For nearly two hours she flew on. By dint of great effort she managed to move Ronnie into a position which she hoped might be more comfortable. She spoke to him, but there was no answer. He lay there inert and motionless, strapped in his seat. When she withdrew her ungloved hand it was again wet with blood.
She pressed forward, putting “The Hornet” along at the full pace of which the machine was capable. The little clock showed the hour to be nearly three, therefore she judged that she must be nearing the English coast again. Her surmise proved correct, for ten minutes later she saw the glimmer of a searchlight on the sky straight ahead—the light of one of our air-stations. Therefore, turning slightly to the north, she again opened the silencer as a precaution, and, with her engine suddenly roaring, made straight for it.
Ere long half-a-dozen beams of intense light were searching the skies for the incoming machine, which the watchers below were eager to examine, and it was not long before one of the beams caught and held “The Hornet” in its blinding rays, lighting up the white, inanimate face beside her, and showing the dark stain of wounds.
Then three other beams became concentrated for a few moments upon her, and again, one after another, shut off, until she was once more in darkness.
The position of the lights, however, told her where she was—over a certain town a few miles inland, and taking her bearings, she rose higher, and began to describe a wide circle in order to find the four bright flares which she knew Collins had lit in the meadow at Harbury.
Another half-hour she spent in vain search, until, of a sudden, she saw points of light deep down on her left. Straining her eyes she managed at last to make out that there were four, looking close together from that height. Therefore she quickly descended, while as she did so she saw Morse flashes from a signal-lamp telling her the direction of the wind, in order that she might land head on to it.
Ten minutes later she came safely to earth, when Collins ran up, having chased the machine across the field.
In a moment Beryl told him with breathless haste what had occurred, and with but few words they at once carried Ronald back to the house, and laid him upon the sofa in the study. Then Collins rushed to the car, and drove away madly to fetch the nearest doctor.
The latter arrived with but little delay, and Beryl, her sister’s arm round her, stood outside the door, awaiting his verdict.
The examination occupied some time, but at last the medical man came forth.