The tunnel thru the air

by William D. Gann

Everything moved along smoothly after this. Walter and Edna were happy in their work and the Fall of 1928 rewarded them with a new and wonderful discovery. They had been able to perfect a machine which would reflect light in such a way as to make an airplane invisible and this, together with Robert's noiseless invention, solved the problem. He knew now that in time of war, the plane could be used to sneak upon the enemy and that they would be unable to see or hear it. After holding a conference, they decided that this invention, as well as "The Demon of Death" should not be patented or offered for sale to any Government, that they would test it out and keep it a secret. Here Robert's great generosity showed itself again when he decided that this invention should be used in time of greatest need for the benefit of the United States. Walter said, "Robert, love indeed does make a great man, makes him unselfish, causes him to think of his country, of his mother, his sweetheart and everything else before himself. No wonder you are making a success and always will, because you are doing right."

The completion of the great machine, "The Demon of Death," which Robert had worked on untiringly day and night, was a great triumph for him, but his wonderful energy had been exhausted. Walter had noticed before the machine was completed that Robert looked tired and worn. His mind lacked its old-time quickness and he feared for his health. Robert began to reach the office late and ceased to take an interest in his work. He was moody and despondent. Thanksgiving Day, Walter and Edna arranged a big dinner and invited Robert. He appeared very much worn and ate very little dinner. Both Walter and Edna noticed that he was less talkative than ever before. About an hour after dinner was over Robert fell in a faint. A doctor was called immediately and after making a careful examination pronounced it a case of nervous breakdown. Said there must be something preying on his mind or that he had been under a long strain. Walter explained the disappearance of Marie and how Robert had worried over the love affair; his long, strenuous campaigns in the stock and commodity markets and his work upon his inventions; that up to a few months previous Robert had been able to work almost day and night without showing any fatigue, but that in recent weeks he had noticed a great change in him. After the doctor had heard the story of the love affair and Marie's disappearance, he was sure that a long and needed rest was necessary to restore Robert to his normal health. He ordered him to remain absolutely quiet and not attempt to look after any of the details of his business. A few days later Walter persuaded Robert to go to Atlantic City, which he did, and after remaining there and resting a couple of weeks, he returned apparently well and showed his old-time strength and vigor. Was anxious to get back to work and look after his speculative deals in the market.

CHAPTER XX

As the end of 1928 neared, war was already raging in Europe. England and Russia had already gone to war as Robert had predicted. Complications were developing quick and fast and war clouds were gathering. Robert knew that it was only a question of a short time when the United States with all of its gold supply, would be attacked and there would be a great battle in the air. Great progress had been made in aviation. Airplanes were carrying mail at the rate of 300 miles per hour. Passenger lines were now starting all over the United States. "Marie the Angel of Mercy," Robert's great ship, was rapidly nearing completion. The new 12-cylinder motor had been tested and the engineers had estimated that they would attain a speed of 1000 miles per hour. Robert was elated over the success and knew that he would now be prepared to help his country in time of its greatest need. He had been working early and late and the interest in his work had kept his mind off Marie. Yet not a day passed but what he made some inquiries or had his detectives chase some clew which he hoped would lead to the discovery of Marie, but all efforts were in vain. No news had ever been heard of her.

With the great progress in radio messages thru the air, and radiograms, Robert knew that in time of war, secret communications would be necessary. Spies could steal codes, and messages sent over the radio could be interpreted; therefore, one of the great needs for the war in the air would be a way to communicate without detection. He finally succeeded in completing what he called "The Pocket Radio." It was no larger than a watch and worked on the same principle of his machine for recording the thoughts of people, only the instrument had to be used by two people who understood how to work it, because the positive radio was carried in one man's pocket and the negative in the other and by pressing the stem, it could be changed from positive into negative. No sound was transmitted thru the air. The machine could be operated by certain motions of the fingers on a little push button which recorded symbols on the other machine that would reveal the message sent. The Pocket Radio made it possible to convey any message without any possibility of detection because only the person sending the message and the one receiving it could understand or know anything about it. This was better than wireless or any other radio discovery up to this time. Robert tested the machine out by leaving one instrument in Walter's pocket, he himself going to Chicago and conveying messages which Walter was able to get without any trouble. He could either speak into this little Pocket Radio and convey the sound without anyone else being able to take it from the air, or use it to convey thoughts or emotions. The test proved perfect and Robert knew that he had another great discovery which would be of great value to his Government in time of war. He decided to keep this a secret and have it ready to aid the United States at a time when they would need it most.

Robert figured that there would be a big bull campaign in cotton during 1929 so he had started buying early in the year, expecting a big advance later. He had also forecast the rapid advance of certain classes of stocks. During 1928 he had closed a successful bear campaign in Major Motors and was still holding his Right Aeroplane stock, which had continued to advance, and he figured that it would have a big rise during 1929. His fortune was piling up rapidly, despite all the money he was spending on his new inventions. The new ship "Marie, the Angel of Mercy," was now about perfected, but Robert intended that this should never be made known to the public until he had it in perfect working order and it was a success beyond doubt.

After preparing his campaign for the market and buying stocks and cotton for the big advance, Walter noticed a great change in Robert. His health began to fail again, and now that he had achieved great success and completed such wonderful inventions, without Marie to comfort him he would probably break down in health and give up. Robert had ceased to talk much about Marie. His interest in the future was waning. Walter and Edna, who were still as much in love as ever, often discussed Robert's physical condition. They decided to encourage him to go away for a long-needed rest. Walter had a talk with Robert in the middle of January, 1929, but Robert didn't show much interest or any desire to travel. A short time after this, Robert appeared at the office one morning looking more haggard and worn than ever. He called Walter and Edna into the office, told them that he had had a very peculiar dream the night before, that he had dreamed that he had gone to Paris and suddenly met Marie. He was so strongly impressed with the dream that he decided to leave at once. Told Walter to give the mechanics instructions to put his old ship "The St. Marie" in shape to sail at once.

It was a matter of only a couple of days until they reported that "The St. Marie" was in perfect shape and could stand a trip around the world. There was to be a great convention of all the nations on aviation in Paris and Robert decided that he wanted to be there for it, but the main incentive for the trip was his dream. Robert had no trouble in securing letters of introduction to prominent people in London and Paris. When he said good-bye to Walter and Edna, they wished him God-speed, told him that they hoped his dream would become a reality and that he would find Marie, but they knew that he was not the same Robert of old. He acted as tho his spirit was broken. On the morning of February 2nd, 1929, Robert started his flight to Paris and arrived there promptly in the evening and went to visit some friends and acquaintances. After talking over the war situation and his forecasts of the great war yet to come, he decided to visit friends in London. England and Russia were waging their battles in the air and doing very little land fighting. Despite the good start that England had made, Russia and her allies were getting the best of the victory. Robert found London very uninteresting. Up to this time he had heard nothing of Marie and decided to return to Paris.

On a beautiful sunshiny morning in the latter part of February, 1929, Robert was walking down a prominent business street in Paris with no special objective in mind. He was feeling sick and gloomy and was walking with his head down, looking at the street. Suddenly he saw a form approaching very closely, and like a flash, a woman quickly passed him. He was sure it was Marie. His heart was in his throat. He turned around quickly to follow her but she had disappeared. Just as she passed him she dropped a letter on the street and he picked it up, put it in his pocket and rushed on down the street, hoping to find her, but after exhausting himself running around, fighting his way thru the crowds, without a glimpse of her, he decided to open the letter. When he opened it it was written in a foreign language which he did not understand. He was not sure whether it was Marie's handwriting or not. His first thought was to go immediately to an interpreter and have the letter read. On second thought, he decided that it might be something confidential and that he would go to an old friend who lived in Paris and ask him to interpret the letter. Robert called on Louis Renan, stated the circumstance of his meeting Marie on the street and told him about the letter she dropped. His friend gladly consented to read the letter. Robert handed it to him and he glanced over it; handed it back to Robert without a word, told him to get out of his house immediately and never darken the door again. Robert begged for an explanation but in vain. His friend was angry and determined and pushed Robert out of the door. Robert walked slowly back to his hotel, disappointed, mystified, and heart-broken. What could be the meaning of this letter? Why should his friend offer no explanation as to what it contained? Had he really met Marie and was the letter from her? One thing he knew, he must find out what this mysterious letter contained. He decided the next best plan was to go to an interpreter, so he inquired at the hotel the name of an interpreter and was informed where he could get any language interpreted. He called at the address, explained his mission to the manager and turned over the letter. In a few minutes the manager returned, handed him the letter, told him there was the door, please get out and ask no questions. Robert again begged for some explanation but the man was defiant and refused to make any comment.

Robert returned to his hotel to think matters over. He bought a paper and looked over the news from New York and market reports. He saw that cotton and stocks were advancing as he expected, but money-making now was of no interest to him when he at last thought that he had found where Marie was. He decided to place a personal notice in all the papers in Paris, telling Marie that he had passed her on the street, had found the letter, was unable to get it interpreted, and beg her to communicate with him at once. He placed the notice in the papers that afternoon. Received an invitation from some acquaintances in Paris to dine with them and go to a ball. He wanted to refuse the invitation because he did not feel equal to the occasion, but they insisted that it would do him good and begged him to come along. Robert had been so disappointed about the mysterious letter and the sudden loss of Marie after he had seen her, that he decided to say nothing about the incident to his friends. After dinner was over, they chatted with Robert, and he seemed more cheerful. They told Robert of the Aviators' Costume Ball to take place in the Hotel Lafayette that night and asked him to go along. Robert tried to beg off and made the excuse that he had no costume for this occasion, but they told him that they had already ordered one for him and there was no getting out of it—he had to go, so finally he consented.