Bill Barnes Air Adventurer, July 1935 — page 61: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

AIR ADVENTURER 59 skinned natives walked through the streets, clothed only in their lambas, bearing baskets containing eggs and rice, bright-colored mats, live chickens and geese, on their heads. Cast-off European clothes, strange and doubtful medicines, baskets of dried locusts to eat, empty bottles and tin cans, were among the wares offered in the market place. Bill and his men found that the best hotel the capital offered was far from good. The American consul told them later in the day that all the hotels on Madagascar ranged from very bad on down. They were inclined to believe him. “Let’s not lose any time,” Bill said to Shorty after he had tried to get clean. “Get your maps and papers together and we'll go to the administration building and check up on the location of Wyn- dam’s property with their records. But don’t tell them anything. Don’t let them know just what we are after. In other words, we'll learn what we want to know without giving them any information.” “What about the language?” “We'll find some one who speaks Eng- lish,’ Bill said. After some difficulty they made the driver of one of their cars understand that they wished to find the government buildings. Once there they found the department they wanted by means of pantomime and Shorty’s bad French. The official in charge finally sent for a Frenchman who spoke a smattering of English. They made him understand what they wanted to know. He brought out a government map of the country along the automobile road connecting Tananarivo and Ankazobe to the north- west of the capital. In an hour they left the building and they knew what they wanted to know. While they were comparing Wyndam’s crude map with the government map and tax records Shorty almost gave away the reason for their search. The Frenchman who was helping them looked at Shorty’s trembling hands and flushed face with a curious expression. An expression that caused his eyes to narrow down to mere slits as Shorty put his finger on a certain spot on the government map. “These fellows bought this land direct from the government?” Shorty asked, holding his finger on that spot on the map. The Frenchman nodded his head, and added: “Ow, monsieur.” “No one else owned it before they bought it in 1928?” Bill asked. “Non, monsieur.” , They shook hands with the French- man, who said his name was La Coste— Andre La Coste—and took their leave. When they were outside Shorty could hardly restrain himself. He stopped and began to jabber to Bill in much the same manner natives had spoken to him since their arrival, Bill laughed. “Keep your shirt on, fella,” he said. “Take it easy so I know what you're talking about.” »O. ik. Bill, Shorty. said, his blue eyes gleaming. He swallowed and took a deep breath. “This is what I’m trying to say, Bill: Things are beginning to click in my mind now. You remember I said the leader of the men who attacked us over the Mediterranean reminded me, or his flying tactics, reminded me, of a Ger- man pilot I fought with several times during the War?” eal remember,” Bill said. _ “Heilner was his name,” Shorty said, his eyes flashing. “Eric Heilner. He was a German squadron commander, famous in our section. Do you see what I’m getting at?” “T’m a little slow on the uptake, I guess,’ Bill admitted. “Eric Heilner is the name of one of the three men who now own Wypn- dam’s property. The other two, Boett- ner and Zimmerman, mean nothing to me. But Heilner does. Don’t you see? oO COLA) Ghook CO