Opening material

[Illustration: “ORISSA—THE FLYING GIRL.”]

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The Flying Girl

BY

EDITH VAN DYNE

Author of

Aunt Jane’s Nieces, Aunt Jane’s Nieces Abroad, Aunt Jane’s Nieces at Millville, Aunt Jane’s Nieces at Work, Aunt Jane’s Nieces in Society, Aunt Jane’s Nieces and Uncle John

Illustrated by Joseph Pierre Nuyttens

[Illustration]

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE I ORISSA 13 II A DISCIPLE OF AVIATION 20 III THE KANE AIRCRAFT 32 IV MR. BURTHON IS CONFIDENTIAL 38 V BETWEEN MAN AND MAN—AND A GIRL 47 VI A BUCKING BIPLANE 55 VII SOMETHING WRONG 62 VIII MR. BURTHON’S PROPOSITION 71 IX THE OTHER FELLOW 78 X A FRESH START 83 XI ORISSA RESIGNS 89 XII THE SPYING OF TOT TYLER 96 XIII SYBIL IS CRITICAL 105 XIV THE FLYING FEVER 113 XV A FINAL TEST 122 XVI THE OPENING GUN 132 XVII A CURIOUS ACCIDENT 139 XVIII THE ONE TO BLAME 144 XIX PLANNING THE CAMPAIGN 155 XX UNCLE AND NIECE 164 XXI MR. H. CHESTERTON RADLEY-TODD 174 XXII THE FLYING GIRL 184 XXIII A BATTLE IN THE AIR 192 XXIV THE CRIMINAL 202 XXV THE REAL HEROINE 215 XXVI OF COURSE 222

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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

“Orissa—The Flying Girl” _Frontispiece_ Orissa stood with hands clasped 64 “It—interests me” 124 The rescue 197

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FOREWORD

The author wishes to acknowledge her indebtedness to Mr. Glenn H. Curtiss and Mr. Wilbur Wright for courtesies extended during the preparation of this manuscript. These skillful and clever aviators, pioneers to whom the Art of Flying owes a colossal debt, do not laugh at any suggestion concerning the future of the aëroplane, for they recognize the fact that the discoveries and inventions of the next year may surpass all that have gone before. The world is agog with wonder at what has been accomplished; even now it is anticipating the time when vehicles of the air will be more numerous than are automobiles to-day.

The American youth has been no more interested in the development of the science of aviation than the American girl; she is in evidence at every meet where aëroplanes congregate, and already recognizes her competence to operate successfully any aircraft that a man can manage. So the story of Orissa Kane’s feats has little exaggeration except in actual accomplishment, and it is possible her ventures may be emulated even before this book is out of press. There are twenty women aviators in Europe; in America are thousands of girls ambitious to become aviators.

An apology may be due those gentlemen who performed so many brilliant feats at the 1911 meet at Dominguez, for having thrust them somewhat into the shade to allow the story to exalt its heroine; but they will understand the exigencies that required this seeming discourtesy and will, the author is sure, generously pardon her.

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The Flying Girl