Linda Carlton's Ocean Flight

by Edith Lavell

  CHAPTER XIV

  _The New Year's Eve Party_

  The sun was setting over the snow-covered horizon when Ted Mackaylanded his mono-plane at Spring City on the last afternoon of theold year. A trifle stiff from their long ride, but still happy andcarefree, the girls stepped out on the field.

  At the arrival of the plane several of the men employed at the airportrushed out and greeted Linda Carlton, for they knew her well, fromflying her Pursuit over Spring City, and coming there for supplies andinspection. Of course they had read her story in the newspapers.

  "But you won't be flying for a while now, will you Miss Carlton?"remarked one of the men, regretfully.

  "I shan't be flying the Pursuit," answered Linda. "But we have planesat school. I am taking a course at a ground school in St. Louis thisyear."

  "What kind of course, Miss Carlton?"

  "I am in line for two licenses--a commercial pilot's and a mechanic's."

  "Mechanic's!" repeated the man, in consternation. "Are you in earnest?"

  "Certainly," smiled Linda, for she was quite used to people exclaimingover her chosen study. "Will you give me a job here when I finish?"

  "I'll say we will! If you'd take it. But you won't. You'll have biggeroffers than this."

  "Come along, Linda!" urged Louise, pulling her chum by the arm. "Aren'tyou cold?"

  "No, but I'm dying to see my family," she replied, and followed Louiseto the taxi which Ted had engaged.

  In contrast to her homecoming before Christmas, when her father and heraunt were plunged in gloom, Linda found them almost hysterical in theirjoy. Never had her father seemed so wrought up, so emotional. He kissedher again and again. Tears streamed down her aunt's cheeks.

  "Darling child!" she cried, "we thought we should never see youagain! Oh, your father and I have never had two such dreadful days asyesterday and the day before!"

  "But they're over now," returned Linda. "And the only sad part of itall is that I have no plane."

  "Which is all for the best," was Miss Carlton's comment.

  "I wish that I could buy you another," lamented her father.

  It was then that Linda told her story, giving her reasons for the trip,and the events that led up to her suspicions about Bess Hulbert. Onlyone part she omitted--and that was her own desire to buy a Bellanca andfly the Atlantic. It would be a very poor time to tell her aunt of anysuch a wish.

  Mr. Carlton listened in amazement; he was sure his daughter was correctin all her surmises.

  "We can easily put an end to Miss Hulbert's smuggling now," he said."With the help of the United States officers.... Why, Linda, you havesaved my business!"

  "I hope we have, Daddy. But don't forget the credit goes to Louise too.I never could have done anything without her to help me."

  "That's all perfectly lovely," put in Miss Carlton. "But the person I'mmost grateful to is Ted Mackay. No knowing what might have happened ifhe hadn't rescued you when he did. And think of the hours of torturingsuspense he saved us all here at home!"

  "Yes, that's right," agreed her brother, who now thoroughly approved ofthe young man. "I'd like to thank him myself. Where is he, Linda?"

  "He went home with Lou. She invited him before I even thought of it.But she asked us all to come over to their house to dinner. How aboutit, Aunt Emily?"

  "I'd be delighted. At least, if you'd rather go there than to the NewYear's Eve dance at the Country Club."

  "I'd rather go to both," announced Linda, gayly. "Lou and Ted expect totake that in too, for I heard her saying she'd dig out a costume forhim. Could you find something for me, Auntie?"

  "Of course I could," replied the older woman, smiling happily. It wasjust like old times again, she thought--with dinner parties and costumedances to take one's attention.

  "I'll go up in the attic right away," she decided. "What sort of thingwould you prefer?"

  "Anything different from this dirty old flyer's suit. I hate the sightof it, after living in it at that miserable cabin. Why, I haven't hadanything else since we left Plattsburg! I'm going to burn it tonight!"

  Again Miss Carlton smiled; this was the Linda she liked best, thedainty girl who looked charming in fluffy, feminine gowns.

  "I'm going to hurry and get my bath before anybody comes," added thegirl. "And get into a dinner dress."

  She left just in time, for no sooner had she reached the top of thestairs than she heard Ralph Clavering's voice in the hall.

  "Linda! Linda!" he shouted, for her father had told him that she hadjust gone upstairs to dress.

  "Hello, Ralph!" she called back. "I'm dying to see you, but I'm notpresentable. Can you wait about twenty minutes?"

  "I don't want to," he answered impatiently. "But I must, if you say so.Will you go to the dance with me tonight?"

  "O.K.," she replied, joyfully. "I was 'waiting-for-a-partner,' just aswe used to sing in that game we played when we were kids. Ted and Louare going together, and I was left over!"

  "As if Linda Carlton would ever be left over!" he muttered to himself,in amusement.

  When she came downstairs, fifteen minutes later, arrayed in pinkchiffon, he longed so to take her in his arms that it actually hurtto restrain himself. It was so good to see her again--alive andunharmed--more beautiful than ever! He wished she were not so capable,so bent upon having a career. A girl who looked so adorable had noright to possess the keen mind of a man.

  But both Mr. Carlton and his sister were in the room, and Ralph had tocontent himself with shaking hands with Linda.

  The time was short, however; even as she began to answer his questions,the phone bell rang. Congratulations were pouring in; telegrams andflowers arrived, and finally Ralph gave up hoping to talk to her.

  "I'll come for you about ten o'clock," he managed to whisper into herear while she sat at the telephone. Ever so lightly, without her evenrealizing it, he touched her hair with his lips.

  It was with difficulty that she broke away at last, and went with herfather and her aunt to Louise's in the big car that the chauffeurdrove. Thanks to Linda, her aunt Emily would not have to give it up asshe had expected.

  That dinner party was the noisiest, jolliest affair Linda had everattended. No holiday occasion had ever aroused such unrestrainedmerry-making. Even Ted Mackay, who usually was shy among strangers,felt perfectly at home. Louise's small brother insisted upon sittingnext to him at dinner, and regarded him as a favored hero--in the classwith Byrd and Lindbergh.

  "Ted and I have gone into a conspiracy," announced Louise. "We're goingto track down Bess Hulbert tonight, and make her confess everything!"

  "At the party?" asked Linda, in amazement.

  "Surest thing! It'll only add to the excitement."

  "You'll never catch that baby!" remarked her brother, significantly.

  "Go carefully," warned Mr. Haydock. "After all, there is a chance thatshe isn't guilty."

  "A pretty slim chance!" laughed his daughter. "Anyway, it will be funto spot her among all those rigs and false-faces."

  "I thought you were going to say rigs and wigs, Sis!"

  "All right, any way you like, Tim. Only I guess we better stop foolingand get dressed. It may take a good while to wiggle into our costumes.Especially yours, Big Boy," she added, to Ted. For he was to wear anold suit of her father's, which was sure to be rather small for him.

  The girls, who had been used to these sorts of affairs, found the dancejust like all the other parties. Lights, splendid costumes, gayety,color, and music; but to Ted Mackay it was strange and exciting. But hedanced well, and his manners were just as good as those of the otherboys--if anything he was more courteous than many of them. To hissurprise he found that he was being f?ted along with Linda and Louise,who were singled out and congratulated every few minutes, not only byfriends, but by mere acquaintances as well, who had read about them inthe papers and felt proud to know them.

  But although Ted was carried away by the fun and the excitement, Louisedid not forget the fact that she h
ad a self-appointed duty to perform,to corner Bess Hulbert, and ply her with questions.

  She thought she had identified her in a Dutch girl's costume, but shefound when they all unmasked for supper that she was mistaken.

  "Where's that Hulbert woman?" she asked Kitty Clavering, irritably.Louise just had to be frank; if she felt no respect for a person shemade no effort to conceal her opinion.

  Kitty flushed. She never could understand why her friends did not carefor Bess Hulbert as she did. The young woman was getting to be veryunpopular at the Flying Club, and Ralph positively detested her.

  "Bess?" she stammered. "She's gone abroad."

  "Abroad!" repeated Louise, aghast, wondering whether she and Lindacould have been mistaken all along. "When did she go?"

  "She's sailing today. She left here for New York yesterday."

  "What for?" demanded Louise, bluntly. But already she had guessed thereason. They had not been mistaken at all: Bess Hulbert was fleeingfrom justice!

  "She's English, you know," Kitty explained. "Her family--except herbrother--are all in England."

  "Has she given up the idea of competing for that prize?"

  "I don't think so. Not if she can get a boat, as she calls it."

  "Have her people money?"

  "How do I know?" retorted Kitty, in exasperation at thiscross-examination. She never had got on well with Louise Haydock; shecouldn't understand how such a sweet girl as Linda Carlton could wanther as a best friend.

  She turned abruptly away, for at that moment Lieutenant Hulbert enteredthe room, and made straight for Kitty. From that moment on, she hadneither eyes nor ears for anyone else.

  Louise was thankful to have Ted appear to claim her for another dance,and she told him immediately of Bess Hulbert's sudden departure.

  "Just what we might have expected," said Ted. "Well, that is proofenough that she is guilty. Are you going on with the chase?"

  "How can I--now? But if she ever dares to set foot in the United Statesagain, and compete for that prize, I'll certainly do everything I canto expose her guilt."

  "Don't forget, if you need me, I'm always right there!" Ted remindedher.

  "I'll never forget it," Louise replied, wishing that she didn't likehim so much. After all, he was Linda's find--and if her chum cared forhim--and wanted him----

  But Linda Carlton did not look at this moment as if she wanted anyoneor anything more than she had. One partner after another would snatchher away when she had danced only half-way around the ballroom. RalphClavering was the most persistent pursuer of them all; he never allowedher a single dance without cutting in at least twice.

  At first Linda took this as a joke, but when it happened for sevendances in succession, she grew a trifle weary, and asked him to stop it.

  "If you will give me two whole dances alone--sitting them out in thebalcony," he agreed. "Then I'll be satisfied."

  "Why two?" she countered.

  "Because I have so much to say to you!"

  "Oh, all right," she said, and together they pushed through the crowd,up the stairs to the balcony to a spot where a long bench was hiddenbehind some palms.

  She looked at him questioningly.

  "Linda darling, haven't you guessed what it is all about?" he demanded,bending over so close to her that his face almost touched hers. "I loveyou! I've always loved you! I want you to give up this fool air school,and marry me. Elope with me! Tonight!"

  Linda drew back, in amazement.

  "Why, Ralph, you're talking of something impossible!" she said, hurt atthe very idea. "Imagine your father--my Aunt Emily--if we eloped!...I never did think elopements were romantic--only selfish, when youconsider the folks at home. Besides, you have college to finish----"

  "I could chuck it!" he interrupted, putting his arm about her slendershoulders, and drawing her closer to him. "Please! I'll buy you a newplane----"

  "Now Ralph!" she laughed, and rose quickly to her feet. "Don't try tobribe me. No--positively no!"

  "But you do like me?"

  "Yes. Heaps."

  "Not love?"

  "I don't care for any man in that way," she declared.

  "Are you sure you don't love Ted Mackay?" Jealousy was always a part ofRalph's nature.

  "Oh, no! I have always admired him for his ability. But I don't lovehim.... No, I'm only in love with aviation."

  He was standing too, looking disappointed, but not heart-broken.

  "I may ask you again?" he pleaded.

  "When you graduate from college, yes."

  "Two and a half years to wait!" he sighed, despondently.

  "If I'm not lost in the ocean in the meanwhile," she added, lightly.

  "Linda, that reminds me--" He pulled her down to the bench again. "Iknow you're counting on trying for that prize--oh, don't deny it,for I saw the excitement in your eyes that day Bob Hulbert made theannouncement--but I don't think you can hope to win, even if you do gethold of another plane.... I'm afraid that Hulbert woman is going tobeat you to it."

  "Why, Ralph?" asked Linda, seeing that it was useless to deny herdesire.

  "Because I believe she's planning to fly soon."

  "What with?"

  "She's gone to England to have a special plane made.... I'll tell you asecret, if you promise not to breathe it to Kitty that I told you: Sislent her her pearls, so that Miss Hulbert could raise a loan for theprice of the plane."

  "Oh, no!" cried Linda, shocked for Kitty's sake, as well as for her ownand Louise's.

  "Yes, she did. I saw Miss Hulbert take away a box yesterday, and Iquestioned Kitty. So she told me why."

  "Then," concluded Linda, dolefully, "I guess that settles it!"

  "So you might as well give up aviation and marry me!"

  "Forget it, Ralph!" Then, deliberately assuming a light-hearted manneragain, she added, "Come on back and dance.... But remember--no morecutting in!"