“I will take you,” Brent said immediately.
“No, please! I’d rather you didn’t.” Her words rumbled out in a rush and she turned away to the road.
“Gale,” he called after her. “Wait!” He held out his hand and she put hers into it reluctantly. “You are sweet, Gale. We’re always friends, remember!”
“Good night,” she said thickly. When she walked to the bus stop there were tears in her eyes, tears of anger and self-reproach. How could she ever face him again? She had practically thrown herself at him! And the way he had talked to her——
In the darkness she stopped to wipe away a surreptitious tear and instantly came to attention. She had not yet quite reached the road. Here there were heavy trees on each side of her. From the trees on her right came the sound of voices, low, sinister voices. She recognized one of the voices as that of the man who had almost taken the plans from Bruce that night at the old spring house!
Chapter VII
INVADERS
Gale stepped silently behind a tree and listened. Her heart was thumping heavily. It sounded like thunder in her own ears. The voices were mere whispers now; only occasionally could she catch the words uttered. She puzzled over the snatches of conversation that drifted back to her.
“Alone—motor in the black plane—so he won’t be able to fly Saturday—now is our chance—worth five thousand to us.” Here there was a lengthy pause before Gale heard: “Let’s go!”
The last sent her sprinting back the way she had come at top speed. Only partly did she understand, but this much was clear: The two men, she supposed there were only two of them, had discovered that Brent was alone at the hangar. They were going back there to do something—anything to keep him from flying in the races on Saturday. She remembered the night when she and Bruce had agreed to take the plans to Stubby. Brent had told them then that there had been a bold attempt on his life once before. It seemed now there was to be another. She covered the distance to the hangar much more swiftly than she had left it. Sheer terror lent wings to her feet.
Brent was sitting outside the hangar where she had left him. He stood up slowly when she came into sight.