The Highflyers

ns who loved and feared for their country, was the birth of the thing that came to be known as the Plattsburg Idea. It was the one sign of life in an ocean of lethargy; it showed that there we

attsburg experiment will stand out dist

-bound vessels; the German torch was applied to factory and mill. Irritation increased, became acute to such a point that Doctor Dumba, who had used his sacred station as ambassador to shield his activities as arch plotter, was dismissed and sent on his disgraced way Vienna-wards. Von Papen and Boy-Ed, red-handed, were whisked away.... The Arabic was sunk. Then it seemed that Germa

rn to its sleep. His alarm-voice rang in its ear

senting a stalemate. The heralded "big push" had failed, or what one might safely call failed. Russia w

essage in December dealt with preparedness, naval and military, and promised much. Mr. Garrison had a plan.... The inert mass of the people was no longer inert; it stirred, moved, but did not awaken. Perhaps it was vexed by nightmare visitations.... Henry F

ing its wealth but never able to exhaust its income. Submarine sinkings were academic affairs in Detroit; bomb plots, the incitement of labor to violent unrest, the torch of the plotter, were matters that affected her more nearly. There were those in high places who knew that the stealthy eye of Germany's army of moles was on the city; that they tunneled underneath the c

ntinued to

define. One might almost have been justified in saying that he had not gotten well of his injuries, but had been recreated. There is a spiritual rebirth which need not of necessity have anything to do with so-called morals. Any changes apparent in Potter were

ating electricity which must have outlet, and, none being provided, took what freakish, ill-considered outlet it found. The same dynamo was still generating, but its product flowed evenly, with stable force

on was to clear the way against his country's call for aeroplanes. And Detroit came to the conclusion that he was mad as a Mar

In spite of a feeling, not so much of suspicion as of questioning, with which Potter regarded Cantor at first, he found himself attracted by the man. This was due, in its inception, doubtless to Cantor's attitude toward Potter's object in life. There was no doubt that Cantor accepted Potter's clearness of vision and was deeply interested in his plans. This, an oasis of belief in a desert of skepticism, wen

e, are used up in bringing him to man's stature and in equipping him with mental tools to carry on the trade of living. At the end of this period he stands balanced in the doorway, ready to step out into the jostle. It is usually at this moment that a woman intervenes. The most critical event of any man's career is the advent of some woman. This point may be argued and combated, but not successfully. It is critical because it is the major point of departure in his journey. The character of this

that so many grasp

hat one might almost say it is the one choosing of his life, is not a choice of educated reason, but is a blind snatch into a grab-bag. The worst of it is that he cannot refuse to grab. Nature has se

date his needs. The building housed a reasonably complete machine-shop, drafting-room, a combination technical library, office, and study, as well as the rebuilt hydro-aeroplane for which it had been constructed originally. Here Potter worked,

on his drafting-table. He had not heard the stopping of a motor-car, nor w

ing you don't know I'm

was not content to extend one hand, but must stretch out bo

on't think the man gave me all the money he got-quite. Dad was furious. He almost busted. As soon as he'd shouted himself into a state of collapse and r

s eyes must have been more eloquent, for Hildegard

recalled her general appearance as one of some pertness; it was not pertness, he saw, but keenness. She had seemed a little girl-a rather naughty, wilful, impertinent little girl; that seeming of youth was there, but it was no longer the youth of the little girl with whom one plays house-it was the youth of the girl on the point of womanhood with whom one would desire to keep house. She had be

etting her hands go with reluctanc

... if your nose was flattened or one leg shorter than the other. Why, yo

he suggested, "if

think you-were not the way you used to be. If you had been crippled-and it was my fault! That's wh

I think I benef

about you before that made me feel uneasy-not exactly comfortable. Like a panther in a cage." She laughed lightly at her simile. "You seemed

is no longer the Pontchart

sfies you?

es

made a great change in you. What

illing in several months' time while I lay on my

you thin

es of America,"

erstand. Are

e result of the war, I suppose, and of little things which derived from the war. The first thin

es

it. Just before I was hurt a man asked me if I loved my country, and that rather started thin

ourse

er thought m

the word is. I haven't been an out-and-out American, but I haven't been anything else. That's all.... Like father, for instance. His father was chased out of Germany in 'forty-eight, and

.... Well, the thing that happened to me was that I learned something abou

here-with all these draw

hat I'm doing. Nobody else seems to.... Doesn't it

ut that-not a great deal. B

t be ready. We'll be in the position of a man with a hand-saw who is suddenly compelled to cut down a forest. We'll have to do everything after the thing comes-raise an army

ting much help or s

e will stay out of it-but I'm going to stick to this game until I know. Because," he said, with a sudden lighting of the

from his own. "It's fine," she said. "I think I understand. I'

it was one of his machinists, called to come in.

he said. "I didn't kn

is Miss von Essen. You k

eturned." His eyes were fixed upon her boldly, but not offensively-admiringly. "I have heard much of Miss von Ess

satisfied. In spite of his well-trained face and manner, he had been unable to conceal a trace of embarrass

l the company I hav

ntly now if surprises lik

of you to come," he said, "but really, you know

id, defiantly, "w

er laughed. "You know what affecti

But fathers don't

nt of something clandestine in his relations

come here.... It is like you, disgracing yourself. Have you no brains? Rushing here to this man that has made your name common in the whole city.... Out of here, out of here while I attend to him!" He advanced threateningly, but

isive, cold, compelling. It cut through von Essen's rage to his consciousness and halted him. "Von Essen," said Cantor, "you forge

ich could flutter to the ground. He was compelled. Cantor's cool voice had a surprisi

ll in that cool, commanding voice, "and you will tre

dded. He was

rde, and, walking to the door, held it open for her, standing c

had the appearance of a

ask you to pardon him," she said. "I shall come aga

imly. "You need have no anxiet

ou do it, Cantor? In another minute I'd have had to thras

contemptuously. "These rich German-Americans g

ve your formula

e subject. "How's

owl

ngs," Cantor suggested. "

'm not showing them to anybody. I feel as if it were g

it.... Just dropped in to ask you to co

y. Want a game of handball

, but I'll let you do it again. Maybe

ot into his car he shrugge