Dangerous Deeds; Or, The Flight in the Dirigible

partment in which he stood, it spread as mysterious and as sodden as a flood, enveloping streets, parks, houses, indeed all but the tops of

wed quickly by thin banners of red and orange. Then the Sun rose and turned the domes

. Buildings and statues seemed to lift themselves out of it and finally, broad and placid in the desertion of dawn, the streets themselves ap

ad seen thrilling shy views of towers and spires and mosques and temples lifting under many s

ow and, leaning far out, scanned the cloudless sky with practiced gaze. Far away in the west appeared a thing of wings and sound fl

until eleven of them, all light biplanes, dashed headlong across the sky. Then, their pace slacke

ten planes circled. Then the leader, turning sharply, led the others in the direction of Mount Vernon until they vanished. The single plane, lazy as the buzzards below, hung almost motionless, waiting, effortless and sere

he was clinging precariously to the hard granite facing outside the window, while leanin

ark, in order not to show soil, odds and ends of well-worn, not to say shabby mission furniture, a table, chairs, a desk with a soiled blotter firmly skewered down on its flat top, a crex rug

He had never been so "well fixed," as he said, but he did not approve. Like ever

e at the soiled blotter, sat down at the table, tried his fountain pen and commenc

er until quieted by a black bottle brought her by an evil looking, leering man at whose approach all the children scattered and hid themselves. The children, when they spoke to the woman at all, called her Moll. Lawrence could not remember a time when the

d with odds and ends of rags and clothing too unspeakable for use. In this one day, while Moll was digging through its

a little it tantalized him, then it was forgotten until a memorable morning when the welfare worker appeared with a couple of officers, a patrol wagon and an ambulance. Into the ambulance Moll w

ildren into the patrol wagon, Snooks ran back

?" asked the

unchildish voice. "Moll she give it to m

ry shabby, cheap affair, held nothing but a small photograph wrapped up in a piece of newspaper, and on another piece that had evidently been abo

him in charge. A name was needed, and Snooks was asked to find one for himself, a feat he was incapable of doing. So o

kly ignorant, became Lawrence Peti

rength that bored the other children held him spellbound. He became quick and wiry as a cat, with lean limbs and perfectly trained muscles. As time passed, he heard stories of homes and of mothers and fathers that f

e boy. He was bound to fly; he

hen an aircraft factory was started in Louisville to supply the growing demands for private machines, this teacher secured employment for Lawrence, and soon he was dismissed from the Home as perfectly able to care for himself. With him went the shabby bag; and now for the first time the boy took time t

atures and masses of glorious hair made the face seem almost unr

vely, laughing face. He buckled down to work with a new ambition. Past he had none. He determined to make for himself a future that he could be proud of. And because he had no one, actuall

on the field. After he found that most of his time was to be spent far above the earth, he commenced to worry about the picture. What if his things should be burned up? What if the picture should be stolen? So, cutting a piece of cardboard the exact size, he went down and bought a leather pocket case in whi

and many of the wounds of that unforgettable war had heal

ot rattle and reverberate with the roar of engines unless on special class or instruction work. Traffic machines went with silent, steady directness

e which promised to carry him higher and farther than any which he had yet attempted. He referred to the letter before him. It was long and typewritten on handsome paper. Hamilton Ridgeway, the writer, w

ways stood ready to finance any great national undertaking, yet who was so simple and kindly that he never failed to send back a cheery hello to the newsie who happened to know and speak his name

was almost time to start for his appointment, calmly put up his writing, brushed his hair, glanced at his wrist watch, and seeing that

g to make good just so I can always like to look at you. Gee, you are sweet! You must be old enough to be my mother because you have looked just like you do now ever since I first saw

make you proud of him. Tell you what I will do, Pretty. I am going to make believe that you are waiting for me somewhere, and I have got to make good before we meet. How's