He started the engine. The plane skipped along for a few paces, then arose, it seemed to Pen, to great and dizzy heights. In spite of her instructions she ventured to look down. Everything earthly was disappearing. They dodged the clouds, went above them and then slid down to the splendors of the sunlight. Over the hills at full speed they swept along, Larry's air-wise, lightning-swift sensibilities making naught of change of currents and drafts. Then came the joy and thrill of a sixty-mile straightaway spurt. It was wonderful, but the most wonderful part of it to Pen was that she had not even a second of fear, although always this thought of being shot up suddenly straight into an unknown realm had been most terrifying. Up there above the hills and in the clouds, she felt entranced, spiritualized. It was with a feeling of depression that she saw they were spinning down until they hovered over a field, scudding smoothly and slowly along. "You weren't afraid!" exclaimed Larry triumphantly, as they walked along toward a little inn resting at the base of one of the undulating hills. "No;" she answered, "only awed." "Was it anything like you expected?" "No," she replied. A man came out of the inn to meet them. "Halloa, Larry! Too bad I couldn't have had a full house to see. The last tourist left on the train to-day." "Then you'll have more room for us. This is Miss Lamont, Nat. Mr. Yates, the proprietor," he explained to Pen. "Can you give us supper and put Miss Lamont up for the night? I have to fly back to my hotel. I'll return by train in the morning." "Sure thing! House is yours." He showed Pen to a neat little room and told her "supper'd be on in a jiffy." She sat down dazedly. Presently she was roused to her surroundings by Larry's "Oh, Pen!" from below. When she came down to the dining-room, Larry's clear young eyes looked at her keenly. "Not down to earth yet, Pen? I know how you feel. First time I made the sky route, I went off by myself for a day." "Larry, I can't talk about it yet. I will tell you now why I joined you. I thought I would like to go to France--with you. I thought I might be useful some way, but now--" "We won't think of plans now. We'll talk it all over in the morning when I am back. You'll be safe here. Nat would as lief shoot Hebby or anyone else who trailed you. Supper's on the table, so come on." Throughout the meal Larry did most of the talking, Pen scarcely responding. Then he was off, steering in great circles toward town, Pen watching with the quickening of pulse and a renewal of the elation she had felt when taking the air. When he was but a mere speck in the sky, she went up to her little room.