“STRATOSPHERE EXPRESS”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 April 1940, Page 10

“STRATOSPHERE EXPRESS”

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT. COPYRIGHT,

BY

ALROY WEST.

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

CHAPTER XX (Continued). The girl smiled. ‘■From what I. know of him. he’s saving us for an emergency." There was proof of this sooner than even Manda expected. One evening Bessiter, his brows knitted in a frown and a scowl on his face, stamped into the house. “Manda!” he snapped. -You've exactly five days to teach Storm how to use an aeroplane.” “Five days!” she gasped. “Yes,” said Bessiter grimly. “There’s been an accident. I shall need you both in the crew of the stratoplane!" It was characteristic of Bessiter that, having given them the necessary instructions, he should bustle away without telling them anything about the accident. The morning papers were neither so reticent nor so restrained. What Bessiter had termed an accident the papers, quite rightly, heralded as a “diabolical attempt at murder.” It seemed that seven men who had been members of the crew specially selected for the stratoplane had been receiving a certain instruction al the old works—the place which had for so long been a secret factory. It was their custom to return to Larkin’s airfield in a blue saloon car. The previous afternoon, when the car was about halfway between the mid erground works and its destination, a strange type of aeroplane had swept down upon it and dropped a bomb. It was astonishing that nobody had been killed. The bomb dropped fair and square on the radiator, and the car was hurled into the air by the explosion. It came down on its side, minus the greater part of the engine and the front wheels.

Fargus, who had been at the wheel, was the first to extricate himself from the wreckage. The first car which came along naturally stopped, and Fargus asked the driver to get straight along to the nearest hospital. The injured man refused a lift, because he was anxious to give what assistance he could to his companions. By the time the ambulance was on the scene, Fargus with the aid of a policeman and a motor cyclist, who had stopped at the scene of the accident, had got the six men clear of the wreckage. They were all in a sorry plight. Fargus himself had his right arm shattered, and gone to the rescue of nis friends with only one arm functioning. The two who had sat beside him in the front of the car had fractured legs, whilst those in the back were suffering from various injuries ranging from concussion to broken ribs. It had been impossible to trace the persons responsible for the outrage. The wildest rumours were heard. They varied according to the political outlook of those who passed them on. Some said that it was a Communist outrage attempting to prevent the stratoplane' from faking off. A stratosphere express air line would be an additional ramification to the Capitalistic system, and so they were trying to prevent it from becoming a reality. Others said that it was a rival Capitalistic concern who were trying to hold the field against all comers. This view was, actually, very near the truth. The argument which followed, however, was sheer propaganda, for it was said that this outrage showed how essential it was for the people to have the ownership of all transport services and all utility services of whatsoever nature. Again, others saw the machinations of some foreign power, too distant to have any fear of normal-range aircraft, but afraid of the military possibilities of a super-range machine of this type. This school of thought pointed triumphantly to the fact that the aeroplane, which had been observed by a few people, was of a strange design. Fargus was unable to give much information, although he had a whispered conversation with Bessiter which never reached the stage of being recorded in the Press. Manda took Storm in hand and started to teach him some of the mysteries of navigation as well as taking him up in a dual-control machine in order for him to have practical experience. It spoke volumes for the thoroughness ol her training that at the end of the specified time Storm felt a fair measure of confidence in the air and was able to take the controls without a sinking feeling in his stomach. He could take off and land a machine, he could do a few very mild stunts, and could plot a course and could, in a rather sketchy manner, “fly blind." On the evening of the fifth day Bessiter turned up. Il is first words were to Manda. "Can be fly?" "Yes.”

“Good. You'll both have three days’ special instruction under Larkin. On the fourth day we're going up in the stratoplane." "How are those poor boys?" Bessiter scowled. “They should have kept their eyes open.” he growled. “They'll live, though. Serve 'em all right if they'd broken their necks. I told 'em to be prepared for emergencies." He sounded furious; but he was paying all the expenses of the treatment and passing extra money to their families. Manelli. on one of his Hying visits, had told Manda that. “They wouldn't be expecting an attack from the air," the girl said. ‘Why not? That's just what they should have expected. 1 didn't know that the infernal fools were all using the same car. Did you ever come across such congenital idiocy? Manda smiled. "What are you doing for a crew?" Storm asked.

“Taking you." was the curt, reply. "So you’d better learn as much as you can." And with that Bessiter swung round and hurried from the house. There followed another period of intensive training. Larkin proved a brilliant tutor, but he rushed them through at a speed which made Storm’s head reel. They were trained at the secret works along with Mackley. who had been learning for a long time and was now assisting with the teaching, and at the same time polishing up his own knowledge. Sometimes he was their tutor, and at others was a pupil alongside them. There were eight others. They were men Bessiter had selected because of their capabilities. Storm had an idea, though, from what he noticed when Bessiter had paid them a flying visit, that none of the men was very popular with his employer. Bessiter stood aside watching them and scowling. “You don't look happy," said Storm softly. He was not taking part in this particular lesson. Bessiter grunted. "They’re not a patch on Fargus and the other boys,” he growled. "I wish I had time to get others. One of them is more or less a stranger. Don’t know yet whether I like him.” “Which one?” “Croft.” “He seems smart.” “Yes. That’s why I don’t like him." But Bessiter refused to explain and did not remain very much longer. The long-awaited day came. A perfect day for flying, without a speck of cloud in the sky. Storm and Manda were on the road early, but already there was a steady procession of cars. There were newspaper reporters, photographers, movie reporters with their apparatus and radio officials. Special police were on guard in the vicinity of the airfield. Bessiter was waiting for them in one of the offices.

“It’s all set," he declared. “The work was finished last night: I’ve had men working like niggers to get the machine ready for us.” He crossed to the window and stared upwards. “I’m going to realise my ambition," he declared, his voice vibrant with sudden passion. “I’m going to show them what I can do. I’ll make them believe in me. Storm. They're going to look up to me. They’re going to think I’m something of a god. If I say a thing shall be done—then by thunder it shall be done!" His eyes were flashing with excitement. "It's a wonder our friend in the strange aeroplane hasn't been around to drop a few bombs," Storm said. "Not a chance! I've had protection Storm. Had you been here, you’d have seen the sky lit up at night with powerful searchlights. I’ve had three scouting planes circling about overhead. I’ve even pulled wires unknown to most men, and have had guns to protect me. But it’s ail over now. Within a short space of time a new monster of the air is coming out from that great shed. It’s going to moveforward over the ground, and then it’s going to fly. It’s going to soar up into space. It’s going to take me where no man has ever been. I’m going to be an explorer. Exploring in the air! If only the shadows of those earlier flyers could come with me. But I expect they are watching and applauding. They showed the way—and I’m taking it a shade, further. My name will be as immortal as their names. But we must get going! What are you gaping at? Come along!" He bustled out, was caught by a group of reporters who had contrived to get through the barrier. Storm heai'd Bessiter speaking vigorously and turned to Manda.

“It’s a great day for him," he said. "It's a great day I'or all of us. I’m thrilled at it." "And not scared?” “Not scared." They hurried along, but had to pause so that Manda could be photographed. It was a great news story, this girl wno was going to brave the upper atmosphere in a new type of machine. Reporters pressed near, wanting a statement from her, but she smilingly shook her head. Storm looked about him. It was an exhilarating experience. There was a great shed which housed the stratoplane, and groups of men bustling about, busy with final preparations. There were lorries on the tarmac, the same ones which had brought the machine from the works under the ground. There were other men by the lorries. Reporters bustled about. The movie men were taking pictures of the great shed, of the massed tents in the next field, of the bustling groups, of the cars which had been parked in a great lield. Everywhere there was disorder, and the camera was busy recording it. A radio man was giving a commentary. He had one arm. and had had an amazing career as a pilot before taking up this work. He face was aglow with excitement. There were murmurs of anticipation from the crowd, and an occasional burst of cheering as they recognised some person or other. Mackley, whose photograph had been in every paper, was so greeted. His face Hushed so that it almost reached the colour of his hair. Storm and Manda passed near one section of the crowd. (To be Continued).