“Whew,” he whistled, as his hungry eyes devoured the beauty of her face. “It would have been worth it if I had stolen a whole squadron of war-ships to come to see you in.” “Tell me the beautiful alibi lie, Jimmy,” the girl insisted. “You can’t appreciate the value of a lie until you know the truth,” Jimmy began, inhaling his cigarette smoke. “The truth is this: I have been in the aviation camp for eighteen months without a chance of getting leave of absence to come to see you. The only chance I have ever had to talk has been on your visits to your brother at the camp, and those opportunities have been too few. Now, I am an expert airplane mechanic, and in repairing machines I am permitted to try them out before brave aviators like your brother are permitted to risk their valuable lives in them. So this afternoon I repaired a machine and took a trial flight which has extended for seventy miles, and which ended just about four miles from Tickfall, and ten miles by automobile from you. I came here to see you because I love you, and before I go back I expect your promise to marry me!” “Oh, how perfectly glorious!” the girl exclaimed. “That’s the truth! Now, tell me the beautiful lie!” “When I go back to the camp I shall tell them that I started out on a trial flight, and had engine trouble; had to land in the heart of these great Louisiana swamps, and lost my bearings. I shall tell them I spent two days wandering in the wilderness like the children of Israel before I found a human habitation. There I got help, made my repairs, and hurried back!” “That’s fine, Jimmy!” Juan exclaimed. “But will they believe it?” “I don’t know. If you think it is too risky, suppose you promise to marry me right now, and let me hurry back?” “You’re joking, now, Jimmy,” the girl answered promptly. “You must save your lies and jokes till you get back to camp. Maybe they’ll believe them.” The door opened, and a handsome gentleman stepped out upon the porch. “Father,” the girl said, as they both rose to their feet, “this is Mr. James Gannaway, from the aviation camp where brother is.” “I welcome you, young man,” Mr. Chieniere exclaimed cordially. “I wish you were my son come in from the camp.” “I wish so, too,” Jim said simply, and his words held a meaning which the father did not get. IV THE FLYING CLUB When Skeeter Butts returned to the Hen-Scratch saloon, he found his three friends at the table, listening with the most intense interest to the speech of the stranger recently arrived among them, Red Cutt. They were so intent upon his words that Skeeter regretted his absence from the saloon. He felt that he had missed something of the utmost importance, for he had never seen his three friends more excited than they were at that particular moment. Skeeter paused at the door and listened. Red Cutt was speaking.