very
unfairly if anyone thinks she deliberately planned such a distressing
incident as the one which took place aboard the _Coast to Coast_ the
other day."

"But isn't it true that Miss Cameron is one of your favorites?"

"I am no more partial to her than to the other girls. It happens that
she is a most efficient and personable stewardess. I only wish that all
of the girls were as capable as she."

The pilots also spoke a good word for Jane, but she knew she was in a
tight spot. Someone had prejudiced the personnel director against her
and she strongly suspected the fine hand of Mattie Clark, working
through her uncle.

Then Sue took a hand in the proceedings.

"I've been doing a little investigating on my own account," she said.
"It may interest you to know that a member of the stewardess staff
bought the drug which was used to cause the illness aboard the plane."

"What do you know about this?" demanded Mr. Speidel.

"Enough to clear Jane of any part in it," replied Sue. "I have a sworn
statement from the druggist who made the sale. He knows the stewardess
who made the purchase and named her in the affidavit."

Sue waved the paper and the personnel chief seized it eagerly.

"I think this investigation is over," he said as he finished reading
the affidavit. "I am sorry, Miss Cameron, to have caused you any
embarrassment."

Once outside, Jane hugged Sue enthusiastically.

"You were a peach to do that piece of sleuthing," she said. "For a
while it looked like I was in a tight place."

"But you haven't asked me who bought the drug," said Sue.

"I don't need to. It was Mattie. I remembered seeing her in the
commissary the other day. Honestly, I hardly thought Mattie would stoop
to such a trick. Why, think what would have happened if the pilots had
eaten any of that lunch."

"I did," replied Sue, "which is one reason why I went sneaking around
the drug stores in Cheyenne. Mattie was pretty sure of herself for she
bought it in the store where we usually go for our sodas. The druggist
didn't want to give me an affidavit, but when I threatened to swing all
of the stewardess trade to the store across the street he decided to
sign."

They were having dinner that night at Mrs. Murphy's when Alice, just
off a run from the east, came in.

"Guess who I saw leaving the field?" she said.

"Mattie Clark," replied Jane.

"You're a mind-reader. It was Mattie and she was going as a passenger.
What's up?"

Sue t