Linda Carlton's Ocean Flight

by Edith Lavell

  CHAPTER XVIII

  _Rivals_

  When Linda got back to the boarding-house on Sunday afternoon, shedashed eagerly up to her room to tell the news to Louise. But her chumwas not there.

  "Where is Lou?" she called to the landlady.

  "Out with Mr. Mackay," replied the woman, smiling.

  There was nothing to do but wait, so Linda tried to busy herself withher studies. But for once she could not get her mind off the subject ofBess Hulbert, and concentrate.

  About five o'clock Louise finally arrived. She looked radiantly happy.

  "I've got something thrilling to tell you, Linda!" she exclaimed,giving the other girl a hug.

  "And I have something not so thrilling to tell you!" returned Linda.

  "Well, out with it! Let's get the bad news over first!" Louise took offher hat and coat and settled down in the arm-chair beside the window.Her eyes took on a dreamy expression.

  "I met Bess Hulbert!" Linda announced, expecting Louise to jump intothe air at the startling fact. But she did no such thing; she took theinformation with the utmost calm.

  "Well, of all things," she remarked. "Where?"

  "At an airplane company in Nashville, Tennessee. And Lou, she confessedeverything."

  "Might as well," muttered her room-mate. "We knew it all anyway."

  "She put up a touching plea for forgiveness. Why, she even promised topay me for the Pursuit, if I didn't turn her over to the authorities."

  "And what did you say?"

  "That I couldn't decide, without talking to you.... Now, what do youthink?"

  "I think that she ought to be put into prison, of course!" repliedLouise. "But it's up to you, Linda. I'll be too busy for the next fewmonths to be bothered prosecuting criminals.... You see, I'm engaged toTed!"

  "Engaged!" Though Linda had expected this to happen, she had no ideait would come so soon. Somehow, she thought Louise would not settleanything definitely until after the flight to Paris.

  "Yes, that's my thrilling news! Aren't you pleased, Linda?"

  "Of course I am, darling! I think it's wonderful.... I was just beingselfish--wondering whether it would interfere with our flight."

  "No indeed it won't! I told Ted I wouldn't consider giving that up.We're not going to be married until June."

  "Then I'll have you three months more!" cried Linda, joyfully."Whoopee! Long enough to finish our course here. After that we probablyshould have been separated anyway, because you know I expect to take ajob."

  "You have to be my maid-of-honor," Louise informed her. "That will be ajob for you."

  "The kind of job Aunt Emily would approve of. I'll be tickled to death,of course, Lou."

  "I'm going home at Easter," continued the other girl, "and Ted iscoming too. We'll make all our plans then. You expect to go home forthe holidays too, don't you? We have a week."

  "I thought something of going over to New Castle, to see how myBellanca is coming along. Then I'd go back to Spring City for the restof the time." She did not add that she had been hoping Louise would gowith her; such a suggestion was out of the question now.

  "Suppose Bess Hulbert beats us, and our trip has to be canceled,"remarked Louise. "Aren't you taking an awful chance letting her off?"

  "Yes, but I'd hate myself if I prosecuted her just because I was afraidof her as a rival. In fact, that's the very reason I'm inclined to lether off--because of the sporting side of the thing. If she weren'tplanning to compete for this prize, I'm sure I'd have her held forsmuggling, anyway, for it would be a difficult matter to prove that shedid something to injure my plane."

  "You're a queer girl, Linda," observed her companion. "You can be somuch more impersonal than most of our sex. I admire you for it."

  Study was out of the question for that evening, because Louise just hadto talk, and this time Linda humored her, listening in amusement to thegirl's praises of Ted Mackay, and her rosy dreams of the future.

  In the days that followed Louise tried to settle down to work, but shediscovered it to be impossible. Her mind was completely absorbed withher trousseau, her wedding, the little house she and Ted meant to buyand furnish. The only thing about flying that interested her at all wasthe trans-Atlantic trip; for this she had not lost her enthusiasm.

  April arrived, bringing the Easter vacation, for the holiday fell latethat year. The girls parted, to meet again at Spring City a day or twolater.

  Linda considered herself exceptionally fortunate to make the trip toNew Castle by air. One of the students who owned a plane happened tobe flying east for the week's vacation, and offered to take her withhim. The weather was delightful, and her visit wholly satisfactory. TheBellanca would be ready for her by the first week of May.

  She boarded a train back to Spring City, and arrived only a day afterLouise. But that one day had been sufficient to spread the news of thelatter's engagement all over the little town, and in spite of the factthat social affairs had slowed down for Lent, she was being entertainedby everyone.

  Linda went directly home and found her Aunt Emily anxiously waiting forher.

  "There's a tea at the Flying Club, dear," Miss Carlton told her,almost before she had removed her hat and coat. "And Kitty has phonedtwice for you."

  "Then I'll have to go right away, I suppose," laughed Linda. "You dolove to get me into society, don't you, Aunt Emily?"

  "Somebody has to keep up that end of it," replied the older woman. "Butfirst, before you go, I want to talk to you.... About that flight toParis."

  Linda stood perfectly still, unable to keep from trembling. In thesethree months that had passed since Christmas, neither had evermentioned the subject, although the girl knew that her father hadperformed his mission as he promised her on New Year's day. Now, atthis late date, was her aunt going to put forth objections? She waitedtensely for the latter to continue.

  "I gave your father my word that I wouldn't do anything to keep youfrom going," said Miss Carlton, "and you must admit that I have kept toit. But circumstances have changed. I think I have a right, and a duty,to speak now."

  "Why--now?" stammered Linda. "What has changed?" She was unable tofollow her aunt's reasoning.

  "Because of Louise's engagement--of course. It wouldn't be fair to TedMackay for her to take a risk like that. You must think of him, Linda."

  Linda fingered her coat nervously, wondering whether she was beingselfish.

  "But Ted is willing for Lou to go," she objected. "And she's crazyabout it herself."

  "Because she cares so much for you, my dear--not because she cares forthe flight itself. If you weren't going, you know she'd never think ofattempting it alone."

  Linda smiled; how could she tell her aunt, without appearing conceited,that Louise was not capable of such a feat?

  "Lou hasn't had enough experience, Aunt Emily," she finally said.

  "But she has been at school as long as you have. And she accompaniedyou on most of your flights last summer.... No, dear--she doesn't carethe way you do. And I don't want you to be selfish."

  "All right, Aunt Emily, I'll talk it over with her," agreed Linda, asshe went up to her bedroom to change into an afternoon dress for thetea.

  All her joyousness at seeing the almost-completed Bellanca hadsuddenly vanished at her aunt's warning; she felt blue again, just asshe had that day before Christmas when she offered to turn her moneyover to her father. In a way things were worse now, for she could notgo to her chum for sympathy, as on the previous occasion. That would betaking an unfair advantage, literally forcing Louise to accompany her.

  She dressed quickly and drove to the Flying Club in her sportsroadster, anxious to get away from her own unhappy thoughts.

  Kitty Clavering, in a flowered chiffon, and sporting a lovelydiamond on her left hand, came to greet her immediately, and in thecongratulations and the gayety that followed, Linda forgot her troublesfor the time being.

  Louise, who was the center of attraction, was completely surrounded byher friends, and it was some minute
s before Linda had a chance to speakto her.

  "Have you a date for tonight, Lou?" she asked. "Has Ted come yet?"

  "No--to both questions," replied Louise. "I promised the family I'dstay home, for some aunts and cousins are coming. Now that I've caughtmy man, they want to look me over," she added flippantly. "And Tedwon't be here till tomorrow. Why? What's on?"

  "I--I'd like to have a talk with you about our flight," said Linda. "Iwas going to ask you to come over to our house and stay all night."

  "That's O.K. with me. Only you'll have to come to our house instead."

  The conversation was interrupted by Ralph Clavering, who had spiedLinda for the first time. He took her hand impulsively, and held it solong that she was forced to pull it away.

  "Where have you been?" he demanded, irritably. "I've been home fromcollege for four days, just waiting for you!"

  "I stopped at New Castle to see my Bellanca," Linda explained, smilingat his impatience. In spite of everything she did and said to thecontrary, he always acted as if he owned her.

  "Linda! You're not really counting on that ocean trip?" he demanded,making no effort to hide his disapproval.

  (Why, oh why, she wondered, is everybody against me?)

  "I am, though," she answered.

  "Louise won't go with you now, will she?"

  "She fully expected to, when I said good-by to her at school. Ofcourse her family may have changed their minds about letting her."

  "I shouldn't think Mackay would permit such a thing!" asserted Ralph,masterfully.

  "Pull yourself together, Ralph!" teased Linda. "This isn't QueenVictoria's time--when men say what women can or can't do!"

  "Well, if she were my wife--or my fianc?e----"

  "Which she isn't! Come on, Ralph, let's dance. So you'll get over yourgrouch."

  "It isn't a grouch. It's genuine worry.... Listen, Linda: if you'rebound to fly to Paris, take me along with you, instead of Louise. Thenat least we could die together."

  "Don't be so morbid!" cried Linda. "Nobody's going to die. Besides,I couldn't take you. The whole point of the thing would be lost. Theprize goes to the _girl_ or _girls_ who fly without a man's help."

  "You could explain that I wasn't a help, only a hindrance," hesuggested. "That I don't know half so much about piloting a plane asyou do, and nothing at all about navigating it."

  "No good, Ralph. Come on, let's dance, as I suggested before. And talkabout something else. How you're going to entertain me tomorrow night,for instance."

  The young man's mood changed instantly, and the rest of the afternoonpassed pleasantly. Indeed, it was with difficulty that Linda broke awayat six o'clock, in order to have time to dash home to tell her aunt ofher plans, and to put some clothing into her over-night bag.

  Louise's family were just ready to sit down to dinner when Lindaarrived, and as the former had explained, there was an assortment ofrelatives. But both girls went out of their way to be agreeable, andwhen they went up to Louise's room a little after ten, they left onlythe most pleasant impressions.

  "Now tell me about the Bellanca," urged Louise, thinking this wasLinda's reason for wanting to see her alone.

  "Oh, it's marvelous, of course. More wonderful than its pictures." Buther tone lacked enthusiasm.

  "What's the matter, Linda?" inquired the other girl. "What has gonewrong?"

  "Nothing.... Only, Aunt Emily thinks I'm selfish to keep you to yourpromise. She wants me to urge you to give up the flight."

  "Don't you just love it the way other people always want to run yourlife?" remarked Louise. "With all due respect to your Aunt Emily, youcan tell her from me, that I'm going! That's all there is to it. If Iwere married, it would be different. But I'm not!"

  "Oh, Lou, you really want to?" cried Linda, hugging her joyfully. "I'mnot being selfish--and dragging you with me?"

  "Absolutely not. We've set the date, and we're going!"

  So Linda Carlton went happily to sleep that night, believing thateverything was settled. Little did she think that on the following daytwo momentous events were to take place that would entirely disrupt herplans.

  It all happened at the breakfast table, with the abruptness of anelectric storm. Mr. Haydock spied the news first, in the paper whichlay at his place. His mouth fell open and he stared at the sheet indismay.

  "'Mabel and Joyce Lightcap take off in tri-motored Ford for Paris!'" heread aloud to Linda and Louise.

  "What?" gasped his daughter, jumping up from her chair and staring atthe headlines over his shoulder.

  "'In quest of the twenty-five-thousand-dollar prize offered by Mrs.Rodman Hallowell to the first girls who successfully fly from New Yorkto Paris without a man,'" he continued.

  Linda sat listening, speechless.

  Louise went on reading where her father had stopped.

  "'The Misses Lightcap, who are sisters, twenty-two and twenty-threeyears of age, had kept their plans secret until last night, when theyarrived at Roosevelt Field in the tri-motored plane. They left atdawn this morning. Weather reports are favorable, and the radio willannounce their progress throughout the course of the day and night....'"

  Louise dropped back into her chair, not daring to show Linda anysympathy, lest her chum burst out crying. She was probably the onlyperson who realized what that flight meant to Linda Carlton.

  "Of course they may not get there," observed Mr. Haydock, soothingly."You girls may still get your chance."

  "Perhaps it's all for the best," observed his wife, unable to concealher feeling of relief at the knowledge that now Louise probably wouldnot go.

  Still Linda said nothing. Silently she ate her grapefruit and drank hercoffee. But she believed she would choke if she tried to swallow anytoast.

  At last the ordeal was over, and she and Louise rose from the table,about to go into the living-room with the newspaper, when a telegramarrived for the latter, containing another startling piece of news,this time from Ted Mackay.

  "Transferred to Wichita, Kansas," Louise read aloud. "Beginning Mayfirst. Can't we be married now?... Arriving Spring City tonight."

  Louise dropped into a chair and burst out laughing. What a relief fromthe tension!

  "Might as well do it!" she cried. "Now that these girls have stolen thehonors!"

  "You really would like to be married next week?" inquired her mother.

  "Yes, if Ted is going so far away. Of course I'll wait to see if theseLightcap women really arrive, but we ought to hear tonight...." She ledLinda up to their bedroom.

  "I really didn't want to go back to school anyway," she explained, whenthe girls were alone. "I've learned all I wanted to."

  "You mean you'll always have Ted, in case things go wrong with yourplane?" asked Linda. It was the first time she had spoken since she hadheard the breath taking news.

  "That's about it. I could never hope to learn as much as he knows.Besides, I don't want to. Just have a license to fly--that's myambition."

  Linda began to put her things into the over-night bag, mechanically, asif she hardly knew what she was doing.

  "I think I had better go home now, Lou, because you'll have a millionthings to do if you want to get married next week. You had better getright to work."

  "I will, though I guess mother'll take charge of most everything," shereplied, her mind already occupied with the plans for her trousseau andher wedding. The flight to Paris was forgotten.

  "I can't have engraved invitations," she muttered, half to herself."I'll have to telephone everybody. But I guess Miss Bonner can rush mywedding-dress through, she's always so obliging----"

  Linda kissed her good-by, and went downstairs. In another minute shewas alone in her roadster.

  Alone! Yes, that was the word. Completely alone! Bitterly she thoughtthat there was no one in all the world who would not be thankful thather dream was shattered. Everybody--her aunt, Ralph Clavering, TedMackay, her father--yes, and Louise herself--every single person wouldheave a sigh of relief at the change in the plans.r />
  She entered the house noiselessly, unwilling to see her aunt yet,for fear the latter would gloat over the news. But soon a desire forinformation of the flyers got the better of her; she must hear thenews. After all, she had to admire their spirit; she must not sulk overher own disappointment like a spoiled child. She went into the libraryand turned on the radio.

  Except for her meals, she never left the instrument that day, listeningto the reports as they came over the wireless. First the plane wassighted off Newfoundland; then a ship identified it half-way across theocean. At supper time the bulletin came through that the plane had beenseen off the Irish coast, and the newspapers went wild with joy. What atriumph for the feminine sex! Even Amelia Earhart took a man with her!This was new; this was history--great as the moment when the suffragemovement had been won!

  By evening Linda had succeeded in controlling her own feelings, and wasable to rejoice with the rest of the world. She even left the radio andwent to a dance with Ralph Clavering, and was somehow able to enjoyherself, although she felt like a different person.

  The next morning the newspapers blazed forth the story that Mabel andJoyce Lightcap had landed safe and sound in Paris, and would receivetheir prize that night at a royal reception in their honor.