Homepage
Login
Profile
BookClubs
dmBox
Read this ebook for free! No credit card needed, absolutely nothing to pay.
Words: 55683 in 27 pages
This is an ebook sharing website. You can read the uploaded ebooks for free here. No credit cards needed, nothing to pay. If you want to own a digital copy of the ebook, or want to read offline with your favorite ebook-reader, then you can choose to buy and download the ebook.
r the departure and arrival of the machines; therefore, when he reached London's outskirts he made for Blackheath, and without difficulty brought the aeroplane to earth, a stone-throw from the shed in question. It said a great deal for the capabilities of the biplane that her pilot was enabled to strike his destination so exactly. Of course, the usual concourse of people gathered when the great bird-like structure fluttered down from the sky, but Dan sent a messenger to the man who looked after the shed, and soon had Vincent's masterpiece safely put away under lock and key. As he had been practising flying and strenuously testing the qualities of the machine, it was quite five o'clock before he was free to do what he would. As the distance from Rugby was just over eighty miles he could have arrived much earlier had he wished. But there was no need to do so, and every need to accustom himself to handling the biplane easily in view of the great race.
When Dan had given certain instructions to the man who looked after the shed and was responsible for the safety of the machine, he walked across the Heath to a comfortable inn, where he was well known, as he had put up at it many times previously. It was here that he had appointed the meeting with Marcus Penn, for the next morning, but so eager was he to come face to face with the man and wring the truth out of him, that he almost decided to walk to Lord Curberry's house, which was two miles distant. But a swift reflection that he could do nothing until the next morning--since Penn had to be coaxed on to the aeroplane and certainly would decline a night-run--decided him to wait. The "Black Bull" was a particularly comfortable hotel and the landlady supplied tasty dinners; therefore Halliday took the good the gods sent him and settled down for a quiet evening. After a stroll to the shed to see that Vincent's creation was all right he returned to the inn and went to bed. His nerves speedily relaxed, and he slept deeply until nine o'clock in the morning. As he had invited Penn to see him at eleven, he had just time to take his breakfast comfortably, read the newspaper, and saunter; out to take the fresh air before his visitor arrived.
Marcus Penn had not improved in looks since Dan had last seen him. His thin face was still yellow, his hair and moustache still scanty, and he appeared to be as nervous as ever. When he sat down he looked apprehensively at Halliday with his pale eyes, and passed his tongue over his dry lips. It seemed to the aviator that Penn's conscience was not quite at rest, else he would scarcely look so scared, when--on the face of it--there was no need to do so. Dan, however, soon set him at his ease, which was the first necessary step towards gaining his confidence. For, unless that was gained he assuredly would not set foot on the aeroplane.
"How are you getting along, Mr. Penn?" said Halliday, genially. "Have a cigarette and something wet? Oh, I forget you don't drink so early in the day. I am glad you are up to time, as I am just starting out on a fly."
"Really," remarked the secretary eagerly. "I should like to see you make a start. Is your flying-machine near at hand?"
"In the shed over yonder, on the verge of the Heath," said Dan, jerking his head over his left shoulder; "but I daresay you wonder why I asked you to see me, Mr. Penn?"
"Well, er--that is--er--I did wonder a trifle," hesitated the pale man, and again looked anxious.
"It has to do with your literary ambitions," said Halliday slowly.
Penn flushed, looking both relieved on learning why he had been summoned to the meeting and pleased that the subject should be of such personal interest. "What do you know of my literary ambitions?" he asked doubtfully.
"All that Miss Moon could tell me," said Dan, promptly, and this was absolutely correct, as Lillian had long ago asked him to aid the secretary, although he had never troubled about the matter until now.
"Yes, I certainly did tell Miss Moon that I wished to become a novelist. I found her sympathetic."
"Yes, she would be; she always is. I suppose," said Dan darting off at a tangent, "that you are comfortable with Lord Curberry?"
Free books android app tbrJar TBR JAR Read Free books online gutenberg
(0)More posts by @FreeBooks
