiter burst into the room and slammed the door behind him. Storm prepared for an outburst, but his employer did not even glance at him. Instead, he caught the girl by the shoulders and swung her round. “I bruise rather easily,” she reminded him. Bessiter snorted. “All the better. It will teach, you to obey orders. Didn’t I tell you to clear out?” Manda nodded. “Then why didn’t you go? I don’t want women hanging around when there’s any danger. I don’t employ you for you to be hanging round just where you can get blown up. When I tell you to get out I mean it! Understand?” He shook her roughly. Storm moved forward. “Better take your hands off her," he said gently. For a moment there was absolute silence. Then Bessiter released Manda. He turned to face Storm. “So you’re starting to give orders — eh?” “Nothing of the sort. I just reminded you that it was a girl you had your hands on.” “Oh! You were just reminding me, were you? If I choose to put her over my knee and spank her, I shall do it. And she’d deserve it, too! I’m here to be obeyed. And when there’s any danger about I'll take care of it. I’m not going to have others running risks for me. I take the risks —do you hear? I suppose you thought you'd oe doing a mighty fine thing trying to save me. Well, I don't want saving. I'll save myself if things go wrong. And you can keep out of things!” “I wasnt trying to save you!” snapped Storm. “I don’t give two hoots in hell whether you get blown to bits or not. But I thought there might be something useful in one of the boxes —that’s all.” The girl went pale. She tried to slip in between the two men. But Bessiter placed his great hands on his hips and burst into laughter. “It’s all right, girlie," ho gasped. “I’m not going to slam him! That was great! Storm, you're the first man to turn round and take a snap at me I begin to think that the best thing I ever did was to give you a job!" Storm shuffled. He felt uncomfortable. It didn’t help matters having the girl near. He shrugged his shoulders. “Suppose we get on with fhe job." he muttered. Bessiter was rubbing his chin. "Um. I'm wondering who put that infernal case in this room." Ho swung round and faced the girl. “You checked over the total number?" “Yes. I’m sure that the substitution didn't take place here."

Bessiter frowned. “I don’t like it.” he said slowly. ‘‘lt looks ugly.” “What arrangements do you make for moving the boxes from the factory," Storm asked. Bessiter did not reply for several seconds. He seemed to be staring into space. (To be Continued.)