STRATOSPHERE EXPRESS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22675, 12 March 1937, Page 18

STRATOSPHERE EXPRESS

CHAPTER Xll.—(Continued) . '"The very night that I received news 'of this change in my position Dickin called on me. He showed mo some letters which, at first, I could not credit". But, in the end, he managed to convince me. The death of my son had not been an accident.' It "was deliberate. Dickin showed ine notes which had been written by my hoy, who was more skilled than 1 had imagined. Wilfred —that was my son's name —had mentioned about this " improvement[ to which the notes related to both Bessiter and another person. Bessiter claimed that he had the right"to "anything worked out in his own place, and that there should not bo any financial reward. Wilfred refused to submit to this. The following day there was the accident. "I call it an accident, but it was deliberate. The only accident about it was that Malcolm Williams went up at the same time.

"I "can see that you don't credit the story. I didn't. But how could I get away from the notes and a few letters which Dickin produced? 1 know my own son's writing. And I was well aware of Bessiter's writing. There wasn't much from him, and what there was didn't prove anything—except when taken in conjunction with some letters my son had sent to Lovac regarding the sale of the invention. "Dickin realised that I was only half convinced, and he then produced a written confession from the man who had tampered with the aeroplane, and caused the smash. He stated quite definitely that Bessiter had instructed him —and had also paid him." "The whole lot might have been faked," Storm commented. Rush shook his head. "There was no mistaking that the letters written, by Wilfred were gennine. He had a little trick with his signature which nobody would think to imitate. I'll tell vou."

He came closer to Storm and leaned' forward as though confiding a great secret. v

■ "The dot above the 'i' in his Christian name was really small circle. One had to use a glass to make certain, because Wilfred could write a very snijill, fine hand. When I was shown the letters, I asked- for custody of them for a few minutes. This was permitted, and I used a magnifying glass: Those letters were definitely written by my son. J , "From that moment I hated Bessiter. I would have done anything to destroy hip. So I was perfectly willing to take up the post of the secret works and to promise to pass news on to Dickin and his friends. "But I think that Bessiter suspected me. 1 never had the slightest chance of communicating with my friends. Every movement I made was watched. But I knew that Dickin was carr\*ing on with his plan, because notes came through ~ at times, always with stuff brought from the works. . "I didn't know about the explosive in the case. That had been done quickly, and there had not been any opportunity of warning me. "Of course, I realised that Dickin ■was responsible for it. What I did not know was the plan adopted by Bessiter. But Manda came to me and told me that she knew I was helping those who were against Bessiter. I was not really surprised, because she had come so near

to catching me red-handed on two or three occasions. It seemed that she was afraid because of what might happen to you. So I had t'o tell her where Dickin had his headquarters." » Storm smiled. , . ... , . , VSo she was worried about me?" Rush nodded his head. A twinkle came into his eyes. . , - "Slie seemed very worried. We struck a bargain. She promised -to keep 'the news to herself'apd not to tell Bessiter of my own duplicity. But' I saw that this could not be,done entirely*, so, we' arranged that her name was .to be- kept out of rthings, but that' you would have to be able to tell what you knew. I was already planning to leave the works, because J saw.that I had been forced into an .impossible position. "I managed--to' make my escape by night...lt-was not easy, and more than onceT"was nearly discovered. "It'was only to-day that Dickin told me about the monoplane. He knew that there was going to be a test flight. I had told him that, of course; because I gave a brief outline of what had taken place at the works. /'Dickin took some other men and

waited outside Larkin's hangar. Larkin and his helpers were taken prisoners and pioved away in„ a car. Dickin assembled the monoplane and dealt with the testing. He made sure that it was all right tor taking off, but calculated that there would be an accident when it" was in the air, especially if there was a speed test. "'When I was told what had taken place, it was far too late for me to do anything. I had an idea that Manda might take tho machine up, because I knew that her brother had had something' to do with inventing the wing structure.

"It seemed to me that the world had come to an end. The last person I wanted to harm was Manda. I didn't say anything to Dickin, but when he had gone I started to think out what I could do. There wasn't anything. 1 was beaten. I'd .tried to work for two sides, and, in consequence, belonged to neither.

"I just sat here by the table and waited. I hoped that the police would come and take me away—although

there was no reason why they should. /But I felt a criminal. •'Now what are you going to do with me?"

Rush stood still at last. He had been pacing up and down the tiny room while he had been making his confession.

-"What are you going to do with Ihe?" he asked again. Storm didn't like to . look at him. Bush was somebody very badly beaten.

"I want a bit more information," he said after a pause. "Has Lova'c been at the back of Dickin all the time?" ' ' "No," said Rush. "Dickin has always had the intention of selling out all he could discover —and he has known that Lovac was the best buyer. But Lovac came into it on his own accord. He had a man watching on the night you were captured. I don't know how he managed it, unless he was having Dickin watched very closely, and had the telephone line to the laboratory tapped." "I expect that was it." "That's all 1 know—except about lUacready." "Yes," said Storm slowly. Somebody was responsible for that smash." "Yes," said Hush quietly. "Know who?" 4 Rush shook his head. "I think wo can save you, Rush," Storm said. "You have to make a choice, of course. You must finish up either for or against us. Which is it? I'm not trying to dictate. I'm trying to safeguard Manda." /'"I'll help to the best of my ability—if you'll, have me," said Rush. "I've been through purgatory, wondering what has happened to her." V Right. I will tell Bessiter that you moved away because you had a lino on our enemies. I will also tell him what you have discovered. And then I will see that you are reinstated."

By ALROY WEST Author of " Hate Island." " Death Messenger," etc., etc.

DRAMATIC STORY OF LOVE AND ADVENTURE

(COPYRIGHT)

Rush gave a shadowy smile. "I think I'm best kept out of it," he said gently. "We'll see, anyway. But I want to know ono other thing. "What?" "Where is Larkin?" Rush smiled. "I can tell you that. He is with his workmen. They're fastened up and they are-inside a Co-ordinated World Transport Company's freight .aeroplane at the Company's air-field. It takes off tonight,'and is going to slip away without calling at the newly constructed Government Airfield for clearance. It's bound for South America 1" CHAPTER XIII. "The best place is along here," Bessiter whispered. • . Storm glanced back at the> red twinkle from the rear of the car which had brought them to the airfield. It had seemed a great adventure while they made the car journey, but now that they were right up against the wall of the Co-ordinated World Transport Company's station, he felt that it was a preposterous affair.

He had noticed several people going through the imposing gates, evidently bound for a night-flying air liner which would whisk them over to mid-Europe by morning. There was all- tb,a bustlo and activity of a busy airport, and Bessiter proposed to walk in and fly away with one of the giant machines. It was a bold plan—but Storm had the consolation of knowing that bold plans have a habit of being successful. He already had more than a hir-1 of the method to be adopted, for they were both in flying kit, although his own.was a size or so too largo and correspondingly -uncomfortable. Bessiter led the way.

They left the square, white building which served as the administration offices and passengers' entrances. There was a smaller entrance further along for the lorries which brought goods for the freight aeroplanes. Bessiter walked past this and reached the one end of the frontage. There was a short wall along the side, and then some low boards. When they reached a place well in the shadow he indicated for Storm to stop. "I know this place slightly," he saul softly. "Just over the wall is a long shed used for storing things, especially goods awaiting transit.- There is a watchman in a small office at the front. Nobody will notice us if we climb over here."

He helped Storm up and then clambered after him. They both dropped without mishap to the gravel path. Keeping close to the rear of the shed, they moved along until they could peep round a corner of it. From this vantage point they had a good view of the tarmac, where a giant, four-engined air liner was full in the blaze of a powerful arc lamp. To the side were numerous lights from the offices, and, a little apart, like a squat lighthouse set in a field, from the control tower. "The hangars are straight ahead," Bessiter whispered. "Watch your chance and then slip across."

It was not so easy as it sounded. There were several people standing near the air liner, and the pilot, . together with two officials, was standing on the side nearest to them. There were one or two mechanics wandering about, seemingly waiting for a machine still in the hangar.

One of them passed within a stone's throw. Storm leaned forward, waited until the man was hidden behind the long shed, and then raced for the shadows. It seemed to him that everybody would hear the sound of his boots. But there were no shouts of alarm. He glanced over his shoulder, and was in time to see Bessiter start to run. "First'part," announced his employer. "Now; we have to find the machine.-I expect it ! is just beyond these hangars. : Come-on."' They -moved forward quickly. Storm glanced at his watch, and calculated that they'had about a quarter of an hour before the aeroplane, in which Larkin was a prisoner would be starting out. Bessiter stopped at the end of the of hangars. "This is awkward," he muttered.

' Storm, with a sinking heart, realised that it was impossible to cross the next portion without beinp; seen, because there were powerful lamps and there were some, men at work unloading a lorry.. ,?;r. _ "Light a cigarette,-' Bessiter commanded. Storm did this. Bessiter .followed suit. /.

"Now stroll across deep in talk." ' Storm felt his brow become damp. It was one thing to dodge in tho shadows, but to deliberately walk across practically under the noses of some of the company's workers was another matter. Storin took a deep breath. "The rest will be child's play once this bit is done," he thought. He was wrong. Worse was to follow. They strolled forward, Bessiter setting the pace and even stopping to point out something on a slip of paper right under one of the lights. But the workers did not seem to notice them. Not so a mechanic. "Hey! Who are you?" he asked, just when they thought they had reached a safe part. "Alight ask you that," said Bessiter slowly. Tho mechanic obviously bristled. "You're not company men!" he accused.

"Right first time," said Bessiter. "We come from Mr. Godfrey Lovac, being—as you might say—private pilots to him. We are doing a bit of business for him —connected with a South American consignment. Of course, if you care to insist upon it, well, my mate and I are willing to come along with you to Mr. Lovac and explain that you stopped us." The mechanic seemed uneasy. "Say!" he said. "I didn t realise that. Sorry, old man." "That's all right," said Bessiter heartily. "But don't make a talking picture of it. Yon; know how Lovac smiles? Well, he smiled at us—at my mate hero and me— and said quietlike. 'You won't advertise your, presence too much, will you, Russell?' So if it's printed in tho newspapers tomorrow thero might be some trouble." "I'll keep quiet," the man promised. Bessiter turned to Storm. "Como on, Davies. Wo haven't much time you know. And Lovao does get impatient sometimes." The mechanic passed on. "By tho way, Bessiter, turning suddenly. "Yes," said the man. "You might help us out of a little difficultv." "What is it?"

"My mate hero is rather .low on tho uptake. Ho can't remember * where Lovac told him the aeroplane would bo. First he said No. 1 hangar, and now he thinks it might have been No. 3. Ho thinks perhaps it was an odd number, but he wouldn't be sure. If it isn't an odd one —well, it's oven!" Bessiter roared with laughter and the mechanic followed suit. "I'll take you to it," he offered, "Then your mate can't make a mistake, can he?"

"Good of you," Bessiter said with a grin, giving Storm a quick nudge with his elbow. "It's way beyond No. 3 hangar," the man went on. "The company have had a new idea about cargo 'planes. They take ofF from a separate field on the far side of the row of hangars." "Oh! Why's that?" The man shook his head. i (To bo continued daily)