ane, and a mechanic to attend to it."

I glanced from the card to this extraordinary young man with interest.
For the name itself, John Hamlin Power, told me of a career in Wall
Street--brief, but conspicuous in its daring and success; a career in
which this immaculate, smiling young cotillion leader had made the
very monarchs of finance fear the elan of his attack, the relentless
quality of his grip.

"I have taken a fancy," he went on, "to possess the identical machine
with which you accomplished your recent Mount McKinley record. It is
perhaps for sale?"

"Perfectly, if monsieur wishes," I responded, with another bow. "But
it is a machine of unusual speed and power. Monsieur can already fly,
no doubt?"

"I do not anticipate any difficulty. As a matter of fact, I have not
yet attempted it. It is for that purpose that I have come to buy a
machine. It would be a favor if you would arrange to deliver it to me
in Westchester to-morrow. The mechanic will, of course, arrive at the
same time, as I shall wish to commence practice at once."

He turned aside to inspect a motor that lay dismounted on a wooden
stand, as if there were nothing further to discuss. Indeed, though
his speech was rapid and incisive, and his every movement full of an
_allure_ that spoke of splendidly poised muscles, he was in face and
manner alike the most singularly immobile man I had ever met. He gave
the impression of employing neither words nor actions except in case
of clear necessity.

I exchanged glances with Georges, who had turned up his eyes, spread
his arms, and allowed them to fall again limply to his sides. I
coughed. Monsieur Power drew himself up from his inspection of the
motor and smiled again expectantly.

"But the question of tuition?" I stammered. "Monsieur has no doubt
arranged for the services of an instructor?"

There was the slightest twinkle in that steadfast gaze of his. He had
the bravest, and yet the tenderest, eyes in the world.

"I'm afraid I have not sufficient time for the regular course,"
he said. "I am a rather busy man, as you possibly know. I have
consequently taken lessons in advance, by mail. May I expect the
machine to-morrow as arranged?"

I murmured something to the effect that he had perhaps underestimated
the difficulties of aviation.

"Are they not exaggerated?" he inquired. "You taught my friend, Miss
Hamilton Warren, to fly, did you not?"

"Mademoiselle, it is true, flies here almost daily,"