The picture swung into the air action which had been taken that
morning, showing the departure of the tri-motor. Then Jane saw the
black plane which she had piloted bearing down on the transport and she
leaned forward in her chair. This was her part of the picture. Her
mouth felt dry and her brow was hot as she watched the black plane dart
toward the unsuspecting tri-motor.

Smoke and flame shot from the gun on her plane as she maneuvered to
force the transport down. The camera range had been too long to get a
glimpse of Jane's face and reveal that a girl was flying the plane, but
her scarf, which had been wound around her head, trailed over the edge
of the cockpit, whipping in the wind.

The director turned to an assistant. "Make a note that when we take the
close-up shots in the studio there must be a scarf tied to the helmet
of the pilot of the bandit plane."

Out of the clouds dropped Charlie Fischer in the army plane, roaring
down upon Jane and the black ship. For the next few minutes Jane was
almost breathless as she watched the maneuvers in the air. It was more
thrilling than she had dared to imagine, and the cameras had caught
every twist and turn of the plane. Then came the last dive by Charlie
and the puff of smoke from the black biplane, which fell away in a
twisting dive.

Jane, watching intently, saw flames lick out of the fuselage and
seconds later she catapulted from the burning plane. The cameras,
following the blazing ship, failed to show her chute open, but they
kept the focus on the plane until it smashed into the ground, a flaming
mass of wreckage.

The film sputtered out of the projector and the lights in the ballroom
came on. Director James turned to Jane and Charlie.

"Congratulations on some exceptionally fine flying," he said. Then,
aiming his question at Jane, he asked, "How would you like to come to
Hollywood? I'm sure we could find some small roles for a girl who has
your coolness and nerve."

Jane shook her head firmly.

"Once was enough. I've had all of the movie experience I want."

Chapter Twenty-two

Promotion for Jane

"What's this I hear about your turning down an offer to go to
Hollywood?" demanded Sue when she reached Mrs. Murphy's the next
morning after a night flight from Chicago.

"Did you really do that?" asked Grace, who had just arrived.

Jane smiled at their insistent questions.

"I did something like it," she confessed. "At least I recall that Mr