MEN WITH WINGS

Radio Record, Volume XII, Issue 32, 20 January 1939, Page 29

MEN WITH WINGS

Lk The TEcHNICAL%R OF ThE ON picture 35 DX BASED PASERMOLTE NAME T7

CHAPTER lI. ICK RANSON’S long, lean legs propelled him aeross the bleak, ; wind swept sand dunes. He headed for the weather beaten | observation station of the United States Weather Bureau, jerked open the door and lunged inside. His chest heaved as he fought to get air into his bellowing iungs. "He saw the elderly, bewhiskered telegraph operator peering in amazement at him over the tops of rimless spectacles as he peeled off his hat and overcoat. "I'm from the ‘Daily Record’-Underwood-Maryland-" he panted as he whipped out a Press card and. pressed it under. the tele-. grapher’s nose. "Got to get a story through. I'll dictate right to the key." an ‘ -"Al]) right, -mister,". the . telegrapher agreed. _ "Special to the ‘Daily Record,’ © Underwood, Maryland," Ranson began. "By Nicholas Ranson. Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. December seventeenth, nineteen hundred three. This little village nestled among .the sand dunes is in an uproar to-night, for near here to-day two brothers from. Dayton, Ohio, named Wilbur and Orville Wright, presented mankind with a nice, new, shiny pair of wings!" "J don’t see no uproar," protested the bewildered operator. — "I'll make one," promised Ran-. son, and went on dictating... Thiswas just the: beginning of the long report of the flights, four in num-. ber, which ended at dusk when the fragile machine ‘was overturned and destroyed by a gust: of wind... tam ty fo As his message was delivered to the shabby offices of the "Daily Record" several. hundred miles away, Hiram F. Jenkins, owner and managing editor, stared at it. The usually benign expression on his plump, rosy face gave way to amazement. Angrily he flung down the copy, pulled off his hat, ran his hand through. his white hair. Then he ferociously grabbed a bell on his desk, rang it. The summons brought a stoutish, bald man from the editorial rooms, where several reporters and copy. editors sat at their desks. "YFave you read this, Rinebow?" Jenkins demanded, ‘slapping the voliminous’ Teporty ~ sor ee

"Yeah," replied Rinebow. "Hank!" Jenkins blasted. "That Nick Ranson has spent sixteen. dollars and. eighty-five cents-a small fortune-to tell me that-that machine got off the ground and stayed there twelve seconds. I told him the story would be good if both brothers got killed because their father is Bishop Wright, of Dayton. I said we’d have a great human interest story providing nobody was left. A story of tragedy, sorrow, bereavement. So he sends me five columns when nothing happens! I could jump out this window and stay off the ground that long myself. I’m sick of hav-

ing people disobey my orders. I’m going to fire Nick!" -- Goaded. by Rinebow, Jenkins said he would fire anybody he wanted to, write the copy, set the type and even: get out on the corners and sell papers. "That’s where you _ belong," agreed Hank. "Out selling papers." HoweVer, the next day, when Ranson walked into the. "Daily Record" offices it was he who lost his temper. He faced Jenkins and Rinebow .as they warmed themselves before a pot-bellied stove. "Where’s my story?" he demanded. when Jenkins failed to respond

to congratulations on the fact that the paper had scooped the world on the flights at Kitty Hawk. "J didn’t print it," the managing. editor confessed. "Didn't. print it!" Ranson blew up. "Why-that was the first man-carrying, powered flight, in history! They’ve been waiting twenty centuries for this!" He paced the floor, trying to regain his self-control. "So you didn’t print it!" he stormed. "The greatest story since Rohert Fulton sailed his steamboat down the Hudson. The flying machine has arrived. It’s

here. it’s going to change travel and time and eustoms and war and nations!" He raised his clenched fists in helpless rage. "You had a chance for once in your life to be first with the latest -and muffed it. Well, this finishes me! I’m through with the newspaper business. Some day, when you're standing on the ground looking up at me you'd better keep your mouth closedor ’ll drop an oil can in it!" He whirled, went out of the office, slamming the door behind him, Hiram Jenkins looked fore lornly after him, turned to Rinebow. Rinebow taunted: "Well, you fired him." Ranson hurried to his home, @ modest five-room frame bungalow, locatei on a quiet, . unpaved street. He rushed up the steps of the. porch,. crossed it, opened the door and went into the living room. With. the. sound of the ‘closing of the door he heard joyous footfalls. A pretty young woman gave herself to his outstretched arms. Behind her came a joyful. girl of eight years. "Martha," Ranson said to his (Turn over paz

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wife, aftcr he hadi. embraced. and kissed her, "I’m going to flyi" Martha Ranson was speechless at the words of her husband, but the little girl wasn’t: "You're really going to ..?" she asked, her eyes round with interest, "Yas, Peggy, my sweet," he told her. "Your daddy’s going to build an aeroplane." Unmindful of his. wife’s: silent: misgivings, Ranson: took his daughter in his arms, kissed cher, put her down on-her feet again. "Come, darling," hesaid to-her, we've got to go to. work." "That'll be fine," Peggy agreed. "Daddy, the kijg’s almost finished. Pat and Scotty are coming over to finish it to-morrow and-." "Don't .you:-have to go back to the paper -to-day,..Nick?" Martha Ranson asked.: . Ranson, who had started #or. the door, stopped, faced her yneasily. . ‘No," he confessed. : "I quit." "Ob," said Martha, -flatly. Airily, Ransom bigw her a kiss, turned to his daughter. "There'll be plenty of poom to work out in the shed," he told the little girl, still failing to notice that his wife’s smile had been wiped from her face by a troubled expression. "We won’t bother Pat and Scotty and their kite." In the days which followed, Ranson made good his promise to build a plane. First he built models, then the fuselage and wings. Finally, he installed his motor. As the ship drew near to completion, he found. that he was behind the schedule of Pat and Scotty, who had built larger and larger kites and were now experimenting with one they said would carry a man. Peggy split her loyalty between her. father and the two boys. Scott Barnes, the tow-head, was ten years old, nephew of Jenkins, Pat Falconer, dark-haired and immaculate, the same. age, was the son of the banker, richest and most influential man in Underwood, Ranson noted that while Scott and Peggy toiled, Pat acted as. Official observer and. supervisor. "Oh, boy!" Pat exclaimed just before the kite was to be testflown. "Think of the kite up about three hundred feet with me in it." .. "Why don’t you do some work, instead of sitting around talking so big?" Scott. demanded. Peggy filched some glue from her father’s workbench, brought it to Scott, who worked: importantly on the kite. "You always look so nice," Peggy said to Pat. "I’ll bet you have a clean shirt every day. And you never do anything to get them dirty." Rauson and Scott discussed the kite and the aeroplane, Scott saying he was sure the kite would carry @2 man, and Ranson vowing to beat the record set by the Wright brothers. Peggy agreed with both. Her father told her, with a smile: "And you’re the first aerial tomboy this town ever had." Scott put the finishing touches on the. kite. Scott and Pat both told Peggy to stay behind as they got it out of the shed, started. up the avenue. She dropped behind, but still trailed, watched them as they reached an open field, spat on a chip. to see. who would be first to fly in the kite She heard Pat’s exclamation of joy as he won the first chance. Scott tried to get the kite off the ground with Pat in it by running, but failed. Then he spotted Peggy trying to hide behind..a bush and summoned her, He pointed her out to Pat. "You've got to help us!" Scott. end Pat called. Pat got back into the kite. Peggy and Scott ran with the rope, but still the kite wouldn’t leave the: ground. Both rested. Scott finally said it was his turn to try, so sw oa eczeore

Pat and the now exhausted Peggy tried to get him into the air. They, too, failed. ‘Finally, the boys withdrew-and held a whispered conference. "Pégey, it’s your turn," Scott announced, finally. "I wouldn’t. want: to go a long ways up," said. Peggy, suddenly reticent. "In fact-I’ve got to get: home early." * Unmindful of her mild protests, the boys:..got her intc the Kite. They ran.with the rope. . Almost immediately the kite. started to rise. It clitibed. higher and higher. "How does it feel up there?" Pat yelled... . "Just-just lovely!’*--There was terror in Peggy’s weak voice. A moment fater the wind’ bes gan to die. The kite started downward rapidly. Panic ‘seized the boys. They ran wildly over the open field. ‘The kite rose for a little while. Exhausted, the boys stopped. They heard ‘Peggy’s terrified chant: ‘Run! Run! Runt: Runt" But they were spent: The kite

wavered for a moment, then plunged toward the ground. There was a sickening thud. CHAPTER Il. HE crash of the kite resulted ina black eye and bruises for Peggy Ranson. There were other developments. Martha Ranson made telephone calls to the homes of Pat Falconer and Scott Barnes and had very serious charges. to. make. It looked for a time as if the happy triumvirate of two little boys and a little girl was a thing of the past. But very soon they were Gack playing together again. One of the things which militated against any lasting break among the trio was Nick Ranson’s flying machine. They were all tremendously: interested in that. As final preparations to fly were made by Ranson, they again occupied the shed; watched wide-eyed,’ tried to help Peggy’s father. To the three children, he was a god. To. some of the residents of Underwood he was over-enthusiastie about flight. To the majority he was a little bit crazy. Everyone was sure he would come to no good. end with his new-fangled contraption, Peggy had very little chance to see her father alone. One night, after Martha Ranson had put her to bed, ‘she got UD, : sneaked Comnatsirs and: a into, pinde Rt SA Ds phere FFa+ BaD

the shed, clad only in her nightgown. She found her father smeared with grease, working under 4 lantern, which clearly showed the outlines of the nearly completed aeroplane. She walked close to his side. "About the kite flying-you weren't mad at me, were you, daddy?" she asked. , He turned from his work, saw the barefooted child, laid aside his tools. He saw a pleading look in her eyes, his face lighted in a ‘smile of understanding and deyotion. He held out his. arms to: her; ‘ . "Of course not, darling," he ‘said. She went.to him and he.took her in his arms. He sat down: ona box, holding her on his. lap. Then. he kissed. her. "J feel better, now,’ she said. ". "Peggy, you're: the only. little girl:..we’ve got," Ranson said, softly, "If something happened °to. Ous--," *"T’ didn’t want to go up :very high," she protested. "I told ’em I had to get home early." "You don’t want me to be greyhaired, do you?" he: asked. | "Oh, no-never" " "Maybe i never witli be~if :I don’t have to worry about you. flying in kites,’ he promised: "| won't ever again," she agreed. She looked up at him: "You'd better not fly, either. You're the only daddy we've got."

Ranson cleared his throat. "’m-well, you see-I’m different," he tried to explain. "This is an aeroplane, not a flimsy kite. And I’m a lot older than you. When you grow up, you can fly, too." ° "With you?" "T hope.so," he said. He lifted her from his lap, put her on her feet, handed her the candie. "T think you’d better be getting back to bed, Miss Ranson." Peggy dutifully turned up her face to be kissed. "Good night, daddy," she said. "Good night, darling," he answered. He grinned at her and winked as she walked toward the door. She winked back, continued on her way. Ranson ‘called after her suddenly: "Hey-Peggy!" She faced him again, "Yes, daddy?" she asked. "How did it feel when you were up there in the air?" he demanded. That question, long propounded in his brain, always with him, was answered not by Peggy that night, but by a rickety aeroplane with a. coughing two-cylindered motor shortly thereafter. With Peggy, Scott Barnes and Pat Falconer he had his brain-child trucked to the top of a cliff where he had installed a monorail for launching it... ‘Boa we , oi ESaE Get as ge iseieey 3

Early one morning, without even notifying Pat and Scott, he took Martha and Pcggy to the cliff. He started the motor while they looked on solemnly. Martha's face was stiff with fright. As the motor pounded and vibrated in its mount, Ranson grinned at her. "Youd better smile," he said, "or I'll start getting seared myself." ; Martha Ranson forced: a smile. "That’s better," Ranson . told her. He bent down; kissed Peggy. "Goodbye, darling," he — said, "Tl? send you a Christmas present from Holland." . "Goodbye, daddy," she replied. . Ranson got into the metal seat on. the. wing. . Hé. opened: the throttle to test the motor and: the din grew terrific.. Then, .with a parting smile, he reached for the’ wire. holding: the ship’ and jerked: it loose, The plane raced. down the monorail, shot off the edge of the .cliff-and out into the’ still morning air. It continued. ‘outs ward: for about a hundred ‘feet, wavered, ‘then ‘started, downward. nose: first: toward. the base of. the jutting rock; : The-wires-screamed, the motor «ent even faster. Then, above: all this came: -the ‘single, heart-rending cry’ of Martha. Ranson. The ship crashed. Instantly flames leaped from the wreckage. Martha and .Peggy scrambied down the narrow. path: that led to the bottom of the cliff. Martha, leading the way, saw her husband stir, break free of the wreckage; stagger away from the flames, an arm over his face to shield it from the fierce heat. Then he tumbled forward and lay still on the ground. Martha ran to his side, bent. over him, turned him over, cradled: his head in her arms. His: face was blacked by the smoke of the fires Tearless with fright and horror, Peggy leaned over both. "Nick, oh — Nick, darling!" Martha sobbed. Ranson opened his eyes, turned his head slowly, looking first at Martha and then at Peggy. On his face was. a look of abstraction. "Tej] them, "he muttered, "when they crash-to turn off-the ignition----" "Then his head fell back. Realisation smote Peggy that her father was dead, and she began to cry softly. After a while, the woman and the girl sensed someone beside them, and turned. There stood Scctt and Pat, tears running down their cheeks. All during the long hours of vigil and travail, Pat and Scott stayed close to Martha Ranson and Peggy, trying to help, to ease the over-powering sorrow that the woman and the little girl felt. It was during this time, and the funeral, and the empty days thereafter that gradually among the three children grew a deep and sincere devotion. The children themselves didn’t realise it, and yet it was there. One night, after Ranson had been buried and Underwood had recovered from the first numbing shock of his dramatic passing, Peggy went alone to the shed where "Ranson’s folly," as the ship had been known, had come to life. She sat in the darkness, staring at the moonlight ‘which splashed. in through a window. Tears coursed down her, cheeks. Then came the sound of soft footfalls, Peggy started, looked up from the box on which she was sitting, her chin cupped in her hands. She saw Pat and Scott in the. doorway, awkward and_hesitant as they gazed at her. "We--didn’t mean to bother you," Scott faltered. "We really didn’t," said Pat. Peggy said nothing. Pat added: "It doesn’t seem right without him here-explaining things." Still, Peggy couldn’t bring her. | self to speak, "Peggy," said Scott. "Yes?" she asked. He indicated the workbench on which there were several small aeroplanes. ‘Do. you :think he’d. mind-if-we

each t-"k ove of those modelsto remember him by?" Peggy considered the matter for a moment, . "No," she said, thoughtfully. Scott and Pat walked to the bench. Each picked up 2 model. Scott took a third. They walked back to the sorrowing girl, Scott put one of the’ planes: in Pegey’s lap... "This one’s yours," he said, "Tt’s the best one." For a moment he’ hesit..ted,then bent over and = quickly kissed hers Ho straightened up, looked defiantly at Pat. Pat. swallowed hard, leaned forward, and also kissed Her. Then, with. _ out. another word, they turned: and tiptoed from the shed.-inta. .. the moonlight. . Peggy: wonderingly looked: after them, watched them go. silently BWAy. . (To be continued), &-