STRATOSPHERE EXPRESS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 20, 3 November 1938, Page 7

STRATOSPHERE EXPRESS

By ALROY WEST.

CHAPTER XIX. THE ASSEMBLY OF THE NEW STRATOPLANE. Manda came and sat beside him. They chatted on all manner of topics for some time. Then Andrews knocked at the door. “What is it?” Storm asked. • “You’re wanted on the telephone, sir.” Storm hurried away. It was Bessiter speaking. “Look here, Storm, there's been another development,” Bessiter said over the line. “Rush was picked out of the canal this morning—early. Don’t know if there was foul play. No—l haven’t identified him.” “Shall I come along?” “No. Get ono of the cars out syid take that girl oyer to the works. I prefer to break the news to her. 1 don’t want her to see anything in the papers.” “Very good.” 1 “And don’t say anything to her yet.” “Right.” Storm put the telephone down and walked back to where he had left Manda. He forced a smile as she glanced up at him. “Bessiter’s had another idea,” he explained. “He wants us to go to tJie works. He’ll join us there.” “I’m not surprised. Ho generally docs want ’something.” “I’m to drive, you over. How many cars has that fellow got?” Manda laughed. “I think it’s a hobby for him. He has the money, you know.” “I guessed that.” “I’ll slip up to my room and get ready.” Storm crossed to the window. Poor old Rush! He wondered what had Impopened. Was it—murder? Or had Rush got himself so entangled that it had been the only way out? In a sense, he himself was responsible for the tragedy. It was not a pleasant thought; but he had 'only been doing his duty. All the same, Rush should have been given protection; would have been given it, but for the fact that there was so little time. “I’m ready,” Manda announced from the hall. Storm drove her to the works. There was great activity in the region of the false greenhouse and frames. “A large staff of gardeners,” he whispered, as he lehned over to open the door for Manda. “He’s having every place strongly guarded,” she told him. “Expecting trouble then.” “Yes. The most trusted men are here, and he has sent some of the Essex Street workers to Mr Larkin’s place.”

“I see. What happens about Essex Street? Have you heard anything?” “There’s an inquiry. But Bessiter seems to be keeping as quiet as possible.”

They hurried to the concealed lift and were soon standing in the great hall of the works. The portion of the fuselage was still there, but Storm Could l tell that some portions had been added to it, for it looked much larger.

Mackleyt strolled across to them. . “I thought you were guarding things at Larkin’s place,” said Storm. Mackley nodded!. “It was. But Lovac’s boys are still busy taking cases from the air-liner. It seems that there was a fair sized consignment apart from the human cargo.” “Have they another ’plane there?” “No. Doing it by lorries.” “I see.” Storm noticed several long cylinders lying on the floor. “Where have those come from?” he asked.. “Larkin’s laboratory. AVe brought ’em along with us early this morning. I gather that they fit in the tubes at the end of the fuselage.” “The rocket apparatus?” “iSomethiing like that. But I don’t know how it works—and Larkin isn’t exactly communicative. All he bothers about is getting the machine assembled. He’s a good man—there isn’t anybody like him over at the Co-ordin-ated.”

Mackley gave them a friendly nod and walked away. A few seconds later he was helping Larkin to move the cylinders nearer to the fuselage. “I think I can picture that thing better now,” Storm said slowly. “It will be wonderful.” “Yes. Do you think they will be able to assemble it all in here? "ton probably know more about the details than I do.” “It can be done, but we wanted it at Larkin’s "hangar. There is more room there.” Storm stared about him. . “This is a wonderful show,?’ ho said. “I’d like to know just how it uas 'constructed. I haven’t ever been over it all!”

“I’ll show you some of it. Yon see, it was a great pit here. Bessiter had strong walls built up and massive gi< tiers spread across in a net-.vorJv. Then he started: to get the flooring done and the various rooms constructed. I know that it took a long time. But Bessiter doesn’t worry about time. He just carries on in his own grim way.” Storm paused to examine a peculiar contrivance which was on a stand. It had a brass nozzle and there was a wheel at the side of the cylindrical casing. “AVhat’s this?” he asked. “One of Larkin’s toys. I don’t know what it’s for. He must have brought it over with him. I’ve seen it before in his laboratory.” “J. won’t touch it, then. I cion t trust these scientific people.” They moved on. “Who is in charge of the metalcoating process?” “Larkin,” said Manda, with a smile. “Ho deals with nearly everything. He’s Bessiter’s right-hand man.” “I see . - Storm turned quickly, leaving the sentence unfinished. One of the men working over against the fuselage had cried out, and was staggering backwards. Another gasped and crumpled up on the floor. From one of tho cylinders «i thick grey cloud was emerging. It rolled across tho hall in great billows. Another man wcift down. And anotiiei.

A Vivid Story of Realism and Romance.

:: (Copyright)

(Author of “Messengers cf Death,’’ “Hate Island,” Etc).

Figures could be seen staggering in what looked like a mist. Storm turned to the girl, who was watching with horror-stricken eyes. “Quick! Get out of this. It’s poison gas!” he snapped. TO BE GASSED IN THE STRATOSPHERE. Manda raced across the top of the hall towards the wide passage leading to the lift. The fuselage of the stratopland was now completely enveloped in the swirling grey cloud. One of the men, rushing to safety, pulled down a lever set in the wall and a muffled tolling of a warning bell made itself heard over the cries of fear and sudden anguish. Other workers, hearing the alarm, came pouring out from the side passages, some to be greeted by a thick billow of gas and to go down choking, others able to dart across and reach the wide passage which was, as yet, free from the gas. A small figure came tottering through the deadly mist. Storm, glancing back, recognised l it as Larkin, and darted to help. But Larkin, feebly struggling, headed for the cylinder which was over against the wall. He stumbled as he reached it, tried to grasp the wheel at the side, failed, gave StdVm an agonised look, tried to speak—and then crumpled up. The wheel! What would it do? Evidently Larkin wanted to get this apparatus in motion. Storm, thinking at lightning speed, plunged across a wisp of the grey gas which seemed to burn his eyes and stifle his throat and reached the apparatus. He felt that his strength was leaving him. It was an effort to remember what he was trying to do. The strength seemed to flow from his limbs, leaving him weak and tottering. He set his teeth and made a determined effort to move the wheel.

His hands were shaking, and it seemed that he would never be able to turn it, but at last there was a slight motion. A hissing came from the brass nozzle, followed by a spurt of black powder. Another move of the wheel and more of the powder spurted out. The grey billow of gas seemed to swirl away, for Storm was able to breath more freely. With a sudden renewal of strength he swung the wheel right round.

WHENCE CAME THE DEADLY CYLINDER?

The powder shot out in a powerful spray. Larkin, at his feet, moved uneasily. The room was becoming clearer. The gas seemed to be drifting backwards. There was a commotion in the hall. Men had stopped running and Storm saw that Bessiter had arrived. Manda was at his side, talking quickly. He saw Bessiter nod his head and dart away, coming perilously near to the grey cloiid. “Keep it going,” Larkin croaked.

Storm moved the stand forward. The powder continued to spurt from the nozzle. Tho air was rapidly becoming clearer. Then Bessitcr was back, wearing a mask. Ho plunged right into tho thick of swirling grey mass'. Larkin struggled to his ’ feet. I’ll take it,” he gasped. Storm helped hiilx to move the apparatus fui’ther across the vast hall. Some of the men were reviving. Willing helpei’s rushed forwards to pick them xxp and take them into the open air. The cloud was rapidly decreasing in density, and Storm w r as able to make out Bessiter’s' powerful figure. Ho was bending over the cylinder from which tho gas was escaping, evidently trying to seal it once more. He finished the job as they brought the apparatus close to him. Once the air was clear he lipped off tlio mask and grinned: up at them. “Good thing you thought to bring your little toy with you, Laikiu,” he commented.

“It’s a good tiling Storm here understood what had to be done. I was nearly done in, and couldn’t do more than signal.” “You msut (have signalled pretty plainly,” said Bessiter in a withering tone. “Why you didn’t have instructions put on the thing heats me. People wouldn’t know what it was for. They might think it was a new type of fire extinguisher.” Larking didn’t reply; lie was examining the cylinder. “This isn’t one of ours!” he exclaimed suddenly. (To be continued.)